Asa Nonami, The Hunter

The Hunter

Asa Nonami

Kodansha America, Feb 2007, $24.95, 272 pp.

ISBN: 4770030258

In a restaurant in Tokyo, a man who is seated alone suddenly becomes engulfed in fire. When police search the wrecked facility they find a part of his belt coated with a tarry, sticky substance and his belt buckle that contained a timed incendiary device. He was murdered and an examination of his body shows large dog bites on his body. The man's death is considered a homicide and a task force is formed.

Takako, one of the few females in the division, and her grumpy partner Takizawa learn that the victim was a sexual predator into all kinds of criminal activities. A man in another section of town is attacked and killed by the same dog that bit the first victim. Both dead knew each other when they were younger and even wilder. A housewife is also attacked by the same animal and the police theorize she knew and hung out with both men before she went straight. Takako believes to solve the case they must find dog and its owner answer and brace for the possibility that the dog's trainer was once a cop.

Asa Nonami writes an exciting Japanese police procedural that gives readers a glimpse of what Tokyo feels like. Armchair travelers will definitely like this book because of the fascinating investigation in an exotic locale. It is hard to empathize with Takako because she has to hide behind a mask so the male police officers can't hurt her with their sexist remarks. More books starring this heroine will be very welcome.

Harriet Klausner