is an annual mystery fiction guide book published by Hara Shobo. The guide book publishes a list of the top ten honkaku (i.e. authentic, orthodox) mystery books published in Japan in the previous year.
2001 2001 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2000)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1H. Bustos DomecqSix Problems for Don Isidro Parodi2Edward D. Hoch(Dr. Sam Hawthorne series)3Cyril HareSuicide Excepted4Thomas H. CookInstruments of Night5Leo BruceCase Without a Corpse6Edmund CrispinSwan Song7Elizabeth FerrarsThe Wandering Widows8Charles Daly KingThe Curious Mr. TarrantStanley HylandWho goes hang?10Reginald HillOn Beulah HeightEllis PetersA Nice Derangement of EpitaphsHillary WaughEnd of a Party
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Tsumao Awasaka (ja)2Kaju Koizumi (ja)3Jun Kurachi (ja)4Yutaka Maya (ja)5Masayuki Shuno (ja)6Seiji Kodokoro (ja)7Yasuhiko Nishizawa (ja)8Alice Arisugawa (ja)9Ichi Orihara (ja)10Taku Ashibe
2002 2002 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2001)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Anthony Berkeley CoxJumping Jenny [US title: Dead Mrs. Stratton]2Jill McGownThe Stalking Horse3Anthony Berkeley CoxTop Storey MurderDorothy L. SayersGaudy Night5(Anthology of Locked room mystery)6G. K. ChestertonFour Faultless Felons7Carter DicksonThe Third Bullet8Nicholas BlakeThou Shell of Death9Sarah CaldwellThe Sibyl in Her Grave10Richard HullKeep It QuietHake TalbotRim of the Pit
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Masaki Yamada2Taku Ashibe3Fuyumi Ono4Seiji Kodokoro5Kenji Kuroda (ja)6Takahiro Okura (ja)7Soji Shimada8Alice Arisugawa9Miyuki MiyabeEnglish translation: Puppet MasterAkira Aikawa (ja)
2003 2003 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2002)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Paul HalterThe Fourth Door2Anthony Berkeley CoxThe Layton Court Mystery3Helen McCloyCue for Murder4Jill McGownDeath of a Dancer (aka Gone to Her Death)5Edward D. Hoch(Dr. Sam Hawthorne series)6Anthony Berkeley CoxThe Wychford Poisoning Case7Robert J. SawyerIllegal Alien8Fred VargasThe Three Evangelists9Michael SladeRipper10Minette WaltersThe Echo
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Kiyoshi Kasai (ja)2Rintaro NorizukiAn Urban Legend Puzzle (EQMM January 2004) and other stories3Alice Arisugawa4Masayuki Shuno5OtsuichiEnglish translation: Goth: A Novel of Horror6Masaki Yamada7Taku Ashibe8Masaya Yamaguchi (ja)9Yasuhiko Nishizawa10Soji Shimada
2004 2004 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2003)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Paul HalterLa Mort Vous Invite (Death Invites You)2Michael GilbertDeath in Captivity3Anthony Berkeley CoxRoger Sheringham and the Vane Mystery[US title: The Mystery at Lovers' Cave]4Helen McCloyThe Singing Diamonds and Other Stories5Max AffordDeath's Mannikins6Percival WildeP. Moran, Operative7Harrington HextThe Thing at Their Heels8Michael SladeZombie (aka. Evil Eye)9Thomas H. CookInterrogation10Sarah WatersAffinity
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Shogo Utano (ja)J'Lit | Publications : When the Cherry Blossoms Fall, I'll Think of You | Books from Japan 2Alice Arisugawa3Asami Ishimochi (ja)4Takahiro Okura5Natsuhiko Kyogoku6Yasuhiko Nishizawa7Fuyumi Ono8Kenji Kodama (ja)Hajime Tsukato (ja)10Soji Shimada
2005 2005 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2004)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Paul HalterThe Crimson Fog2Edward D. Hoch(Dr. Sam Hawthorne series)3Minette WaltersThe Shape of Snakes4Anthony Berkeley CoxThe Silk Stocking Murders5Edmund CrispinHoly Disorders6Ronald KnoxThe Footsteps at the Lock7José Carlos SomozaThe Athenian Murders8John Franklin BardinThe Last of Philip BanterSarah WatersFingersmith10Charles Daly KingObelists at SeaA. H. Z. CarrThe Trial of John Nobody and other stories
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Rintaro NorizukiJ'Lit | Publications : The Gorgon’s Look | Books from Japan 2Yukito Ayatsuji3Yutaka Maya4Taku AshibeEnglish translation: Murder in the Red Chamber5Yusuke KishiJ'Lit | Publications : The Glass Hammer | Books from Japan 6Kurumi Inui7Asami Ishimochi8Seiichiro Oyama (ja)9Hajime Amagi (ja)10Masayuki Shuno
2006 2006 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2005)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Leo BruceA Bone and a Hank of Hair2Patrick QuentinPuzzle for Wantons3Paul HalterLa mort derrière les rideaux (Death Behind the Curtains)4Michael InnesStop Press (aka. The Spider Strikes)5Hillary WaughA Rag and a Bone6Michael SladeShrink (aka. Primal Scream)7Jack RitchieThe Crime Machine and other stories8Aaron ElkinsGood Blood9Leo PerutzMaster of the Day of Judgment10Robert van GulikThe Willow Pattern
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Keigo HigashinoEnglish translation: The Devotion of Suspect X2Asami Ishimochi3Takemaru Abiko (ja)4Kaoru Kitamura5Yutaka Maya6Soji ShimadaTokuya Higashigawa (ja)8Taku Ashibe9Hajime Tsukato10Shunsuke Sasaki (ja)
2007 2007 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2006)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Norman BerrowThe Footprints of Satan2Ellery QueenThe Tragedy of Errors3Paul HalterLa Malédiction de Barberousse (The Curse of Barbarossa)4Guillermo MartínezThe Oxford Murders5John Dickson CarrPapa La-Bas6Elizabeth FerrarsYour Neck in a Noose [US title: Neck in a Noose]7Richard MathesonNow You See It...8R. Austin FreemanAs A Thief in the Night9Roger ScarlettIn the First Degree10Paul C. DohertyThe Nightingale Gallery
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Alice Arisugawa2Asami Ishimochi3Shinzo Mitsuda (ja)4Honobu Yonezawa5Natsuhiko Kyogoku6Shusuke Michio (ja)7Shusuke Michio8Takahiro Okura9Shusuke Michio10Seiichiro Oyama
2008 2008 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2007)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Paul HalterLa Chambre du Fou (The Madman's Room)2D. M. DevineDevil at Your Elbow3Theodore RoscoeMurder on the Way!4James AndersonThe Affair of the Mutilated Mink5William BrittainThe Man Who Read John Dickson Carr and other stories6Ann CleevesRaven Black7Clayton RawsonDeath Out of Thin Air8Boris AkuninMurder on the Leviathan9Edward D. Hoch(Dr. Sam Hawthorne series)Henry WadeThe Dying Alderman
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Alice Arisugawa2Shinzo Mitsuda3Hajime Tsukato4Honobu YonezawaJ'Lit | Publications : The Incite Mill | Books from Japan 5Haruo Yamazawa (ja)6Shogo Utano7Yasuhiko Nishizawa8Ryuichi Kasumi (ja)9Soji Shimada10Asami Ishimochi
2009 2009 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2008)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1D. M. DevineThis Is Your Death2Michael InnesThere Came Both Mist and Snow3Paul HalterThe Seventh Hypothesis4Ellery QueenThe Adventure of the Murdered Moths and Other Radio Mysteries 15Gilbert AdairThe Act of Roger Murgatroyd6Glyn DanielThe Cambridge Murders7R. Austin FreemanMr. Pottermack's Oversight8James PowellA Dirge for Clowntown and other stories9Percival WildeInquest10Hake TalbotThe Hangman's Handyman
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Shinzo Mitsuda2Shusuke Michio3Masaki Tsuji4Keigo HigashinoEnglish translation: Salvation of a Saint5Kiyoshi Kasai6Taku Ashibe7Alice Arisugawa8Hajime Tsukato9Reiichiro Fukami (ja)10Yusuke KishiHiu Torikai (ja)
2010 2010 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2009)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1D. M. DevineDead Trouble2Percival WildeTinsley's Bones3Paul HalterThe Tiger's Head4Jim KellyThe Water Clock 5Edward D. Hoch(Simon Ark series)6Ellery QueenThe Adventure of the Murdered Moths and Other Radio Mysteries 27Marcel F. LanteaumeTrompe-l'oeil8Anthony LejeuneMr. Diabolo9Helen McCloyTwo-Thirds of a Ghost10T. S. StriblingBest Dr. Poggioli Detective Stories
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Shogo Utano2Yasuhiko Nishizawa3Yukito AyatsujiEnglish translation: Another4Honobu Yonezawa5Keigo Higashino6Kaoru Kitamura7Koji Yanagi8Tokuya Higashigawa9Koji Kitakuni (ja)Tokuro Nukui (ja)
2011 2011 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2010)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Peter AntonyHow Doth the Little Crocodile?2Louis BayardThe Pale Blue Eye3William BrittainMr.Strang Gives a Lecture and other stories4Rupert PennyPoliceman's Evidence5Anthony BerkeleyPanic Party6Paul HalterLa Lettre Qui Tue (The Deadly Letter)Patrick QuentinPuzzle for Fiends8Carol O'ConnellBone by Bone9Jeffery DeaverRoadside Crosses10Freeman Wills CroftsAntidote to VenomPeter TremayneHemlock at Vespers and other stories
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Yutaka MayaJ'Lit | Publications : The Girl with One Eye | Books from Japan 2Yu Shizaki (ja)3Shinzo Mitsuda4Taku Ashibe5NANAKAWA Kanan (ja)6Yutaka Maya7Soji Shimada8Ban Madoi (ja)9Tokuya HigashigawaJ'Lit | Publications : The After-Dinner Mysteries | Books from Japan 10Jun Kurachi
2012 2012 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2011)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1D. M. DevineThree Green Bottles2Jack KerleyBlood Brother3Thomas W. HanshewCleek: the Man of the Forty Faces4Ann CleevesRed Bones5Hal WhiteThe Mysteries of Reverend Dean6Edward D. Hoch(Simon Ark series)7Georgette HeyerDeath in the Stocks8David GordonThe Serialist9Michael ConnellyThe Overlook10Helen McCloyThrough a Glass, Darkly
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Honobu Yonezawa2Yutaka Maya3Hiroko Minagawa4Kyo Shirodaira (ja)5Yusuke Kishi6Itsuki Nagasawa7Kiyoshi Kasai8Shogo Utano9Tokuya Higashigawa10Yasuhiko Nishizawa
2013 2013 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2012)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Patrick QuentinPuzzle for Pilgrims (aka. The Fate of the Immodest Blonde)2Leo BruceAt Death's Door3Jim KellyThe Fire Baby4Patrick QuentinA Puzzle for Fools5Jeffery DeaverThe Burning Wire6Patrick QuentinPuzzle for Players7Georgette HeyerBehold, Here's Poison8Edward D. Hoch(Simon Ark series)Roy VickersThe Exploits of Fidelity Dove10Fred VargasSans feu ni lieu
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Rintaro Norizuki2Seiichiro Oyama3Yukito Ayatsuji4Shinzo Mitsuda5Yugo Aosaki (ja)6Alice Arisugawa7Ryo Amane (ja)8Soji ShimadaJ'Lit | Publications : Alcatraz Visions | Books from Japan 9Taku Ashibe10Sei Hatsuno
2014 2014 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2013)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Edmund CrispinBeware of the Trains2Max AffordBlood on His Hands!3Jack KerleyIn the Blood4D. M. DevineSunk Without Trace5Jeffery DeaverMore Twisted6Helen McCloyThe Goblin Market7Patrick QuentinPuzzle for Puppets8Eric KeithNine Man's Murder9Edward D. Hoch(Simon Ark series)10Rupert PennyPoliceman in Armour
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Yutaka Maya2Yugo Aosaki3Yu Shizaki4Rintaro Norizuki5Rintaro Norizuki6Yasumi KobayashiMasaki Tsuji8Shogo Utano9Soji Shimada10Honobu Yonezawa
2015 2015 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 (Hara Shobo. December, 2014)
+InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Helen McCloyThe One That Got Away2Anthony Berkeley CoxNot to Be Taken (aka. A Puzzle in Poison)3Leo BruceDead for a Ducat4Patrick QuentinBlack Widow5Jim KellyThe Moon Tunnel6Minette WaltersChickenfeed and The Tinder BoxMargery AllinghamThe Case of the Old Man in the Window and other stories8Kate MortonThe Secret Keeper9Stuart Palmer & Craig RicePeople vs. Withers and Malone10Pierre LemaitreAlex
+JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Yutaka Maya2Honobu YonezawaJ'Lit | Publications : A Vow Fulfilled | Books from Japan 3Mikihiko Renjo4Taku Ashibe5Hidefumi Okada (ja)6Yabusaka Hayasaka (ja)7Hajime Tsukato8Yugo Aosaki9Akiko Miki (ja)10Takaki Hiraishi (ja)
2016 Covering books published in Japan between November 2014 and October 2015.
Japanese
Mystery Arena (ミステリー・アリーナ) by Reiichiro Fukami (深水黎一郎) Katagiri Daizaburo to XYZ no Higeki (片桐大三郎とXYZの悲劇) by Atsushi Kurachi (米澤穂信) Ō to Sākasu (王とサーカス) by Yonezawa Honobu (米澤穂信) Orugōryen'nu (オルゴーリェンヌ) by Kitayama Takekuni (北山猛邦) Sono Kanōsei wa Sude ni Kangaeta (その可能性はすでに考えた) by Inoue Magi (井上真偽) Akai Hakubutsukan (赤い博物館) by Ōyama Seiichirō (大山誠一郎) Kagi no Kakatta Otoko (鍵の掛かった男) by Arisugawa Arisu (有栖川有栖) Tōkyō Ketsugō Ningen (東京結合人間) by Shirai Yomoyuki (白井智之) Shi to Sunadokei (死と砂時計) by Torikai Hiu (鳥飼否宇) Hoshi Satoru-jima ni Hoshi wa Nagareta (星読島に星は流れた) by Kuzumi Shiki (久住四季)
International
Doctors Also Die by D.M. Devine Who's Calling? by Helen McCloy A Ring of Roses by Christianna Brand Buried Alive by Jack Kerley Remote Control by Harry Carmichael The Dogs Do Bark by Patrick Quentin