The Master Key - Hardcover

Togawa, Masako

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0396086845 ISBN 13: 9780396086840

Publisher: Dodd Mead, 1985

Synopsis

The theft of the master key terrifies the elderly ladies living in an old apartment building in Tokyo and leads to the discovery of a child's body buried in the basement

About this title

Review

'Extraordinarily atmospheric Japanese thriller... Miss Togawa writes with economy, subtlety and an astonishing feel for time, mood, and the eccentricities of loneliness. An eerie gem' -- The Times

'A clever, creepy story' -- Mail on Sunday

'The P.D. James of Japan' -- Times Literary Supplement

'A bizarre yarn of guilty secrets among the sad, mad and surprisingly bad occupents of Tokyo's K Apartments for ladies only' --Sunday Times Crime Club

'As fascinating a weird yarn of mystery as you'll find... One word sums it up - superb!' -- LA Times

'An outstanding puzzle mystery... The gradual, logical, but still surprising unfolding of the Russian nesting doll of a plot is a delight' -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

'A twisted locked-room fable, made creepily seductive by masterful portrayals of the residents' eccentricities and hints of malevolent supernatural forces' -- Booklist

'Fans of P.D. James, Robert Barnard and other literate writers in the genre will welcome this prize-winning author's first work... Superbly crafted and riveting from start to finish' --Kirkus Reviews

'If you seek a wickedly original, clever crime novel, a brilliant exploration of the weaknesses of the human mind, I strongly recommend you lose yourself in Togawa's acutely portrayed sketch' -- Thriller Books Journal

'Starts out on a high note of tension and stays that way up until the very end' --Crime Segments

About the Author

Masako Togawa (1931-2016) was one of Japan's foremost writers of crime fiction. Born in Tokyo, she worked as a cabaret performer before beginning to write crime fiction backstage, during her breaks. Her debut thriller The Master Key (also available from Pushkin Vertigo) won Japan's prestigious Edgowa Rampo Prize, and Togawa went on to become a hugely successful author, while continuing to lead a colourful parallel life as a singer, actress, feminist, nightclub owner and gay icon.

Edition details

• Publisher: Dodd Mead
• Publication date: 1985
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0396086845
• ISBN 13: 9780396086840
• Binding: Hardcover