Strange Houses by Uketsu
From the bestselling author of the wildly inventive Strange Pictures and phenomenon in Japan—unnatural layouts, trap doors, windowless rooms— a sinister conspiracy is concealed within a house’s warped and unsettling floor plans.
When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious “dead space” hidden between its walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout.
What is the true purpose behind the house’s disturbing design? And what happened to the former owners who disappeared without a trace? When a body suddenly appears and a young woman reaches out about a second house, it soon becomes clear that the writer and his friend may be in over their heads. Structured around a series of chilling floorplans, with Strange Houses, mystery-horror YouTube sensation Uketsu casts readers in the role of detective, inviting them to help map out the truth hidden within these puzzling floor plans . . . and the terrifying plot behind it all.
For the Reading Challenge(s):
2026 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #44: Literary Device: Personification)
The Reason
I was very intrigued by the idea and I think Japanese horror is in a league of its own.
My Thoughts
I borrowed the physical copy from the library after a long hold and there were many others waiting for the book after me, so I felt pressured to finish it quickly. I needn’t have worried though because from the moment I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in one sitting.
Personally, I felt like the mystery itself involved a lot of guesswork and theories by the writer and his friend that is unrelated to actual evidence, but the horror it unleashed is unparalleled and the journey getting there was chilling. I loved that the floorplans and diagrams were displayed so clearly, and I enjoyed how the story panned out in the end. There’s just something about Japanese-style horror that is otherworldly and gets me in the worst/best way.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
I was the same, finished it in one sitting, it went WHOOSH. I awarded it points for that in my rating, plus it got a higher rating for me because it was a bit easier to figure out based on actual clues than Strange Pictures was (which I rated a bit lower).
I don’t think it’s the highest literature, but at the same time, I’m glad not to have missed it, y’know? Entertaining, a fun format, I read it ridiculously fast because it was compelling enough for that… that’s all a win to me!
I haven’t read this but I’ll have to check it out! I love a good spooky house story and I don’t think I’ve read any by Japanese authors.