01 July, 2026

Mini Reviews: French Windows / The Labyrinth House Murders / Strange Houses

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I did not realise till I sat down to create the post banner, that co-incidentally I have decided to post the reviews of three mystery novels that all have something to do with architecture (even if in different ways) and all three are translated fiction! I did not read them one after the other, and read different genres in between. The only thing I did do consciously was to decide to put three mystery novels for my third mini series post.


Book 1: French Windows by Antoine Laurain (Author), Louise Rogers Lalaurie (Translator) 



French Windows was a delightful little novella and a wonderful audiobook experience.

Set within a Parisian apartment building, the story follows several interconnected lives, offering small but meaningful glimpses into the people behind the windows. I loved how each thread unfolded separately at first, only to gradually weave together into a satisfying whole.

What made it especially enjoyable was the constant feeling of “who’s helping whom?” The two protagonists seemed to be quietly influencing, observing, and unintentionally therapising one another in ways both that kept you questioning which way the story would go.

Character-driven, charming, and full of humanity, this is the kind of story that reminds you how interconnected our lives really are.

And that ending? Absolutely perfect.


Amazon



Book 2: The Labyrinth House Murders (The Bizarre House Mysteries #3) by Yukito Ayatsuji (Author), Ho-Ling Wong (Translator) 



The Labyrinth House Murders is the kind of mystery that makes you immediately want to flip back to the beginning once you’ve finished.

Built around a story-within-a-story, the novel openly claims to follow the fairness rules of classic detective fiction, laying out its clues for readers to find. Whether I was clever enough to catch them is another matter entirely. Human beings love believing they’re one step ahead of a mystery right up until a book politely proves otherwise.

What impressed me most was the narrative flow where every reveal feels deliberate, every detail carefully placed, and the ending reshapes everything that came before. I rarely encounter a final chapter that changes my understanding of a story so dramatically, but this one absolutely does.

This was my first visit to Ayatsuji’s world of impossible murders and elaborate puzzles, and it was enough to convince me that I need to continue with the series.

A clever, intricate mystery that rewards close attention and probably deserves a reread.

Amazon



Book 3: Strange Houses by Uketsu (Author), Jim Rion (Translator) 


 
The final explanation behind Strange Houses was… admittedly a little ridiculous. The kind of reveal that makes you stare at the page and think, “Humans really will do anything except communicate normally.”

But somehow, I still had a great time listening to the audiobook while referencing the illustrations on my paperback copy.

What fascinated me wasn’t the mystery itself, but the way the story unfolded through floor plans, architectural oddities, and tiny details hidden in plain sight. The houses become puzzles, and each new layout reveals another piece of something deeply unsettling.

It’s a slow-burn mystery where the spaces feel as important as the people. The creeping tension, the visual storytelling, and the gradual uncovering of secrets kept me turning pages long after I stopped believing the explanation would be remotely sensible.

Come along for the experience of suspiciously examining floor plans like you’ve suddenly become a architecture detective.

Note: Storytel does not provide the extras (the illustrations guide) on the app and the book will not be the same unless you look at the illustrations. If you decide to listen to the audiobbok, make sure that the plaform provides the extras.

Amazon


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