The story is set in Japan in the 1980's and much of it is from the point of view of the only non-Japanese character, Jane Prescott, a 25 year old graduate student at Japan Women's University in Tokyo. She is invited by a member of the Wada family to attend their New Year's get together at their villa near Mt. Fuji. On the night of her arrival Yohei Wada is murdered and the family springs into action to protect their youngest member who has confessed. Jane is drawn into their conspiracy and this is the part that gave me some trouble. She was very fond of Chiyo but her going along without protest seemed a little off. Once the police are involved things become even more complicated and the scheme unravels. But a careful reader will realize that something is wrong...

There are some things here reminiscent of the classic country house murder with a limited cast -- the isolated villa, family secrets, and the observant outsider who finally sees what is really going on. The police are on the whole competent investigators with one exception and the differences in procedure from your Scotland Yard police procedural were interesting.

While it seemed slow at first, once the police investigation really got going I became more interested in the story and finished the last half fairly quickly and now think it to be a bit above average.

I am always looking for new mysteries set in other countries. This mystery written by Japan's leading mystery writer in the 80's, is a fairly satisfying story with unique Japanese elements. The story focuses not so much on the whodunit, although that does become an important element, as on the concerted effort of a whole family to deceive the police, as told from their point of view. The investigators are outside of the story, as we examine the family's motives and efforts from the inside. ( )

The Wada family gathers in the posh home of their grandfather, Yohei, for their annual New Year celebration. But before the night is over, Yohei has been killed, and the family members are involved in a desperate cover-up to protect their family name and the fragile young woman who's confessed to the murder. But the police begin to see through the subterfuge, and soon it seems that even the family can't be sure who really committed the crime. Translated from the Japanese, this is a many-layered mystery that continues to unfold until the very end. ( )

three layered cover-up of murder in wealthy Japanese family