The Devil’s Flute Murders

Akira Matsumoto’s narration is the secret weapon of this audiobook, and it’s a masterclass in restraint. He doesn’t lean into the theatricality often associated with Japanese mysteries—instead, he lets the story’s chills emerge organically from the silences and the subtleties. There’s a moment early on when a character’s voice cracks mid-sentence, and Matsumoto’s delivery makes it feel less like acting and more like a confession. That’s the kind of precision that elevates *The Devil’s Flute Murders* above the usual post-war noir fare. The mystery itself is devilishly clever, with Yokomizo playing fair with the listener but never giving an inch of ground. The Tsubaki family’s secrets are buried deep, and the slow reveal of their crimes is as satisfying as it is unsettling. That said, the audiobook isn’t without its hiccups. The production occasionally suffers from a layer of background hiss that feels like it’s coming from another room—annoying, but not enough to derail the experience entirely. And while the supernatural elements are handled with eerie subtlety, some listeners might find the payoff a bit too understated, as if Yokomizo is more interested in the psychology of the crime than the ghostly folklore. Still, if you’re a fan of mysteries where the real horror isn’t the murder but the rot beneath the family’s polite facades, this audiobook will haunt you long after the final note fades.