A Study of Alibi

***A Study of Alibi*** (密室の研究, *Misshitsu no Kenkyū*) is a self-selected collection of Japanese short stories by Alice Arisugawa in his Himura Hideo series.

## Plot Overviews

"**Three Dates**" (彼女か彼か, *Kanojo ka Kare ka*)

     From *The English Garden Mystery*

A person is arrested on suspicion of injury, and a later investigation raises suspicions that he was the culprit behind the OL murder. However, he has an alibi on March 22, three years before the crime was committed: a photograph taken by Alice, who is pictured in a bar named Nazca, with his companion Raku Akahoshi and the date signed by Alice and Akahoshi.

"**The Moon**" (わらう月, *Warau Tsuki*)

     From *The Persian Cat Mystery*

A body of a Japanese trader in Sydney, Australia is found, and the Osaka Prefectural Police has requested for cooperation. A man seen by the Sydney Police as a suspect has been seen arguing in a rough atmosphere with the victim just before the crime. However, the man has an alibi during the time of crime: he spent the night with a woman he happened to meet in Sydney. The photos of the evidence were taken on the beach during the date, and nothing could clearly identify where they were. They have no choice but to guess the location from the age of the Moon floating on the seashore.

"**Red Rain Villa Murder Case**" (紅雨荘 (べにさめそう) 殺人 (さつじん) 事件 (じけん) , *Benisame-sō Satsujin Jinken*)

     From *Screaming Castle Murder Case*

It was discovered that Shōko Ījima, the owner of "Red Rain Villa", which became famous for being used in a movie, was hanged after being strangled in another Red Rain Villa. Only Shōko lived in the original Red Rain Villa, and her three children lived in the movie version of it. In addition, Also, the puppeteer, who did not quite fit his sleigh since she was young, lived in the neighborhood and frequently went in and out of the movie version of Red Rain Villa. Of the four suspects, only the puppeteer denied the witness testimony that a perfect alibi could be obtained.

"**The Proof of Absence**" (不在の証明, *Fuzai no Shōmei*)

     From *The White Rabbit Runs Away*

A snatcher named Kajiyama witnesses a novelist, Toshiya Kurosu, enter a building seen from the construction site while fleeing. Kurosu was suspected of murder, as his twin brother was killed in the building. One room in the building that became the site was the work room of Yoshie Minoda, a translator. Kuroso has an alibi: at the time of the crime, Kurosu was visiting Shōdoshima on a coverage trip and had an iron-clad alibi with witnesses. Moreover, a minute after the time of the incident, Minoda returns home from the building.

"**The Long Shadow**" (長い影, *Nagai Kage*)

     From *The Crime Dedicated to Hideo Himura*

A body, believed to be dead, was found in an abandoned factory. The victim appears to have had his neck tied with a string from the doorknob, his hands and feet tied, and his mouth covered with tape. There are three witnesses: a husband who lives near the factory who saw a figure leave the factory after 11 p.m. and left quickly; his wife who looked out of the window and saw a long shadow extended on the street for one or two seconds; and a man in the neighborhood on his way home who says he did not see a shadow pass by.

Why did the culprit who had killed the victim around 10 o'clock stay at the scene of the crime until after 11 o'clock? The police, who had been monitoring the victim's past, notice the victim's name surface as a suspect 16 years ago when a statute of limitations was filed. However, the man who seems to be the companion of the victim had an alibi at the time of this crime.

## References

1. ↑ 作家アリスシリーズ — Wikipedia (Japanese)
2. ↑ 英国庭園の謎（有栖川有栖）: まほろば漫遊記 — Mahoroba Man'yū-ki (Japanese)
3. ↑ 有栖川有栖「火村英生（作家アリス）シリーズ」『ペルシャ猫の謎』あらすじとほんのりネタバレ感想 — I Want to Solve All Mysteries (Japanese)
4. ↑ 有栖川有栖「火村英生（作家アリス）シリーズ」『絶叫城殺人事件』あらすじとほんのりネタバレ感想 — I Want to Solve All Mysteries (Japanese)
5. ↑ 有栖川有栖「火村英生（作家アリス）シリーズ」『白い兎が逃げる』あらすじとほんのりネタバレ感想 | 謎はすべて解きたい — I Want to Solve All Mysteries (Japanese)
6. ↑ 有栖川有栖「火村英生（作家アリス）シリーズ」『火村英生に捧げる犯罪』あらすじとほんのりネタバレ感想 — I Want to Solve All Mysteries (Japanese)