Case Closed, Vol. 4

Gosho Aoyama, Case Closed, vol. 4 (ViZ, 1994) Two more mysteries here. Conan, Rachel, and Rachel's father solve a mystery in an art museum, then Conan and the classmates we originally met in vol. 2 get tangled up in a hunt for an Italian treasure after a field trip. Fast-paced and fun, as all the Case Closed volumes have been so far. Well worth your time if you're a fan of the series. ****

This volume is the best in the series so far, because it shows the true diversity of the concept. In the first story a horrible murder is committed in an art museum. At first the culprit seems clear, but Conan finds some visual clues that help turn the case on its ear. I enjoyed it because it was a very "play fair" mystery. All of the elements needed to solve the crime were right there on panel. Yet so cleverly done that I immediately went back and read the story to see the clues for myself after the big revelation. The second story finds Conan having to race against time to find a bomb on a passenger train. Seeing Conan have to put together what pieces of conversations he heard meant, as well as struggle with the restraints of everyone treating him like a kid. Added a lot of tension, that had me on the edge of my seat to see how he would save the day. The third story has Conan teaming with his current classmates, to solve a coded treasure map. Seeing the difference in attitudes and expectations between Conan and his fellow students have make the differences between youth and adulthood clear. The kids see it all as a big adventure and have grand plans for the treasure they want to find. Conan knows the danger they can find themselves in, and his pragmatic response of "putting the money in savings" brings him very down to Earth. Seeing how varied the stories could be make me feel better about facing the huge number of future volumes to come from the series. Its ability to balance both humor and serious subjects in entertaining and at times thought provoking ways has me very excited to see future volumes.