Book Review: Strange Houses by Uketsu

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My Review

I first saw Strange Houses while browsing Waterstones with my friend and was immediately intrigued by its blurb. When I finally picked it up, I was completely enthralled by this fascinating mystery, reading it in just under three hours.

The novel begins with our narrator, a freelance writer with an interest in the macabre, being approached by his friend Yanaoka, who is searching for a house in which he and his wife can raise their child. Yanaoka and his wife have viewed and fallen in love with a house in a quiet residential neighbourhood of Tokyo, but upon closer inspection they discover a puzzling ‘dead space’ between the kitchen and living room. The narrator decides to consult his other friend, Kurihara, who is an architect, to ask for his opinion. When Kurihara examines the floor plan, he picks up on several increasingly unsettling features throughout the house. These, together with the dead space, lead him to come to a terrifying but logical explanation about the purpose behind the design. Yanaoka decides against buying the house, but the narrator is intrigued and continues investigating the house. As more equally strange houses become connected to the mystery, the sinister truth unravels.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was how interactive it felt. Instead of simply reading about the investigation, I found myself studying floor plans alongside the characters as they examined new clues, trying to spot new clues before they did. Strange Houses uses a unique multimedia collage style as it blends the prose with visual floor plans and diagrams. The visual elements make the mystery feel far more immersive than a traditional detective novel, making me feel more like a co-investigator than simply a reader. 

Also, I liked the conversational style of the novel. Much of the novel unfolds through discussions between the characters as they examine a new clue or discuss their theories. Although this approach is quite different from most thrillers I have read, it suits the puzzle-like structure of the story perfectly. The dialogue-driven style increases the pace of the book, making it a quick read. However, the story never felt rushed. Just when I thought I’d worked out where the story was heading, another piece of information would completely change my perspective. 

While this made for a very captivating read overall, I did find that some of the deductions stretched my suspension of disbelief. There were moments in the book where characters reached very specific conclusions from fairly limited evidence, and I occasionally found myself wondering if someone would actually naturally make that leap. This especially showed in the second half of the book, which became a bit difficult to follow at times. Despite this, I was having so much fun figuring out the mystery that it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. 

Strange Houses is an incredibly original mystery. Its clever use of illustrations, unconventional storytelling style, and engaging mystery make it a memorable read that stands out from other mystery and thriller novels. If you enjoy books that encourage you to piece together the clues yourself, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read!

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