The Hand of Her Brush. Book 2

Based on one of the most famous crimes in Japan, this fictional reconstruction recreates the murder and its motives. The mystery seems impossible to solve, but a solution does exist.

Kayo Ninomia, a mysterious woman, approached the well-known detective Kiyoshi Mitarai. However, he had long ago left home, traveling the world. Instead, she is met by Kazumi Ishiyoka, a writer and the detective’s friend. The woman asks Ishiyoka to go with her to a remote place to find the buried brush of her hand—even though both her hands are right where they should be. Against all reason, Ishiyoka agrees.

They arrive at a mysterious mountain village, at the gloomy “Ryugatей” inn. But their mission is interrupted by an incredible murder: in a locked room with closed panoramic windows, they kill a woman playing the koto, and the place is engulfed in flames.

This case would be perfect for Mitarai, but he is not in Japan—he can only be contacted by letters.

“Of all the stories I have ever written, this one stands out for its absurdity. While working on it, I wasn’t sure I could write it. Memories of the event make me catch my breath. I write about it only because I think the world should know this story. But I wouldn’t want to repeat the experience,” — Kazumi Ishiyoka.

Sōji Shimada, known in Japan as “The God of the Puzzle,” is the winner of a major Japanese literary prize and a member of the elite Red Circle Authors group. In Asia, his books have sold in the millions.