Seichō Matsumoto

Seichō Matsumoto (1909-1992) was a Japanese writer who popularized detective fiction in Japan, becoming the country's best-selling and highest-earning author in the 1960s with over 450 works. Self-educated, he debuted in his forties with intricate mystery novels like Points and Lines, Inspector Imanishi Investigates, and Pro Bono, which incorporated psychology, social critique, and postwar themes beyond traditional whodunits. He received awards including the Akutagawa Prize and served as president of the Mystery Writers of Japan.