Villain by Shuichi Yoshida

A Japanese crime novel which was made into a hit film in Japan are good reasons for me to read this thriller by Shuichi Yoshida. I was excited to read this book from the cover alone.

Not the grim murder story I thought it might be, Villain is an interesting overview of modern Japanese society. More than a who-done-it, it explores the aftermath of the crime and all the people associated with it in chapters written from multiple character viewpoints.

A young girl, Yoshino, is found dead on a mountain highway pass with an eerie history. We gradually learn what brought her there and see the events through her parents, co-workers, and even the killer's eyes. Yoshino is the victim, and we learn she finds guys on dating websites and sleeps with them for money. She wants to be with Keigo, but he's a braggart who treats her with contempt. And there is Yuichi, who is lonely and painfully shy, but really just wants to connect with someone. The two men are the suspects, but the story shifts around their families and coworkers, who show another side of society. Yoshino's coworkers know who she was going to meet that night, who may be the killer, yet don't want to show her in a negative light as a fast girl, so they remain silent to the police. Yuichi's grandmother shows another side of society - the elders who hold traditional ways, and the young thugs who take advantage. Unable to say no, she ends up going to a community lecture and, furthermore, gets bullied by the lecturer to sign up for a health food scam. It's more than she can afford, and she then learns it's a recurring fee. I appreciated her struggle to stand up to these con men.

Villain explores how the characters ended up at this point and where they are going with the feelings they have to hide. Villain also explores the events leading up to the killing, what shaped the mind of a killer, and who had culpability in leading the killer to Yoshino's death. It's quite bleak but entertaining if you like complex noir thrillers.

2010 / Hardcover / 304 pages