Strange Houses

Strange Houses by Uketsu is a spine-tingling mystery thriller that pulls readers into a world where architecture and horror intersect in the most unsettling way.

The story follows a writer with a fascination for the macabre who is approached by an old acquaintance about a house for sale in Tokyo. At first glance, the house seems ideal, bright, spacious, and full of promise. But as the writer studies the floor plans, he notices something deeply disturbing: a mysterious "dead space" hidden within the walls. Seeking clarity, he turns to his friend Kurihara, an architect, who uncovers even more troubling details buried in the structure’s design.

As questions mount, so do the stakes. What is the true reason behind the house’s eerie construction? Why did the previous owners vanish without explanation? When a body is discovered and a young woman comes forward with information about a second strange house, the mystery deepens and danger draws closer.

Told through a series of haunting floor plans and layered with suspense, Strange Houses casts the reader into the role of investigator. Uketsu, a popular mystery-horror storyteller from YouTube, masterfully blurs the line between logic and fear, design and deception. Translated from Japanese by Jim Rion, this novel invites you to unravel a chilling puzzle where every line on paper leads closer to a terrifying truth.