Strange Houses by Uketsu 📚
🏠 Strange Houses by Uketsu follows the “author” and Kurihara investigating the truth behind a two-storey home in Tokyo. The plot carries the traditional storytelling sequence where readers are reading the conversations between characters. However compared to Strange Pictures, I feel that Strange Houses does not really gives clues for the readers to unravel but rather just hand the answers to them plainly😂
Nonetheless, the discovery of _no spoilers_ ultimately leads to the grand truth of what the mystery was really about. Not going to lie, I kind of anticipated it but it was a good thriller read either way! The afterword by Kurihara had me slightly confused but if yall understand please let me know😂 I’m looking forward to the third book hopefully it’s more thrilling than this!
✈️ I’ve document Day 1 & 2 of my time at Beppu! Safe to say it’s my favourite city in Japan. The slow vibes, surrounded by sea and not much tourist makes it a great place to enjoy nature + unwind. Not gonna lie, it gets really creepy at night with their lack of streetlights ahha makes me appreciate SG even more.
Thanks for reading till the end and do lmk below if you have read Strange Houses!
#japanesebooks #murdermystery #thrillerbookrecommendations #lemon8book #murderbooks
Having read 'Strange Houses' by Uketsu, I found the setting particularly immersive, especially with the detailed descriptions of the two-storey house featuring two entrances — a detail that stood out as unusual and added to the story's eerie atmosphere. These unique architectural elements reminded me of similar real-life experiences visiting Beppu, Japan, where I encountered old houses with unconventional layouts, sometimes feeling like mini haunted houses due to their design and the quiet surroundings at night. What really captivated me was how the narrative blended a traditional murder mystery approach with a subtle supernatural vibe, especially reflected in the atmospheric alleyways and dimly lit streets described. This made the story feel partly like a horror experience. For fans curious if it's based on true events, it’s clear that Uketsu’s stories omit certain facts for narrative effect but remain grounded in reality, lending a eerie authenticity to the plot. Looking ahead, the anticipation for the next installment, 'Strange Buildings,' is high given how 'Strange Houses' balances thriller elements with cultural nuances. If you're into murder mysteries set in Japan that combine folklore with chilling real-world locations, this series is definitely worth exploring. And if you've ever felt the uncanny vibe of old houses or have your own spooky house stories, 'Strange Houses' by Uketsu will resonate on a personal level.
