I’m not even sure where to begin with this one. Why did I choose to read this book? Two reasons: the striking cover design and my irresistible weakness for works by Asian authors—hand me anything, and I’ll devour it. That said, this was actually my first Asian crime novel, and I went in with pretty high expectations.

Structurally, The Labyrinth House Murders is a classic locked-room mystery thriller. Four authors and three critics/editors are invited to celebrate the 60th birthday of a legendary writer, Miyagaki Yotaro. The event takes place in the infamous Labyrinth House—a secluded, maze-like building designed by a controversial architect, far from civilization. The guests arrive, but the guest of honor does not. After hours of waiting, Yotaro is declared dead by suicide. However, he has left behind a will with a bizarre request: each of the four authors must write a murder mystery set in the very same Labyrinth House, using the real people present as characters. The twist? In every story, the author must be the victim. They have five days to write their stories, and no one is allowed to leave. On the sixth day, the critics will pick the best story—and the winning author inherits Yotaro’s entire fortune.

Sounds like a plan, right? Only instead of five quiet days of writing, the house becomes a crime scene. One by one, the murders written into the stories begin happening in real life—exactly as they were imagined. The house is locked, there’s no contact with the outside world, and soon it becomes clear: someone is playing a very dangerous game, and survival is no longer guaranteed.

The book follows a very Agatha Christie–style structure, where both the characters and the reader are equally clueless and stuck in the same impossible situation. Strange, inexplicable things keep happening, and only one or two individuals might have any idea what’s really going on. Toward the end, a deus ex machina swoops in to tie things together in a way that feels sudden and improbable. But—as the TV infomercials say—that’s not all! Just when you think the story is over, an epilogue flips everything on its head. Then it flips it again. And maybe one more time for good measure. Twist after twist.

Honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, it’s quite fun to see an author pull the rug out from under you again and again. On the other hand—and this might just be a personal issue - despite the intriguing setup, the story never truly clicked for me emotionally. I kept waiting for that spark, for the moment I’d feel hooked and deeply invested, but it never came. I kept reading, intrigued by the premise, but I didn’t feel much of anything.

That said, the story’s structure and the way the initial murders were set up showed a lot of promise. The inclusion of legends and mythological figures added an atmospheric layer that had the potential to tie beautifully into the ending. But despite the buildup, these elements never quite paid off in the resolution, which left me slightly disappointed.

The Labyrinth House Murders is the third book in Ayatsuji’s House Murders series, each of which features a different building designed by the same eccentric architect. Having read only this one, I can confidently say the books seem to work well as standalones. And a special shoutout to the cover designer - it’s absolutely eye-catching and definitely part of what drew me in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the chance to read this intriguing mystery!

"A twisty and ingenious stand-alone classic Japanese murder mystery from the author of The Decagon House Murders.

Can the brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada solve the mystery of this bizarre house before all those trapped in its labyrinth are dead? Can you guess the solution before he does?

Miyagaki Yōtarō is one of Japan's most famed mystery writers, but several years ago he put down his pen and left the Tokyo literary world for a life of seclusion in the remote Labyrinth House, built by the notorious architect Nakamura Seiji. When four of the country's most exciting up-and-coming crime writers are invited to the house for Yōtarō's birthday party, they are honoured to accept. But no sooner have they arrived than they are confronted with a shocking death, then lured into a bizarre, deadly competition with each other...

As the competition proceeds, and murder follows murder, the brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada investigates. Can he solve the mystery of the house before all those trapped in its labyrinth are dead? And can you guess the solution before he does?

Readers of Japanese crime classics and fans of clever puzzle mysteries, such as Magpie Murders, Eight Detectives, and The Appeal will love the third stand-alone book from the author of Decagon House Murders and Mill House Murders - Japanese crime classics that have dazzled readers with their ingeniously constructed plots and solutions. The whole book is like a magic trick, with one of Ayatsuji's trademark breathtaking reveals at the end."

A very Murder By Death vibe. I love it!

“Utayama suddenly felt dizzy, as if he were being sucked into the crack between reality and fantasy.” (Chapter 6)
Me too, Utayama, me too!
This Japanese detective novel is written in the shin honkaku style, an extreme version of the puzzle mystery with a floor plan, list of characters, locked rooms, closed circle of suspects, etc. The Labyrinth House Murders takes place in a house belonging to a retired mystery writer in Japan. The house’s design is inspired by the Labyrinth of Greek mythology. A select company of mystery writers and literary critics are invited to stay in this house for a sort of story competition. When guests start turning up dead, the remaining invitees must follow clues and use their knowledge of detective fiction to find out who is behind the deaths.

Read this book to enjoy an elaborately-structured puzzle mystery set in a unique location and based on a fantastical premise, in the best tradition of this unique Japanese genre. However, do not read this mystery expecting realism, psychological or otherwise! The characters enter enthusiastically into the ‘game’ aspect of the situation they are in, rather than responding in frustration or terror to being locked in a maze-like building underground while people keep turning up dead.
As a translator myself (though not of Japanese), I congratulate this book’s translator, Ho-Ling Wong, for navigating the intricacies of fair play clues and meta-narrative to render a smooth, idiomatic English translation.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book.

DNF @ 42%

This wasn't bad, per se. The narrative style was a little too stilted for me, and the characters felt very bland and stereotypical. Granted, this could be because of the translation, and I do understand that sometimes cadence and flow don’t always match up well in translated works. But I just didn't find myself compelled by / invested enough in this story to continue reading it. And at almost the halfway mark that doesn't bode well for a mystery novel.

Maybe I'd have felt differently if I'd read the first two books before this and had formed an attachment to the detective? But who can say.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Locked room-cum-labyrinth mystery
—
Look, it’s hard to tell you much without telling you everything. Suffice it to say that this is a locked room mystery with a labyrinth at its heart. Throw in four mystery writers, a literary race to win a fortune, and a rapidly growing pile of dead bodies, and you’ve got yourself this homage to every locked room mystery you could imagine. Of course, it’s got its own Japanese touches and quirks of plot and characterisation, but as an introduction to Japanese crime, you can’t go wrong.

Admittedly, it’s part of a series and if you’ve read the first one, The Decagon House Murders, this is a retread of that previous book so you may feel shortchanged, but come back for the fiendish logic puzzles and the final chapter which is a lot.

Three and a half stars.

The Labyrinth House Murders is a chilling psychological thriller that immerses readers in an atmospheric, suspense-filled narrative. The story centers around a seasoned detective who is called to investigate a series of gruesome murders that have occurred within the confines of a sprawling, dilapidated mansion. As the detective delves deeper into the case, they uncover disturbing connections between the victims and the house's dark history, which is rife with secrets, betrayals, and a history of violence. The mansion itself almost becomes a character, with its labyrinthine halls and eerie ambiance playing a pivotal role in the unfolding mystery.

The novel expertly weaves together complex characters, each with their own hidden motives, and a plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The pacing, while deliberate in places, builds an air of suspense and dread that intensifies as the investigation progresses. The slow burn of the narrative serves to deepen the mystery, leading to a shocking and unexpected conclusion that will leave readers questioning everything they thought they knew.

Ideal for fans of gothic mysteries and psychological thrillers, The Labyrinth House Murders offers a haunting exploration of human nature, deception, and the dark forces that can shape our fates. This compelling novel is sure to captivate anyone seeking a tale of suspense, intrigue, and psychological depth.

Can't wait to read more of his books!

A solid story of mystery and suspense. The characters were well written and the plot was interesting. The average rating is mostly because I couldn't get as into the story as I'd wanted to.

All I can say is wow! This book takes some amazing turns that I didn’t see coming! The whole time I was a little annoyed because I felt like duh, we all know how this ends, but nope the twists start coming. Then they keep coming!

I love a great locked room murder mystery and then when twists come into play that you don’t see coming, it makes the book that much better. What I also loved about this book, it was a book within a book that had other books written inside it. It kept it very interesting.

This book did take me a bit to get into it since there are a lot of characters in it and then there are a lot of Greek Mythology references that took a while to remember. The author does do a great job at retelling the characters and stories, but it is a lot to take in and remember.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I have not read the first two installments of this series, but Yukito Ayatsuji has a new fan! It had a classic mystery feel, and was filled with Greek mythology references (which I love!) and twists and turns I didn't always predict. Like a few other reviewers, I was a bit disappointed with the final twist, but I feel like that's just what you get when men write women, and considering this was originally published in the 80s, it's not all that surprising. But my overall opinion of the book is positive, and I'm interested in reading the first two books in the series.

The House Labyrinth Murders has a very eye-catching cover and some intriguing elements like the labyrinth maps and insights into the use of author pseudonyms in Japanese literature. But, the reading experience didn’t quite land for me. The book-in-a-book structure - multiplied four times - felt excessive, making the narrative unnecessarily convoluted rather than alluring and captivating.

One of my biggest gripes was the infamous “bull head” reveal, which felt like a cringeworthy example of men writing women in ways that simply don’t make sense. The writing style didn’t help either - straightforward to the point of being dry, with an ending that overexplains everything instead of leaving room for nuance or imagination. Adding to the frustration, this isn’t a true “fair play” mystery, as some key details are deliberately kept from the reader, making the resolution feel cheap rather than satisfying.

While I can see how this might have been groundbreaking decades ago, it didn’t hold up for me. If you’re a fan of classic Japanese mysteries or Ayatsuji’s other works, you might still enjoy it, but personally, I struggled to stay engaged.

I simply can't put this book down. I think this may be Yukito Ayatsuji's best work that I have ever read. I love the layout of the house and the Greek mythology references. Some things were quite confusing but rewarding once we figure things out.

This murder mystery had a very classic feel to it! As someone who read And Then There Were None in my formative years, this felt right up the same alley.

I enjoyed the puzzles and while I solved some minor mysteries within the mystery before the characters did, other twists surprised me. The turducken of a book within a book and a solve within a solve confused me a little, but it was most likely in part due to the textual layout of the ARC.

It took a while to pick up, but once it did, it was properly unnerving. That first murder scene really set the tone for the story!

A well-done whodunit murder mystery structured as a book within a book. It also contained a good deal of Greek mythology, which was very fascinating. It was, unfortunately, the epilogue that ruined it for me. I felt the big plot twist was a bit misogynistic.

The third book in the locked house murder mystery series and as is the norm with this series it is so fun. The twists and the turns of this series that takes place in an underground Labyrinth house (as in the name) are incredibly compelling. It was hard to put this book down.

After visiting the Decagon and the Mill houses, this third entry brings us the fabulous Labyrinth House. All three were designed by the same architect, and I’d really love to visit them if they existed. This one is very well described, adding to the element of dread and claustrophobia. Both, house and plot, are filled with impossible turns and twists. I figured out some parts, but the main reveals were unexpected. Unlike other Japanese novels, I didn’t have such a hard time keeping track of the characters. Their names were hard for my Spanish-wired brain to remember, but the characters are distinctive enough that I could follow along. This is mostly a fair-play mystery that pays homage to the classics, and I was able to identify most of the easter eggs hidden throughout. I imagine that the original text is well written because the translation was excellent. This one also feels a little less dated than the others, even if it was also written in the 80’s. The ending is, as usual, unexpected and amazing.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Pushkin Vertigo.

The third (in terms of English translations) in the house murder mysteries, “The Labyrinth House Murders” by Yukito Ayatsuji is, like the previous two books, a clever homage to the golden age's "fair play" and "locked room" mysteries, with a Japanese twist.

The setting is similar to the previous “The Mill House Murders”, an odd house (built by the same architect as the previous two houses) out in the country, inhabited by an eccentric. The owner of the house, Miyagaki Yotaro, invites a select group of guests for a weekend: four of his protégé authors, a famous literary critic, a mystery editor and his wife, and Shimada Kiyoshi, who readers will remember as the amateur sleuth from the previous books. The house itself is built underground and based on the Greek mythological tales of the Labyrinth, with maze-like corridors, rooms named after Greek figures, and a menacing bull’s head hanging on the wall. Soon after the arrival of the guests the surprises start: Miyagaki has committed suicide and has left instructions for an interesting contest to determine which of his proteges will get his billions. Each of the four authors has 50 hours to write a murder mystery, set in the Labyrinth House, with themselves as the victims. The remaining three will act as judges to determine the winner. Everyone will be locked in the house with no communication with the outside world.

And so it begins. As each author scrambles to write their story, very quickly one of them is found gruesomely murdered, with the bull’s head where their head once was. On the author’s word processor was the start of his story, which was the exact prediction of how he died. And the owner’s assistant, the only one with keys to exit the house, has gone missing, the phone lines are cut. Before the night is done, there will be more mysterious murders, each predicted from the victim’s short story. Can Shimada and the editor solve the mystery and find the killer before they become the next victims?

An interesting glimpse into a different culture, time, and place. The mystery isn’t too intricate, most readers will be ahead of our amateur sleuths in figuring out who and how, but be prepared to be shocked in the very last epilogue.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Pushkin Press - Pushkin Vertigo via NetGalley. Thank you!

This was such a fun read! The concept and the resolution were not exactly unexpected however it didn’t take away from the story and the twists and turns along the way.

A slow burn but very enjoyable, have not read this authors work before but I shall definitely look out further work .
From the start of the book , I had a sense of the board game Cluedo , I enjoyed each character from their different backgrounds
8/10 from me

OMG! What an excellent read! I thought I was soo clever to have guessed what was going on.... oh girl.. I was soo wrong! I loved every page! If you are a fan of Agatha Christie and locked-house/isolated mysteries.. this one is for you. I have enjoyed all the books from this author, but this one is my favourite so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

I didn't realize this was the fourth book of interconnected stories, the Bizarre House Mysteries series. This book has definitely made me want to read more of them, ESPECIALLY the twisty ending.