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Tatoo Murder Case [Paperback]

Akimitsu Takagi (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Release Date: July 1 2003 | Series: Soho crime
Miss Kinue Nomura survived World War II only to be murdered in Tokyo, her severed limbs left behind. Gone is that part of her that bore one of the most beautiful full-body tattoos ever rendered by her late father. Kenzo Matsushita, a young doctor, must assist his detective brother who is in charge of the case, because he was Kinue's secret lover and the first person on the murder scene.

The Tattoo Murder Case was originally published in 1948; this is the first English translation.

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Product Description

From Amazon

If you read mysteries for insights into other cultures and different periods, this excellent translation of the first novel by Akimitsu Takagi, who became one of Japan's leading crime writers, is an eye-opener. In 1947 Toyko, the limbs of a murdered woman are discovered in a locked bathroom. Her torso--covered with intricately beautiful tattoos by her late father, a highly controversial artist--is missing. A doctor finds the body, and his detective brother is put in charge of the case. They bumble around until the doctor's friend, jokingly called "Boy Genius," leads them to the murderer. Fans of golden-age mysteries by S. S. Van Dine and John Dickson Carr should enjoy this unusual combination of ingredients. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

A female's limbs and head are found in a locked bathroom, and all the doors and windows of the house are locked. The dismembered body is discovered by two admirers, Professor Heishiro Hayakawa, a collector of tattoo skins, and Kenzo Matsushita, the naive, lovestruck younger brother of Detective Chief Inspector Daiyu Matsushita. The police's problems are compounded by two additional murders. A tattooed man?the brother of the first victim?is found dead and has been skinned, and victim number three, the jealous lover of the woman, is found dead from a gunshot to the head. Frustrated by their inability to solve these crimes, the brothers Matsushita, who have joined forces, enlist the services of Kyosuke Kamizu, the "Boy Genius." Kamizu methodically analyzes the deaths, interviews the prime suspects, and quietly solves the case. Intermingled among the twisted plot is the Japanese tradition of myth and superstition, ritual, male and female relationships, the strong tradition of family and family honor, and the relationships of younger brothers to older brothers. Takagi, Japan's most acclaimed mystery writer, has created a first-rate mystery, excellently translated into English.?Janis Williams, Shaker Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars
18 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic. Jun 25 2002
By B. Gone
Format:Hardcover
Takagi's masterpiece combines the virtues of a mystery story that is in the same league as Conan Doyle's very best stories, with an intricate description and analysis of the effects of the second world war on Japanese society. The choice of the tattoo as leitmotiv was really a stroke of brilliance. On the one hand it plays a central part in the solving of the murder plot. Moreover, the taboo status that has surrounded the tattoo due to Western influences on the land of the rising sun, gives the (sexual) fascination of its admirers a metaphorical depth. As such, I disagree with a previous reviewer who saw Kenzo's ongoing fascination with Kinue as a manifestation of necrophilia. I feel it represents an expression of nostalgia to the pre-western "good old days".

In closing, the translator deserves some kudos for the excellent translation. The subtly inserted short explanations provide the novice with direct understanding with many concepts and the atmosphere of the original text has been carefully preserved.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Post War Dead Culture Intrigue April 18 2002
By Ross H Ostrander
Format:Paperback
Akimitsu Takagi's The Tattoo Murder Case is a crime novel that fits comfortably into its genre. The nourish elements are all presenting the narrative. The troubled detective is following the trail of a crime that has inherent mystery surrounding both its perpetrator and its victim. But the novel is more enthralling than just these basic details. The detective, Kenzo, is locked in the culturally ruined Japan of post World War Two. The after effects of the Atomic Bomb are scattered throughout the narrative. This leaves a dark residual cast over all of the characters. The sense of a seedy underworld is revealed to reader as the narrative carries on. Another aspect that is uncovered is the sense that Kenzo is trapped in a necrophiliac relationship with the dead tattooed woman who has been stripped of her prized full body designs. This post-mortem aura surrounds all of the characters and draws parallels to the 'dead' world in which they live. A strong commentary is made on the after effects of world war. Altogether it is a fantastically well crafted novel that will draw readers into an unfamiliar cultural moment and a mystery with uncertain outcome.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Can the frog eat the snake... or not? April 9 2002
By Brooke Bakun
Format:Hardcover
In a WWII stricken Japan, the characters in Takagi's "The Tattoo Murder Mystery" living in a post-WWII Japan work daily in attempt to regain a semblance of reality and peace as the country recovers from its losses. In this unsettled landscape, the people look for unifying opportunities, and perhaps are more apt to quickly develop personal relationships, like that which occurred between Kenzo, a returned soldier, and Kinue, a young woman who's sister is assumed to have been killed in Hiroshima. Their lives are intertwined through a unique annual showing of gorgeous full body tattoos, in which Kinue is admired for her snake tattoo and Kenzo is captivated by her charm and beauty. When the woman is later found dead, her tattoo violently removed from her body, the race is on to discover the motive and criminal which unpredictable will reveal a secret that Kinue hid deeper than her tattooed skin. Who is the woman that appears suddenly into the plot and who so resembles Kinue? Is the murderer still on the loose?

The fact that a tattoo is the major clue and focus of the murder case is unique to a novel and allows for bits of the Japanese culture, art, and traditional legends to infiltrate and adds a layer of depth and reality to the text. Although the exoticism and enjoyment of tattoos outwardly appears to have been erased from proper Japanese social circles, the art is still quietly valued, as evidenced by the University of Tokyo's rich collection of skins and the skillfully woven fables and legends (such as that of the snake, slug, and magician myth) even now passed through generations. With this culture, the professor Hayakawa, in charge of the largest collection of tattooed skins at the University, Kinue's husband, and past lovers are all possible suspects. Who would commit such a crime? What does this suggest about the value of women in this society where they are admired then killed for their skin? Through the lead detective "Boy Genius," Kyosuk, the clues come together in such a way reminiscent of the quiet, insightful techniques of Sherlock Holmes and "The Moonstone's" Sergeant Cuff. While maintaining a rich flavor of culture, suspense, and detailed department detective work, Takagi has produced a text that is hard to put down and twisted in a way sure to be pleasing and surprising even to the most avid detective fiction enthusiasts.

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Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Can the frog eat the snake... or not?
In a WWII stricken Japan, the characters in Takagi's "The Tattoo Murder Mystery" living in a post-WWII Japan work daily in attempt to regain a semblance of reality and peace as the... Read more
Published on April 9 2002 by Brooke Bakun
5.0 out of 5 stars Intricate Portrayal of Art and History
Mythical and traditional history, present life and conditions in Japan, and ideals of beauty and art versus respectability appear embodied through the expertly designed tattoo on... Read more
Published on April 8 2002 by Elizabeth Austin
5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing
In a concealed part of society in Japan where tattooed men and women still let their kimonos slip off to reveal their elaborate designs, Kenzo finds himself ensnared by the... Read more
Published on Mar 7 2002 by Jenna Newmark
4.0 out of 5 stars The Aftermath of the War
The Tattoo Murder Case, written by Akimitsu Takagi, is an absorbing novel that delves into the sensuality and mystery surrounding the art of tattoos. Read more
Published on Feb 28 2002 by Leya Speasmaker
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Incredible
Akimitsu Takagi's masterpiece, translated into English from the original version, immerses the reader into the underworld of the nearly ruined remnants of post-World War Two Japan. Read more
Published on Feb 22 2002 by Kristen P. Sagar
5.0 out of 5 stars Spellbinding!
I am trying to find and read all the best Japanese mysteries (set both in feudal period and modern Japan), and I would rank this as one of the best. Read more
Published on Jan 25 2002
4.0 out of 5 stars SS Van Dine in Japan
This is a good straightforward locked room mystery. It is set in post war Tokyo, and was written in 1948. The odd world of full-body tattooing forms a backdrop. Read more
Published on Oct 16 2001 by Ken Braithwaite
5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpected surprise.
When I first picked up this book, I was more interested in the cover art than the actual story. When I started reading it, I figured it would be one of those boring "Mr. Read more
Published on July 5 2001 by Jennifer Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Under the Skin of the World of Japanese Tattoo
In a magnificent mystery written in 1947 the author explores the underworld of the Japanese tattoo masters, their secrecy, their rituals, and their beautiful art. Read more
Published on Oct 24 2000 by Pat Fish of Tattoo Santa Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars great crime story
i've read all of akimitsu takagi's books that are available in english. unfortunately, i read this one first. why do i say unfortunately? well - because it simply is his best. Read more
Published on July 19 2000
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