赤い猫 (講談社文庫に 2-10)

A short mystery in which Takako Numate, hired as a live-in companion to a wealthy elderly woman, unexpectedly inherits her fortune and is drawn toward the truth behind the death of her mother in childhood. The story combines the elderly woman's keen armchair detection with Takako's buried pain, giving the puzzle a warm human resonance.

armchair detectioninheritance and secretsthe truth behind a mother's deathhumane mystery fiction

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Work Information

An elderly woman in a wheelchair quietly unravels the past concealed within an inheritance and the memory of murder.

Akai Neko is a short-story collection centered on the title work, winner of the Mystery Writers of Japan Award for short fiction, and showcases Etsuko Niki's bright, well-shaped approach to classic mystery. In the title story, Takako becomes a live-in companion to an elderly woman and is drawn into a mystery involving an unexpected inheritance and the memory of her mother's death. Even while dealing with crime, the story keeps a humane gaze on its characters, bringing together the intellectual pleasure of armchair detection and sympathy for people burdened by the past.

Review Summaries

Readers often value the careful foreshadowing and warm characterization, noting that the stories avoid becoming oppressively dark despite dealing with crime. The title story stands out within the collection and is received as graceful and warmly nostalgic rather than merely dated.
Many readers respond not only to the puzzle but also to the bond between the elderly woman and the young woman, as well as to Niki's gentle narrative tone. The changing detective figures and devices across the stories also make the collection enjoyable for readers familiar with her recurring characters.

Book Information

Publisher: 講談社
Published: 1984-04-01
Pages: 294 pages
Language: 日本語
ISBN-13: 9784061832138
ISBN-10: 4061832131
Price: 40 JPY
Category: 本/文学・評論

Amazon.co.jp: 赤い猫 (講談社文庫に 2-10) : 仁木悦子: 本

Reviews

赤い猫

古い本ですが、大変美品で満足しています。内容もとてもよかったです。
どの話も読みやすい

短編なので仕方ないが、話は薄い。それでも読み進める楽しさがあって良かった。