"She had appeared from nowhere, quietly watching the storm through the French doors of the Chateau Chantal's salon. Away from the cares of work and family in Japan, Kohei Daigo felt strangely drawn to this woman, also Japanese, whose haunting scent thrilled his senses. In the darkness of that quaint room in a faraway country they shared an experience beyond the physical, a poetic, almost religious frenzy of love...

But they also shared their secrets: Daigo's hidden hatred for a fellow scientist responsible for the deaths of several children, and Fumiko's loathing for a killer who has never been caught.

Without knowing it, Daigo struck a bargain that night that could separate him from Fumiko forever... and make him a murderer." (from back cover)

Many crime novels start with a murder. This starts with two people, strangers to each other until then, confessing to each other that they have each a certain person they very much wish dead. When one of the targets of ill wishes is found murdered and the ill wisher has been provided a strong alibi, he becomes aware of a detailed plan. Should he then in turn execute the other half of the confession?

An odd little story with a surprise ending. The plot develops slowly, but gets more absorbing and interesting later. At times it did not feel credible, but then, what do I know about a strong sense of obligation and what a person is willing to do to fulfill it. I think this is the first detective novel by a Japanese author I have read.

Sending off in the bookring of Books with a Number in the Title. Happy travels, little book!

Sending on in the bookring.

Chosen from the numbers in the title bookring