You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
one-dimensional characters. a somewhat predictable plot, though still enjoyable. definitely written by a man.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s like And Then There Were None if the characters were all pretentious university students. I liked this more. The case is not “precisely” like the one in the Christie. I barely solved it and only did because I was wrong about the dude’s major.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
dark
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I would say that this is very much inspired by And Then There Were None from Agatha Christie, and I’m good with that! Ayatsuji draws on Christie and several other classic mystery writers but the story still stands on its own. In fact, I will say the nods to other major authors in the book add to its layers. (The members of the club are each named for a popular mystery author- it’s a fun game to see which you can recognise!)
I think that what I loved most about The Decagon House Murders is just how many strands of the mystery are worn together. Some strands end up falling off, but that only makes for a more enjoyable (and realistic read). There were several moments where I would think, “Hmm, this might be the answer” and then Ayatsuji ties it in.
I will say, I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone who is brand new to the mystery genre. It would be a good read but it’s a lot more enjoyable when you understand and recognise all of the references. However, I do appreciate that at the end we are walked through the entire case and how it all happened- newer fans, if you do want to chance this, it will be helpful! (I also felt like it offered a lot of insight into Ayatsuji.)
All in all, I loved this- one of my favourite books of 2025! A must-read for any mystery fan.