Abstract

Christmas Eve, 1988. Chitose, Hokkaido.
Thirteen-year-old Satoru Asaba discovers a bloodstained coat in his father’s desk. The news reports a murdered girl and sightings of a white van, while police patrol the town. His father drives a white van. To protect his family’s peaceful life, Satoru sneaks into a nearby forest and burns the coat. But someone sees him—Miwa Mifune, a classmate. Instead of reporting him, she makes an unexpected proposal:
“Will you help me find the killer?”
A psychological mystery where fear and tenderness intertwine. With taut tension and raw emotion, it explores the fragile boundary between innocence and guilt, trust and fear. A story that delivers a shocking, unforgettable reading experience.
“It felt like being blindfolded and taken on a night drive—tense, violent, and utterly gripping. This novel tore my heart apart, then devoured it.”
—Highly praised by Otsuichi

Author’s Information

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