The Labyrinth House Murders is a really fun, easy read that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. However, it fell a little flat for me. I’m not sure what was lost in translation, but the writing style wasn’t great. The female characters are one dimensional, trope-filled caricatures. One character literally either serves tea or curls up in a ball and doesn’t speak.
The mystery itself is intriguing and fun, and, despite thinking I had it solved, I was wrong.
The ending, however… I won’t add a spoiler here but as a woman…. Just no. That does not happen. It belongs in r/menwritingwomenbadly


Thanks to Netgally for an ARC.

The story masterfully blends classic mystery elements with a fresh perspective, offering readers a delightful experience that both respects tradition and brings something new to the table. If you enjoy unraveling complex mysteries and exploring different cultural contexts, this book is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin for the eARC. An interesting and compelling meta murder mystery. While some of the twists were easy to predict, those only turned out to hide further surprises as you get to the very end of the story. The translation is a bit simple and stilted, and I spent a lot of time trying to remember the characters when oftentimes the specifics didn’t matter much in the end — those kinds of character dynamics are not the focus of this book. Overall though it was a fun read and I’m excited to eventually read the next book in the Bizarre House Mysteries.

"a good mystery depends on three things: one, the seemingly impossibility of the opening; two, the suspense in the middle section; and three, the surprise of the ending."

So says Samejima, a crime thriller critic and one of the characters of this Japanese crime thriller. Does this book meet all or any of these criteria?

It is really hard to say. I struggled to stay with it and I didn't get any sense of tension.

It is a complex (labyrinth-esque) thriller rich with Greek mythology.

It is confusing and I wished I was reading this in physical copy rather than on the kindle, as I suspect I would have enjoyed it more and followed along more readily. There are long passages describing the maze like house and without being able to flick to the diagrams, I was as lost as someone trying to find a toilet without a map in the Labyrinth House!


I don't normally guess key plot points but I guessed most of them here. Or so I thought and then I got to the epilogue.

I might key reading some of the other novels in the series but only in physical copy.

I love a good murder mystery, especially one that pays homage the the classic style of this genre. I also enjoy reading stories translated from other languages so this has double the appeal to me!

Famous mystery writer Miyagaki Yotaro invites a number of young crime writers, an editor and some critical role spend a few days in his remote home, Labyrinth House. On their arrival their host is found dead by his own hand and he has left instructions that the authors must all write their own murder mystery over the next few days and the one judged as the best story by the critics and editor will win a considerable portion of his large estate. The twist is that each author must be the victim in their own story

Over the next few hours, the writers are slowly found dead, all seemingly killed in the manner described in the (unfinished) stories. As the parties are all locked in the mansion with no way to leave, it becomes an urgent that the murderer is caught as soon as possible.

A cleverly written story which kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next! A teeny bit challenging because of the translation but still easy enough to follow with some delicious twists along the way. I will definitely be searching this author's back catalogue to read more!

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Highly recommended!

An engaging locked-room mystery with twists and turns aplenty. No spoilers but the ending surprised me! A solid read for fans of Golden Age-style mysteries.

I read this in one sitting I couldn't put it down. Fast paced, full of suspense and twists that just kept getting better. Parts made my hair on back of my neck stick up I loved it

This is the third in the series - would've been great info to include in the description Netgalley. beginning was confusing!

The Labyrinth House Murders is a gripping, fast-paced mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I loved other books by Ayatsuji and was so excited to finally be able to read this before it comes out!

The twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end, making it a thrilling read for fans of suspense. It’s one of those books you won’t want to put down, as each chapter leaves you eager to find out what happens next. With its engaging plot and unexpected revelations, it’s a perfect choice for readers who love a quick yet satisfying mystery.

A very clever mystery that features classic Golden Age elements—an amateur detective, multiple locked room murders, an eccentric, closed off version of a country house and And Then There Were None elements. Characters were not very interesting and the writing kind of flat. But the mystery was compelling and the twists were many

A book with a compelling premise and all the ingredients you'd want in a murder mystery, complete with a few winks and nods. But where it falls flat is in its sluggish second act and final twist, which feels both smug and hollow, likely because something is lost in translation.

Spoilers for the ending below:

It's clear that Yukito Ayatsuji is a talented writer, and the foundation of The Labyrinth House Murders is laid well. Each of the characters is presented at the perfect pace, and the same can be said for the tantalizing Labyrinth House itself. Then, finally, we have all the ingredients for a murder mystery: a body, a locked house, and plenty of motive.

While I adore the first act and devoured it in one sitting, the second act involves much hand-wringing and speculation, which causes it to drag. I found myself quickly fatigued by Madoka. There's certainly an undercurrent of "men writing women" in the book, but it's particularly prominent with Madoka, who shrieks frequently, asks hysterically, and faints. The other women fall more in line with mother and crone and are set far in the background. The mother-wife steps in only to employ her medical knowledge and play the role of a gentle red herring. And the other is a maid who cooks food and prays in the corner before delivering the line, "Pool balls are round.".

Beyond that, it was easy to guess how the murders would play out, based purely on the blueprint and the writing. The author isn't particularly descriptive of settings, and so when something is described, especially more than once, you can be certain it will play a role in the mystery.

That's not to say The Labyrinth House Murders isn't without surprises! There were certainly twists and snags that I hadn't predicted and were quite fun. I found myself quite pleased as I reached the final stretch and all the threads were neatly being tied together into a neat little package.

And then... came the final twist. I grimaced, honestly, because of how silly it was. I won't ruin it, but I think most female readers will raise an eyebrow. The final twist is further marred by what is likely a flaw in translation. By removing a single word in a descriptor, it would have been just fine. But, unfortunately, this wasn't caught by a copyeditor or anyone else. The combination of the two tore open that pretty package and hastily re-wrapped it again, this time with old newspaper and some leftover ribbon.

That being said, it's not a bad book, and fans of mysteries will likely enjoy it.

I had already read The Decagon House Murders so I thought I knew what I was in for with this book but it turned out to be even more twisty and turny in its plot! A group of crime fiction writers, editors and fans are gathered in the tremendously creepy labyrinth house to celebrate their mutual friend, the best murder mystery writer of all but events take a turn for the worse and they soon discover that they are trapped underground in the house. This book is a great example of detective fiction celebrating the metafictional creativity of the genre as the characters refer to their own writing and reading as they try to guess exactly how events might unfold.

There was some slightly convoluted peeling back of layers but I think the nesting box of framing stories did provide adequate payoff once I'd wrapped my head around what had been revealed. Would definitely recommend to fans of the Japanese Pushkin Vertigo series so far! Now I'm off to source a copy of The Mill House Murders to bring me up to date with the series :)

This was the first mystery novel I've read in a while, and to be honest it was a great way to get back to the genre.
The plot is captivating, and its connection to the previous books of the series allows it to have even more depth and make the whole story slightly more intriguing and uneasy; even when the events seem to be predictable or somehow underwhelming after such a big build-up they end up being surprising, encouraging the reader to think as well.
I loved the writing style and the characters, as well as the relatively original use of the "locked room" mystery trope.
Overall a great read!

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC! The third installment in the House Murder Series, Yukito Ayatsuji's The Labyrinth House Murders is a thrilling take on your classic murder mystery executed with perfection. The opening is fascinating and sets the tone for the gripping read, and this twisty novel keeps the readers on their toes until the very last line. A homage to the murder mystery genre, this book is a compelling read that incorporates several elements from a classic murder mystery, and the buildup to the climax as well as the final reveal is simply fantastic. Everything ranging from conceptualization to execution is top notch, and I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery. 4.5/5.

This was gripping! I was on the edge of my seat from the start. A bit problematic but that's an issue with the change in dialogue from the 80s. Overall, good but not a favorite.

Ayatsuji is back with his signature mystery flair, the house itself is like a character: moody, complex, and full of secrets. I liked how the story layers itself—there’s a murder, a twisted game, and a detective trying to unravel the whole thing while you, the reader, are playing sleuth too. It’s clever, atmospheric, and keeps you guessing. Some of the twists felt like a bit much by the end (one too many layers, maybe?), and the cast is pretty big, which had me flipping back a few times to remember who’s who. The overall ride is worth it though. It’s got all the locked-room drama and eerie vibes you could want.

“𝚅𝚊𝚗 𝙳𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝: 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚒𝚡 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚍𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎.” - The Labyrinth House Murder

👾 Locked Room Mystery
👾 Greek Myth
👾 Engaging Guessing Discussion
👾 Twisted Ending 🔥

I am writing this review with my cup of Pokka’s Jasmine tea. The taste is bitter, with barely a hint of jasmine. This book perhaps changes my usual understanding of a mystery in an educational and painfully entertaining way. I admit I just recently became a fan of mystery murder classics. I have a lot to learn, and I’ll never read an outstanding book like this if I give up on the author too early.

A book does not always fall into my kind of tea because of personal preference, but I guess it doesn’t have to be that way; sometimes, it just needs a few valuable things for the reader to take away, which is enough for me. In the case of this book, the murder mystery discussion, the guessing games, and the thrill work like magic.

It feels like I have a peek into the world of murder mystery authors and critiques, how they devour their reading in a very mindful way. The author maintains a thrilling plot with an engaging discussion where a mystery fan will appreciate the thought in between. As the plot advances, I have some plausible thoughts about the murdering technique, but as engaging as it gets, I remind myself that this was just a work of fiction, and that thought dissipates quickly. The sandwiched discussion outside the manuscript took me aback, and I won’t spoil you with that; if I had been more detailed on the given clue, I might have guessed the hidden motive. But alas, I am no Poirot, just a Hastings who tags along to enjoy the unrevealing journey, haha.

One that I can assure you - the ending was worth it.

This is a good read and is rather like being invited to a murder mystery where the reader is totally involved.

It has a build up but when it happens it is a fun and clever twisty plot and I had a good time guessing the outcome.

THE LABYRINTH HOUSE MURDERS
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GENRE:Mystery, Thriller, Translated Fiction

This is the third book in the Bizarre House Mysteries series by Yukito Ayatsuji. I have to admit - the premise of the book was a little confusing at first - it’s a book within a book - almost like the Inception movie. However, as the mystery continues, it gets very interesting. I thought I had figured out the culprit midway through the book but realized I was extremely mistaken. This lead to such a fun plot twist that I didn’t see coming and made the book more enjoyable. I definitely recommend the book if you enjoy murder mysteries and puzzlers. Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for this e-ARC.

A good mystery — a well constructed, carefully crafted whodunnit — should leave readers guessing about the identity of the culprit right on up until the grand (and, occasionally, grandiose) finale, when that very last domino tips over and all stands smartly and logically revealed.

By this criteria, then, The Labyrinth House Murders by Japanese author Yukito Ayatsuji is a successful mystery. That does not, however, make it a satisfying mystery. Although it is smartly constructed, with plenty of reveals and cunning wordplay, and Ayatsuji is careful not to overplay his hand or leave behind too many obvious clues, the work never manages to bridge that gap between logic and emotion to truly connect with it or make it memorable. There’s a certain cold calculatedness to the work as a whole, befitting the work’s place a logic puzzle, but Ayatsuji fails to give readers much of a reason to care for the book’s happenings beyond simply being a puzzler. The Labyrinth House Murders is a nice mental exercise, but it makes for a fairly shallow story.

I’d be lying if I said The Labyrinth House Murders didn’t have my full attention, though. I found myself curious to see how the victims lured into this underground, labyrinthine puzzle-house would be dispatched and whether or not my guesses about the murderer and the clues left behind, formed quite early on in the proceedings, were accurate. Ayatsuji’s novel revolves around a dying mystery writer, Miyagaki Yōtarō, hosting four of the genre’s greatest up-and-comers for his 60th birthday, along with a book critic, the editor Utayama and his pregnant wife, and the “everyman” reader, Shimada. Of course, Yōtarō dies and leaves behind a will challenging the writers to craft the perfect 50-page mystery by April 6, with the winner awarded Yōtarō’s sizable wealth. With several billion yen at stake, it’s the kind of writing prize worth killing for.

The murders are uniquely staged scenes, with each fresh victim dispatched according to the Greek myth of the room they are assigned. The Labyrinth House has rooms named after Icarus, Minos, Theseus, and the like, and the discovery of the bodies left behind and the methods in which they have been murdered are easily the best parts of the book. The characters themselves, unfortunately, are one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs, lacking any depth or personality to distinguish one from another beyond the absolute broadest of strokes. We have the joker, the worrier, the woman, and… some other guy that, even now, I’m struggling to recall, their dynamism so ill-defined and incorporeal that one can’t help but wonder why Ayatsuji even bothered to name them aside from such conventions being standard practice in a book. Utayama and Shimada are our central leads and guides through the Labyrinth. Shimada gets the most character development in the form of various ticks and routinely shouting “Aha!” as if he were a caricature of a mystery detective rather than an actual detective, with Utayama proving to be the more mentally sluggish of the two. I never cared a whit about anybody in The Labyrinth House Murders.

Originally published in Japan in 1988, there’s also Ayatsuji’s casual sexism, or perhaps Japan’s well-noted misogyny, to compound matters further. When introduced, the male authors are all given sterling bona fides to justify their inclusion in this writing contest. Of course, in a fit of Men Writing Women, Ayatsuji forgoes detailing any of Madoka’s achievements and awards as a mystery author, opting instead to describe her bustline and sexy physique. The only other woman present is Yōtarō’s maid who, aside from one particular scene late in the book, exists only to serve the men tea or dinner, and to curl up in a distraught ball and either worry or mutter prayers or do both simultaneously until the next tea time.

While it does have its few moments of intrigue, I can’t help but think that The Labyrinth House Murders read better when it was originally published nearly 40 years ago, and perhaps even more-so in its original Japanese, as I also can’t help but suspect certain aspects have unfortunately been lost in translation. As it stands in 2025, it feels more like an artifact with occasional charm (I can’t help but laugh at the scene in which a group of prolific writers must have the concept of typing explained to them), or at least better suited to those who have read fewer than, say, five locked room mysteries. The Labyrinth House Murders is a smart puzzler, but one that lacks heart and soul.