A thrilling crime classic, from the bestselling author of Tokyo Express

Tokyo, 1960. As the first rays of morning light hit the rails at Kamata Station, a man's body is found on the tracks. With only two leads - a distinctive accent and a single word, 'kameda' - senior inspector Imanishi Eitaro is called in to solve the puzzle.

Setting aside his beloved bonsai and haikus, he must cross Japan in search of answers, from Osaka to Akita, accompanied by junior detective Yoshimura. At each new town, they encounter traces of the avant-garde Nouveau Group - young Tokyo artists who are bringing new ideas from the West. What to make of this modern collective? And how to stop another mysterious death occurring? Inspector Imanishi investigates…

A fascinating glimpse into Japanese society at a time of great change, this is one of Seicho Matsumoto's best-loved novels - a riveting mystery from the master of Japanese crime.

Our Booksellers Say...

"Following the translation of Tokyo Express last year, which captured the imagination of thousands of our customers, this is another crime classic from the great auteur, set in Tokyo in 1960. Once again, it starts on the railways and once again we are promised not only a masterful crime story but an intriguing perspective on Japanese society in the mid twentieth century."
Zool Verjee, Bookseller at Blackwell's Broad Street, Oxford