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

| Original Title | 平賀源内捕物帳 |
|---|---|
| Author | 久生 十蘭 |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the snow-dusted streets of Edo, a chilling mystery unfolds as young women adorned with silver-edged combs meet gruesome fates on clear winter mornings. Investigator Denbei, a bumbling yet earnest official, teams with Hiraga Gennai—a polymath inventor whose eccentric brilliance masks a shrewd mind—to unravel deaths marked by impossible conditions: victims slain without footprints, their skulls split by unseen forces. Gennai’s own creations, the coveted combs glittering in sunlight, bind the cases together, hinting at a predator drawn to their gleam. \nAs Denbei stumbles through superstitions of celestial stones, Gennai’s logic points skyward—not to meteors, but to trained beasts weaponized by human cunning. Their trail weaves through Edo’s theaters and teahouses, brushing against Rokō, a revered actor whose past entanglements with a scorned noblewoman whisper of vengeance. With each victim’s Rokō-inspired attire and Gennai’s reputation at stake, the duo races to decode a killer’s cruel artistry before another dawn claims a life. Shadows of jealousy, conditioned eagles, and a decade-old grudge converge in a tale where innovation and tradition clash beneath Edo’s frozen skies. |