The Crime-Scene Photographs and Other Writings

A murdered stockbroker leaves behind a room full of apparently useless details. A village killing loses its sole piece of evidence. In two investigations featuring the young detective Tsukahara Toshio, careful observation leads beyond the obvious suspect—and scientific detection proves to involve more than microscopes and test tubes.

The other stories turn from the detective’s laboratory to the darker possibilities of medical knowledge and intimate deception. A physician tells the Murder Club how an old humiliation prompted revenge; a newly married woman writes to explain why she has fled her husband. Alongside them, “Scientific Research and Detective Fiction” argues for the value of imagination, close observation, and detective stories as works of art.

Kosakai Fuboku (1880–1929), a physician and author, helped shape early Japanese detective fiction. First published between 1922 and 1927, these four stories and one essay bring his scientific interests into contact with popular mystery, bodily vulnerability, and social expectations. This complete new English translation includes a translator’s note, brief explanatory footnotes, and source and publication details. AI-assisted translation, prepared and edited by Valentin Sarić.