Pathway to Japanese Literature

Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.

The StepdaughterAuthor: Yumeno Kyūsaku

Original Title	継子
Author	夢野久作
Genre	Detective & Mystery
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In a sprawling Western-style mansion shrouded in spring moonlight, Reiko, a fragile girl with bowl-cut bangs, navigates shadowy corridors haunted by unease. Since her father’s sudden departure and her stepmother Tatsuko’s arrival, the household has twisted into a labyrinth of whispered threats. A vagrant’s cryptic letter warns of Tatsuko’s criminal past—a poisoner who marries wealthy men, drains their fortunes, and leaves tragedy in her wake. Reiko’s desperate plea to her absent tutor, Mr. Nakabayashi, reveals mounting terror: stolen inheritances, a caged watchdog refusing food, and midnight encounters with a whip-wielding Tatsuko whose kindness curdles into menace. \nWhen Reiko discovers Tatsuko’s corpse—a dagger plunged into her chest—the mansion’s illusions shatter. Nakabayashi emerges from the shadows, unraveling a web of cocaine addiction, forged identities, and a fugitive husband’s vengeance. Yet as dawn breaks, questions linger: Who truly orchestrated the murder? What secrets lie buried in the specimen room’s locked drawers? And can Reiko trust her protector—or is his timely intervention another layer of deception? \nA gothic tale of gaslighting and betrayal, where loyalty frays like old silk and every smile hides a blade.