Knife and Umbrella

Name: Knife and Umbrella
ISBN: 9787513351188

伊吹亚门 / 白夜New Star Press · ChinaMar 2023

4.1

Word count: 93K words
Chapters: 38
ISBN: 9787513351188

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Summary

In the third year of Keiō, as the new government and the old shogunate stand opposed, Kyoto is thrown into turmoil at the end of the Tokugawa era. There, a young Owari domain retainer, Shikano Morimitsu, meets a man named Etō Shinpei. This man, who would later become the first Minister of Justice of the new government and lay the foundation of Japan's modern judicial system, encounters with Shikano a succession of bizarre murders: the strange death of a Restoration patriot, a corpse in a tiny locked room, a prisoner poisoned before execution… Amid the turbulent times, behind the murderer's uncanny actions lies an astonishing logic.

Editor's review

"Sword and Umbrella" is the debut novel by Japanese author Ibuki Amon that won the 19th Honkaku Mystery Grand Prize. Set against the unique backdrop of the early Meiji Restoration, it builds a captivating world that blends historical suspense with honkaku mystery. This book is no simple historical novel; it ingeniously turns the upheaval of "out with the old, in with the new" during a time of epochal change into a perfect stage for a mystery story. The story revolves around the newly appointed prosecutor Etō Shinpei and the police officer Shikano Morimitsu, a pair of partners with sharply contrasting personalities, and unfolds through five bizarre cases that escalate layer by layer, from political assassination to locked-room puzzles. The author's deductions are solid and rigorous, with clear chains of logic, and the author particularly excels at planting ingenious tricks in the gaps of authentic historical detail, allowing readers to feel as if they are in the early Meiji years, where enlightenment and the shadows of the old order intermingled, while pursuing the truth. Even more remarkable is the delicate and restrained portrayal of the characters' relationships: the two protagonists' journey from mutual suspicion to intertwined fates injects moving emotional warmth into the hard core of deduction. The value of this work lies in its successful fusion of the intellectual pleasure of honkaku mystery, the weight of historical fiction, and the depth of human portrayal, offering readers both an intellectual and an emotional satisfaction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers devoted to honkaku mystery, especially those who love the combination of historical settings and logical tricks
History enthusiasts interested in the social and cultural life of Japan during the Meiji Restoration
Readers who appreciate a two-male-lead setup and prefer gradual development in character relationships
Deep readers seeking a reading challenge and the pleasure of piecing together the truth from details

Not a good fit for

Readers of suspense fiction who want fast pacing, strong action scenes, or modern technological elements
Readers of pure literary fiction who wish to leave the historical setting entirely behind and focus on pure psychological analysis

Reading tips

Reading in chapter order is recommended; the early groundwork of characters and historical background serves as important foreshadowing for the later solutions
Pay attention to the historical details about the "early establishment of the judicial system"; these are often key to the motives behind the cases
While reading, consider the two protagonists as two sides of one coin, and reflect on how their respective positions jointly drive the truth to the surface

About the publisher

New Star Press China · Founded in 1989

New Star Press focuses on classic works, mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, history, foreign literature and art, and its 602 titles in the library show a balance between popular reading and humanistic depth. Representative books include The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Illustrated Collector's Edition, And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, The Player of Games, Local Government in Qing China, A Good Man Is Hard to Find and A Collection of Fine Ukiyo-e Prints, spanning classic literature, detective fiction, science fiction, local history and visual art. Its authors and contributors include William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie and Iain M. Banks, as well as translators such as Zhu Shenghao and Su Fuzhong and illustrators such as John Gilbert and George Cruikshank. Known for the detective series Midnight Library and for social-science and humanities titles, the press emphasizes edition design and reading experience; public information is limited, so this profile highlights the publishing features reflected in the library's books.

版权信息
佐贺来客
一
二
三
四
五
弹正台切腹事件
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
监狱毒案
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
樱
一
二
三
四
五
六
而后，佐贺之乱
一
二
三
四
五
六
参考文献

FAQ

What type of mystery is this book? Is it fair?

This is a classic honkaku mystery centered on logical puzzle-solving. The author plants all the clues in the narrative and follows the principle of a "fair challenge to the reader," so the revelation of the solution brings a satisfying moment of clarity.

Do I need a lot of prior knowledge of Japanese history to understand it?

Not necessarily. The author naturally weaves the necessary historical background into the story, so even readers unfamiliar with Japanese history can follow the plot smoothly and enjoy the mystery. Of course, some basic knowledge will help you better appreciate the atmosphere of the era and the deeper meaning of the characters' choices.

Are the cases in the book strongly connected to one another?

The five cases are relatively independent, but they are closely linked through the two protagonists' trajectories and the tide of the times. While reading, you can clearly feel the characters' growth and the changes in their relationship, which ultimately form a complete story arc.

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About the author

伊吹亚门 Author

Ibuki Amon is a Chinese-language author about whom limited public information is available. At present, only one work by this author is included in the collection, namely Blade and Umbrella. Judging from the existing information, this work is classified as suspense and mystery fiction, suggesting that the author's writing centers on detective and mystery stories, particularly those with a suspenseful bent. Because details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, and the English name remain unconfirmed, it is difficult to offer further introduction to the author's life and writing career. As for Blade and Umbrella, the title juxtaposes the two images of the blade and the umbrella, hinting that the narrative may unfold between sharpness and concealment, danger and shelter, with a style that emphasizes both atmosphere and the unraveling of puzzles. For readers who enjoy suspense and mystery fiction with strong narrative tension, Ibuki Amon's work may be a reading choice worth noting; the author's later writing and fuller profile await further disclosure.

白夜 Author

Bai Ye is a Chinese author about whom little public information is available. Six works can currently be confirmed, spanning mystery fiction and otherworld fantasy. The mystery titles include Knife and Umbrella, The Tragedy of Twin Moon City, The Rough and Vague Phantom Thief's Warning Letter: Case Files of the Metropolitan Police Special Investigation Unit, Disappeared!, and the three-volume Escape Room Mystery Game, whose titles point to a clear fondness for classic devices such as locked-room puzzles, phantom-thief warnings, and police special-investigation procedurals. The three-volume format of Escape Room Mystery Game suggests considerable attention to puzzle design. Light's Successor, meanwhile, is classed as otherworld fantasy, showing that Bai Ye does not confine himself to a single genre. Overall, his output is not large, yet it ranges across honkaku-style deduction and fantasy adventure, with plots driven mainly by tricks and suspense. As no reliable records of his birth and death dates, nationality, or life history have been found, no speculation is offered here.