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The season to curl up under a warm blanket is finally here! And what better company can you ask for than a riveting thriller? And it’s high time we let ourselves get soaked into the mysteries written by writers of East Asian origins. These are books rife with threat and thrill. They not only entertain, but also educate us about the sociopolitical structures that are prevalent across cultures and affect us all.
Don’t miss these must-read satires by authors of color>>
Confessions by Kanae Minato (Translated by Stephen Snyder)
Yuko Moriguchi is living for her daughter. When her daughter is killed by two of her students, she completely loses herself. Thus begins a complicated tale of revenge and retribution. But is the villain always to be admonished? Is there a reason why they turn out to be the way they are? How much of it is nature and how much of it is nurture? Does parental neglect play a big role in turning villains out of innocent children?
The Devotion Of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (Translated by Alexander O. Smith)
Yasuko lives with her daughter and prefers her quiet, non-chaotic life. But peace isn’t meant to last long as her ex-husband reappears to torment them. To protect their sanity, the mother and daughter together kill the man. They are being helped by their neighbor to escape the eyes of law. How far will they go for self-preservation and will they be successful in the end? What part does guilt play in this equation?
The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji (Translated by Ho-Ling Wong)
A group of students from a university mystery writing club decides to visit an island where an actual murder was committed. Two couples were found dead and the gardener was blamed for that. Despite the history of the place, the group decides to spend a week on the island, working on their individual writing projects. Much to their surprise, one by one, their teammates start dying. Who will survive this fatal game? And who is out there to get them, and what purpose will their mission serve?
The Village Of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo (Translated by Bryan Karetnyk)
Tatsuya lives in post World War II Japan. From some mysterious source, he gets to know that he is linked to the ‘village of eight graves’. But even before he can head to this place, he experiences bizarre occurrences that have no rational explanation whatsoever. Who is enquiring about him behind his back? Will this incident bring him closer to his family or will it cost him all that he holds dear? What dark web is he becoming a part of, and how does he free himself?
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
In a small town in Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo have established a special treatment center. They aspire to “cure” issues ranging from infertility to autism. But one day this chamber explodes, killing two people. Have they earned the wrath of someone? If yes, who is it? Why would they choose to target their treatment center when there are so many other ways of destroying them? Unbeknown to them, what rivalries have they been entangled in?
A Person Of Interest by Susan Choi
After one of his colleagues dies because of an explosion, Lee, a fellow professor, finds himself under public scrutiny. The bomber sends a letter to Lee saying that they have once been Lee’s colleague. Is this the man with whom he has been friends in the past? Is this the same man with whose wife he has had an affair? How will this impact Lee’s life’s trajectory? Will he find any semblance of normalcy after this unfortunate turn of events?
Death Of A Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong
The body of a celebrity and former model named Guan Hongying is discovered in Baili Canal. Chief Inspector Chen is asked to investigate this case but he is the least bit interested in his job. He was an English major and would much rather spend his days writing poetry. But once he starts investigating Guan Hongying’s case, he finds himself completely consumed by its complexities. Besides depicting a murder that will send chills down the spines of the readers, Xiaolong has also painted a sharp portrait of China’s political scenario.
A Perfect Crime by A Yi (translated by Anna Holmwood)
A nineteen-year-old boy is prepping to murder his friend. With no adult supervision to keep him on track, he falls prey to the dark side of his mind. He thinks of murder as an escape from the boredom of his daily existence. But how far will the thrill of it all last? Why does he think of committing a heinous crime when he could have found a million other ways to make his life exciting?
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