Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

The Thirteen-Hour ExpressAuthor: Kōga Saburō

Original Title	急行十三時間
Author	甲賀三郎
Genre	Detective & Mystery
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	On a tense overnight train journey from Tokyo to Osaka, a student entrusted with delivering a hefty ransom for his friend’s staged kidnapping finds himself ensnared in a web of deception. Two enigmatic passengers—a gaunt, peanut-crunching eccentric and a white-haired elder with suspiciously youthful vigor—trade ominous tales of blackmail, heightening the student’s paranoia. Guarded by a private detective feigning sleep, he clutches a hidden bundle of 10,000 yen, unaware it’s already counterfeit. As the train hurtles through darkness, alliances shift: disguises unravel, threats materialize, and a criminologist’s sharp observations expose a double-cross. With time ticking toward dawn, the student confronts betrayals from unexpected quarters, realizing even trusted figures harbor secrets. Twists abound as identities blur and motives collide, culminating in a revelation that redefines guilt and greed. Will the truth derail their schemes before Osaka’s platform arrives? Suspense clings like cigarette smoke in this psychological chess game hurtling toward an unpredictable terminus.