An eccentric artist is found brutally murdered in a room locked from the inside. His diaries reveal dabblings in alchemy and astrology, and a macabre plan to kill and dismember seven women in an occult ritual. Then, shortly after his death, the artist's bloody project is carried out, as if from beyond the grave...
Decades later, astrologer and amateur detective Kiyoshi Mitarai sets out to solve these notorious crimes. His investigation leads him across the country towards a dark, shocking truth. But can you unravel the mystery of the Tokyo Zodiac Murders before he does?
Ignites the mind - Huffington Post
Shimada's novel is a classic of the popular Japanese honkaku or "authentic" subgenre of crime fiction, which prioritises tight plots and carefully scattered clues - The National
If you like your crime stories to be bloody and bizarre, then this one may be for you. The winner of several major awards... the solution is one of the most original that I've ever read - Anthony Horowitz
I have long wanted to recommend this debut mystery novel by a prolific master... Whether you're attempting to solve the case yourself (I didn't) or just immersing yourself in a true distraction, this will carry you across the ocean, amiably fill a week's vacation or sweep you away for a few hours before bed - Sadie Stein, New York Times
An intricate, compelling, violent, and exciting [read]. Full of hints, it's a budding Sherlock's dream; Shimada encourages the reader to be as much of a detective as his protagonist. - Crime Scene
A wonderful example of excellent plotting and characterization, with a brilliant sense of the mysterious and the bizarre - At the Scene of the Crime
Intricately constructed and entertainingly exotic - Japan Times
Both gory and intelligent - Japan Visitor
An elaborate puzzle that should appeal to the readers of Keigo Higashino. - We Love this Book
