Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

Murder in the ApartmentAuthor: Hirabayashi Hatsunosuke

Original Title	アパートの殺人
Author	平林初之輔
Genre	Detective & Mystery
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In a bustling Tokyo apartment complex along the Outer Moat, actress Yamagami Misao’s lifeless body is discovered in her cluttered room, strangled between morning and evening on a fateful March day. Her death unravels a web of secrets among the building’s eclectic residents: a jealous baseball player lover, a manipulative magazine editor, a wealthy patron, and a fiercely possessive fellow actress. Each suspect’s testimony paints conflicting timelines and hidden motives—romantic entanglements, financial dependencies, and a shared addiction to narcotics cloud the truth. As tensions mount, jealousies flare between Misao’s lovers and her closest confidante, whose bond transcends friendship. Clues emerge in cigarette brands, misplaced checks, and whispered threats, but nothing aligns perfectly. Just as authorities close in on a culprit, a shocking confession upends assumptions—though lingering doubts about drug-induced vulnerabilities linger. This tangled tale of obsession and betrayal promises twists that blur guilt and innocence, leaving readers questioning who truly holds the key to Misao’s final moments.