Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

Red BeetleAuthor: Edogawa Ranpo

Original Title	赤いカブトムシ
Author	江戸川乱歩
Genre	Detective & Mystery
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	Three young friends encounter a sinister figure emerging from a manhole—a man cloaked in black with a demonic appearance—who vanishes into an abandoned mansion shrouded in local legends. Driven by curiosity, they witness a girl’s desperate scream from a window, sparking their resolve to involve the Boy Detectives Club. As the young detectives investigate, they uncover eerie secrets: trapdoors, mechanical monsters, and a ruby beetle hidden by the enigmatic Magic Doctor. Each challenge—a crawling red insectoid horror, phantom voices, and shifting labyrinths—tests their courage and ingenuity. Shadows whisper threats, walls conceal dangers, and every clue deepens the mystery. With time running out and the villain’s taunts echoing, ordinary children confront extraordinary evil. Will their wit unravel the Magic Doctor’s schemes, or will darkness claim both treasure and triumph? A suspenseful dance of bravery and deception unfolds, where curiosity might be their greatest weapon—or their doom.