Beauty

Name: Beauty
ISBN: 9787513360401

Mikihiko Renjo / 董纾含New Star Press · ChinaSep 2025

4.0

Word count: 152K words
Chapters: 9
ISBN: 9787513360401

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Summary

This collection contains eight short stories, depicting various strange human relationships in the distinctive manner of Edogawa Rampo Prize winner Mitsukazu Mihara. A tip-off call from a stranger; two people who die in different places at the same time; a bedside confession that makes no sense; a family seen through a "Rear Window" perspective... Each of the eight stories has its own eerie quality, with clues buried between the lines, and the ending and truth left for the reader to complete.

Editor's review

Bijo (Beauty) is a uniquely styled short story collection of detective fiction by Renjo Mikihiko, a prodigy of the Japanese mystery literary world. Although titled Beauty, the book does not superficially depict physical beauty; instead, it uses five distinctive women as puzzles and, through their seemingly bizarre behavior, weaves five exquisitely crafted mysteries. Renjo Mikihiko's writing is delicate and cold, fusing the logical rigor of detective fiction with literary aesthetic sensibility. In the process of solving the mysteries, he profoundly explores the subtle and hidden places of human nature—love and obsession, sacrifice and redemption. The book is carefully translated by Dong Shuhan, whose accurate and fluent rendering well restores the unique atmosphere of Renjo's original work, oscillating between the beautiful and the cruel. For readers familiar with traditional honkaku mystery, this book offers an excellent window into another possibility of detective literature; for literary enthusiasts, its portrayal of psychological depth and emotional tension will also provide a rich reading experience. This is not merely a suspense novel but a literary prism reflecting complex human nature.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy Japanese mystery fiction, especially literary and socially conscious detective works
Literary enthusiasts who appreciate nuanced psychological portrayal and complex human nature
Newcomers to Renjo Mikihiko's work seeking an introduction to his distinctive style
Readers who prefer short story collections and complete narrative units in fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers of purely entertaining suspense seeking high pacing, strong action, or horror atmosphere
Readers expecting traditional detective puzzle-solving who lack patience for extensive psychological and emotional description

Reading tips

Reading in order is recommended; though the five stories are independent, Renjo Mikihiko's style runs throughout, and sequential reading better reveals its charm.
Set aside the obsession with whodunit and focus more on the motives and emotional logic of characters' behavior, enjoying the process of suspense unfolding layer by layer.
Pause briefly after each story to savor the emotional impact and reflection on human nature the ending brings—often the most thought-provoking part of Renjo'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
夜光之唇
喜剧女演员
夜的肌肤
他人
夜的右侧
玩沙子
夜的平方
美女

FAQ

Is this book pure detective fiction?

It is essentially detective fiction, but its core appeal goes far beyond traditional puzzle-solving. Renjo Mikihiko often roots criminal motives deep in characters' emotions and fate; the investigative process is closely interwoven with explorations of human nature, love, and obsession, giving it strong literary quality—hence it is also regarded as a representative work of literary mystery.

Are the stories horrifying or gory?

It does not rely on explicit horror or gore. Its impact comes more from unexpected plot twists, extreme emotions of characters, and the psychological shock of the endings—a calm and profound dissection of human nature.

How is the translation quality of Dong Shuhan?

Dong Shuhan is an experienced translator of Japanese literature. The translation is fluent and accurate, capturing the subtle, ambiguous, and bittersweet style of Renjo Mikihiko's work, effectively conveying the literary texture and emotional atmosphere of the original.

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About the author

Mikihiko Renjo Author · Japan · 1948–2013

Mikihiko Renjo (1948–2013) was a Japanese novelist born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, whose real name was Kato Jingo. He graduated from Waseda University with a degree in political economy. He made his debut in 1978 with Hencho Futari Hagoromo, which won the Geneijo Newcomer Award; in 1981 he received the Mystery Writers of Japan Award for A Single Kikyo Flower, and in 1984 he won the Naoki Prize for Love Letter. His works are often classified as mystery and suspense or foreign literature. The library holds six of his titles, including A Single Kikyo Flower, Berlin Twilight, Night of the Rat, Beauty, and The Faceless Portrait, as well as a two-volume selection of his representative short stories. Renjo was known for combining delicate, aesthetic prose with ingenious plotting and is regarded as a representative of lyrical mystery fiction. He died of stomach cancer in 2013.