She Walks At Night by Seishi Yokomizo

I read Seishi Yokomizo ages ago, and honestly I forgot how much his stories could pull me in until I picked up She Walks at Night. This one easily became a five star read for me. The whole crime of passion angle feels intense, unsettling and vivid. What really caught me off guard was how Torata Yashiro and Naoki Sengoku almost stole the spotlight from the legendary sleuth Kosuke Kindaichi!

The story is told through Torata Yashiro, a struggling novelist who gets invited by his friend Naoki Sengoku to stay at the Furugami estate. From the moment he arrives, something feels off. The atmosphere is thick with unease. At the estate, he meets several memorable characters including Morie Furugami, the young master, his half sister Yachiyo, and Koichi Hachiya, a famous artist. The fact that both Morie and Hachiya are hunchbacked adds to the strange and slightly disturbing vibe of the story.

Then the murders begin. One after another. At the center of it all is a sword locked away in a double secured safe, along with episodes of sleepwalking that blur the line between intention and unconscious action. Nothing really makes sense at first, and that’s what makes it so gripping. I was so caught up in the tension that part of me didn’t even want to know who the culprit was. It genuinely got under my skin.

The way the crime is carried out is complicated and honestly a bit crazy, but that’s what makes it so fascinating. Kindaichi does not just solve the mystery, he brings clarity to the chaos.

First published in Japan in 1973 and now set for release in English on June 2, this novel delivers a rich and haunting atmosphere. The sense of unease, the emotional intensity of the crime, and the complexity of the characters all come together beautifully. Thanks to @PushkinPress and @NetGalley for the review copy.

Velvet dan Velvet:2 by Ikmal Ahmad

Saya nak jujur dari awal, Akim memang jenis narcissist af. Status dia sebagai pegawai polis, ditambah pula latar belakang ayahnya seorang ahli politik, hanya menambahkan lagi rasa menyampah tu. Jadi bila sesuatu yang buruk mula berlaku dalam hidup dia, pembaca akan rasa, 'padan muka, kau!'

Dalam sibuk dia menguruskan majlis perkahwinannya dengan Mira, dia mengalami situasi yang berbahaya apabila satu persatu kawan baiknya sejak zaman sekolah mati secara tragik. Kematian itu bukan kebetulan semata-mata. Perbuatan tersebut membuktikan ada seseorang yang mempunyai motif dendam terhadap kumpulan mereka.

Secara teknikal, ini memberi bayangan jelas tentang kewujudan seorang pembunuh bersiri yang sedang menyusun langkah dengan teliti, dan sasaran akhirnya seolah-olah menuju kepada Akim sendiri. Ironinya, dia bukan sekadar mangsa berpotensi, tetapi juga seorang penyiasat. Itu yang buatkan cerita ini lagi menyakitkan hati, sebab kita tahu dia sepatutnya mampu membaca situasi, tapi tetap juga terperangkap. 😅

Pembaca memang kena baca Velvet: 2 untuk tahu emosi sebenar jalan cerita ni. Penulisan penulis lebih baik. Kali ini penulis fokus kepada watak ID, Hasri, Eddy dan beberapa watak yang agak penting yang sebenarnya menjadi kunci kepada segala konflik yang tercetus.

Di sebalik elemen thriller, cerita ini sebenarnya banyak bermain dengan kesan jangka panjang buli. Apa yang nampak kecil pada masa lalu rupanya meninggalkan parut yang dalam. Setiap peristiwa dalam cerita ini seolah-olah mengingatkan bahawa tidak semua orang benar-benar move on.

The Clock House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Shimada Kiyoshi and his obsession with Nakamura Seiji’s architecture deliver once again. In this installment, a group of university Mystery Club students and editorial team members are invited to the Clock House for a special feature. Rumours claim the place is haunted, drawing them into an investigation that quickly feels far more dangerous than expected. Among them is Shimada, also known as Shishiya Kadomi, an aspiring mystery writer whose sharp curiosity and deep love for detective fiction.

Nakamura Seiji, a renowned architect, is infamous for his bizarre and unsettling creations, including the Blue Mansion and the Decagon House, both shadowed by tragedy. The Clock House, his latest design, belongs to the Koga family and holds an extensive antique clock collection once owned by Koga Michinori. After his death nine years ago, everything was inherited by his son. Over the past decade, seven deaths have occurred around the Koga family, adding weight to the chilling rumours.

What begins as a curious investigation soon turns into a nightmare when a series of locked room murders unfolds. The tension builds steadily, creating a suffocating atmosphere that lingers throughout. I especially enjoyed Shimada’s detailed explanations and bits of trivia, which highlight his meticulous and analytical mind. Some parts felt repetitive, but it may have been a deliberate stylistic choice. Overall, I really enjoyed it. 4 ⭐s.

Thank you to @PushkinPress and @NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Tugu by Hasan Ali

Novel yang tak sampai 200 muka surat ni pernah diterbitkan kali pertama pada tahun 1965. Penulis menyampaikan cerita dengan lenggok bahasa zamannya, menggunakan pendekatan show, don’t tell.

Ia mengisahkan Karim yang baru bertugas sebagai pegawai polis khas ketika zaman darurat. Dia menjadi kebanggaan keluarga dan ditugaskan di sekitar beberapa kawasan panas di Perak. Tugas Karim menjaga kawasan persekitaran agar tidak dicerobohi musuh. Bagi saya, zaman darurat tak kurang sengsaranya dengan zaman pendudukan Jepun. Dengan makanan dicatu, perintah berkurung dan hidup dalam ketakutan disebabkan tindakan komunis amat jelas diceritakan penulis. 

Masalah utama mereka pada masa itu bukan saja kekurangan infrastruktur dan komunikasi, tapi musuh dalam selimut yang menjadi ancaman terbesar kepada kestabilan negara. Dalam masa yang sama, perkembangan watak Karim daripada seorang yang mentah kepada individu yang memahami nilai amanah dan integriti digambarkan dengan baik.

Diselitkan juga kisah cintanya yang tidak kesampaian. Ringkas tapi amat signifikan dalam perjalanan cerita, menambah kedalaman emosi sepanjang novel. Tak cukup dengan itu, kehidupan Karim terus dirundung malang selepas berlakunya serangan hendap komunis yang benar-benar meninggalkan kesan kepada keseluruhan cerita. Saya amat kagum bagaimana sebuah novel yang ringkas mampu merangkum pengalaman darurat dengan begitu padat dan menyentuh hati. Saya beri 5 ⭐

The Professor by Faisal Tehrani

Reading a thought provoking and taboo themed novel during Ramadan felt eye opening. The book is about three women and their journeys, while also showing how human rights are seen in Malaysia.

Professor Suliza is an activist academic who uses her position to speak about human rights. As a feminist, she is often judged and misunderstood. The trauma of her friend’s rape and suicide still haunts her and shapes who she becomes. Hashimah, a cleaner, lives with an abusive husband who is known as a religious and respected man outside the home. Dalila is a liberal feminist working on a novel about feminist and human rights topics. Both Hashimah and Dalila are also close to Professor Suliza.

I have always liked the author’s writing, and his voice is very clear in this book. He adds some academic style writing to make the story stronger and more meaningful. As he said, readers should not focus only on the storytelling, but also on the message. This book really makes us reflect on different perspectives of human rights.

The story also answers many questions, including what happened to Professor Suliza and how Dalila tries to understand herself again after losing her memory. Her sudden marriage to Jebat shows how lost and dependent she feels. The ending is riveting.

The timeline may confuse some readers, but I personally enjoy this kind of creative writing. It’s not your typical story. The book mixes different themes like politics, relationships, and serious social issues. A powerful read. 4.5 ⭐