"A master crime writer . . . Seicho Matsumoto's thrillers dissect Japanese society."The New York Times Book Review
"A stellar psychological thriller with a surprising and immensely satisfying resolution that flows naturally from the book s complex characterizations. Readers will agree that Matsumoto (19091992) deserves his reputation as Japan s Georges Simenon.-Publishers Weekly

While on a business trip to Kobe, Tsuneo Asai receives the news that his wife Eiko has died of a heart attack. Eiko had a heart condition so the news of her death wasn t totally unexpected. But the...