An incident that is neither the first nor the last
About some everyday riddles
Intoxicated underwear destruction incident
Religious Studies Exam Question Leak Incident
Letter-Spraying Heights Incident

The allure of everyday mystery, determined by pure logic.

"Detective Akechi Runs to Find the Case" is a collection of everyday mystery short stories featuring the famous detective of Shinko University, Kyosuke Akechi, who first appeared in "The Murder of the Poet's Court" and left a strong impression.
Thanks to the strong image of the series starting from his debut work, Masahiro Imamura has had a strong image as a writer who writes mysteries with unrealistic special settings added.
However, in this work, the mystery thrown into a more realistic and vivid daily life is placed at the center of the story, proving that Masahiro Imamura's spectrum of works as a full-fledged mystery writer is wider.

The first short story, "Neither the First nor the Last Incident," was released to coincide with the release of the film "The Murder of the Poet" (2019), and follows Akechi and Hamura as they investigate the truth behind the "theft case where nothing was stolen," the first they were commissioned to do together.
This episode clearly shows Akechi's passion for solving mysteries, and he will do anything to solve the case. It also has hidden small elements that foreshadow "The Murder of the Poet's House," so it's fun to look for them.
The second short story, "About a Certain Everyday Mystery," is Imamura's solution to the well-known "Riddle of the Twenty Fifty Yen Coins" in the everyday mystery genre, and is filled with affection for the small mysteries of everyday life that could otherwise be overlooked.
In addition to its own logical solution, this short story is impressive for its warm ending, which is possible only because 'Akechi Kyosuke' was a detective.
The third short story, "The Drunken Underwear Damage Incident," is the work in which the Akechi and Hamura duo is most prominent.
This is a masterpiece that makes readers laugh with its ridiculous subject matter of 'Akechi's torn panties', while also surprising them with its unique angle on the impossible mystery of the locked room surrounding it.
In the fourth short story, "The Leak of Religious Studies Exam Questions," a student who was left in the lab was away for just 10 minutes when the religious studies exam questions disappeared from the safe. Akechi and Hamura step in to clear the student's name.
This work, which pays homage to a classic trick that mystery readers will immediately recognize, is a work that allows readers to fully enjoy the unique charm of the mystery genre, which changes and evolves with the times and technology as "literature that builds on the classics."
Lastly, "The Letter-Spreading Heights Incident" deals with the story of Akechi, who was Hamura's senior in the previous four short stories, struggling as someone's junior.
In this short story, we meet a new side of Akechi, a freshman who is just starting to learn about the detective industry while working at a detective agency for the first time. This work is one that reminds us of the author's words, "I wanted to portray Akechi Kyosuke in as many different ways as possible."

The detective runs towards the case.

From "The Poet's Murder" to "The Murder of the Beast," Hiruko Genzaki, who became Yuzuru Hamura's detective, has a special constitution that makes her get involved in cases wherever she goes.
Whether he wants it or not, major events always revolve around Genzaki, and the narrative that he has that kind of constitution partially resolves the question, "Why do the main characters of serious mysteries always have to get caught up in important incidents?"
Interestingly, "Detective Akechi: The Run to Find the Case" proposes the exact opposite solution to the same question.
In other words, if Genzaki Hiruko gets caught up in an incident against her will, Akechi Kyosuke, who loves mysteries, actively jumps into the incident himself.

“Puzzles and quizzes are challenging.
I wait patiently for the other person to approach me with the determination to solve the problem, while being aware of the answer.
But I feel like riddles, especially the ones we encounter in everyday life, appeal to this side of us.”
“Appeal? How?”
“……Teach me.
“My identity.” (Page 366)

In an interview, the author said, “Genzaki Hiruko has shown her ‘famous detective’ side throughout the series, which is suitable for a full-fledged mystery, so in the novel where Akechi is the main character, I wanted to portray a college student detective who is a bit lacking and experiences mistakes and failures.”
He also said, "I wanted to include more of Hamura's thoughts and perspective on Akechi from his perspective as his partner and junior." As a result, Akechi in "Detective Akechi: The Run to the Case" was completed as a character who is quirky but friendly, and yet continues to catch the eye, rather than a naturally brilliant detective.

“When I write a novel, I am very conscious of the question, ‘Why does this character have to be the main character?’
If I had simply wanted to write a school mystery, I might have chosen Genzaki Hiruko instead of Akechi Kyosuke as the main character.
But if I were to choose Akechi as the main character, I would think about the character and ask, “What kind of story would be suitable for him?” (From an interview with the author)

Among the many subgenres of mystery, the "everyday mystery" that focuses on special events that occur during an ordinary day, or even those that seem uncommon at first glance, and pursues logical answers, can be said to be the most active and pure "full-fledged mystery."
In other words, it is the most suitable genre for Akechi Kyosuke, who passionately seeks out vivid mysteries in everyday life, to become the main character.
And 『Detective Akechi Runs to Find the Case』 is filled with stories that cannot be separated from Akechi and Hamura, stories that would not have been possible if he were not the main character.

This work, which clearly shows 'what the author thinks a true mystery is' through the activities of the purest and most passionate detective in a different way from the special setting mystery that followed 'The Poet's Murder', will be a welcome gift to existing fans of the series, and the most enjoyable introduction to everyday mystery for readers who are encountering Kyosuke Akechi for the first time.