nerd teacher [books] reviewed Tokyo Express by Jesse Kirkwood
Tight, Engaging Story
5 stars
One of the things that I've found I like about the few novels by Matsumoto that've been translated is that they rarely read like the very traditional detective fiction. There are often common elements, but they routinely have another structure that makes them feel completely different.
This one reads like a travelogue (with murder in it) and letters between the detectives, and I love it for that. I also like how you're able to kind of guess what the overall next action'll be, but you're always going to be just a little off. It's never enough to be frustrating, but it is enough to push you forward. In that way, you feel just like the protagonist working on this case.
One of the things that I've found I like about the few novels by Matsumoto that've been translated is that they rarely read like the very traditional detective fiction. There are often common elements, but they routinely have another structure that makes them feel completely different.
This one reads like a travelogue (with murder in it) and letters between the detectives, and I love it for that. I also like how you're able to kind of guess what the overall next action'll be, but you're always going to be just a little off. It's never enough to be frustrating, but it is enough to push you forward. In that way, you feel just like the protagonist working on this case.