Suspicion by Seicho Matsumoto

Matsumoto has deservedly been called the Agatha Christie of Japan. His classic mysteries explore character and social norms, as in this novel told through the court case of a woman accused of killing her husband.

Moichi Akitani is a local reporter making his reputation with the case of a couple who drove their car off the end of a pier on a dark, rainy night, shattering the windshield and sinking to the ocean floor. The woman escaped, but her husband did not. Police found her wailing at the scene, overblown, like she was acting. She claims she was a passenger and he drove, but a witness contradicts this story. The only clues in the car were a loose shoe and a wrench. Akitani's articles show the woman in a poor light - a voluptuous beauty who cheated her first husband in a divorce. There are stories of Shinjuku Yakuza connections, and how she used them to get retaliation on those who crossed her. Successful businessman Mr. Shirakawa met her working as a Ginza bar hostess, and his family hated her after they married. She stands to gain 300 million yen, as she holds policies on his life. Two lawyers had already quit her case; defending her would ruin their careers. However, there is only circumstantial evidence, and after four years, she still maintains innocence. The media branded her a 'demoness', detested across the country, and no one believed her. Although already convicted by many, a young civil lawyer has taken on the case, ready to go to the Supreme Court.

There is a Japanese saying "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down"; living outside of societal norms is frowned upon, and such a brash and greedy woman must certainly pay. Recently republished, this is a terrific crime novella of psychology and justice - with a juicy surprise at the end.

Suspicion was adapted for film in Japan in 1982.

1982 / Tradeback / 128 pages

My other reviews for Seicho Matsumoto:

A Quiet Place

Pro Bono