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Reviewed by Michael Deeley Hajime Kindaichi is the grandson of a famous detective. Few people know this since he’s a classic slacker and troublemaker. He joins Miyuki Nanase when her drama club goes to an island hotel to rehearse “Phantom of the Opera”. The club is still shaken by one member’s suicide just days before the trip. It becomes an ill omen when other girls are murdered at the hotel. It’s up to Kindaichi to expose the murderer-a member of the club-before they leave! This book made me consider reading more mysteries. The challenge of figuring out who the killer is, and how they performed certain crimes, was challenging and entertaining. The murderer patterns his acts on “The Phantom of the Opera”. That play’s theme of a character hiding his true face weaves through the story. Both the killer and Kindaichi reveal their true “faces” as the story goes on. One is a monster posing as an innocent. Kindaichi is hiding his talents and intelligence behind an obnoxious personality. Looking back, one finds the best mysteries have a compelling hero faced with complex crimes. The art here is full of detail, with intricate designs on wallpaper and detailed patterns on clothing. The people have a stronger sense of reality than the cartooning found in most manga. This further grounds the story in reality. You come to empathize with the characters; a necessity in stories about murder. “The Opera House Murders” is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Kindaichi. I’ll definitely be looking for them. Think you could have written a better review of The Opera House Murders? Write us and we'll probably let you give it a shot! --EiC PC |
17 March 2010
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