Lucie Blackman—tall, blond, twenty-one years old—stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000 and disappeared. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. The seven months in between had seen a massive search for the missing girl involving Japanese policemen, British private detectives, and Lucie’s desperate but bitterly divided parents. Had Lucie been abducted by a religious cult or snatched by human traffickers? Who was the mysterious man she had gone to meet? And what did her work as a hostess in the notorious Roppongi district of Tokyo really involve?
Richard Lloyd Parry, an award-winning foreign correspondent, followed the case from the beginning. Over the course of a decade, as the rest of the world forgot but the trial dragged on, he traveled to four continents to interview those connected with the story, assiduously followed the court proceedings, and won unique access to the Japanese detectives who investigated the case. Ultimately he earned the respect of the victim’s family and delved deep into the mind and background of the man accused of the crime—Joji Obara, described by the judge as “unprecedented and extremely evil.” The result is a book at once thrilling and revelatory.
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"This book was billed as an "In Cold Blood" for this generation; that's definitely true in terms of the nature of the book and the lengthy and in-depth reporting on the various subjects, but I just didn't like it as much, although it's still really good. It was super-compelling when I first started reading it, but became less so toward the end... I just thought it dragged on a bit. But the detailed insight the book provides into Japanese hostess culture and the Japanese criminal justice system is fascinating."
— Megan (4 out of 5 stars)
“Everyone who has ever loved someone and held that life dear should read this stunning book and shiver.”
— Chris Cleave, #1 New York Times bestselling author“A searing exploration of evil and trauma and how both ultimately elude understanding or resolution.”
— New York Times Book Review“[A] masterful literary true crime story, which earns its comparisons to Truman Capoteʼs In Cold Blood and Norman Mailerʼs The Executioner’s Song…Parry subtly encourages an understanding that goes past the headlines. It is a dark, unforgettable ride.”
— Los Angeles Times“A big, ambitious true-crime book.”
— Esquire“Parry has a knack of tacitly cross-examining his readers…not implicating them exactly, but immersing them in a darkness that thickens as facts come to light…[He] skillfully manipulates the narrative to keep the reader in a state of awful uncertainty about what will happen next.”
— Observer (London)“Utterly engrossing and brilliantly crafted—a glimpse into the heart of darkness we hope never to know firsthand.”
— BookPage“An exceptional—and terrifying—account of sexual sadism, the Japanese legal system, and a family ripped apart by tragedy.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“This true crime tale reads like a novel, but few of its fictional counterparts have this much insight into murder cases and the psychology of the people involved…Parry’s prose is reminiscent of true crime greats Truman Capote and Vincent Bugliosi. This well-written story, likely to elicit tears and even nightmares from readers, is recommended for all who enjoy true crime, thrillers, and cross-cultural narratives.”
— Library Journal (starred review)“An utterly compelling read.”
— Mo Hayder, internationally bestselling author“Extraordinary, compulsive, and brilliant.”
— David Peace, author of the Red Riding quartet and the Tokyo trilogy" One of the creepiest books I've ever read. "
— Amy, 2/16/2014" Harrowing, fascinating, empathetic and so very sad. "
— Lesley, 2/6/2014" Absolutely Fascinating. I could not put this book down. "
— Marykris, 2/3/2014" Even though I remembered the Lucie Blackman case fairly well from hearing about it on the news at the time, I was totally gripped by this book from start to finish. It's an extraordinary story, carefully researched and intelligently written by a proper journalist. And, unlike most true crime books, it isn't tacky or sensationalist. Instead, it approaches its subject sensitively, without shying away from the details. I can't recommend it highly enough. "
— Grace, 1/16/2014" A fascinating insight to a horrific crime, the desperation of the family and the ineptitude of the police. "
— Lindsay, 1/16/2014" Sad tale with insights into Japanese society. "
— Krissyt, 1/4/2014" This was a very good book. Interesting and well written. No spoilers... "
— Mandy, 12/29/2013" I mentioned this on the Amazon review I wrote, and I'll mention it again: the author should stick to journalism, not write books. The prose was distracting. A better read is Jake Adelstein's book on the yakuza. "
— Kenyon, 12/24/2013" It is an interesting study of Japanese men. I am not very sympathetic toward young educated women who choose to make a living entertaining wealthy men. "
— Kristine, 12/11/2013" Good well balanced investigative reporting! "
— Catherine, 12/5/2013" This is probably my favorite true crime I've read (except maybe Columbine). It's so grim I'm not sure what to say. Compelling & fast-paced. "
— Anna, 11/30/2013" The author spends most of the book portraying and trying to understand the various people involved, from the victim, her family, her friends all the way to the perpetrator, who comes across as an enigma more than anything else. Grim at times, never sensationalist, a great read. "
— Alexis, 11/23/2013" This book caught my eye on the shelf in the school library... the title is what got me. I knew very little about this case... the book gives quite a bit of insight about Japan to someone who knows very little about Japan. "
— Carmen, 7/10/2013" Great book! I love true crime, and the story was fascinating and written well. "
— Michelle, 3/9/2013" Amazing book. A little dark to be reading on our honeymoon but neither of us could put down! "
— Julie, 11/18/2012" Parry is exceptionally thoughtful, thorough and incisive in his treatment of incredibly horrific subject matter. "
— Kent, 11/3/2012" what an incrediable book, having looked at the other reviews (all glowing) all I can say its probably one of the very best books I read in 2012. "
— Anne, 10/31/2012Richard Lloyd Parry is the Asia editor and Tokyo bureau chief of the London Times and the author of several nonfiction books.
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.