The Tokyo Zodiac Murders

Ignites the mind * Huffington Post *
Shimada's novel is a classic of the popular Japanese honkaku or "authentic" subgenre of crime fiction, which prioritises tight plots and carefully scattered clues * The National *
If you like your crime stories to be bloody and bizarre, then this one may be for you. The winner of several major awards... the solution is one of the most original that I've ever read * Anthony Horowitz *
I have long wanted to recommend this debut mystery novel by a prolific master... Whether you're attempting to solve the case yourself (I didn't) or just immersing yourself in a true distraction, this will carry you across the ocean, amiably fill a week's vacation or sweep you away for a few hours before bed -- Sadie Stein * New York Times *
An intricate, compelling, violent, and exciting [read]. Full of hints, it's a budding Sherlock's dream; Shimada encourages the reader to be as much of a detective as his protagonist. * Crime Scene *
A wonderful example of excellent plotting and characterization, with a brilliant sense of the mysterious and the bizarre * At the Scene of the Crime *
Intricately constructed and entertainingly exotic * Japan Times *
Both gory and intelligent * Japan Visitor *
An elaborate puzzle that should appeal to the readers of Keigo Higashino. * We Love this Book *
Intricate and utterly fascinating * Austcrime *
Groundbreaking... Shimada's expansive novel of forensic detection is something entirely original * At the Scene of the Crime *
For those who enjoy the whodunit type of crime novel, The Tokyo Zodiac Murders represents a touch of the exotic while at the same time being a fairly straightforward puzzle. * Crime Review *
A sprawling, multi-faceted epic... The solution to the mystery is deceptively simple, and yet I can honestly say I have never read one quite like it anywhere else. This book is an unmissable triumph -- Tom Mead * Publishers Weekly, 10 Most Puzzling Impossible Crime Mysteries *