I really enjoyed these short crime stories - although the last one is quite sad.
These are the style and format of stories I really love to read. Matsumoto had the perfect balance of plot, details, characters, setting. ( )

Mystery stories in general tend to suffer from expositionitis and an abundance of overly convenient plotting, and this one is no different. It's all very well thought out, though; the premises are simple and the resolutions pleasantly unexpected. ( )

Every time I read one of Seicho Matsumoto's books, I get wistful because only four have been translated into English. It turns out that Matsumoto's writing style is something I totally adore. His books center on seemingly trivial details that make all the difference when it comes to solving the mysteries in his stories. The Voice is no exception, but instead of a novel, which is a collection of six short stories about six different attempts at the perfect crime.

As a general rule, I don't like short stories because they tend to be sad or leave me mostly unsatisfied. Of course, Matsumoto's stories are totally different. While each one doesn't follow the story to it's conclusion (you never read about the final arrest/etc), each one is immensely satisfying. I can't easy pick one I like best, though the title story, The Voice might be close, it strikes a nice balance of innocent victim, criminal and cops. But all of the stories are enjoyable to read.

The first four stories focus on the criminals themselves. I found myself sympathizing with them, until Matsumoto creatively reminded me that, in fact, they were criminals and then, when they finally get their due (and everyone does in these stories), it's exceptionally rewarding. The remaining two stories (which includes what I suppose could be my favorite, the title story) focuses on others, rather than the criminals. The first half of The Voice is about the victim, the second is about solving the murder. And the final story, The Woman Who Wrote Haiku, beings with acquaintances of the victim, though they don't know she's a victim until later.

Each one of Matsumoto's stories could be fleshed out into a full novel and I feel lucky that someone translated them. I have one English translation of Matsumoto's books left (Pro Bono) and I'm reluctant to read it, because that would mean there are none of his books left for me to read in English. Hopefully someone will translate some of his other writings, because he might end up being my favorite mystery author. He doesn't dwell on unnecessary descriptions and creates lively characters. And while these short stories weren't nearly as charming as his novels, I loved them all the same. ( )