Teppei and Misao Kano are seeking a fresh start in a largely vacant apartment building called the Central Plaza Mansion. This claustrophobic ghost story does lay down the creepy atmosphere and hit the form's best notes, but I suspect the reception will be mixed largely because the book could be at least a third shorter, and its protagonists are real jerks. Reviewed by Cherie PriestIt's been 30 years since The Graveyard Apartment was published in Japan, and now this new translation aims to bring the supernatural stylings of Mariko Koike to a 21st-century English-reading audience. The psychological horror builds moment after moment, scene after scene, culminating with a conclusion that will make you think twice before ever going into a basement again. As strange and terrifying occurrences begin to pile up, people in the building start to move out one by one, until the young family is left alone with someone. This tale of a young married couple who harbor a dark secret is packed with dread and terror, as they and their daughter move into a brand new apartment building built next to a graveyard.
Originally published in Japan in 1986, Koike’s novel is the suspenseful tale of a young family that believes it has found the perfect home to grow into, only to realize that the apartment’s idyllic setting harbors the specter of evil and that longer they stay, the more trapped they become. Known in particular for her hybrid works that blend these styles with elements of romance, The Graveyard Apartment is arguably Koike’s masterpiece. One of the most popular writers working in Japan today, Mariko Koike is a recognized master of detective fiction and horror writing.
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