作品Free Graded Reading
書けない探偵小説The Unwritable Detective Story
Kakenai Tantei Shousetsu
by 夢野 久作 · Yumeno Kyuusaku
JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready
A writer's wild imagination conjures the ultimate detective story—if only it could be written.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe writer daydreams about writing a perfect detective novel, starting with a flashy car scene and a possible corpse, then moves through a series of increasingly absurd plot ideas involving murder, disguise, and historical figures like Trotsky and Lenin. The chapter ends with the writer realizing none of his ideas qualify as true detective fiction, only psychological fairy tales.
Language difficultyAdvanced · 75/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 傲華 (ごうか) | proud, flamboyant |
|---|---|
| 丸髷 (まるまげ) | marumage (traditional married woman's hairstyle) |
| 屍臭 (ししゅう) | corpse smell |
| 隠亡 (おんぼう) | crematory keeper (often a lowly job) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～たとたん（に） N1Just as soon as; the instant that. Describes a sudden change or happening immediately after an action.と思うトタンに胸がドキンドキンとする。
- ～かどうか N4Whether or not. Used to express uncertainty about something.ソンナ探偵小説が書けないものであろうか。
- ～ではないだろうか N2Isn't it that...? A rhetorical question expressing the speaker's conjecture or suggestion.日本では書けないだろうか。
- ～ように N3Like; as if; in order to. Used for comparison, purpose, or similarity.素人探偵を装って屍体を発見する。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 丸髷 (Marumage)A traditional Japanese hairstyle worn by married women, characterized by a round, looped topknot. It was fashionable during the Edo period and often associated with geisha or women of higher status. In the text, it's used in a flashy, theatrical context.
- 火葬場と隠亡 (Crematorium and Onbō)Onbō were workers at crematoriums, often considered low-status in feudal Japan. They were sometimes depicted as grim figures in literature. Here, a hunchbacked onbō becomes a thriller protagonist, reflecting a dark, sensationalist trope.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionThe writer believes that all his story ideas are true detective fiction.
- True
- False
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to katakana words like 'スター' and 'ゴッチャ' – they often carry stylistic or onomatopoeic weight.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese素晴らしい探偵小説が書きたい。ピカピカ光る太陽の下を傲華な流線スターがスウーと横切る。その中に色眼鏡をかけて済まし返っているスゴイような丸髷美人の横顔が、ハッキリと網膜に焼付いたまま遠ざかる。アトからガソリンの臭いと、たまらない屍臭とがゴッチャになってムウとするほど鼻を撲つ。……ハテナ……今のは、お化粧をした死骸じゃなかったか知らん……。と思うトタンに胸がドキンドキンとする。背中一面にゾーッと冷たくなる。ソンナ探偵小説が書きたい。美人を絞殺して空屋の天井に吊しておく。その空屋の借手がないために、屍体がいつまでもいつまでも発見されないでいる。タマラなくなった犯人が、素人探偵を装って屍体を発見する。警察に報告して、驚くべき明察を以て自分の犯行の経路を発く。
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