A mournful flute plays in the dead of night; its dreadful lament, a harbinger of chaos and destruction. The Conjurer must be close at hand. But why is this maniacal killer intent on terrorising a law-abiding family of wealthy jewellers?
First published between 1930 and 1931, this is the fourth full-length novel to feature the private detective Akechi Kogoro, and the first in which he plays a central role from the beginning.
Born as Hirai Tarō, Edogawa Ranpo (1894-1965) was an influential author and critic known for his tales of the mysterious and macabre. His pseudonym is a rendering of ‘Edgar Allen Poe’ using Japanese characters. Ranpo often dealt with themes of sexual perversion and the grotesque, as well as writing more conventional detective stories.
Alexis J Brown is a translator living in London.