"Neko-ha Shitteita" by NIKI Etsuko

Ms. NIKI is a Japanese writer who lived from 1928 to 1986. She was unhealthy and could not go to any schools, so his brother taught her. After he had gone to the war, she studied alone with a radio and books. In 1957 she got the 3rd Edogawa-Ranpo Syou, a famous prize for Japanese mysteries. At that time she was reported as a bedridden writer and/or a Japanese Agatha Christie.

So this book was written almost about a half century ago, and the manners in this story are very different from the present Japanese one. For example, there leave many air-raid shelter, tape-recorders and family cars are very rare things, there is no bathroom in typical houses and people walk to public baths every day(? ^_^;;;), and the price is very low - maybe one order cheaper than the present one.

Anyway the brother and sister, NIKI Yuutarou and Etsuko, came to Hakozaki Byouin, a private hospital run by Hakozaki family, as boarders. On the moved day a disappearance happened, and the next day a murder case occurred. The brother and sister will chase the criminal...

FYI:
The title means 'The Cat Knew'.

(Finished reading on Jan.26, 2008)

The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* NIKI Etsuko : 仁木悦子
* Neko-ha Shitteita : 猫は知っていた
* Edogawa-Ranpo Syou : 江戸川乱歩賞