Abstract

The town disappeared in just one night.
Five brilliant, miraculous disappearance stories.

A collection of five stories that will become a new masterpiece by the unrivaled trickmaker Kitayama Takekuni.
George sneaks into a high-stakes casino in a desert town, hoping to strike it rich, and wins a huge sum. He sneaks out of the casino without being noticed and makes his getaway on a stolen motorcycle. On the way, his motorcycle malfunctions, so he stops in a hut to get it fixed, and takes a rest. When he emerges the next morning, he finds that the desert town where the casino was located has vanished without a trace overnight....

This collection includes five miraculous disappearance stories, including the title story, which was nominated for the short story category of the 76th Mystery Writers of Japan Award. #1 Honkaku Mystery Best 10 List 2026.

Author’s Information

Born in 1979, Kitayama made his debut in 2002 with "The Clock Castle Murder Case," which won the 24th Mephisto Prize. While he is well-known for his physical tricks, he continues to captivate readers with his unique, fantastical worldview.