So we finally see the connection between the manga club/Mayaka/the doujin and this incident. I have to say that is probably the only thing I don't like about this episode if this is all there is to it. The fact that Mayaka's favorite's manga just happened to be the one is a little cheating for a mystery, I think. Well, looks like we're still in the "early" part of the mystery so maybe it's forgivable.
What I like is I think this episode reinforce the idea that a detective's characteristics are divided among the members. Houtarou has the analytic skill, Eru the curitosity*, and Satoshi has the investigating skill. Satoshi may feel defeated in this episode, but I think the conversation in the club room shows that Houtarou is totally helpless without someone feeding him information. I think by the end of this arc he'll realized that the result is their work, not only Houtarou's.
Houtarou finally developed the first counter to Eru's "Kininarimatsu."
Though I agree that I'm not seeing a reason why he don't want her to hear it and why he think she won't let him do what he want to do. Did he think that she'll start dragging him around to investigate? Or did he think that she won't agree to using a bait? I hope we get a proper explanation.
And Eru met Tomoe! I'm not sure why I'm excited by that. Also, I think now we can ruled out Tomoe as the mastermind. Looks like she was curious about the doujin's authors next work and now already figured out the whole thing so she's helping her brother. Maybe she'll show up at the end to explain some loose end again.
*The rover landed! (
https://twitter.com/MarsCuriosity/st...48380431544320)