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Notes I first heard about this book on a podcast where one of the guests bought this book instead of the video game she was supposed to be reviewing. I later saw it at the bookstore and decided to give it a chance. Marketed as a book about food and murder, I think that this book is mostly about food and its place within the larger context of Japanese society. The premise is that a journalist is interviewing a woman in prison for murdering three men after “luring” them in with home-cooked food. The journalist then begins to eat the foods recommended by the alleged killer as a way to better understand her and in doing so, learns to better understand her needs as they relate to her health, her relationships, and her work. The overall message of the book seems to be that men can’t live without a woman taking care of them and women are burning themselves out in the process. Overall, I enjoyed this book and what it had to say. I got lost by some of the details — there’s a random POV shift in the middle of the book that I didn’t think added anything meaningful to the plot. This is a 450 page book that I think could have been more effective if trimmed down to 350 pages. Lots of talk of body image and weight, so I would skip this one if that subject has the potential to negatively affect you.