Read Part 3 of Nicolás Obregón's 3-part series, “The Birth of Blue Light Yokohama,” and make sure to sign in and comment below for a chance to win a copy of his exciting debut! Part 1 | Part 2 Some six years ago, I boarded a flight from London Heathrow… Read more
Blue Light Yokohama by Nicolás Obregón is a compelling, brilliantly moody, and layered novel that's sure to be one of the most talked about debuts in 2017 (available March 7, 2017). Slogans, symbols, and suicide. Are they connected? If so, how? “This is what Japan should be,” insists an insurance company slogan…. Read more
A brutal murder. A serial killer with no seeming motive. And a symbol that represents the darkness and evil that's to come. A perfect formula for a murder mystery, but also a perfect recipe for this week's Pick Your Poison—where we create a cocktail inspired by a recently published… Read more
Read Part 1 of this thrilling 3-part series first over at Thought Matters! The Miyazawa family’s house was a fair size, especially by Japanese standards. It stood in a municipal park in Setagaya, a largely residential ward clinging to the western limits of Tokyo. Soshigaya Park has quaint walking trails,… Read more
Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama is a dark and riveting plunge into a crime, an investigation, and a culture like no other. Read Chapter 1 of Six Four first! For five days, the parents of a seven-year-old Japanese schoolgirl sat and listened to the demands of their daughter’s kidnapper. They… Read more
Most of us love the idea of islands—their beauty, their singularity, their separation from the wider world. And, of course, we all believe that life may somehow be easier on islands, more laid back, simpler, even Edenic. But islands have their dark side, too. And just as most of us… Read more
The Silent Dead by Tetsuya Honda follows the young Lieutenant Reiko Himekawa of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Homicide Division as she investigates a string of strange murders that might include her as the next victim. Like many other mystery lovers, I'm a big fan of the police procedural. Most of… Read more
Two disclaimers to open this post on the Pinky Violence film genre: I haven’t seen every movie that could be classified within the category. Depending on which list you’re looking at, I’ve watched between a half and two-thirds of the titles. I’ve also read several articles and one book on… Read more
I have to preface the following appreciation of Meiko Kaji’s acting career with two disclaimers: This is in no way meant to be a comprehensive overview of the Japanese actress’s work in the movies. I am not going to use this space to write about her singing, although that body… Read more
Read this exclusive Q&A with author Barry Lancet, and then make sure you're signed in and comment for a chance to win a copy of all three Jim Brodie thrillers! Barry Lancet broke onto the scene in 2013 with his debut novel, Japantown, the first in his acclaimed Jim Brodie series…. Read more
