{"id":2071,"date":"2022-05-16T10:24:17","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T10:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=2071"},"modified":"2022-05-16T10:24:20","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T10:24:20","slug":"the-lady-killer-by-masako-togawa-book-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=2071","title":{"rendered":"The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa Book Review."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hi Readers! It has been a while, hasn\u2019t it? Almost half a month! This month I am again reading more than I am reviewing. I have read 3 books so far. 2 were short ones. But the third one was over 600 pages. It took me a week to read it. So, before I jump into another book, I thought I will stop by here to say hello to you all readers and share a mini review of a Japanese murder mystery thriller I read: The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~GOODREADS DESCRIPTION~~<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ichiro Honda is a good-looking computer expert who works in Tokyo, lives in a respectable hotel, and visits his wife, in Osaka with her wealthy father, only on weekends. Behind this unexceptional facade, his life is dedicated to the conquest of a never-ending succession of young women; a secret apartment facilitates his many phony identities, a diary records each seduction. Over the next months, three of Honda’s bedmates are murdered. He’s eventually convicted of two of the killings. The evidence against him–in part, blood and semen traces, lack of alibis and his diary–seems solid as granite, but elderly Kentaro Hatanaka, his appeal lawyer, is a man of sensitivity, tenacity and imagination. He needs all of those qualities to get to the surprise spider in this tightly woven web. Full of subtly menacing tensions and sharp psychological insights, told in lean, sparsely ornamented style. This one is a must for the discerning reader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~THOUGHTS~~<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, I read three Japanese murder mysteries by Seishi Yokomizo<\/a>. I really enjoyed all of them. Everything in those books was written in such a way that the reader just cannot stop reading the story. But, this was not the case in this book by Masako Togawa. I really struggled with it initially. I took many breaks from it. But then one lazy Saturday, I decided to finish this book, just so I will be done with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The characters in this book are not at all impressionable.<\/strong><\/mark> No one will wow you, whether it’s murderers, victims or lawyers. Then the story itself is quite average. <\/strong><\/mark>In that period, I can imagine it to be ahead of time & even maybe shockingly masterful. But, reading it now did not leave me in a state of shock. Yes, the way it was carried out was the only fun I had while reading it. The whole investigation of blood types is why I have rated it at more than 3 stars. In any other book, this investigation would be mellow. But, because this book does not have any other interesting things at all, this one blood thing steals the show in its mediocre glory.<\/strong><\/mark> About the murderer, there are so many same hints spread out across the book that it becomes obvious that the woman with a big mole on the base of the nose (aka the sister) is NOT likely the murderer. Too much of a good thing eventually spoils it all, doesn\u2019t it? So, even though the ending was a bit different, the murderer was still one of the top suspects you could imagine.<\/strong><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, overall, The Lady Killer, will catch your attention only because of the title but you will soon find yourself fading away from the average characters in an average story with a bland ending. I rated The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa at 3.5\/5 stars.<\/strong><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will be back soon with reviews of \u2018The Cat Who Saved the Books\u2019 and \u2018A Fine Balance\u2019. How many books did you read this month?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until next time,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi Readers! It has been a while, hasn\u2019t it? Almost half a month! This month I am again reading more than I am reviewing. I have read 3 books so far. 2 were short ones. But the third one was over 600 pages. It took me a week to read it. So, before I jump […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4,23,3],"tags":[29],"class_list":["post-2071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-review","category-books","category-book-reviews","category-mindscape-reviews","tag-japanese-books"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_20220502_110014-01-01-1.jpg?fit=2500%2C2500&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2100,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=2100","url_meta":{"origin":2071,"position":0},"title":"Books Read in May 2022!","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"May 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! May was slow for me reading wise. I only read 6 Books across 2145 Pages. The workload was the same, but in addition to it I also had to study for a certification. So, getting back into that \u2018studying groove\u2019 after 5 years took some time. But then\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "books"","block_context":{"text":"books","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PSX_20220529_130849__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PSX_20220529_130849__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PSX_20220529_130849__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PSX_20220529_130849__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/PSX_20220529_130849__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1840,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=1840","url_meta":{"origin":2071,"position":1},"title":"Books I Read for January in Japan + Recommendations!","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"January 30, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! I participated in January in Japan this month & read 3 books translated from Japanese! I had only read Haruki Murakami\u2019s books earlier. But, this month I saw people reading so many Japanese authors across genres. Till last year, Japanese only meant Murakami & magical realism to me.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "books"","block_context":{"text":"books","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1425,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=1425","url_meta":{"origin":2071,"position":2},"title":"Books Read in August 2021!","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"August 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! Another month up & gone! I READ SEVEN BOOKS THIS MONTH & even more exciting is that I loved 5 out of those 7 books of those 7 books which rarely happens to me. ~~THE ONES I LOVED~~ ~~BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD & BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "books"","block_context":{"text":"books","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/4.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/4.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/4.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4059,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=4059","url_meta":{"origin":2071,"position":3},"title":"Healing Japanese Fiction Book Recommendation: The Lantern of Lost Memories","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"February 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! I finally read a book this month! \u201cA reader doesn\u2019t find a book. The book finds the reader.\u201d While I had heard this from so many people, it always sounded too surreal to believe. These last two months have been hell work-wise. There are so many instances where\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4265,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=4265","url_meta":{"origin":2071,"position":4},"title":"Japanese Murder Mystery Book Recommendation: The Labyrinth House Murders","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"June 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! After months I finally read a book at a stretch for 5+ HOURS!! What a feeling to feel like myself! Whatever you are reading now, pause it, and pick up the latest by Yukito Ayatsuji novel!! I had been reading The Labyrinth House Murders for two weeks. But\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/PSX_20250615_125456-2-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/PSX_20250615_125456-2-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/PSX_20250615_125456-2-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/PSX_20250615_125456-2-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/PSX_20250615_125456-2-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2737,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=2737","url_meta":{"origin":2071,"position":5},"title":"Japanese Murder Mystery Book Recommendation: The Tokyo Zodiac Murders","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"April 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! 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Have you ever read a mystery that has so many angles to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2071"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2074,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071\/revisions\/2074"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}