New Horror Mystery by Yaesaka Toosaka Set to Redefine the Genre: "The Y Family of Abandoned Village"

New Horror Mystery: "The Y Family of Abandoned Village"

On July 2, 2025, the fresh horror novel "The Y Family of Abandoned Village" by up-and-coming mystery writer Yaesaka Toosaka made its debut under Kadokawa Haruki Corporation. This gripping tale marks Toosaka's ventures into horror fiction, coming on the heels of her critically acclaimed earlier work, "You Can Finally Rest When You Die," which became a long-seller with its fifth printing just five months post-release.

Readers have given "The Y Family of Abandoned Village" high praise even before its launch, often describing it as a tour de force in horror literature. The novel earned the third position on the "Ousama no Buranchi" (King's Brunch) book ranking in their July 12 broadcast. Social media buzz has pushed the novel to rerelease in its second week, highlighting a formidable interest among readers.

With increasing dread and atmosphere, Toosaka's storytelling makes readers eager to flip pages, unable to stop reading even as the chill of terror climbs. The shocking truth revealed at the end promises to leave audiences flabbergasted. The book transcends traditional horror and suspense genres to deliver an unforgettable experience.

Atsuko Muneoka from the Kinokuniya Bookstore in Fukuoka described the novel as "heart-pounding and utterly magnificent." Another fervent fan, Yasuyuki Suzuki from Kumazawa Bookstore, urges everyone to read it, claiming it to be the best horror story he has ever encountered. Miyazawa Saeko from Kinokuniya at Ito Yokado Kiba went as far as expressing disbelief at Toosaka's capabilities—"Who is this Yaesaka Toosaka, and how did she create something so terrifying?" she exclaimed.

The unsettling narrative introduces us to Nao Kosano, a first-year student at Reitoku University literature department, who encounters classmates Rina Horai and Aki Izumi during an orientation camp. Bonding over their shared interest in the occult, they decide to form the 'Supernatural Research Club.' However, this camaraderie soon turns awry when Rina vanishes without a trace.

A mysterious video discovered by Aki on X features a man who looks strikingly similar to Rina, eerily standing in the woods with his head tilted. The two friends decide to search for Rina in the ominous area where the video was recorded, and their journey leads them to witness a dreadfully black fog surrounding a figure resembling Rina.

As they delve deeper into the investigation, Nao receives a cryptic email concerning a gruesome incident from eighteen years past, and soon strange occurrences begin to unfold around both Aki and Nao, drawing them into ever-deepening terror.

Read a Preview

The official website is currently featuring a comic adaptation of the opening, along with laudatory comments from various bookstore staff and a character list.

Author Profile

Yaesaka Toosaka, hailing from Kanagawa Prefecture, made her debut with "The Dollhouse's Tragedy," which won the 25th Boiled Eggs Newcomer Award in 2022. She followed it up with a sequel titled "Cradle of Monsters" in September 2023. Toosaka's 2025 release, "You Can Finally Rest When You Die," quickly went into reprints and gained considerable attention. Currently balancing a career in a corporate environment while writing, she cites Herman Hesse and Yasunari Kawabata as her literary inspirations.