The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa

This week, it's an early review of The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa. Originally published in 1995, it's now been translated into English.

The Man Who Died Seven Times is not your typical murder mystery.

And that's what makes it so good.

In a nutshell, it's a murder-science-fiction mystery with precision plotting, clear-cut characters and a unique twist.

Originally published in Japanese in 1995, it's great to see this wonderful story translated into English. 

During the New Year gathering of a dysfunctional Japanese family, Hisataro's grandfather is murdered. As the patriarch was about to rewrite his will, there are many suspects.

Hisataro could be seen as the amateur detective. But he doesn't just investigate his grandfather's sudden death. Instead, with the aid of a time loop, he tries to prevent it from happening in the first place.

What could have been a confusing and repetitive story, with the same day repeating, is easy to follow and truly gripping.

Hisataro's extended family also provide an array of suspects and motives. The relatives have bags of personality, which makes the family tensions and jealousy fun to read.

What's more, the family tree at the beginning of the book is a helpful reference in case you forget any of the relationships. 

There's also a subtle humour throughout the story, which prevents it from being too dark. Plus, there's a welcome absence of gore. 

The twists at the end are satisfying and bring the story to a fitting close. The only part of the book that didn't work for me was the last chapter. I felt the book could have ended with chapter 14, without the need to say any more.

Thanks to Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.