The Living Doll

A young man collapses after being poisoned. Before he dies, he entrusts a desperate mission to Kurase Taisuke, a celebrated detective whose crescent-shaped scar has given him his nickname. Two women remain in the power of a guardian determined to possess their fortune—and silence anyone who threatens his plans.

In Kamakura, rumors gather around a shuttered mansion. Strange cries disturb the night, a wounded woman appears like a ghost, and a beautifully dressed doll seems to conceal more than its lifelike face. Taisuke must find a way inside while dangerous servants watch his movements and a well-meaning innkeeper becomes entangled in the pursuit.

First published in 1893, this early tale by Izumi Kyōka combines detective intrigue with theatrical melodrama, supernatural suggestion, and broad comedy. Its inventive rescues and merciless villains bring a distinctive energy to the question of what a detective owes to justice and to human feeling.