The Inugami Curse: A complex, convoluted chronicle of coincidences

Sahei Inugami, wealthy businessman and head of the Inugami clan, could not even scores with his children after the chaos they created during his life, but he ensures his revenge with his death. Built into his will is a web which is bound to turn each of his children and grandchildren against each other. 

The novel, 'The Inugami Curse' written by Seishi Yokomizo and translated by Yumiko Yamazaki is a classic Japanese murder mystery set in the 1940s. The novel follows the Inugami family, with Sahei Inugami at its head. Sahei embodies the quintessential 'rags to riches' life story. 

Sahei is brought up by priest Daini, whose teachings help Sahei to climb the ladder of success. Though the business tycoon never marries, he fathers three daughters who grow up without any feelings of attachment towards each other or their father. 

When Sahei passes away, he leaves behind a curious will - one stipulated to remain unopened until the eldest grandson, Kiyo, returns from war. And once it is finally opened, however, it leads to a series of horrific murders. 

When it comes to classic murder mysteries, understanding the characters and their baser motivations is essential as they slowly evolve into viable suspects. After all, half the fun of reading whodunits is working with (and as) the detective, and trying to figure out who the murderer is. 

This is why the character list at the beginning and the family tree provided in the midst of the story are very helpful for the reader. Even so, following approximately 22 characters and trying to keep track of their actions proves to be challenging. Reading the novel feels like playing a form of mental chess. Having the capability to keep track of so many characters and trying to predict their intentions feels like a game.

In the case of this story, the reader mostly follows the detective, Kosuke Kindaichi, who is an eccentric man to say the least. Even though his habits are odd, his thought process seems a lot more relatable when he brings out his pen and paper to draw up the Inugami family tree or the list of evidence surrounding the murders. This method of having the detective draw up visualisations of the available data is clearly the author's way of trying to simplify the story for readers, but it also exemplifies how convoluted the story can become. 

Through its many twists, the story tries to throw you off, starting with Kindaichi's suspicions towards Tomayo, the granddaughter of Sahei's benefactor who found herself unwillingly at the centre of the story. One of the conditions of the will was that she had to marry one of his grandchildren for her to secure her inheritance. While the overall conditions of the will did give her reasons to murder to some extent, it was obvious from the get-go that her character was the red-herring meant to mislead less intuitive readers/detectives.

In general, most of the characters feel like two-dimensional caricatures, except Kiyo, who was silent for the majority of the story. None of them felt quite real, which will make it difficult for the reader to feel any emotional investment towards the murdered characters. Even the attachment felt towards Kiyo was a result of his tragic backstory. 

If you are the type of reader who enjoys connecting to the characters, the story can prove to be quite tedious, aside from the backstory of Shizuma, Sahei's secret child. Saving the backstory for eager readers, all I can say is that I applaud the writer for not giving in to the obvious and turning the story into a revenge plot - the end result is so much more. 

The details and structure of murder mysteries can make or break the well-loved genre. For 'The Inugami Curse,' lovers of the genre will come to realise that it is a double-edged sword. One of the most satisfactory aspects of the story — and a crucial part for any similar story — is that it does not leave any loose ends. There is nothing that can irk a reader more than leaving the small parts of the storyline unaddressed. Even though it might make the end of the story a bit tedious, it connects all the bits and pieces of evidence back to the main storyline.  

One thing that detracts somewhat in this story is how reliant a lot of it is on coincidence - a fact which becomes even more evident once the perpetrator is revealed. There is even a chapter named, 'A Series of Coincidences,' driving the point further.

Although the unplanned nature of the murders makes sense given the murder's motive, the revelation still feels quite lacklustre.  

Even so, there is a good reason why 'The Inugami Curse' is well-known among fans of the genre. It flows wonderfully, the language is easy, and it hooks you with its near-perfect pacing. So, if you are looking for a good book to keep you busy for a few days, this one is highly recommended.