The Tattoo Murder

“The Tattoo Murder” is a repetitive and showy locked-room murder mystery set in late 1940's Japan. The story is filled with more side tangents, ranting, and babbling on than I would care to mention. It's like Poirot and Sherlock Holmes meets Inspector Jacques Clouseau, but void of the fun, laughs, and genuine entertainment the aforementioned sleuths offer up. Although there were intriguing possibilities here, they were lost in repetition and an overly drawn-out conclusion. It would have worked well as a short, but as a full-length, it just does not have the torso, the arms, the head, or the legs to stand on.Okay. Let's set the scene. The Edo Tattoo Society hosts a judging competition where contestants show off their intricate tattoos to the masses. Kinue, the daughter of a famous tattoo artist, sheds her clothes to show off her tattoo to the judges; she oohs and awes with her design, the sorcerer Orochimaru from Japanese folklore. Before the ink is seen, she confides in Kenzo that her life is in danger—a seemingly rando encounter that sparks the initial plot.Kenzo is called by Kinue afterwards for a rendezvous at her place. Kenzo shows up at her home and spots blood and severed limbs in the bathroom. Who murdered the woman? Was it the yakuza, another lover, her husband, Dr. Tattoo, who harvests tattoos off those who pass on, a family member, or someone else entirely? The first theory that comes to mind is most likely the correct one. Even if it is not, for the next 275+ pages, the author makes quite certain that you remember each and every detail with painstaking thoroughness.My favorite part of the movie Office Space is when Tom explains his get-rich-quick scheme, the jump-to-conclusions mat. It's quite literally a mat that has conclusions you can jump to. I feel like the author might have used this mat to complete the last 100 or so pages of the book. I'll explain. Around the 70% mark, a young, hot-shot detective friend is brought on to the case. After a few moments of introspection, he is laying out exactly what happened. The detectives marvel at his genius, but the actual work could have revealed itself if they had thought the case through for just a few minutes. Obvious questions are asked, answered, and subsequently baffling to the lead investigator. The ‘leaps' of logic were not that complex.Have you ever finished a book and thought, I would have loved to have certain aspects explained in greater detail? Well, this book will make quite certain that no stone is unturned. Surprisingly enough, quite a few ideas were heavily inspired by the book The Honjin Murders, which was released two years prior. I am not sure if this particular locked room idea was common in mysteries of that time, but once a certain aspect is revealed in this novel, it takes your mind straight there.Maybe it's my Poirot withdrawal, or the translation (which is utterly confusing at some points), or my hope for a story that was much more intricate. Whatever the case may be, I would recommend reading [b:Out 25365 Out Natsuo Kirino https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386749063l/25365.SY75.jpg 849266] instead. ** A big thank you to my partner in crime, Helga, for reading this one with me. **