After Nagano Prefectural Police Inspector Takeda is murdered, Lieutenant Kano is found dead from hanging in his home. From the body's condition, Inspector Morofushi reasons that after being strangled, the body was hanged from the ceiling by someone. Later, the culprit sends an e-mail declaring that he will kill three additional people. Segreant Akiyama is called to Mt. Saijozan by the culprit and is dragged off a cliff by a car. Inspector Yamato's fingerprints are found on the rope that was wrapped around Kano's neck, and Section One Chief Kuroda puts out a BOlO for Yamato as the suspect who murdered three men...

As incidents thought to be the work of a demon known as the kamaitachi occur one after nother, Bonzo is murdered in the annex of the inn. Conan notices something odd about the crime scene, and based on the crime scene Heiiji believes the culprit came to the annex through the outdoor bath. However, the snow around the bath is undisturbed, meaning the culprit must have run across the surface of the outdoor bath. Nakama believes the kamaitachi must have done it after all. After hearing everyone's testimony, Conan and Heiji close in on the truth behind the case and realize who the culprit is from a casual remark...

Conan, Ran, Kogoro, Heiji, and Kazuka visit an inn deep in the mountains of Nagano. Heiji acquires a photo of a figure carrying a scythe running across the surface of the outdoor bath. Conan and his friends have come to investigate the tru identity of this figure who resembles a kamaitachi. At the inn they encouter writers Nakama and Koyanagi who have come to gather information on the incident as well. While searching inside a dark storehouse, Heiji suffers a cut on his right arm, Kogoro suffers one on the back of his hand, and Koyanagi suffers one on her cheek. The kamaitachi crosses everyone's mind. Additional incidents thought to be the work of the kamaitachi keep occuring...

The ventriloquist Tengan puts on a show about a ventriloquist who becomes possessed by hiis doll and murders his wife. Tengan falls victim to a genuine split personality disorder, and the personality of his doll appears and orders him to kill his wife Kazuko. Tengan asks Kogoro to watch him so he doesn't kill his wife Kazuko, who had an affair with his apprentice Togawa, but Kogoro turns him down, saying it's not his field of expertise. The next morning, Kazuko is found murdered. Tengan confesses that he may have killed his wife while he was unaware, but...

Conan prevents an accident involving a out-of-control car with no working breaks. Someone poked holes in the brake hose, and the police investigate the incident as an attempted murder. The driver Hosoo was on his way to deliver a valuable double-sided mask to Ichikawa Ebizo, who is rehearsing at the kabuki theater. Ebizo plans to use the mask at next month's performance of "Nanatsu Men." The chairman Matsubara takes the mask from Hosoo and keeps it in a locker during rehearsal, but the next morning, they discover the mask has been stolen. Hosoo's secretary Takahashi is also found dead inside a car. In the passenger seat is an empty duralumin case that contained the mask. Conan investigates the rehearsal space and determines it is very likely the thief is involved in the play, and Ebizo is moved by Conan's sharp detective skills. Later, Conan and Ebizo look for the thief together...

The heirloom incense burner of the Kumado family, a prominent local family, is stolen. The thief returns the incense burner, but Detective Yamane follows Kogoro's theory that a member of the family is the thief and thoroughly investigates the alibis of Iwao, Makie, Soichi, and Junji. Conan finds Naomi's alibi odd and questions her uncle Adachi. According to him, two years ago Naomi witnessed Shuko meeting with a man on the Tottori sand dunes and had been using the information to blackmail her. Hearing Adachi's story, Conan realizes why Shuko had been tied up and draws closer to the truth behind the case... However, the real crime is about to occur...

Conan, Genta, Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, and Ai go to the site of a demolished mansion owned by Professor Agasa's acquaintance to practice soccer, but when they get there they find the police conducting an investigation. The body of a man was found floating in the pool inside the lot. He died to a blow to the back of the head by a blunt object, and the gate to the lot was unlocked by Agasa, who arrived earlier. The lot is surrounded by a brick wall, and on top of the wall are glass shards and barbed wire. The gate was last opened three days prior, but the victim is presumed to have died before midnight last night. The incident occurred in a roofless locked lot. The Detective Boys try to tackle the locked room mystery, but...

Conan witnesses office worker Fukurokoji Sadao fall off the roof of a ten story building. Fukurokoji seems to be falling directly towards office worker Komatsu Hitoshi, who is standing in the alleyway, but Conan kicks a ball into him, and he falls into a nearby heap of garbage and survives. At first it was thought to be an attempted suicide by Fukurokoji, but Inspector Megure determines someone carried the plastered drunk Fukurokoji to the roof and pushed him off, making it an attempted murder. After investigating the rooftop, Conan questions Komatsu, and he deduces that the murderer was attempting to kill not only Fukurokoji, but Komatsu as well. He tries to find someone bearing a grudge against them both, but...