THE LITTLE SPARROW MURDERS

Bilingual actor Akira Matsumoto brings to life this stand-alone in Seishi Yokomizo's classic mystery series featuring legendary detective Kosuke Kindaichi. Matsumoto's immersive performance sets the stage as listeners find Kindaichi looking forward to peace and quiet in the remote mountain village of Onikobe, where his old friend, Inspector Isokara, has acquainted him with an intriguing 20-year-old unsolved murder. Unfortunately, Kindaichi's respite is disturbed by a series of bizarre murders echoing a local children's song. In both Australian-accented English and fluent Japanese, Matsumoto employs a variety of tonal variations for the numerous characters, paying particular attention to Kindaichi's raspy timbre. Matsumoto keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, and his engrossing narration style will engage those looking for a mystery with something a little different. S.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]