The Detective Is Already Dead Volume 3, written by nigozyu with illustrations by Umibouzu, and translations by Taylor Engel, continues after the quartet learns what happened to ace detective Siesta. The Yen Press light novel has a mystery on top of mystery, with each part Kimizuka, Natsunagi, Saikawa, and Charlie solve presenting another part of the thread that needs unraveling. The pacing is picking up, and the interconnectivity between the characters left me reeling. From androids to aliens to vampires, The Detective Is Already Dead Volume 3 continues the comedy—at Kimizuka’s expense—and tension.
The Favorite Detective Is Dead, Yet Present
Though Siesta is dead, she feels alive. Because an android looks like her, and because Siesta anticipated and created opportunities for each member of her will to resolve issues they had not even expected. Forget a few steps ahead; Siesta planned after her death. You have to tip your hat to her. Few can plan for next week, never mind, make a plan after they shake off their mortal coil. Though she is gone, Siesta is my favorite character. Siesta is integral to the story and the lives of the characters.
Characters Growth Is Exciting, But Some Parts Hard To Understand
The story gives us more information on the characters, who have been through a lot despite their age. Yui Saikawa is another shining star because, despite everything, she tries to maintain her smile. Nagisa Natsunagi confronts her past trauma, and Charlie also grows in this volume. The number of twists and turns left my head spinning. In The Detective Is Already Dead, I learned it is best to assume everyone has a connection to the paranormal, SPES, and the four characters.
Parts of the story were hard to read because it is hard to tell who is saying what when multiple characters are in a scene. The story has a lot of flashbacks, jumping to different points in the past, but those jumps make sense because they crop up when needed. But what drew me to this story still stands; killing off your heroine before the story even starts is bold and daring. In this paranormal world, perhaps Siesta will be able to come back. Of course, that presents a challenge given the light novel’s title, but I still want Siesta to return.
A Great Climax That Builds Excitement
The final fights unleash a few surprises in an already shock-filled volume. The end makes you want to know what happens next. Now that we’ve learned more about the Tuners, no doubt more of them will crop up. Whether they pop up as a friend or foe to this group is uncertain. This volume also presents a question oft shown in films and shows; is it alright to sacrifice one innocent life for the sake of the world?
It feels like even evil is not necessarily evil here, just a matter of not knowing motivations. The villains are reminiscent of many villains in the Naruto series because you hate them at first, then feel sympathy for their story. A brief conversation with the vampire, Scarlet, and Bat, clues us into Bat’s motivation. No doubt they will explore it in more depth in a later volume.
The Detective Is Already Dead Volume 3 left me pumping my fist in the air for what happens in the next volume. Siesta is my favorite character, and her relationship with Kimizuka is the funniest part of the series. I’m curious to see how the relationship develops between them and Natsunagi since Siesta and Natsunagi harbor feelings for Kimizuka. The mysteries are rife in this volume, so enjoying this light novel series is easy.
Wanna see where it all began. Check out the review for The Detective Is Already Dead Volume 1!
Thank you for this review of the light novel, “The Detective is Already Dead volume 3”. Sounds like the writers did a good job and look forward to a good read.