Manako Jajii has been detained in a Tokyo jail, convicted of multiple murders of lonely businessmen. She is said to have seduced them with her amazing home cooking. The case has enthralled the nation, that someone who doesn’t conform to the beauty standards could capture the hearts of so many men, and have them so entranced that they would hand over so much money before she killed them. She tried to make each murder look like an accident but got overconfident.
Kajii refuses to talk to the media. Until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter to her asking for her recipe for beef stew, to try and make a connection. Rika is the only woman in her news office and works long hours trying to prove herself. She doesn’t cook (more than instant ramen) and rarely indulges in food extravagance. A distorted relationship soon unfolds between Rika and Kajii, wrapped around meals that Rika begins to explore, directed by Kajii. As Rika tries to delve into the mind of Kajii, she finds herself opening up her own mind more and is not sure of what she is discovering.
This book is inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, real name Kanae Kijima. Knowing it is set on a real case makes it a bit of an unsettling read. It is not a quick and easy read. This book took a long time to get through, but was well worth it. It is a very beautiful journey through Japanese culture, at a slow and steady pace, which takes the time to look at relationships between friends, family, work, colleagues, food, and culture. It highlights the impact of expectations on women in society, for beauty standards, and perceived behaviour standards. I feel like I learned a lot from reading this book, not just about a historical case, but about a culture, food (I want to do cookery classes now!!) and about the importance of friendships, and cultivating them. It is a beautiful and powerful read, which you need to assimilate after reading and reflect on.
*I received this book from NetGalley for review but all opinions are my own.
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