A Masterstroke

Name: A Masterstroke
ISBN: 9787513309202

Seichō Matsumoto / 刘子倩New Star Press · ChinaJan 2019

4.0

Word count: 213K words
Chapters: 18
ISBN: 9787513309202

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Summary

Masterpiece is the first volume in a selection of short-story masterworks by Matsumoto Seicho, a grand master of his generation. To pay tribute to the literary master Matsumoto Seicho, Japan's Bunshun Bunko invited Miyabe Miyuki to edit and introduce a set of selected Matsumoto Seicho masterworks. Miyabe Miyuki, regarded as "the representative of Japan's writers of the people" and "Matsumoto Seicho's daughter," compiled this selection with the sensibility of one strolling a flower-lined path and seeking pearls in the deep, and personally wrote introductions to the important pieces. The series draws on Matsumoto's literary standing and his distinctive perspectives on women's crime and social critique, rigorously selecting his representative short works in these areas. On Taiwan's Doku ranking it surpassed Journey Under the Midnight Sun and The Summer of the Ubume to become the year's champion mystery and suspense title (published in Taiwan as Selected Short Masterworks of Matsumoto Seicho), a testament to its influence. In her appraisal of the series, editor Miyabe Miyuki said that although it carried the solemn title of editor-in-chief, for her the task was as joyful as strolling through a sea of flowers. When she plunged into the giant footprints of Matsumoto Seicho, she found colorful flowers blooming recklessly in footprints almost as deep as she was tall. Matsumoto Seicho said: "I only write the stories I like." Reading should begin, at heart, from genuine love. Through Masterpiece, we believe, the creative joy and reading experience of Matsumoto Seicho and Miyabe Miyuki are shared with you one by one.

Editor's review

"The Masterstroke" is a classic short story collection by Matsumoto Seicho, the master of Japanese social mystery fiction, gathering eight highly representative works from his career. This book is far more than a simple puzzle game; it is like a precise scalpel, cutting open the social ills and dark side of human nature beneath the glittering surface of postwar Japan's rapid economic development. With his characteristic cold, austere touch and solid grounding in social investigation, Matsumoto Seicho expands the stage of mystery fiction from the isolated locked room to the vast social spaces of corporations, political circles, and the media, binding the roots of "crime" tightly to the structural contradictions of society. In celebrated pieces such as "Ten to Sen" (Points and Lines) and "Zero no Shoten" (The Zero Focus), what we see is not only ingenious trickery but a profound critique of bureaucracy, gender oppression, and class rigidity. Reading this book, you will gain not merely the thrill of solving puzzles but also a sharp perspective for observing society and a deep understanding of complex human nature. Its literary value and intellectual depth have secured it an unshakable place in the history of mystery literature.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers devoted to social mystery fiction who seek stories combining depth with a sense of their era
Readers interested in postwar Japanese social and economic history who wish to glimpse the era through literature
Readers who appreciate a cold, realistic style and enjoy reflecting on human nature and institutional problems within suspenseful narratives
Readers who wish to understand the essence of Matsumoto Seicho's writing through his outstanding short stories

Not a good fit for

Readers who seek only fast pacing, high-intensity action, and twists, and who lack patience for social description
Readers expecting pure orthodox puzzle-solving, locked rooms, or impossible crimes in the classical mystery mode

Reading tips

Reading in order is recommended, as it allows you to perceive the evolution of the author's style and shifts in social concerns across different periods.
It is worth doing a little background reading on the specific historical stages of Japan depicted (such as the economic boom), which can deepen your appreciation of the works' critical force.
Focus on the social motives and economic drivers behind characters' actions; this is the key to understanding the core of Matsumoto Seicho's work.

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
出版前言
前言
第一章巨匠的出发点
某《小仓日记》传
恐吓者
第二章我的最爱
等待一年半
订地方报纸的女人
理外之理
删除的还原
第三章听得见歌声、看得见画面
搜查圈外的条件
真假森林
第四章 “日本的黑雾”放晴了吗？
《昭和史发掘》——二·二六事件
《日本的黑雾》——放逐与清共
咖啡时光Ⅰ

FAQ

How does this book compare with Matsumoto Seicho's other full-length novels (such as "Suna no Utsuwa")?

As a short story collection, this book features more condensed plots and a wide range of themes, making it an excellent choice for quickly appreciating Matsumoto Seicho's social insight and diverse creative styles. His full-length novels, by contrast, focus more on in-depth analysis of a single social phenomenon, with denser and more detailed narration.

Are the mystery elements strong in this book? Is it mainly about solving cases?

The mystery logic is rigorous and serves as one of the core driving forces of the stories. But the process of solving cases is often interwoven with the revelation of the social environment and the unfolding of characters' fates, ultimately pointing to a deeper inquiry into "why the crime was committed" rather than simply "who the culprit is."

What are the features of this edition published by New Star Press?

The translation in this edition is accurate and fluent, retaining well the cold, restrained style of the original. As part of a series, it has a unified design, and it usually includes an introduction or commentary to help readers understand the historical background and literary value of the works.

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About the author

Seichō Matsumoto Author · Japan · 1909–1992

Seichō Matsumoto is regarded as the pioneer of Japanese social-school mystery fiction. Born in 1909 in Kokura, Fukuoka Prefecture (present-day Kitakyushu), he left elementary school and worked as a handyman and a printer before joining the Asahi Shimbun, and these experiences at the bottom of society later provided rich material for his writing. In 1953 he won the Akutagawa Prize for A Certain "Kokura Diary". The 1958 novel Points and Lines set off a boom in social-school mystery fiction. His other major works include The Cast of the Sand, Zero no Shōten and The Black Fog of Japan, and Chinese editions of his works also include The Railway Track, The Black Earth and The Water's Flesh. Rather than merely solving puzzles, his writing uses criminal cases to expose social structures and the dark side of human nature; his cold, realistic style has had a profound influence on later mystery literature. He died on August 4, 1992.

刘子倩 Author

Liu Ziqian is a translator and compiler active in Chinese-language publishing who works mainly with foreign literature. Public information about her is limited: her dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background are not recorded, and only nine related works can currently be confirmed. Judging from the works in the database, her work centers on the translation of Japanese literature. Her representative translations include The Eighth Day's Cicada, Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human, and a collection of classic Japanese literature. She has also worked on works with elements of mystery and detective fiction, such as The Master Stroke, The Two-Sen Copper Coin, The Phantom Thief with Twenty Faces, and The Spider Man, and has translated The Revolutionary. These translations span foreign literature, social fiction, and mystery and detective fiction, showing that her choices balance literary fiction and popular narrative. Her translations are known for staying close to the originals while remaining highly readable, helping Chinese readers access modern and contemporary Japanese literature.