The Mantis

To begin with, this is a bit ploddy. Isaka's voice is idiosyncratic enough that it isn't boring, but it didn't feel particularly fresh or exciting. And then, just past the halfway mark, the whole book gets upended, everything changes, and it becomes a propulsive race to the end. It's cleverly constructed and very readable. My only caveat is that the relationship between the main character and his wife feels like something out of a terrible 80s sitcom. It's not entirely surprising, as Japanese views of gender roles are a lot more conservative than they are in the modern West, but it did stand out to me. If you can put those qualms aside, you'll enjoy a zippy and arch crime thriller.