Miyuki Miyabe

Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe has three books currently translated into English: Crossfire, All She Was Worth, and Shadow Family. Miyabe’s novels are an intriguing mix of horror, mystery, and police procedural, frequently peopled with strong (although pretty messed-up) female characters. Miyabe’s books offer American readers an unusual view of Japan, delving into subjects like Japan’s system of credit card debt, the death of their traditional family structure, or the way that middle-aged women are marginalized by Japanese society. It’s a fascinating approach—one that readers are unlikely to see through anime or Japanese horror movies.

Note: There's a movie version of Crossfire.

Aftertaste:
None.

Availability:
Limited.

Other Recommendations:
Anything by Josephine Tey

Anything by Ruth Rendell