A couple of days ago I bought this new book called The Thief, by Japanese author Fuminori Nakamura. I bought it because the Kindle version of the book has a read-inside feature and I thought I should take a peek. I liked how it went, with unadorned, precise phrases talking about pickpocketing from the perspective of the thief.
I bought it and started reading, but I have to admit that I didn't get past chapter 2 yet due to other reading commitments. I don't know how the book will progress - with the exception of what I understood from the blurb. And from the reviews. I am all in favour of reviews, positive and negative, but I think reviewers should not give away plot details in order to prove a point. because of this, I will have to fake surprise in a couple of chapters now.
And while I am on the subject of Japanese crime writing, I will mention here two other titles I've read with pleasure: The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi (1948), and Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto (1961). Both of them are very good whodunnits and, as extra value, touch on life in occupied Japan (Takagi) and beat culture of 1950s-60s (Imanishi). Plus lots of information on traditional Japanese tattoos.
All three books are published by Soho Press in the US, publishers of what turned to be one of my favourite series of crime novels: Martin Limon's Sueno and Bascom Mysteries, set in 1970s South Korea. The one I liked best so far is G I Bones - I'll come back on the subject before long.
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