Abstract

Let me hear it―your story, what happened here.

Six short mysteries featuring freelance reporter Machi Tachiarai as a detective. Second place in the 2016 “Shukan bunshun 2020 misuterii besuto 10 (Weekly Bunshun 2020 Mystery Best 10)” domestic category, first place in the 2017 “Misuteri ga yomitai! (I Want to Read Mysteries!)” domestic category, and third place in the 2017 “Kono misuterii ga sugoi! (This Mystery is Amazing!)” domestic category. Nominated for the 155th Naoki Prize.

A case of the double suicide of a male and female high school student. Named after the place where they died, it was called the Renrui Joint Suicide. Tsuru, a member of the weekly magazine In-Depth’s Editorial Department, joins up with freelance journalist Tachiarai and begins to cover the case, but gradually begins to feel like something is off concerning how the incident happened . . . What is Tachiarai thinking? A comical tragedy or grotesque delusion―a record of the activities of Machi Tachiarai, a journalist who faces and bears this pain herself.

Author’s Information

Born in Gifu prefecture in 1978. In 2001, he made his debut by winning the 5th Kadokawa Gakuen Novel Award (Young Mystery & Horror Category) Encouragement Award for Hyouka (Ice Pop). Combining the appeal of teen novels and the fun of solving secrets, his style attracted attention and he established himself as a popular writer with works such as Shunki Gentei Ichigo Taruto Jiken (Spring Limited Strawberry Tart Incident). He won the 64th Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Oreta Ryukotsu (The Broken Dragonbone) in 2011, the 27th Yamamoto Shugoro Award for Mangan (Completion of the Vow) in 2014 followed by the 166th Naoki Award and 12th Yamada Futaro Award for Kokurojo (Black Prison Castle) in 2022. Mangan (Completion of the Vow) and O to sakasu (King and Circus) ranked first in the three major annual mystery rankings, and in addition, Kokurojo (Black Prison Castle) won first place in all four major annual mystery rankings and achieved the first four crowns in history. The other works include Inu ha Dokoda (Where is the Dog), Shinjitsu no 10 Metoru Temae (10 Meters before the Truth), Tsuiso Godansho (Recollection: Five Riddle Stories), Rikashiburu (Recursible), Hon to Kagi no Kisetsu (A Season of Books and Keys) and Ai no Higeki (The Tragedy of I).