'The master of ingenious plotting' Guardian

A classic Japanese mystery from the author of The Honjin Murders and Murder at the Black Cat Cafe

An heir arrives in a remote mountain village to claim his inheritance, but has he awakened a deadly, ancient curse?

Nestled deep in the mountains of Japan, the hamlet of Eight Graves takes its name from a centuries-old massacre. Ever since that bloody day, people say, a terrible curse has hung over the village.

When young Tatsuya arrives from the city to claim a mysterious inheritance, death follows close behind. After a series of gruesome poisonings, the villagers' suspicion quickly falls on the newcomer.

With the help of the famous Kosuke Kindaichi, Tatsuya must race to uncover the murderer and save his own life before the inhabitants of Eight Graves take justice into their own hands.

PRAISE FOR SEISHI YOKOMIZO

'The diabolically twisted plotting is top-notch' - New York Times

'Readers will delight in the blind turns, red herrings and dubious alibis... Ingenious and compelling' - Economist

'With a reputation in Japan to rival Agatha Christie's, the master of ingenious plotting is finally on the case for anglophone readers' - Guardian

'This is Golden Age crime at its best, complete with red herrings, blind alleys and twists and turns galore... A testament to the power of the simple murder mystery and its enduring appeal' - Spectator

'Plenty of golden age ingredients... with a truly ingenious solution' - Guardian, Best New Crime Novels

'Truly ingenious' Guardian

'The king of the locked-room mystery' CrimeReads

'The Japanese Agatha Christie' Sara Cox, Between the Covers

'Fiendishly complex and wonderfully atmospheric' S.J. Bennett, author of Murder Most Royal