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Masahiro Imamura

いまむら まさひろ

Imamura Masahiro

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1985-01-01 （Isahaya, Nagasaki, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Isahaya, Nagasaki, Japan → Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Mystery writer
Active Years
2017-

Education

Okayama University
Faculty of Medicine / Health Sciences (Radiological Technology)
Country: Japan

Awards

Ayukawa Tetsuya Prize
2017
Work: The Murder in the House of Corpses
Organization: Tokyo Sogen
Result: Winner
Honkaku Mystery Award
2018
Work: The Murder in the House of Corpses
Organization: Honkaku Mystery Writers Club
Result: Winner
Booksellers Award
2018
Work: The Murder in the House of Corpses
Organization: Booksellers Award Committee
Result: 3rd Place

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Murder in the House of Corpses

2017 Mystery

A debut mystery that blends a fantastical premise with classic puzzle-oriented detective plotting. Set in an isolated house where participants become embroiled in successive incidents, it culminates in a logical solution to the crimes.

locked-roommansion/closed-circle mysterypuzzle tricksensemble cast
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Murder in the House of Corpses (film) (2019)
  • [Manga] The Murder in the House of Corpses (manga) (2019)

The Murder in the Box of the Demon Eye

2019 Mystery

The second book in the series uses strange devices and locked-room type tricks, notable for interwoven clues and a tricky solution.

trick-based puzzleslinked stories elementsdeduction

The Murder at the Killer's Mansion

2021 Mystery

The third installment of the series, retaining the author's trick-oriented approach in a new setting.

mansion mysterytwisted human relationshipslogical resolution

Dispel

2023 Mystery

A standalone novel diverging from the series, incorporating social elements and psychological depiction.

psychologicalsocial themesmystery

Akechi Kyosuke's Endeavors

2024 Short story collection

A collection of short stories including series-related pieces and everyday mysteries.

short storieseveryday mysteriesseries supplements

Nemesis I

2021 Novelization

A novelization tied to the TV drama 'Nemesis', published after the author's cooperation on the script.

drama tie-inscript collaboration

Bibliography

  • The Murder in the House of Corpses
  • The Murder in the Box of the Demon Eye
  • The Murder at the Killer's Mansion
  • Nemesis I
  • Dispel
  • Akechi Kyosuke's Endeavors

Adaptations

  • The Murder in the House of Corpses (film, 2019)
  • The Murder in the House of Corpses (manga, 2019-2021)
  • Nemesis (TV drama, script cooperation)
  • Distorted Laboratory Murder (game, 2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Puzzle-driven, classic-detection styleFusion of imaginative premises with logical resolution
Recurring Motifs
locked-room/closed-circle settingsmansion/collective settingscomplex trick mechanisms

Legacy

From his debut he received strong acclaim and has been positioned as a new leading figure in classic-style mysteries. His works have been adapted into film and manga, and he exerts influence as a prominent younger mystery writer.

In Popular Culture

  • The Murder in the House of Corpses (film, 2019)
  • The Murder in the House of Corpses (manga serialized on Shonen Jump+)

Quotes

  • The fusion of fantasy and classic mystery is truly splendid. One can only tip one's hat to the workings of this mind.
    Source: Kaoru Kitamura (review) (2017)

Trivia

  • Born in Isahaya, Nagasaki; raised in Kobe, Hyogo.
  • Worked as a radiologic technologist after university.
  • Left his medical career at age 29 to focus on writing.
  • Distant cousin (hato-ko) of voice actress Maiko Irie.