A dizzying tale of lust and murder, from Masako Togawa - nightclub owner, cabaret singer, queer icon and one of Japan's greatest mystery writers

'Full of subtly menacing tensions and sharp psychological insights' Kirkus Reviews

Ichiro Honda leads a double life. By day he is a devoted husband and diligent worker, by night he moves through the shadow world of Tokyo's cabaret bars and nightclubs in search of vulnerable women to seduce and then abandon.

But when a trail of bodies seems to appear in his wake, the hunter becomes the prey and Ichiro realises he has been caught in a snare. Can he free himself before it's too late, or has fate finally caught up with this lady killer?

"The PD James of Japan" - Times Literary Supplement

"Elegantly depicts complex characters in entangled situations, describing just enough detail to bring Tokyo's seedy side to life without burying the reader in everyday trivia" - Murder, Mayhem & More (blog)

"There's a great and distinct timbre to this book... it certainly has the cleverness ultimately to keep a genre reader really satisfied" - The Bookbag

"Full of subtly menacing tensions and sharp psychological insights, told in lean, sparsely ornamented style. This one is a must for the discerning reader" - Kirkus

"Even when you think you know just where the book is headed... you don't... thoroughly enjoyable" - David's Book World

"-- PRAISE FOR THE MASTER KEY" - --

"Extraordinarily atmospheric Japanese thriller ... Miss Togawa writes with economy, subtlety and an astonishing feel for time, mood, and the eccentricities of loneliness. An eerie gem" - The Times

"An outstanding puzzle mystery... The gradual, logical, but still surprising unfolding of the Russian nesting doll of a plot is a delight" - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"As fascinating a weird yarn of mystery as you'll find... One word sums it up - superb!" - LA Times

"Fans of P.D. James, Robert Barnard and other literate writers in the genre will welcome this prize-winning author's first work... Superbly crafted and riveting from start to finish" - Kirkus Reviews

"A twisted locked-room fable, made creepily seductive by masterful portrayals of the residents' eccentricities and hints of malevolent supernatural forces" - Booklist

"A bizarre yarn of guilty secrets among the sad, mad and surprisingly bad occupants of Tokyo's K Apartments for ladies only" - Sunday Times Crime Club

"A clever story... If you like creepy this will definitely be right up your street" - Crime Review

"Starts out on a high note of tension and stays that way up until the very end" - Crime Segments

"A clever, creepy story" - Mail on Sunday

"Long established in Japan, [Togawa's] books have benefitted from sensitive to translation to enjoy a well-deserved second life" - Daily Mail