Natsuo Kirino's is a landmark of Japanese crime fiction that subverts the traditional "whodunit" by focusing on the "how-to" and the "why."

The bond between the women is forged through shared misery rather than friendship.

It paints a bleak picture of modern Tokyo, where individuals are easily discarded and forgotten. Why It Stands Out

Originally published in 1997, it won the and later became a finalist for the Edgar Award in its English translation. Core Premise