Tokyo Swindlers takes you deep into the world of financial underworld in Japan led by a very knowledgeable and creative author who knows how to build a realistic tale without compromising momentum.
Takumi is a man riddled with all sorts of sadness and depression ever since he lost his family to a fire. When he partners up with a team of real-estate swindlers, that’s when he feels the most alive. But in his quest for a renewed meaning of life through a dangerous life of crime, he crosses paths with Detective Katsu. In the midst of the cat and mouse chase, both the detective and the swindler will find their paths entwined and a dangerous link to their pasts.
Ko Shinjo creates a visceral and subtle world of violence and trauma that lays underneath the veneer of niceties. His depiction of trauma both unsettles you and fills you with hope for a better future. The emotional core is the strongest driver of the narrative and it works in tandem with the element of unpredictability and danger lurking just around the corner. I really enjoyed the diverse range of characters, each unique and engaging in their own ways. They all pitch in to make this story memorable and fun so much so that you don’t really want to part ways by the end.
Tokyo Swindlers is a very grounded and subtle narrative about human nature but coated with crime and thrills, a quintessential Japanese quality when it comes to storytelling. It will stay with you for quite a while.
Follow Kashif on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Tokyo Swindlers
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
