Murder in the House of Omari – Taku Ashibe

Murder in the House of Omari is a historical mystery novel set in Osaka (Semba), written by Japanese author Taku Ashibe.
The story spans several decades and centers on the wealthy Omari merchant family, whose fortunes decline dramatically during the early 20th century.
In 1906, the young heir Sentarō Omari disappears.
Later, in 1914, a mysterious fight on a bridge leads to a fatal fall.
By 1943, during World War II, the once-prosperous Omari household is falling apart, and a series of grisly murders begin, prompting Natsuko, a young trainee doctor, and her friend Mineko Omari to investigate.
Dark family secrets, generational trauma, and wartime chaos all blend with classic “honkaku” (fair‑play) detective fiction, making this a twisty, atmospheric whodunit.