Edogawa Rampo: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro

Not bad, but was expecting better. I will be checking out the more famous stories by this author because, as it says in the title and at the beginning of this book, these are the early works that even he himself thinks were "failures." Want to say that the print, paper and cover quality, and the book's size are in my opinion perfect; I wish every book was like this. However, there are more typos than I want to see and this collection should have included "The Psychological Test" (心理試験) so as to contain the first five works featuring this character. I understand that it has been translated and published elsewhere, but that is not a good enough reason.

Rampo is one of greatest writers within the mystery genre and his adaptation of a basically western genre to modernizing Japan in the Taisho period is fascinating.This anthology of a number of his earliest works shows this process as it began. The short stories are sometimes a bit awkward in working out the mechanics of the genre, but nonetheless intriguing for the way they show Rampo's origins. The longer novella The Dwarf is a near masterpiece, inticate and sometimes surreal in its plotting grostesque and disturbing in its character and events.

Although these early cases of Akechi Kogoro don't reach some of the grotesque stews of later Edogawa Rampo they are still a welcome addition to the precious few translations into english from his opus. Here we see Japan's first great crime writer edging his way in the shadow of Edgar Allan Poe towards his own path. recommended

fascinating to read all of the early Rampo stories that are being made available in the West.

just perfect!

The book consists of 4 stories that: `The Case of the Murder on D Hill`, `The Black Hand Gang`, `The Ghost` and `The Dwarf`.Each of stories stands uniquely on its down. For instance, the first one `Case of Murder on D Hill` has a healthy element of psychological component namely on the fact how one cannot fully trust eye-witness accounts. The final story which is more acclaimed `The Dwarf` was a bit...disappointing. The premises is promising which is genuinely creepy involving murder, body mutilation and exhibition, and promiscuity but feels a bit out of place in its writing which may also be due to translation.Overall a nice read, not upto par with the authors other famous stories though.

Perfect!!!