Strange Houses

A writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance who is considering purchasing a second-hand house in Tokyo. With its bright and spacious interior, the home seems perfect. But looking closer, the building’s floor plan reveals a mysterious "dead space” hidden between the walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plan with an architect friend only to discover more “strange spaces” dotted across the house.

What are these mysterious “strange spaces” and why do they exist—are they really there, or is there something off with the floor plan? Who is the home’s former resident who suddenly disappeared?

The freelance writer and his architect friend can’t resist the challenge of solving the riddle of these puzzling floor plans . . . and the terrifying plot behind it all.

I loved the premise and the way the story makes use of so many visual clues like the various floorplans. It’s so creative and fun! And it immediately called to mind My House Walkthrough, a creepy little Youtube video that I love.

That said, the actual mystery here felt too convoluted for me to fully buy into in such a way that I could relax and enjoy the book. I found myself questioning too many things and the conversations between characters felt stilted. I don’t know if it’s me or the story or a cultural difference between Japanese mysteries and what I am accustomed to from North American mysteries, but this was a mixed read for me.

Overall though, the structure was fun and interesting enough that I do plan to read the other Uketsu book that I have (Strange Pictures).