So. The final explanation of how it happened mostly makes sense to me, although the engagement reveal story seems a bit far fetched. What most caught my attention was that I thought we might have an unreliable narrator (betrayal!) Weren’t we with Ichinose when she discovered Kikuma’s body? I didn’t remember anything about a note, and we obviously didn’t see her moving the body. I thought we saw her screaming right away. So I went back and reread chapter 9.2, and the post-it note is actually mentioned (but not the content obviously, kind of an important omission don’t you think, dear narrator? but I’ll allow it), and the chapter actually ends before she screams. So she moved the body between chapters 9.2 and 9.3. Pretty neat!
I get that they locked the emergency exit door and the entrance to the 準備室 to make is so that the only escape route would be the shutter, which would somehow point toward somebody external. However, in that scenario, wouldn’t the police be hard pressed to explain why/how those two doors were locked?!
And of course, Saikawa is surprised again that nobody else figured out this super complicated story. He can’t be a very good teacher with such a basic lack of understanding of human beings?
The most interesting part about these books is how the big reveal makes you want to go back and check what came before. Everything that comes before the reveal is like a big puzzle, and the reveal is like an answer key. Or are all mystery novels like that?
I also have to add that the closing flirting scene between Moe and Saikawa was masterful. Things like this are what makes me eager to read more of the series.
I mean, it’s not that much progress. And it’s only a couple of pages out of 400+, so if that’s what keeps you reading, it’s pretty low return on investment But I agree it was a nice scene.
What are you final thoughts on the book by the way @NicoleIsEnough?