Yukito Ayatsuji (born 1960) is a Japanese writer of mystery and horror novels. He started writing as a member of the Kyoto University Mystery Club, a society dedicated to the writing of fair play mysteries inspired by the Golden Age greats. The Decagon House Murders was Ayatsuji's debut and is considered a landmark crime novel in Japan, where it revived the traditional puzzle mystery format and inspired a new generation of writers. The Mill House Murders is the sequel, again starring the great detective Kiyoshi Shimada.
Praise for The Decagon House Murders: 'A knowing tribute to classic crime, it features all manner of puzzles, including locked rooms, jigsaws and magic tricks' - Mark Sanderson 'Highly ingenious' - Guardian, Best Crime and Thrillers 'Very clever indeed' - Anthony Horowitz 'Fiendish foul play... taking its cues from Agatha Christie's locked-room classic And Then There Were None... Ayatsuji's skillful, furious pacing propels the narrative... This is a homage to Golden Age detective fiction, but it's also unabashed entertainment' - Sarah Weinman