[275th] Michiko Mamuro's bookshelf "The Sculptor" by Minette Walters, translated by Yuko Narukawa / Sogen Mystery Library
Known as the "original charismatic bookseller," DAIKANYAMA TSUTAYA BOOKS, who recommends books in a variety of media including magazines and TV.
In this series, we take a peek into the "bookshelves" in the mind of our most popular concierge.
Please enjoy it along with his comments.
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"The Female Sculptor"
By Minette Walters Translated by Yuko Narukawa / Sogen Mystery Library
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I like mysteries where the protagonist goes to meet a "monster behind bars." Famous examples include "Silence of the Lambs" by Thomas Harris, "The Death Penalty Sickness" by Riu Kushiki, and "BUTTER" by Asako Yuzuki, and they are also featured in the TV drama "Aibou."
Contrary to the title "I killed 24 people" and "The perpetrator has an abnormal taste", the "monsters" that appear are full of intelligence, kind older brother-like, look like ordinary middle-aged women, or queen-like. Screaming, drooling, and rolling their eyes are not something that appears in masterpieces.
The position and reasons of the people who visit vary. In some cases, the investigators propose some kind of deal to the defendant, and in some cases, the inmates send letters to ordinary citizens saying, "I want to see you." In either case, the protagonists visit prisons and detention centers. "To that person, it's none other than me." Pride and curiosity overpower fear. Monsters are fascinating.
Although the introduction was long, this book is a masterpiece on this theme and has been happily republished. The story takes place in the late 1980s in England. The person "inside" is Olive Martin. He committed a huge crime, admitted to doing it all, and is currently serving time in prison. He is a giant, 180 cm tall and weighs over 165 kg. His dirty blonde hair is stuck to his head, and there are black sweat stains under his arms.
Coming from the "outside" is 36-year-old freelance writer Rosalind (Ross) Lee. After a certain incident, she became a kind of recluse, but her agent told her, "If you don't write this, the editor will terminate your contract," so she agreed to write a crime report. And on top of that, Olive, who had been turning down many interview requests, somehow gave the OK to Ros' application.
She is now 28 years old. Five years ago on her birthday, she killed her mother and sister at home and cut up the bodies. She was exhausted and stopped halfway through. Then, thinking that she couldn't continue like this, she tried to put them back together. But she was panicking and may have attached her mother's head to her sister's torso.
As Roz becomes confused in the interview room from the tension of having to interview such a woman and the pressure of having to write, Olive speaks to her in a deep, cultured voice.
Roz regains her sense of self as a journalist. The incident has been covered extensively in the news, including when, where, what, and who. But there is one thing that has not been addressed. That is "why."
Since there was a confession, everyone felt relieved and neglected to investigate the motive. The only thing that is certain is "where" = "the crime scene was a house." Not knowing "why" means that "what happened that day" is also unclear, and "when" is also uncertain. And "who"...?
Olive's overwhelming presence pulls Roz and us along, right up to the epilogue. How we interpret this is up to the reader. The enjoyment of reading a mystery isn't determined by a simple binary choice like, "He was innocent, let's applaud him," or "He's evil, hang him!" Olive continues to attract me even after I closed the book. If she said to me now, "I want to meet you," could you resist? I would...!
Contrary to the title "I killed 24 people" and "The perpetrator has an abnormal taste", the "monsters" that appear are full of intelligence, kind older brother-like, look like ordinary middle-aged women, or queen-like. Screaming, drooling, and rolling their eyes are not something that appears in masterpieces.
The position and reasons of the people who visit vary. In some cases, the investigators propose some kind of deal to the defendant, and in some cases, the inmates send letters to ordinary citizens saying, "I want to see you." In either case, the protagonists visit prisons and detention centers. "To that person, it's none other than me." Pride and curiosity overpower fear. Monsters are fascinating.
Although the introduction was long, this book is a masterpiece on this theme and has been happily republished. The story takes place in the late 1980s in England. The person "inside" is Olive Martin. He committed a huge crime, admitted to doing it all, and is currently serving time in prison. He is a giant, 180 cm tall and weighs over 165 kg. His dirty blonde hair is stuck to his head, and there are black sweat stains under his arms.
Coming from the "outside" is 36-year-old freelance writer Rosalind (Ross) Lee. After a certain incident, she became a kind of recluse, but her agent told her, "If you don't write this, the editor will terminate your contract," so she agreed to write a crime report. And on top of that, Olive, who had been turning down many interview requests, somehow gave the OK to Ros' application.
She is now 28 years old. Five years ago on her birthday, she killed her mother and sister at home and cut up the bodies. She was exhausted and stopped halfway through. Then, thinking that she couldn't continue like this, she tried to put them back together. But she was panicking and may have attached her mother's head to her sister's torso.
As Roz becomes confused in the interview room from the tension of having to interview such a woman and the pressure of having to write, Olive speaks to her in a deep, cultured voice.
Roz regains her sense of self as a journalist. The incident has been covered extensively in the news, including when, where, what, and who. But there is one thing that has not been addressed. That is "why."
Since there was a confession, everyone felt relieved and neglected to investigate the motive. The only thing that is certain is "where" = "the crime scene was a house." Not knowing "why" means that "what happened that day" is also unclear, and "when" is also uncertain. And "who"...?
Olive's overwhelming presence pulls Roz and us along, right up to the epilogue. How we interpret this is up to the reader. The enjoyment of reading a mystery isn't determined by a simple binary choice like, "He was innocent, let's applaud him," or "He's evil, hang him!" Olive continues to attract me even after I closed the book. If she said to me now, "I want to meet you," could you resist? I would...!
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DAIKANYAMA TSUTAYA BOOKS Literature Concierge
Michiko Mamuro
【profile】
"The original charismatic bookseller" who recommends books in various media such as magazines and TV. Has serials in magazines such as Fujingaho and Precious. Active as a book critic, her paperback reviews include "The Pale Horse" (Agatha Christie/Hayakawa Christie Bunko), "Motherhood" (Minato Kanae/Shincho Bunko), "The Snake Moon" (Sakuragi Shino/Futaba Bunko), and "Staph" (Michio Shusuke/Bunshun Bunko).
