Seishi Yokomizo’s Followers (773)

Seishi Yokomizo

Born

in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

May 24, 1902

Died

December 28, 1981

Genre

Mystery & Thrillers

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Seishi Yokomizo (横溝正史) was a novelist in Shōwa period Japan.
Yokomizo was born in the city of Kobe, Hyōgo (兵庫県神戸市). He read detective stories as a boy and in 1921, while employed by the Daiichi Bank, published his first story in the popular magazine "Shin Seinen" (新青年[New Youth]). He graduated from Osaka Pharmaceutical College (currently part of Osaka University) with a degree in pharmacy, and initially intended to take over his family's drug store even though sceptical of the contemporary ahistorical attitude towards drugs. However, drawn by his interest in literature, and the encouragement of Edogawa Rampo (江戸川乱歩), he went to Tokyo instead, where he was hired by the Hakubunkan publishing company in 1926. After serving as editor in chief Seishi Yokomizo (横溝正史) was a novelist in Shōwa period Japan.
Yokomizo was born in the city of Kobe, Hyōgo (兵庫県神戸市). He read detective stories as a boy and in 1921, while employed by the Daiichi Bank, published his first story in the popular magazine "Shin Seinen" (新青年[New Youth]). He graduated from Osaka Pharmaceutical College (currently part of Osaka University) with a degree in pharmacy, and initially intended to take over his family's drug store even though sceptical of the contemporary ahistorical attitude towards drugs. However, drawn by his interest in literature, and the encouragement of Edogawa Rampo (江戸川乱歩), he went to Tokyo instead, where he was hired by the Hakubunkan publishing company in 1926. After serving as editor in chief of several magazines, he resigned in 1932 to devote himself full-time to writing.
Yokomizo was attracted to the literary genre of historical fiction, especially that of the historical detective novel. In July 1934, while resting in the mountains of Nagano to recuperate from tuberculosis, he completed his first novel "Onibi" (『鬼火』), which was published in 1935, although parts were immediately censored by the authorities. Undeterred, Yokomizo followed on his early success with a second novel Ningyo Sashichi torimonocho (1938–1939). However, during World War II, he faced difficulties in getting his works published due to the wartime conditions, and was in severe economic difficulties. The lack of Streptomycin and other antibiotics also meant that his tuberculosis could not be properly treated, and he joked with friends that it was a race to see whether he would die of disease or of starvation.
However, soon after the end of World War II, his works received wide recognition and he developed an enormous fan following. He published many works via Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine in serialized form, concentrating only on popular mystery novels, based on the orthodox western detective story format, starting with "Honjin Satsujin Jiken" (『本陣殺人事件』) and "Chōchō Satsujin Jinken" (『蝶々殺人事件』) (both in 1946). His works became the model for postwar Japanese mystery writing. He was also often called the "Japanese John Dickson Carr" after the writer whom he admired.
Yokomizo is most well known for creating the private detective character Kosuke Kindaichi (金田一耕助). Many of his works have been made into movies.
Yokomizo died of colon cancer in 1981. His grave is at the Seishun-en cemetery in Kawasaki, Kanagawa (神奈川県川崎市). ...more

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Seishi Yokomizo’s books

Average rating: 3.72 · 55,469 ratings · 7,659 reviews · 237 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Honjin Murders (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #1) by Seishi Yokomizo, Louise Heal Kawai (Goodreads Author) (Translator) 3.64 avg rating — 23,166 ratings — published 1946 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Inugami Curse (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #2) by Seishi Yokomizo, Yumiko Yamakazi (Translator) 3.89 avg rating — 9,082 ratings — published 1950 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Death on Gokumon Island (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #4) by Seishi Yokomizo, Louise Heal Kawai (Goodreads Author) (Translator) 3.79 avg rating — 5,764 ratings — published 1948 — 28 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Village of Eight Graves (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #3) by Seishi Yokomizo, Bryan Karetnyk (Translator) 3.82 avg rating — 5,642 ratings — published 1950	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Devil's Flute Murders (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #5) by Seishi Yokomizo, Jim Rion (Translator) 3.89 avg rating — 3,363 ratings — published 1951 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder at the Black Cat Cafe (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #7) by Seishi Yokomizo, Bryan Karetnyk (Translator) 3.26 avg rating — 3,624 ratings — published 1947 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Little Sparrow Murders (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #6) by Seishi Yokomizo, Bryan Karetnyk (Translator) 3.82 avg rating — 2,036 ratings — published 1959 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	อย่าออกมาเดินตอนกลางคืน (คินดะอิจิ โคสุเกะ, #8) by Seishi Yokomizo, เซชิ โยโคมิโซะ, ชมนาด ศีติสาร (Translator) 4.04 avg rating — 168 ratings — published 1973 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Fragranze di morte by Seishi Yokomizo, Francesco Vitucci (Translator) 3.16 avg rating — 180 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	คินดะอิจิยอดนักสืบ 6 เจดีย์สามเศียร by Seishi Yokomizo, เซชิ โยโคมิโซะ, บุษบา บรรจงมณี (Translator) 3.90 avg rating — 124 ratings — published 1972 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Seishi Yokomizo…

Series by Seishi Yokomizo

Detective Kosuke Kindaichi (34 books)
by

Seishi Yokomizo,

เซชิ โยโคมิโซะ,

ชมนาด ศีติสาร (Translator)

3.72 avg rating — 54,446 ratings

Detective Kosuke Kindaichi (English Translation Order) (8 books)
by

Seishi Yokomizo,

Bryan Karetnyk (Translator)

3.71 avg rating — 52,775 ratings

Quotes by Seishi Yokomizo (?)

“There was the whole collection of Arthur Conan Doyle, Maurice Leblanc’s Lupin series, and every translated work that the publishers Hakubunkan and Heibonsha had ever released. Then there was the Japanese section: it began with nineteenth-century novels by Ruiko Kuroiwa, and also featured Edogawa Ranpo, Fuboku Kozakai, Saburo Koga, Udaru Oshita, Takataro Kigi, Juza Unno, Mushitaro Oguri all crammed in together. And then as well as Japanese translations of Western novels, there were the original, untranslated works of Ellery Queen, Dickson Carr, Freeman Wills Crofts and Agatha Christie, etc. etc. etc. It was a magnificent sight: an entire library of detective novels.”
― Seishi Yokomizo, The Honjin Murders

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“What was Kenzo's reaction to all this criticism? His approach was to stay completely silent. He made no move whatsoever to respond to any of it. And, of course, water eventually wins over fire. One by one, the opponents ran out of heat, their voices faded, their steps faltered and finally, with a wry smile and a shoulder shrug, they were forced to admit defeat.”
― Seishi Yokomizo, The Honjin Murders

tags: asian-literature, fiction, japanese-fiction

3 likes

“Ginzo inclined his head and, without uttering a single word, returned to his room in the main house. For a while he just stood there thinking, but eventually he uttered a single sentence: “That man’s lying.” With that, he opened his suitcase and took out a blank telegram. After a few moments, he began to write. KATSUKO DEAD. SEND KINDAICHI. He addressed it to his own wife, then set out for the K—town post office.”
― Seishi Yokomizo, The Honjin Murders

3 likes

See all Seishi Yokomizo's quotes »

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Seishi Yokomizo’s Followers (773)

Seishi Yokomizo

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Seishi Yokomizo’s books