#gosho aoyama's mystery library

[deuteriumuniverse]

Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book #4:

If Sherlock Holmes provides the direct inspiration for Conan/Shinichi, then Arsène Lupin is such for his adversary Kaito Kid! Creative, charming, and willy, Lupin is the O.G. gentlemen burglar with a heart of gold and a talent for thieving. In fact, Holmes makes an occasional appearance in Lupin stories, starting with the delightful Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late where he was able to tell it was Lupin in disguise with a single glance! The character is also quite popular in Japan, where his fictional grandson Lupin III has an eponymous manga series and several crossovers with Detective Conan.

Lupin is introduced as a man with many faces and an ingenious gift for defrauding, though his victims tend to be the rich and powerful, which makes him popular with the regular people. His schemes are very meticulously planned and comprised of layers upon layers of traps that are both physical and psychological. Like Lestrade for Holmes, his rival is Inspector Ganimard who is spun around according to the thief's will and even when he occasionally gets the upper hand, he discovers that Lupin has total control of the situation this whole time. Despite this, there is mutual respect between thief and detective, even if only begrudgingly on Ganimard's side. Although his profession is stealing, Lupin has also played the detective on certain occasions without conniving for extra benefits like in Thérèse and Germaine. He has a notable soft spot for beautiful women like Nellie Underdown and Hortense Daniel, and his infatuation for them compels him to oblige to their wishes no matter how vague, though unlike with Kaito Kid and his love Aoko Nakamori, none of Lupin's dalliances seem to be long-lasting.

Leblanc's Lupin stories are a fun read, and out of the ones I've seen my favorites are The Red Silk Scarf and Arsène Lupin in Prison.

#arsene lupin #maurice leblanc #kaito kid #detective conan #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library

[officecyborg]

(turns around to face the camera in fake surprise against the backdrop of my rich people cottage-kitchen-library, a glass of chianti in my hand) oh hi! I didn’t see you there. you know, sometimes on autumn days like these I think about Detective Conan shipping drama. (light chuckle) those were the days. do you ever think about Detective Conan shipping drama? how back in 2006, having the word “CoAi” in a fellow’s fan fiction dot net bio could incite a feud? how funny it was that viewers thought Gosho Aoyama, who could only write one relationship—a guy who’s a genius nerd and his tough-but-domestic childhood friend—would ever have these characters get together with someone else? twenty-six years and he’s never changed his tune. (tracking shot as the monologue continues, in which I pace to the comfortable arm chair and sit, swirling my glass in rumination.) the evil mysterious hot girl, the rich fashionable older man with a stable job, the earnest stalwart nice guy, the one who’s definitely a lesbian. none of them were ever real candidates! it was all for narrative tension. and yet the viewers took it all as deadly serious. they sure got mad about that lesbian, didn’t they? (sips wine) ahh. it takes all sorts. life is a rich tapestry.

[jaroslavlewis]

Beneath Cherry Blossoms in Sannouzi Temple

Title: Beneath Cherry Blossoms in Sannouzi Temple

Author: Jaroslav Lewis

Fandom: Detective Conan

Pairing: KazuHei with ShinRan on the side

Summary: She was trying to change. He acted on impulse. There they stood, in a familiar place. The place where it all began.

Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan and any of Gosho Aoyama's characters. I simply borrow them when I'm lonely.

Something had changed. She knew and no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she just couldn't shrug the thought off of her head. She tried to act as if nothing had, as if things were how they used to be but deep down she knew she had been different around him and that for the past few years she had just been pretending.

Hattori Heiji was no longer a mere childhood playmate, a best friend or as she'd always call him, a brother because he was so much more, perhaps all along he was never those things to her to begin with and it was only then that it struck her. It was an overwhelming awakening for her, liberating but also frightening.

She felt powerful whenever she was with him, almost as if she could do anything as long as he was by her side, as if she could surpass any challenge, any harm that could come her way. Heiji was her safe place, her home but that was all the more reason for her to be frightened about her feelings for him.

She thought he might not feel the same way; that maybe to her he was more than just a friend but to him, she was nothing more and nothing less. She figured she might not have any chance with him. Heiji was not only handsome, and well-skilled in Kendo he was also a renowned, brilliant high school detective while she was nothing but a plain teenage girl. Maybe her Aikido skills made her something more, but compared to Heiji's achievements, that was nothing to be proud of. Heiji would probably never see her as something more than an ahou (as he'd always call her).

She thought she could go on keeping it a secret to him, but the longer she tried to hide it the stronger she felt it, the urge to tell him the truth. There were so many instances when she tried to tell him about it, but also so many circumstances that hindered her from doing such (to which she somehow feels thankful for). The anxiety also always takes over her. Though she'd feel so determined to confess to him, in the end, she'd just chicken out and it happened countless times. Perhaps, the circumstances were just an excuse. It wasn't fate that's hindering her. It was herself all along.

Ever since she realized what he meant to her, a lot of things have been messing with her head also, with actions towards him. It used to be way less complicated back then, when she saw him as nothing more than a friend. But now, things have changed. She was more conscious of herself, of how she looked and how she acted especially when she's around him. She has been putting more effort on being more lady-like around him, even having second thoughts on continuing her Aikido training, worried that the martial art made her too intimidating.

Toyama Kazuha never cared about society's superficial beauty standards until then. She used to be fine with how she looked and never bothered being boyish around him but now, she'd always find herself browsing through some fashion magazines, looking for some tips on how she'd look more pleasing in his eyes. Most of her spare time revolved around scanning through the pages for articles on "Steps to Make a Guy Fall in Love with You" or anything of related topic. She even tried putting on light make up and styling her hair differently, a change which didn't go unnoticed by the observant young detective of the west.

"Oi, What took ya' so long? And ya' seem to still have some of the strawberry flavored thing ya' ate for breakfast on your lips, ahou." Heiji pointed out as she stepped out of her house, approaching him as he waited standing next to his motorcycle.

"It's lip tint, boke!" She retorted, clearly feeling as though her pride was stepped on and pulverized by the man who was the main reason she took an effort to look more presentable that morning.

"And for your information, it's cherry not strawberry.- Not that you'd care since ya' couldn't even tell the difference." She added.

"Pshhh and what's with your hair anyway? Where are all the ribbon things ya' use to tie that? Ya' know we're riding my bike to school. I don't want your hair all over my face when I'm driving!" He scolded, clueless about his childhood friend's intentions.

"I dropped the ribbon because it was too childish. Will ya' grow up for once, Heiji! You ahou!" She argued as she flung her school bag, almost hitting him on the arm, but missing as he stepped back, avoiding her beating. -Talk about good reflexes all thanks to Kendo. It was one of their usual childish fights. There was probably never a day that passes by that they don't have one. It wasn't Kazuha's favorite part of the day and frankly, she wished Heiji treated her like a lady and would be more of a gentleman, kind of like Ran-chan's Kudo-kun. Though she had to admit, those fights are what make them Kazuha and Heiji. It was one of the few things that are theirs and though she'd get tired of it at times, she'd never want it to change, she'd never want it to perish, whatever it was she had with him. And she knew deep down, if their relationship ever changed and if the daily quarrel with him stopped, she'd miss them, every moment she spent with him. She'd definitely miss him.

"Oi, ahou. Get on the friggin' bike, will ya'? If we run late to class, it's on ya'?" He said as he hopped on his bike and tossed the spare helmet to Kazuha and, waited for her to ride behind him.

Kazuha caught the helmet and wore it, concealing her face and the redness on her cheeks which were due to the heat of embarrassment, frustration she felt towards the same young man who has been making her heart throb against her chest and butterflies do somersaults inside her stomach. She hated how dense he was and how he couldn't even bother to tell her how beautiful she looked, always teasing her, making fun of her, making her feel even more insecure about herself. But what she hated even more was the fact that by the end of the day she could never hate him and he'd still be the one she'd want to look at her and notice her as something more than Kazuha the best friend, Kazuha the ahou.

Something was up and he was sure for he had known her long enough to know if something was bothering her. For the past few weeks, Toyama Kazuha hasn't been acting like herself. He noticed that she hadn't been tagging along him that much anymore. Just last week, she refused to go home with him because she wanted to be with her girl friends in Aikido club. At first, Heiji thought Kazuha just needed some time alone with the girls. After all, Kazuha had other friends too. The same way he liked being with his pals in Kendo club, or with people who understood his passion for the art of mysteries and deduction like, Kudo for the matter. But a day turned to two or three days of a week being out with others instead of him.

He used to spend his mornings going to school with her and afternoons going home with her but now, it's just the mornings for her and him. She wouldn't even go to lunch with him anymore, telling him that she had to be studying in the library or that she didn't want to eat anything because she was on a diet. Heiji thought it was complete bonkers. Kazuha had never been on a diet before. She didn't need to. She looked perfect.

He also noticed, she had been putting on makeup now and she also decided to wear her hair down. He thought she looked really beautiful that morning and that he was totally stupid for being an ass about it. It was just that he felt overwhelmed by how she was starting to change. He always thought she looked perfect even without make up on and that the ribbon has always been a part of her. He knew he'd never see her without one. He liked seeing her face with no obstructions on like her hair. Well, she had good hair it's just that, he loved it tied neatly, away from her face, so that he could see her clearly and look at her peridot orbs, adorable cheeks, perfectly-shaped nose and pinkish lips.

He secretly loved stealing glances from her whenever he's bored in class and he loved looking at her amusing facial expressions. He loved seeing her eyes light up as she smiles when she's interested in the lesson. He loved the way she'd crinkle her nose and pout her lips when she's concentrating on solving a difficult Math problem. He had even grown fond of teasing her because he loved seeing her adorable frown and her flushed cheeks when she's arguing with him. Heiji loved a lot of things about Kazuha and he hated seeing those things go away just because she decided to change. He didn't want her to change. But he figured it wasn't up to him. He isn't even her boyfriend in the first place.

Heiji couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there had to be a reason she was acting that way. As keen and intelligent as he seemed with his eidetic memory and brilliant reasoning skills, he figured Kazuha was one of the few things he could never figure out.

He thought that perhaps, Kudo was right after all… That no matter how good a detective you are, you'd never see through the heart of the woman you love…

"Oi, Hattori. What's up?" Kudo Shinichi's voice popped from his phone after a few rings, making him snap out from his reverie. He had to admit to himself that he felt relieved to hear his pal's voice, though he knew it would take him a long time to get used to East's Kudo Shinichi's real voice. He had always heard him with Conan's squeaky kid voice, it was different hearing him as a seventeen year old boy, but he was glad those days are over.

Growing up, Heiji never had siblings around to talk to. He always had Kazuha but at that moment, the problem WAS KAZUHA and he figured, the right person to turn to had to be Kudo. Afterall, they had a lot in common and were both hopelessly in love with their best friends.

"Any case there you want me to look into?" The high school detective from Tokyo asked when he heard no reply from his friend over the phone. It took a few seconds for Heiji to come up with a reply. It was the first time he'd actually confide to Shinichi about his love life. Usually, it was always about mysteries and tough cases and he never thought this day would come. It felt weird for him and very unnatural. He'd always put a tough act around Kudo, his pride always taking over. But this time was the right time to let that go. Kudo was his friend and he knew they shared a bond more than just solving cases. Heck, they've already gone through a tough life and death crisis when they took down the Black Organization, why should he hesitate about turning to Kudo to help him with his Kazuha Crisis?

"No… Actually… It's about Kazuha…" He stammered. He felt his face heat up in embarrassment when he heard Kudo chuckle over the phone.

"I see? Well what about her?" Shinichi asked calmly, encouraging him to go on after noticing the hesitation in Heiji's voice.

"She's been acting all weird lately…" He replied, telling him about her antics, the makeup the hair, everything. Shinichi listened fervently over the phone and thought about what might have been causing the girl to act that way and then it hit him…

"You know, Hattori… Well, this is just a speculation and this is clearly just based on your statements and what I've observed with Ran. Hmm… The first time I saw Ran dress up and put on light make up was when I asked her out on a date to the Beika Central Tower Restaurant. You don't think…"

"Kazuha has been asked out by some guy on a date?!" Heiji said, cutting him off whilst finishing the sentence for him. He felt like punching a wall for a moment, almost like when he got mad when he saw some guy flirting with Kazuha. The green-eyed monster was definitely acting up on him again.

"Look, I'm not saying that that's what is actually happening here, Hattori. It's just a speculation…" Shinichi said, trying to calm his friend down. "But you know, Kazuha's not some case you'd have to figure out on your own. If it really bothers you that much that she's changed, then why don't you just talk to her about it. I mean, you've got nothing to lose, Hattori."

"But what if… What if she finds out?" He asked worriedly.

"So what if she does find out?" Shinichi repeated, putting an emphasis on Heiji's own question. "Haven't you been trying to let her know all these years?"

"I know but it's not the right time yet. I'm not sure I'm ready to tell her yet…"

"Well, when will you be? When run into some goons and get into trouble solving cases?" Shinichi asked, giving him a little push. "Think about it Hattori or you'll regret it…"

"That's easy for you to say. You're perfectly fine with Ran now." Heiji scoffed, letting his stubborn side take over. He couldn't help but get jealous at how his friend was finally together with the girl of his dreams. He hoped he had the guts to tell Kazuha about how he truly feels the same way that Kudo got to tell Ran about his.

Kudo on the other hand, couldn't help but sigh as he rolled his eyes in frustration. He couldn't understand how the Osakan detective would bother calling him for advice in the middle of his studies (especially when he's got a lot to catch up on) and then just counter everything he's been telling him.

"Look, think about it this way… What if some guy is interested in Kazuha? What are you going to do?" He pressed, hoping that his western counterpart would take a hint.

"I don't know? Investigate and find out who the guy is?" Heiji replied, unsure of his answer.

"NO! YOU BAKA!" Shinichi scolded before heaving another sigh. "Well maybe I'd do that too, but that's not the point… What I'm trying to say is… Would you just let some other guy take her from you?"

Heiji stayed silent as his friend's words rang in his ears.

"Would you just let some other guy take her from you?"

He felt his heart beat rapidly against his chest. He wasn't quite sure if it was because of the excitement or anxiety that hit him, but he knew he had to do something about it.

"I think… I think I want to tell her…"

"Then go for it!"

"But, what do I say?"

"You'll just find the right words to say when you're there, Hattori." Shinichi said, remembering how the words just spilled out of his mouth when he chased Ran in London.

"Where should I do it? Should I do it right now or after class? Shouldn't I plan and take her somewhere special?" The detective of the west started bombarding him with so many questions.

"You just say it. It just happens. It doesn't matter where." The great detective of the east couldn't help but laugh. He genuinely smiled to himself as he recalled his confession in London, how beautiful the buildings are and the scenery was but at that moment nothing else was more beautiful than Ran.

'You wouldn't even notice or care where you are because when it happens all that matters is her and all you see is her…'

"You confessed to Ran in London." Heiji pointed out crestfallenly.

"It was a spur of the moment thing. Trust me. Planning is useless. Just let it happen."

Kazuha was shocked when she found Heiji standing by the locker room for Kaiho School Aikido Team. She noticed that he still had his Kendo uniform on and thought that he must've rushed there after practice. On the other hand, she too was still in her martial arts uniform and was thinking about changing. She hated the fact that Heiji seemed to have no clue of the concept of personal space. She hated that she had to see in her wrinkled Aikido uniform, covered in dirt and sweat, her hair tied up in a messy little ponytail.

Unbeknownst to her, Heiji didn't care if she didn't look that presentable. In fact, he even thought she looked adorable even when she was messy. He took notice of her wearing her hair up again, only to be a bit disappointed that she still wasn't wearing her signature ribbon.

"Hey, I was thinking of taking you somewhere after practice." Heiji announced as he leaned on the wall casually, briefly making eye-contact with her before breaking their gaze to look somewhere else as he felt really nervous.

Kazuha was bewildered by his sudden invitation. She didn't know what to say. She had been avoiding him for the past few weeks. She figured she needed some time away from him to sort out her emotions. Every moment she spent with him made her feel like bursting. She felt that she was not ready to be around him that much yet.

"Gomene, Heiji. I have other plans this afternoon." She replied with the littlest hint of remorse. She looked away to head straight to the girls' locker room, hoping to get away from him as soon as possible before he noticed that she was bluffing. Being a detective, Heiji had good skills in reading people. She was afraid he'd see right through her. She wasn't even a good liar to begin with.

Heiji couldn't help but notice the hint of coldness in her tone and it was then that he confirmed it. His suspicion was right after all. Kazuha had been trying to avoid him for the past few week.

Before he could say anything and confront her about it, Kazuha had already walked out on him and went straight to the girls' shower a place she knew Heiji couldn't enter. Obviously.

He muttered a curse under his breath, but decided to let it go, thinking that making a fuss about it would only be a waste of time. And so, he went straight to the boys' shower and decided to get rid of all the sweat and dirt he had from sparring, cool down and shrug all the negative thoughts he had in his head.

'Maybe I should just try another day… Maybe tomorrow before class…' He thought to himself as he left the shower running as he stood there, lost in his thoughts. He had been finished draining the excess soap from his body and was done almost half an hour ago, but his pondering kept him there.

"Haven't you been trying to let her know all these years?"

"Would you just let some other guy take her from you?"

And it hit him.

"OI! HATTORI YOU'VE BEEN THERE TOO LONG! ARE YA' DEAD OR SOMETHING?" One of his peers called out from outside his shower door.

In one swift movement Heiji turned the shower knob to stop the water from running and wrapped his towel around his waist. He got out of the shower and scrambled to get into his clothes, hoping to make it quick to Kazuha.

'Crap. Why did I have to spend too much time thinking about this on the shower?'

Heiji was lucky that girls take a lot of time getting ready. Despite taking too long in the shower, he was able to run into Kazuha in the hallway. He spotted her walking with some guy from their school's Aikido team. They were chatting as they took long slow steps by the corridor. Heiji also noticed how Kazuha would giggle and smile at him from time to time. He felt jealousy boil up inside him when he observed how the guy stole glances from her. She wasn't his but her Peridot orbs, cute little nose and pink lips were only his to look at. At least, that's what he thought so…

"See ya' tomorrow, Ryuu-senpai! Take care!" Kazuha said, bidding her colleague good bye. As the two part ways, Heiji rushed to grab her wrist, stealing her away as he dragged her with him.

"Oi! H-Heiji! What are you doing?" Kazuha asked, astounded by her childhood friend's harsh actions. His steps quicken as he continues to drag her with him. He went faster with every step he took. Kazuha almost tripped.

With all the strength she could muster, Kazuha stopped her tracks and pulled her wrist away from Heiji's grasp.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" She questioned furiously, massaging her already numb wrist.

"You told me, you and I have a bond of steal that no one's ever going to break…" He replied. She stared at him in a clueless manner with her light green orbs. Though she knew exactly what those words meant, after all she had said them to him countless times; she had no idea what they had to do with Heiji's current actions.

"I've had it with you avoiding me for the past few weeks. If you have a problem with me, Kazuha just say it." Heiji said exasperatedly as he looked into her eyes, piercing her Peridots with his Emeralds.

Kazuha felt her heart beat fast upon the young detective's sudden interrogation. She quickly avoided his gaze as she struggled to come up with a reply.

"It's like I don't know ya' anymore." He spoke when he heard no response from her.

"Heiji I…" She was at lost for words. How was she ever going to tell him?

Unbeknownst to Heiji, it broke her heart that she had to avoid him for the past few weeks. She missed him a lot. But being around him hurt her as well. She was hurt with every second that she had to be with him, suppressing her feelings for him.

Her lack of response drove Heiji to desperation. Without having anymore second thoughts…

"Look just answer me honestly." He demanded. "Who's the guy?"

Kazuha was taken aback by his boldness. She had always known him to be very straight-forward but she never expected him to have that kind of audacity to ask her such a private question.

'It's you. Ahou.'

"What the hell are ya' talkin' about. Th-there is no guy or what-so ever." She denied breaking their gaze, hoping that he wouldn't pester her anymore.

"You're not around me anymore. All of a sudden, you're wearing your hair down and you even put on makeup. You're being more conscious about how you look like or how you're acting. You think I wouldn't notice?" He deduced.

Kazuha was taken aback by the young detective's conclusion. She never knew he'd go out of his way and use his skills to figure her out. Though his intelligence and keen eye for details had always amazed her, it bothered her that he used such skills to invade her privacy. Though it seems that it shouldn't matter anymore, considering that they had known each other for years, it's still a given that they should set boundaries for each other. After all, Heiji is still a man and Kazuha is still a lady. Heiji crossed that line and it embarrassed Kazuha.

"I'm not one of your silly detective cases, Heiji…" She said in a tone almost inaudible for him to hear. Her face was flushed a deep shade of crimson from embarrassment and also from holding the tears that were right on the corner of her light green eyes. "I'm not some culprit you just corner around with your deductions…"

She mustered the courage to look him in the eye even though his gorgeous emerald orbs were so hurtful to look at, at that very moment. He had a guilty look in his face, it was hard not to forgive him right away, but Kazuha's stubbornness was strong to fight that urge. She wasn't ready to tell him. She wasn't ready to lose him.

As Kazuha turned her heel to walk away from him, Heiji felt his body move on its own. On normal circumstances, he would just let her go and let her be mad at him. But it was different, now. He had learned where he messed up. He wasn't going to let her go.

He grabbed her wrist again and made her face him. Her tears failed her and fell rebelliously from her light green eyes. She struggled to pull herself away from his grasp, but to no avail, she was drag relentlessly by Heiji until they reached the spot where he parked his motorcycle.

He sighed as he loosened his grip on her aching wrist. He lifted her by the chin and made her look into his eyes. He gave her a soft gaze and smiled at her sadly as he tucked her hair behind her ear and brushed her tears away. He took something from his pocket; a silky dark green ribbon. He leaned in towards her as he reached for her long dark brown hair and used the ribbon to tie it neatly. Kazuha couldn't help but blush at how close Heiji was too her. Her cheek was abruptly pressed to his chest and she swore she heard his heart skip a beat.

"I know you're upset." He said as he pulled away from her and took the extra helmet and gently placed it on Kazuha's head. "But there's something I have to tell you… There's something I have to do. Something I should have done years ago."

He took his helmet and rode his bike. Kazuha's body move against her will as she sat behind him, cursing to herself, annoyed at how no matter what happens she just couldn't stay mad at him.

As soon as Heiji felt that Kazuha was riding securely behind him, he took off to an hour drive to the place where he first found out that he had fallen in love with his best friend.

The sky was orange as the sun was about to set when they arrived at Sannouzi Temple in Kyoto. Nostalgia started to kick in as a tinge of familiarity hit both of them. The two know the place from a fond memory in their childhood, a memory which Kazuha never knew she shared with him. Heiji took Kazuha to a memorable spot underneath a Sakura Tree.

"Maru Take Ebisu Ni Oshi Oike

Yome San Rokkaku Tako Nishiki

Shia Aya Buttaka Matsu Man Gojou

Sekida Chara Chara Uonotana

Rokujou Santesu toorisugi

Shichijo koerba Hachi Kujou

Juujou Touji de Todomesasu"

He could remember clearly how soft her voice sounded as she sang the folk nursery rhyme, how beautiful she looked in her red kimono, how dramatic the scene was as cherry blossoms fell down on her while she stood there, immersed as she played and bounced her ball with her small hands. Ten-year-old him watched her immensely, mesmerized by her charm. He was young when he decided that she was his first love. He thought she was some girl from Kyoto and mistakenly thought that she was two years older than him. He looked for her for so many years, foolishly not knowing that she had been beside him all along.

"I promised I'd tell you until you get tired of it…" He said. "I've always stood up for the truth, but to be honest, there's something I've been keeping from you all along. I've always had the chance to tell you, but I always blew it."

Kazuha stood by, leaning against the tree trunk as she observed and listened to him intently. Heiji had always been an open book to her, but at that moment he looked just so natural and transparent. He looked more vulnerable, but more human. It was a different side of him he had never seen in her life. He was always acting so strong around her, always trying to protect her, always so confident as he solves cases and corners culprits into surrendering to the police. It was a total contrast to how he looked at that moment. There was no spark of confidence in his eyes. He was talking very slowly, even stammering in between his sentences. He kept fidgeting as he placed his hands in his pockets. She also noticed that… he was blushing…

Though the sight of him was new to her, there was something about him that hadn't changed. He looked sincere as always like when he'd call her an idiot and get mad at her whenever she'd get in trouble but his eyes would always tell her he was worried sick about her. Like when he saved her from falling from a cliff and she instead wounded him with an arrow, so he'd let go and save himself, but he didn't. Like when she almost got shot and he took a bullet for her and injured his left arm. She cried a lot but he still smiled and gave her a pat on her head. He even let her hug him tight as she cried on his chest.

"Last year, when we came here with Ran and Kudo, you asked me if I had found the mystery girl from Kyoto. I told you I did, but I never told you who she was. That's because I found out that she was you all along." He continued. Kazuha's mouth went agape at the sudden revelation.

"I love you, Kazuha. I always had, even before I knew that you were my first love. I promise you I'd tell you until you get tired and this is me, keeping that promise." He said, mustering all the courage he could use to get it all out of his chest. "I know I have been a jerk to you all your life and you probably don't see me as a man or anything. And ya' probably like someone else-"

She realized that it was her time to tell him. Driven by her strong emotions that have been longing to be set free for years, she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him as she rested her head on his chest, hugging him so tight as her tears soaked his school uniform top.

"I love you too, Heiji." She whispered against his ear, wasting no more time. And she figured it felt good to say it. It was new to her, but it was all good.

Heiji was still in shock, but returned her embrace and rested his head on her shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of her orange-blossom perfume.

It seemed like forever when he pulled away from her.

"But I thought… I thought you liked someone else." He said, still surprised, but undeniably happy that she reciprocated his feelings.

"It was all for you… " She answered, shyly. "Ahou. I thought you'd like me more if I looked more… I don't know, lady-like I guess."

"Ahou…" He chuckled at her foolishness. He gave her a soft smile as he lifted her by the chin and made her look into his emerald orbs. "I don't mind the changes you'd like to make for yourself. But I do love the bare face, the girly ribbons, even the boyishness… It's all you, Kazuha…"

She gave him a small smile as she nodded.

"Now, care to explain to me why you've been trying to get away from me?" He asked suspiciously as he raised an eyebrow at her.

It was her time to fidget and come up with an explanation.

"I was honestly trying to get over you…" She answered. "But I couldn't."

"Well you wouldn't now, would ya'?" He said, smirking as he leaned closer to her, her face only a few inches away from his.

"Don't push it." She warned.

"If you had told me sooner, this wouldn't have been complicated." He teased, making her frown.

"Hey! I would have told you if I had known how you feel. And how would I know? You could have at least dropped a hint!" She retorted.

And there they were again with the bickering…

"I have been dropping hints all over you! S-some hints at least! Ahou!" He argued.

"Really, now Mr. Detective? We'll it wasn't very clear to me!"

"A guy would never hang on a cliff that long with a girl who just poked his hand with an arrow if he didn't love her!"

"Oh yeah! Well that doesn't count. I'm your best friend and that was a life and death situation. Besides, you were constantly teasing me, always calling me ahou-mmph"

She was cut off when he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips onto hers. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt his lips brushed gingerly against hers. It took a few seconds for her to respond to the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Kazuha took a small step back and felt the tree behind her, leaning to it as he pushed himself closer to her and tilted his head a bit as he deepened the kiss, brushing a bit of his tongue against her lower lip, asking for access in which she granted right away.

'Yep. It's cherry alright.' He thought to himself, submitting to his error in his deduction earlier, remembering their argument about her liptint as he tasted more of her sweet lips.

In Sannouzi Temple, underneath the same Sakura Tree stood the once ten-year- old girl who innocently sang Kyoto's Road Song as she absentmindedly played with her little toy, oblivious to the world around her and to the boy who like her was once ten-years-old and observed her with so much curiosity in his eyes. So mesmerized, that he missed her when she left.

It was the same place, the same old Sakura tree that showered them with cherry blossoms as they stood beneath it, except it was different because the girl and the boy were no longer ten years old and they had found each other. In the same place where it all began, a new beginning, a new chapter was bound to unfold.

AN: 14 pages. 5,939 words. First fanfic in almost two years and first ever attempt at KazuHei. I've written some Detective Conan fanfics here when I was twelve. All of them were about ShinRan and all poorly written so I decided to delete them. Hahaha! It took me a week to finish this 5,000+-word one-shot. I had a hard time figuring out how I should end it. I wanted to make the fic romantic and sweet but the same time, keep Kazuha and Heiji's characters and maintain their "tough love" kind of relationship. I'm really fond of how they try to hide that they care about each other, especially Heiji who's got this slightly arrogant shell on the outside but is actually a shy softy for Kazuha. I hope I gave justice to the KazuHei pairing with this fic. I also hope that you guys enjoyed reading this, as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I'm really sorry if this fanfic is way too long to be a one-shot and I apologize if it bores you to death. I just really word-farted and tbh, it's all because I've written the first part with so much feelings for a guy friend that I have liked/loved for some time now. Anyway, that's a different story and it's not very much like KazuHei coz he has a girlfriend. Hence, here I am stuck in the friendzone. He doesn't know anything btw. I'm considering telling him, but I don't know. It's such a big risk and I doubt that it would be anything like this fanfic. XD Hahaha I guess, I'll just pour my heart on writing and focus my energy on KazuHei/ShinRan fanfics while I try to get over him. I don't know. Hahaha Okay, I'm word farting again. So sorry! . Anyway, hope you guys R and R! 3

Love

~J

"Watcha' doing to my Kazuha?" Was on record and was kept playing on repeat in Kazuha's cellphone while her boyfriend, sat and covered his flushed face with a pillow.

"Remind me to send Kudo-kun and Ran-chan a gift of appreciation for this fine treasure, ne, Heiji!" Kazuha giggled teasingly at her embarrassed detective of the west.

"Ahh! Stop it will you!" He complained as he threw the pillow away and tried to snatch the phone from Kazuha, but to no avail. "Delete that thing!"

"I was right afterall. You did say 'MY Kazuha'" She teased as held the phone away from him. "I'm going to make this my ringtone."

-Owari-

#dcmk #detective conan #meitantei conan #case closed #hattori heiji #heiji hattori #heiji #toyama kazuha #kazuha toyama #kazuha #heiji x kazuha #kazuha x heiji #heiji and kazuha #kazuha and heiji #kazuhei #gosho aoyama #fanfiction #jaroslavlewis

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book # 69:

The Moonstone is one of author Wilkie Collins' most acclaimed work, and an early example of the classic detective novel. It is Sergeant Richard Cuff's only appearance, and he's not even in the main cast of characters, but the historical importance of The Moonstone to the mystery and suspense genre was enough to earn him an appearance in Gosho's list of notable detectives. But that's not a criticism of the character; in his only appearance the readers managed to learn a lot about him, from his love of roses to his method of investigating the ins and outs of a household. I for one quite liked him, and he subverted my expectations in many (good) ways.

This paragraph has spoilers: People say that one's true character is revealed in adversary or in failure, and that's quite true here. In this novel (his only appearance!) Cuff failed. He wrongly deduced the criminal, could not get anyone to confess, and ran into a dead end. However, he remained patient and genial, accepted his shortcomings (which are not entirely his fault), and helped the amateur detective of the story to trace back the events of the night the Moonstone was stolen.

There is a good reason why, after all this time, The Moonstone remained a classic and an important work in the mystery genre. It is a rich story with many social undertones, from imperialism to class relations, and originates many tropes we know and love like an English country house setting, incompetent local police, reconstructing the crime as an experiment, etc. Like Gosho, I too would recommend The Moonstone.

#richard cuff #wilkie collins #detective conan #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book #62:

One of the best things about being multilingual is the ability to read books that are not translated or readily available in English. Keigo Higashino is one of the best writers in Japan, and he has written many books ranging from mystery novels to children's books to comics. Mystery thrillers and detective fictions are his most frequent genres, and he has earned, amongst others, the Edogawa Rampo price, the Honkaku Mystery Award, and the Mystery Writers of Japan Award.

The most famous detective that he created is the physicist, researcher, and university professor Manabu Yukawa, who is more of a scientist than a detective. Yukawa went to college with Police Detective Shunpei Kusanagi, who comes to him for pointers on his tough cases. Because of his ingenious deductions, he was nicknamed Detective Galileo. It is notable that the police in these stories are far from bumbling or incapable; Kusanagi is competent and has a good grasp of human foibles. It is only when encountering highly intelligent murderers and carefully planned schemes that he needed the brilliant mind of Yukawa. Kusanagi is also accompanied by a sharp and reticent police detective named Kaoru Utsumi, whose observant nature and suspicious outlook on cases resembles Ai Haibara.

Similar to Shinichi Kudo, Manabu Yukawa has a prickly personality, an almost boyish excitement for mysteries, lack of social graces, and a soft spot for children. However, Yukawa doesn't put the truth or justice first, but carefully considers the best solution for the people involved even if it means the crime goes unpunished. He is very passionate about math, physics, the sciences, and their roles in pushing humans forward, something as a former math major I really appreciated. In the books, Yukawa doesn't have a love interest, but if there is one it would probably be science.

Some spoilers ahead:

Yukawa's most admirable quality is probably his thoughtfulness and care. Because he has few friends, he treasures his relationships, although in many occasions this is the cause of his pain. In The Devotion of Suspect X, after a friend confesses to the murder, Yukawa miserably deduces the true solution and encourages the real culprit to turn herself in. To do that, he divulges his deductions to Kusanagi under the condition that if he comes to the police with the story, they can no longer be friends. This case hurt Yukawa deeply and made him hesitant to join later investigations. Only when Utsumi reveals that Kusanagi fell in love with a suspect in Salvation of A Saint did Yukawa involve himself out of curiosity and concern.

Interestingly, like Shinichi with the Detective Boys, Yukawa is good with kids and often ends up teaching them about the wonders of science. Unfortunately, this soft spot gets him plunged into deeper mysteries. In The Forbidden Magic (not yet published in English), when his former mentee Shingo plots to use the railgun they built for revenge, Yukawa passionately defends him to Kusanagi, insisting that Shingo knows science should not be used for murder. When Yukawa takes control of the railgun, he tells Shingo that if he wants to, Yukawa will help him shoot the man who abandoned his sister to die, seeing it as a way to take responsibility for creating the gun in the first place. In A Midsummer's Equation, after figuring out that the child he mentored was exploited for murder, Yukawa protects him and asks Kyohei's cousin who went through a similar experience to be there for him when he realizes the truth.

In the Detective Galileo series, I recommend The Devotion of Suspect X and A Midsummer's Equation. For Keigo Higashino mysteries, you should check out the Detective Kyoichiro Kaga series and other standalone novels such as The Murder in Mansion Hakuba. (Note that some of these books might not be available in English)

#manabu yukawa #keigo higashino #detective galileo #detective conan #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book #8:

There is a certain charm in reading detective stories that are as much about the culture and the setting as about the actual detection. The Zenigata Heiji series by Kodo Nomura are set in the turbulent period between the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration, and they follow the hot-headed Captain Zenigata Heiji, a young police detective with a special talent for tossing coins. His coin tosses are so accurate and lethal that it became a way of disarming or catching criminals, alongside his truncheon. He is locally known for this effectiveness in apprehending suspects, and he serves under his wise boss, police sergeant Sasano Shinsaburo, who often remarked in his own affectionate way about Heiji's failures. Competing with Heiji for recognition is his older rival Captain Ichihara Risuke, who, like Kogoro Mori, is often too rash in catching a criminal and ended by locking up the wrong person. Meanwhile, coming to Heiji's assistance is his trusty but bumbling sidekick Hachigoro (nicknamed Garappachi) and his beautiful girlfriend and later wife Shizu who would sometimes become a bait for the criminal for him to catch.

It is quite clear that the character of Shinichi's rival-turn-best-friend Hattori Heiji is based on Zenigata Heiji. Both are hot-headed and traditional but very stubborn in bringing a case to its conclusion; both have their signature lethal weapons, the former with his kendo and the latter with his truncheon; and both are very protective and loyal towards their loved ones. Though most of the short stories that I have read are not heavy on the detecting side, they serve as valuable insights into Japanese history and culture, and for that alone I would recommend checking them out.

Out of all the stories I've read, I like The Shape of a Vengeful Demon and The Case of Osan's Tattoo best.

#gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library #zenigata heiji #kodo nomura #hattori heiji #detective conan

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Gosho's Detective Picture Book #10:

Edgar Allan Poe, while famous for his short stories and poetry such as The Raven, is also credited with beginning the genre we know today as detective fiction. Many famous writers whose work in this genre are well-known like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy L. Sayers have praised Poe and his stories, the former saying that "Where was the detective story until Poe breathed the breath of life into it?"

The tales featured a man by the name C. Auguste Dupin who is generally acknowledged as the very first fictional detective. Dupin is an eccentric young man who has considerable intellect but not much in the way of money, and he resides in Paris with the narrator who he met by accident in a library. In our first introduction to Dupin, he could even guess what the narrator was thinking about by tracing back his steps and facial expressions! He deduces the solution of the mysteries not by examining the scenes of crime, but by putting himself in the criminal's shoes and analyze with probabilities the preceding events. His intellectual and artistic interests enables him to combine his sharp mind with a great imagination, which leads to some ingenious solutions.

Unlike the detectives who follow his footsteps in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, Dupin doesn't do denouements, interrogations, or exciting chases, and further details like his hobbies, relations, and past are shrouded in mystery. He is similar to Sherlock Holmes in a way, because he investigates sneakily with his methods of disguise and deceptions and then presents the solution to the narrator. The relationship between Dupin and the narrator is also similar to that of Holmes and Watson, though given that Dupin comes first, it is more accurate to say that perhaps Doyle was inspired by Poe when creating his characters.

After such a long time of reading the relatively simpler prose of Marlowe and Hammett, reading Poe was definitely a good challenge. This is because Poe (via Dupin and the narrator) expresses a lot of opinions about philosophy, analysis, and intelligence that you have to focus to follow. As a statistician, I was intrigued to find that Poe's description of concepts such as mathematical analysis and probability (in an abstract sense) are not quite what we would think of today when we discuss analysis and statistics, yet also not that far from it.

Out of the three short stories involving Dupin, my rankings from top down would be The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Purloined Letter, then The Mystery of Marie Roget.

#c auguste dupin #auguste dupin #edgar allan poe #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library #detective conan

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book #25:

After a string of serious-minded detectives with their tough cases full of twists and turns, in comes a cute detective who is not even a human to lighten up the mood! Tortoiseshell Holmes is a small cat with a sixth sense for danger, an acute premonition for bad things, and a cute countenance to charm her way into many situations. She helps her owner, Police Detective Yoshitaro Katayama, solve cases by alerting him to hidden clues. Katayama is a weak detective who can't hold his liquor, does not know how to deal with women, and is afraid of blood, so in conclusion he's not much of a detective. The cast of characters is rounded by Katayama's sister Harumi and her boyfriend as well as Katayama's coworker Ishizu. In a reversal of roles, Harumi is the sharper knife in the drawer between the two siblings and Ishizu is almost exclusively interested in how much free food he can get out of a situation. Between the four of them, Holmes is surprisingly the smartest one, consistently pointing out clues and alerting her owners to imminent danger. It's like that one case where Conan was helping Eri's cat Goro to lead Kogoro to solve the case, except that there is no Conan behind this Holmes cat to pull the string.

Overall, this is a cute series mainly about murder tricks and very little in way of other characterizations. I only read The Fall of Tortoiseshell Holmes which is number 47 in the series because it was the only one available in a language I could understand, and it's comprised of four short stories where Katayama stumbles into a case and his cat helps him come up with the solution.

#tortoiseshell holmes #mikeneko holmes #jiro akagawa #detective conan #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book #20:

If you want a cozy mystery that is also full of high stakes along with a cast of colorful characters and some supernatural elements, Agatha Christie's Marple series is one of the best there is. Unlike in the stories of the Belgian with the funny mustache, the world of old Miss Jane Marple is confined to the small village of St. Mary Mead, sans the occasional vacation. However, spending such a long time in the village has given Miss Marple a close look into human nature and human behavior, and makes her a great judge of character. Whenever she explained her deductions, she invariably compares the people in the case to those she's met in the village, and she's never wrong.

Miss Marple's frail appearance and her occupation as the resident village spinster makes her the perfect detective as she uses her nosy but wise grandmother demeanor to gather information without arousing suspicion, make Scotland Yard listen to her advice, and lead people to wrongly underestimate her. The mysteries that she deals with are on a smaller scale than Poirot, and thus often feel much more intimate. Rather than big government secrets and conspiracies, we have the messy web of relationships, obsessions, and secrets that naturally exists in a small village, and in the center of it, Miss Marple carefully dismantling friendly facades to show the real ugliness of human nature underneath. In some way, the tragedies of these relationships are much more horrifying than grand scale mysteries, because they are reflections of how easy it is to fall into twisted love, grief, and passion.

Ever the lover of the supernatural, Christie gives her detective what we might call the sixth sense. Miss Marple has an ability to sense evil, maybe not in a person, but in actions. The most accurate description of this affinity is Jason Rafiel's remark in The Caribbean Mystery that Miss Marple has a "flair for evil". In her own way a formidable "emissary of justice", she has called herself Nemesis, referring to the nickname Rafiel gave her of the Greek goddess of retribution against those who succumb to hubris. "Nemesis is long delayed sometimes, but it comes in the end."

It is unfortunate that the quality of the Marple series is not as consistent, nor the number of novels as expansive as the Poirot series, because Christie wrote about Marple over a long time, between 1930 and 1971. However, for cozy mystery fans, reading Jane Marple might almost be a rite of passage. After all, Christie is not called the Queen of Crime for nothing!

For a cozy mystery cocktail with a dash of passion and ingenious plotting, I recommend Nemesis, The Moving Finger, and The Body In The Library.

#jane marple #miss marple #agatha christie #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library #detective conan

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book # 54:

If you are a fan of grisly murders committed in weird fancy locations, often with the suspects isolated from the outside world, then Yukito Ayatsuji's Mansion Murders Series is made for you. Each installment features a bizarre mansion designed by a strange artist named Seiji Nakamura who died under horrifying circumstances in The Decagon House Murders. As if his ghost haunts his creations, many of his buildings are scenes of serial murders and tragedy. The detective featured in the series is Kiyoshi Shimada, an eccentric but friendly man with a less-than impressive appearance. The son of a temple abbot and brother of a police investigator, he is both mild-mannered and sharp-minded but keeps his deductions to himself until the moment he deems is right. Later on, after The Labyrinth Mansion Murders, he became a writer under the pen name Shishiya Kadomi. Sometimes assisting him is the earnest Takaaki Kawaminami whom he met in The Decagon House Murders; their friendship is one of the few social relations that Shimada keeps up with. Even though he is the detective, there are some novels where Shimada only makes a cameo appearance or is only mentioned by name. However, we can see that he has a strong sense of justice in The Labyrinth Mansions Murders, which sometimes is a by-product of wanting to prove his friend's innocence in The Water Mill Mansion Murders, and despite being a bit socially inept, he can be surprisingly understanding sometimes, like in the ending of The Black Cat Mansion Murders.

Out of the novels I've read in the Mansion Murders series, I enjoyed The Decagon House Murders, The Water Mill Mansion Murders, and The Clock Mansion Murders most. Incidentally, I think the last book also showcases Shimada at his best because of the complex solutions to the case. (Note: Some of these books might not be available in English.)

#kiyoshi shimada #yukito ayatsuji #gosho aoyama's mystery library #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #detective conan

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Gosho's Detective Picture Book Reviews

My review of detectives (and detective novels) based on Gosho's Detective Picture Book (also called Gosho's Mystery Library) are as below, to be completed not in the near future.

❤️ denote my personal favorites

Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle) ❤️

Kogoro Akechi (Edogawa Rampo)

Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) ❤️

Arsene Lupin (Maurice Leblanc)

Jules Maigret (Georges Simenon)

Kousuke Kindaichi (Seishi Yokomizo)

Lieutenant Columbo (Richard Levison and William Link)

Zenigata Heiji (Kodo Nomura)

Philip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler)

C. Auguste Dupin (Edgar Allan Poe)

Ellery Queen (Ellery Queen) ❤️

V.I. Warshawski (Sara Paretsky)

Father Brown (C.K. Chesterton)

Cordelia Gray (P.D. James) ❤️

Heizo Hasegawa (Shotaro Ikenami)

Mitsuhiko Asami (Yasuo Uchida)

Nero Wolfe (Rex Stout)

Shunsaku Kudo (Nobumitsu Kodaka)

Hannibal Lecter (Thomas Harris)

Miss Marple (Agatha Christie) ❤️

Sam Spade (Dashiell Hammett)

Shozo Totsugawa (Kyotaro Nishimura)

Ninzaburo Furuhata (Kouki Mitani)

Perry Mason (Erle Stanley Gardner)

Mikeneko Holmes (Jiro Akagawa)

Inspector Samejima (Arimasa Osawa)

James Bond (Ian Fleming)

Kyosuke Kamizu (Akimitsu Takagi)

Charlie Chan (Earl Derr Biggers)

John Thorndyke (Richard Austin Freeman)

Touyama Kin-san (Tatsurou Jinde)

Mike Hammer (Mickey Spillane)

Philo Vance (S.S. Van Dine)

Akakabu-kenji (Shunzo Waku)

Drury Lane (Ellery Queen)

Katherine Turner (Misa Yamamura)

Henry Jackson (Isaac Asimov)

Denshichi (Tatsurou Jinde)

Lew Archer (Ross Macdonald)

Kiyoshi Mitarai (Soji Shimada)

The Old Man in the Corner (Baroness Orczy)

Joseph Rouletabille (Gaston Leroux)

Hanshichi (Kido Okamoto) ❤️

Koichiro Munakata (Seiichi Morimura)

Eitaro Imanishi (Seicho Matsumoto)

Gideon Fell (John Dickson Carr)

Yuichiro Goda (Kaoru Takamura)

Ukyou Sugishita (Yasuhiro Koshimizu)

Steve Carella (Ed McBain)

Hideo Himura (Alice Arisugawa)

Riyako Asabuki (Shizuko Natsuki)

Robert Ironside (Collier Young)

Akihiko Chuzenji (Natsuhiko Kyogoku)

Kiyoshi Shimada (Yukito Ayatsuji)

The Continental Op (Dashiell Hammett) ❤️

Ningyo Sashichi (Seishi Yokomizo)

Joseph French (Freeman Wills Crofts)

Yoshibumi Takagi (Kenzo Kitakata)

Mom (James Yaffe)

Rintaro Norizuki (Rintaro Noziruki)

Koko (Lilian Jackson Braun)

Manabu Yukawa (Keigo Higashino) ❤️

Daisuke Kanbe (Yasutaka Tsutsui)

Inspector Zenigata (Monkey Punch)

Robert Langdon (Dan Brown)

Akojuro Senba (Juran Hisao)

Kanki Ibaragi (Futaro Yamada)

Bannai Tarao (Yoshitake Hisa)

Richard Cuff (Wilkie Collins)

Philip Trent (E.C. Bentley)

Gregory House (David Shore)

Yoshio Kuraishi (Hideo Yokoyama)

Adrian Monk (Andy Breckman and David Hoberman)

Inspector Onitsura (Tetsuya Ayukawa)

Enshi Shunotei (Kaoru Kitamura)

Lincoln Rhyme (Jeffery Deaver)

Kei Enomoto (Yusuke Kishi)

Keisuke Shiratori (Takeru Kaido)

Genya Tojo (Shinzo Mitsuda)

Shioriko Shinokawa (En Mikami)

Handyman of Susukino (Naomi Azuma)

Kageyama (Tokuya Higashigawa)

Hotaro Oreki (Honobu Yonezawa)

Lisbeth Salander (Stieg Larsson)

Lieutenant Fukuie (Takahiro Ookura)

Takeshi Yoshiki (Soji Shimada)

Jiro Egami (Alice Arisugawa)

Kyouko Okitegami (Nisio Isin)

Sakurako Kujou (Shiori Ota)

The Phantom Thief Detective Yamaneko (Manabu Kaminaga)

Riko Rinda (Keisuke Matsuoka)

Shinichiro Hanaoka (Koji Hayashi and Junpei Yamaoka)

Richard Castle (Andrew W. Warlowe)

Hiroto Miyama (Manabu Uda)

Yukimasa Yugami (Hideo Iura)

Mikoto Mitsumi (Akiko Nogi)

Keita Kurokochi (Takashi Nagasaki)

Totono Kuno (Yumi Tamura)

Maomao (Natsu Hyuga)

Sherlock Holmes (Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss) ❤️

Rohan Kishibe (Hirohiko Araki)

Seiko Fuji (Miko Yasu)

#gosho aoyama's mystery library #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #mystery #detective fiction

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Gosho Aoyama's Detective Picture Book # 72:

Our next detective on this list is a deputy inspector and coroner who, if I have to describe him using Detective Conan characters, is like a brainchild of Detective Kansuke Yamato and Detective Takaaki Morofushi (i.e. Komei). Kuraishi has the irascibility and scary countenance of the former with the confidence and genius of the latter. Nicknamed the "Lifetime Coroner" because he stayed in his division for a long time while resisting efforts to relocate or demote him, he is a terse man of few words who is notorious for his accuracy in analyzing a situation at the crime scene. This longevity has caused him some tensions with upper management, while the younger detectives tend to idolize him and regard him as a mentor. His approval means a lot to his "student" detectives like Kazuyuki Ichinose and his supposed favoritism for Takefumi Nagashima has earned Nagashima the ire of one Morito Fukuzono.

His catchphrase is "The crime scene is 70%, the corpse is 30%", which reflect his philosophy when looking at a case. Kuraishi is intensely meticulous, even caring about what appear to be trivial things like dust in a room or a pot of plant outside the door. But it is this exactness and persistence that makes him invaluable to the division. Inside his tough demeanor is also a kind man who is willing to risk his reputation to investigate the apparent suicide of a former employee and defy his boss to give his subordinate a chance at closure.

I've only been able to find Rinjo (臨場) which is a collection of short stories featuring Kuraishi in a language I could read. Out of that collection I would recommend The Red Business Card and The Seventeen-Year Cicadas.

#yoshio kuraishi #hideo yokoyama #detective conan #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library

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Gosho's Detective Picture Book #9:

Tough as nails and cunning as a fox, Philip Marlowe is the quintessential American private eye of the early 1900s. The world in which Marlowe inhabits is full of crooks, mafias, corrupt politicians, and rotten cops, all with their own dirty tricks. Marlowe himself is not above employing these tricks to get what he wants, but he has a morality and loyalty to something bigger than himself, be it a friend or what he considers justice. He will do what he regards as the right thing, even though it doesn't help his bank account, gets him in trouble with the cops, or puts his life in grave danger. This character trait makes him shine, because although he has a big heart, his personality is as prickly as a porcupine, the amount of wine he drinks should make him an alcoholic, and he is rarely, if ever, truthful to anybody. Unlike many private eyes, he doesn't fall prey to the charms of beautiful women, and though he might flirt with them, kiss them, or even go to bed with them, he always keep his eyes on the bigger picture. In every story, he is the lonesome outsider with a good knowledge of human nature, and that enables him to arrive at creative solutions to his problems.

I've never been a fan of hard-boiled detective fiction, and even after reading almost the entire Marlowe collection, I still don't think I am. However, it is impossible to deny that Raymond Chandler's prose are beautiful, from the way he writes action scenes to the metaphors he uses to describe character traits. (Note that I only talk about the works by the original author, not including authorized works by others). But if you are into hard-boiled detectives, Philip Marlowe is one you should definitely check out. In my personal opinion, he is at his best in The Lady in the Lake and The Long Goodbye.

#philip marlowe #raymond chandler #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library

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Gosho's Detective Picture Book # 21:

The Maltese Falcon is one of the most celebrated work of detective mystery, written by the accomplished novelist and screenwriter Dashiell Hammett. The novel has been adapted for film multiple times, and the adaptation in 1941 with Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade was regarded as a film noir classic. The detective has also appeared in several short stories, but The Maltese Falcon is his only novel feature and is also his debut.

Sam Spade is a classic specimen of protagonists in hard-boiled detective fiction; he is very detached emotionally to every single person around him. This quality, coupled with an eye for detail, a sharp mind, and physical strength makes him a tough opponent. Spade also has his own notion of justice and manhood, as he refused to cooperate with the police, preferring to figure everything out then deliver the culprit. He disliked his partner Archer and played around with Archer's wife, but when he figured Brigid - who he might have caught feelings for over the course of the novel - murdered him, he was unrelenting and adamant in making sure she goes to prison. His reasoning was that when your partner was murdered you were supposed to do something about it, though he also admitted that he needed to hand her over so the police wouldn't go for him instead.

Many of Spade's signature qualities, like his womanizing ways, his emotional detachment, and his disrespect for the police, are what defined him in the world of detective fiction. Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe (coming in a future post) was influenced by Sam Spade, and you can see shades of the famous agent James Bond in him. There doesn't seem to be a character in Detective Conan that was directly influenced by Spade, though Shuichi Akai is similar in his aloofness, and Rei Furuya in his attitude towards the police.

#sam spade #the maltese falcon #dashiell hammett #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library #detective conan

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Gosho's Detective Picture Book # 35:

Most people know of Ellery Queen (the author, who is really a team of two cousins Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee) by their famous eponymous detective. However, the duo has also written four novels as Barnaby Ross between 1932 and 1933. Interestingly, before the identity of the authors were revealed, the cousins staged a rivalry between Ellery Queen and Barnaby Ross, with each cousin playing one author. The detective in those Ross novels is not really a detective, but a retired Shakespearean actor called Drury Lane.

Drury Lane is a bizarre man who lives in a castle called The Hamlet where he employed many old servants with bizarre names like Quacey and Falstaff. His castle is also weirdly surrounded by a miniature Elizabethan village and the inhabitants are paid by Lane himself. Despite his 60 years of age at the beginning, he looks younger and is quite fit, and with the help of Quacey he dons disguises to gather information. Since these novels were written in the beginning of Ellery Queen's career, there are some development that requires rendering of disbelief on the reader's part like Lane being able to perfectly replicate the voice of the victim whom he has never met. His deductions are always detailed, sometimes excessively so, and he considers all explanations of an event even if they are unlikely. On the way, he was helped by New York District Attorney Bruno, Inspector Thumm, and his daughter the intelligent Patience Thumm.

All four novels follow complicated mysteries that Lane and his friends must unravel, with dead bodies at every turn and surprising resolutions. Drury Lane's fate in Drury Lane's Last Case is one of the most surprising endings in that era of detective fiction, reminiscent of Curtains: Poirot's Last Case, which grips the reader because we have gotten to know Lane over the course of his quadrilogy. The end of the detective is shocking, but looking back there has been groundwork laid from the conclusion of The Tragedy of Y, it just was not strong enough for the ending to feel earned.

Out of the four books, I would recommend The Tragedy of Y, which has one of the most ingenious solution to a clue paired with one of the saddest endings.

#barnaby ross #ellery queen #drury lane #gosho aoyama's detective picture book #gosho aoyama's mystery library #detective conan