怪人二十面相 🦹 (IBC) - Week 8

Japanese Language Book Clubs
1

怪人二十面相 :supervillain:
Intermediate Book Club
Home Thread

41GF53P6MAL
41GF53P6MAL388×499 13.6 KB

Week 7 February 21th, 2026
Chapter(s) 17+18 名探偵明智小五郎 + 不安の一夜
Audio version [1] video 8
Previous week Week 7
Next week Week 9

Discussion Guidelines

Spoiler Courtesy

Please follow these rules to avoid inadvertent ネタバレ. If you’re unsure whether something should have a spoiler tag, err on the side of using one.

  1. Any potential spoiler for the current week’s reading need only be covered by a spoiler tag. Predictions and conjecture made by somebody who has not read ahead still falls into this category.
  2. Any potential spoilers for external sources need to be covered by a spoiler tag and include a label (outside of the spoiler tag) of what might be spoiled. These include but are not limited to: other book club picks, other books, games, movies, anime, etc. I recommend also tagging the severity of the spoiler (for example, I may still look at minor spoilers for something that I don’t intend to read soon).
  3. Any information from later in the book than the current week’s reading (including trigger warnings that haven’t yet manifested) needs to be hidden by spoiler tags and labeled as coming from later sections.
Instructions for Spoiler Tags

Click the cog above the text box and use either the “Hide Details” or “Blur Spoiler” options. The text which says “This text will be hidden” should be replaced with what you are wishing to write. In the case of “Hide Details”, the section in the brackets that is labelled “Summary” can be replaced with whatever you like also (i.e, [details=”Chapter 1, Pg. 1”]).

Hide Details results in the dropdown box like below:

Example

This is an example of the “Hide Details” option.

The “Blur Spoiler” option will simply blur the text it surrounds.

This is an example of the “Blur Spoiler” option.

Participation

Will you be reading along with us this week?

Will you be reading with us?
  • I’m reading along
  • I’m still reading but I haven’t reached this section yet
  • I will catch up later
  • I’m reading this after the book club has finished
  • I’ve read this previously but I’m here for the discussion
0 voters
  • Votes are public.

If you’ve already read this book but are still going to join the discussion, please select “I have read this part.”

  1. female narrator, playlist, 聴いてみよう江戸川乱歩 ↩︎

5 Likes
怪人二十面相 :supervillain: (IBC) - Week 7
怪人二十面相 :supervillain: (IBC) - Week 9
怪人二十面相 :supervillain: (Intermediate Book Club) [ongoing, week 10/15]
怪人二十面相 :supervillain: (Intermediate Book Club) [ongoing, week 10/15]
2

17 名探偵明智小五郎

Summary

Samon goes looking for Akechi and the innkeeper takes him to a mountain stream where he’s fishing. At first he ignores Samon but then finally agrees to help. He says he’ll organise some backup and then call Samon, who should go ahead.

My speculation

Hmm, so if it really is Akechi, of course he should be annoyed at his rest getting interrupted. But based on how much the story is emphasising Samon’s luck that Akechi is there exactly now… I’m with everyone else and am a bit concerned the thief has disguised himself as the great detective! :face_savoring_food:

18 不安の一夜

Summary

Akechi comes with backup (all wearing black) and Samon shows him his treasures. The plan is to station someone at the front and back entrances, and Akechi and Samon sit outside of the locked door to the room full of art and scrolls. In the night Akechi yawns a lot and says he’s tired, at some point he falls asleep. Samon tries to stay awake but at some point he falls asleep, at least I think, he says his mind went blank and his vision was foggy. In a daze he seems to stir and see some men wearing black, but Akechi scolds him that there’s nothing there. He tried to stay vigilant, but once again, he’s overcome by a fog and dozes off. Finally, when he wakes up it’s light. Akechi is asleep and he wakes him up. Akechi asks him to open the door to the storeroom - and it’s completely empty with the watchman collapsed dozing on the floor!

thoughts

So at this point we must be sure the thief is disguised as Akechi, although most people were already sure last week. I’ll admit I’m still holding out that there’s another explanation. If it’s the thief, he could have left by now, so why would he stay, for his own ego? It’s certainly big enough to need that!

The fog in the scene is a bit ambiguous, but I’m wondering if the thief has given him something to cause him to fall asleep.

I’m assuming the other guys are his accomplices, but it’s not totally tied up, I’m wondering if there is still a surprise in here somewhere.

10 Likes
3

This week felt short. Not much to add to @mitrac s post

I’d say the foreign cigarette is mighty suspicious.

8 Likes
4

I am finding myself enjoying the obvious lead ups quite a bit. I know what will happen, but the suspense (and the narration in the audiobook) is quite thrilling! Having a lot of fun with this book :slight_smile:

9 Likes
5

Were the house employees not present that evening? Strange for the misanthrope 左門 to surround himself exclusively with strangers in a time of crisis.

I’m also surprised to see that the (presumed) thief is still here in the morning. Could be just him toying with his prey, or maybe setting something up to have his revenge on 小林…

8 Likes
6
discussion

They weren’t mentioned up to now, so assumed not part of the defence. I agree! I guess he felt like he knew Akechi due to all the things adding up, photo, news article, having someone lead him to him. And I would have found Samon falling for it unrealistic because you would think every victim is on their guard for a master of disguise, but actually, the lies people fall for even today where fact checking should be easier now is astounding. Confirmation bias is a powerful thing

That is a good way of putting his ego

Now there is an idea!

8 Likes
7

Don’t fall asleep and follow up in week 9!

6 Likes
8

I finished Week 8 reading a little late, but I looked forward to finally getting to read the comments. @mitrac pointed out that Detective Akechi was described as wearing all black earlier on. It just occurred to me as I read this, that Old Man Samon shook Akechi’s shoulder when Samon spotted the man-in-black with shining eyes. Like, Akechi was lying next to him scolding him that it was just a dream or illusion. So…does that mean there were two men in black (Akechi/Thief and this other guy?) I hope I find out in the next chapter!

Also I liked the expression 百戦錬磨 (ひゃくせんれんま - Kanji: hundred - battle -polish -grind) for a battle-hardened veteran or someone who is very experienced. It was used on page 92 to describe the Great Detective Akechi.

6 Likes
9

More details

Summary

We do know at this point there are more people wearing black, so just in case you missed it:

In Ch 17 Akechi had asked Samon if he had gone to the police, and Samon says no. Akechi says he’ll go by the station and get bring some backup while Samon makes his way home. In Ch 18 they arrive all wearing black (Akechi plus backup).

6 Likes
10

なるほど！I forgot they are all wearing black, including the “police”

5 Likes