THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SENSATION WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER AWARD 2025 A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK ‘A full-fat, Michelin-starred treat’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘A cult phenomenon’ iNEWS ‘Took the literary world by storm’ BBC ‘A killer Japanese novel’ THE TIMES 'I have been glued to Butter’ NIGEL SLATER The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story, and translated by Polly Barton. There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine. Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back. Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body. Might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought? Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, 'The Konkatsu Killer', Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, gripping exploration of misogyny, obsession and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan. 'It isn’t entirely clear whether to read the novel or devour it’ OBSERVER ‘Readers around the world are finding themselves utterly captivated’DAILY MAIL ‘I really enjoyed it’ MEERA SYAL, on BBC Between the Covers 'Compelling, delightfully weird' PANDORA SYKES 'Unputdownable, breathtakingly original' ERIN KELLY 'You’ll be craving rice, butter and soy sauce in no time’STYLIST ‘Nothing short of ingenious’ iNEWS ‘Ambitious and unsettling’GUARDIAN 'Luscious … I devoured this' IMOGEN CRIMP 'A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER

Butter

The brand new book from bestselling author Marie Kondo explores her cultural roots and reveals the aspects of Japanese culture that are intrinsic to her world-famous tidying method. The six chapters in this book - Cherish, Perfect, Consider, Harmonise, Purify, and Savour - represent guiding principles by which Marie leads her life every day. They also define the values that flow through the arts, rituals, and sensibilities of Japan. We discover why appreciating the beauty of sakura, cherry blossom, allows for a moment to deeply experience a season through a single entity (Cherish). In the traditional tea ceremony, we see the importance of kiwameru, the Japanese word for achieving mastery or perfection (Perfect). In umami, we taste how something simple and delicious can nourish the heart (Savour). We explore why the things left unsaid, ma, are just as important as the words we say (Harmonise). The audio edition includes a wonderful introduction narrated by Marie Kondo.

Letter From Japan

For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, What You Are Looking for Is In the Library, and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop comes an enchanting novel that will linger in your heart long after the last page is turned. 'I honestly can’t remember the last time a single book made me cry so much.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Such a breath of fresh air’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🌸🌸🌸🌸 As the last petal falls, the final page is turned… Welcome to The Cherry Blossom Bookshop, a haven for book lovers that only appears during the fleeting cherry blossom season. Nestled amidst the bloom of delicate petals, you’ll find a sanctuary for those burdened by regrets and past sorrows. Here, Sakura, the mysterious young owner, and her wise calico cat, Kobako, patiently await the arrival of souls in need of solace and healing. Told over four seasons, each visitor to the bookshop holds a book that bridges their past and present, guiding them towards understanding and acceptance. Within the antique charm of the shop and the soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Sakura and Kobako help their guests confront their lingering sadness through the power of stories, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope. 🌸🌸🌸🌸 Readers have fallen in love!'If you are wondering what it feels like to read this book, the cozy cover art evokes it perfectly.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An absolutely exquisite book on grief and love, and that those we lose in body never really leave us.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'It’s the kind of story that doesn’t shout—it simply sits with you, softly reminding you that healing comes in small, beautiful ways.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A gentle, healing read that feels like a warm embrace.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A cute, cozy fiction book that you will want to curl up with on a rainy day.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I have to admit this was nothing like what I would have expected, and it blew my mind and comforted my heart in many ways.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Beautiful Japanese literature that makes me feel at ease on a spring day.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I am absolutely speechless. This book is not at all a five star read for me, but a six or more.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Every so often a book lands in your lap at just the right time. The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop was that kind of read for me. Healing, magical, and tender, it reminded me why I love these quiet, reflective stories where regrets can be faced and softened.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'At its core, this is a story about hope and the quiet, transformative power of books—how stories can reach into our everyday lives and bring healing.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Straight away from the first page, we are transported in a Japanese courtyard, and you can feel the peace through the words, taking you away, like you are an observer in a Miyazaki animation.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Just finished this book and it was gorgeous!!! Whimsical, magical and heartwarming.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I would really have loved for it to be longer, I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye yet!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is made me cry, be happy, and just think of the little things in my life.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A beautiful, profound and emotional read.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'It was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed in this type of book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'It’s full of love, hurt and sadness, but with happiness too. The characters will stay with you' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book is absolutely magical and full of melancholy and hope and love.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I finished with that rare sense relief, the sense that something had been gently put back where it belongs thanks to this book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book was just stuuuuuuunning.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

'Mongrel is so beautiful that I became lost in it . . . Simply, it must be read' LISA TADDEO 'A brilliant explosion of writing and storytelling . . . This feels like reading an Oscar-winning film' AISLING BEA 'Heart-shatteringly visceral and precise . . . a triumphant tribute to the self' WIZ WHARTON 'This compulsive, engrossing, and gorgeous debut will utterly consume you. Read it now' STEPHANIE SCOTT This audiobook includes an exclusive Q&A with the author Mei loses her Japanese mother at age six. Growing up in suburban Surrey, she yearns to fit in, suppressing not only her heritage but her growing desire for her best friend Fran. Yuki leaves the Japanese countryside to pursue her dream of becoming a concert violinist in London. Far from home and in an unfamiliar city, she finds herself caught up in the charms of her older teacher. Haruka attempts to navigate Tokyo's nightlife and all of its many vices, working as a hostess in the city's sex district. She grieves a mother who hid so many secrets from her, until finally one of those secrets comes to light . . . Shifting between three intertwining narratives, Mongrel reveals a tangled web of desire, isolation, belonging and ultimately, hope.

Mongrel

Beautifully read by Hanako Footman, actress and narrator of Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley and Butter by Asako Yuzuki. The Menu of Happiness, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the third book in the bestselling, delightful Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Welcome to the Kamogawa Diner, where every meal is a mystery ready to be solved. This unique establishment is run by a father–daughter duo who offer more than just mouth-watering meals. They act as ‘food detectives’, delving into the past to produce nostalgia-infused dishes for their hungry clientele. Among the patrons is a once-renowned pianist whose promising career was marred by a self-inflicted injury. She longs to taste the yakisoba shared with the only man she ever truly loved. The diner also welcomes a man haunted by shadows of regret. His mind races back to the gyoza served by the parents of a lover he once jilted, as he seeks understanding and, perhaps, forgiveness. The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve food – it revives the essence of forgotten recipes and rejuvenates cherished memories. Each dish is a portal to the past, serving not just sustenance but solace and reconnection through the miracle of delicious food. The Menu of Happiness follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives and The Restaurant of Lost Recipes. ‘Feel-good and foodie themes collide in this follow-up to The Kamogawa Food Detectives’ - The Times The Menu of Happiness was a Japanese bestseller when it published w/c 04/01/2016

The Kamogawa Food Detectives

The Menu of Happiness

WATERSTONES BEST FICTION BOOKS OF 2023 PICK The Kamogawa Food Detectives, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time? Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason to stop by . . . The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers' pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to unlocking forgotten memories and future happiness. From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love's beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future. A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.

Including an introductory letter written by the author, Hisashi Kashiwai. The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the second book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives. Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner. Running this unique establishment are a father-daughter duo who serve more than just mouth-watering feasts. The pair have reinvented themselves as 'food detectives', offering a service that goes beyond traditional dining. Through their culinary sleuthing, they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past. Among those who seek an appointment is a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career. She wants to try the tempura that she once ate to celebrate her only successful record. Another diner is a budding Olympic swimmer, who desires the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make him. The Kamogawa Diner doesn't just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories. It's a doorway to the past through the miracle of delicious food.

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

One photograph, one treasured memory, one chance to go back . . . If you could relive one day of your life, which would you choose? In a cosy photography studio in the mountains between this world and the next, someone is waking up as if from a dream. A kind man will hand them a hot cup of tea and gently explain that, having reached the end of their life, they have one final task. There is a stack of photos on their lap, one for every day of their life, and now they must choose the pictures that capture their most treasured memories, which will be placed in a beautiful lantern. Once completed, it will be set spinning, and their cherished moments will flash before their eyes, guiding them to another world. But, like our most thumbed-over photographs, our favourite memories become faded with age, so each visitor to the studio has the chance to choose one day to return to and photograph afresh. Each has a treasured story to tell, from the old woman rebuilding a community in Tokyo after a disaster, to the flawed Yakuza man who remembers a time when he was kind, and a strong child who is fighting to survive. Extraordinarily moving and wise, Sanaka Hiiragi's The Lantern of Lost Memories is a beautiful Japanese tale about the people that make us and the moments that change us.

The Lantern of Lost Memories

From the publishers of the international bestseller Days at the Morisaki Bookshop comes a new book about the beauty of humble objects, the power of writing, and reconnecting with those you have lost. Write a letter, heal your heart . . . Hidden away in a corner of the Ginza neighbourhood is a venerable stationery shop. To venture inside is to find everything your stationery-loving heart desires, from the most delicate paper to fountain pens that fit exactly to the shape of your hand to gorgeously coloured inks. The shop owner intuits your every need, inviting you to take a seat at a small wooden table on the top floor, where you'll find the words flowing, helping you unlock repressed memories, secret longings and your own mysteries. To this shop comes a young company employee, uncertain in his career and needing a connection back to his past; the hostess of an elegant club; the vice-captain of a high-school archery team, an ageing businessman and a formerly homeless sushi chef. With impeccable manners and a warm demeanour, the shop owner helps each of them with more than just their stationery needs.

The Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop

Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop

The heartwarming, award-winning Japanese sensation, My Grandfather, the Master Detective is an affectionate, cosy whodunit – and a story of living your days to the fullest. Perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. There used to be a cafe called Mon Cheri at Nishi Waseda where members of the Waseda Mystery Club spent day after day frothing in excitement over the latest mystery novels, and now he and Kaede solve mysteries together . . . As a lover of classic crime stories, it’s perhaps no surprise that twenty-seven-year-old schoolteacher Kaede encounters everyday mysteries more often than your average person. Solving them is another matter, though, and the person she always heads to for guidance is her beloved grandfather – who, despite having dementia, retains a keen sharpness of mind. From impossible locked-room murders to confounding missing person cases, the granddaughter and grandfather team ‘weave stories’ in master-and-apprentice fashion. Together, they get to the bottom of case after case. But, all the while, a shadow slowly closes in on Kaede, posing a more insidious threat . . . Filled with charming characters and steeped in references to classic crime – from Christie to Chesterton to Poe – My Grandfather, the Master Detective is a touching, charming mystery by Masateru Konishi.

My Grandfather, the Master Detective

‘I wanted to pass it on to all my friends’ SHEILA HETI 'Remarkable clarity and humour' VOGUE 'A book full of wisdom … clever and funny' DAILY MAIL ‘Disarmingly sweet’ NICOLA DINAN 'Funny and tender' PANDORA SYKES 'Had me hopelessly charmed' AMY KEY ‘A fever dream' SHARLENE TEO 'Impossible to put down’ LISA OWENS A most anticipated book of 2025 in Vogue, Our Culture, The Bookseller and Publishers Weekly A hilarious and utterly original debut novel following a woman trying to make sense of her life and herself as she falls in love with her therapist. Sylvie is only happy when she is at therapy. This is because Sylvie is in love with her therapist. She wants to kiss her and roll around on the floor with her. She thinks about her every second they’re not together (roughly 167 hours and 10 minutes per week). She’s aware she has an obsession, but whether it is – as her therapist suggests – a case of extreme ‘erotic transference’, or a lost person’s need to connect, Sylvie isn’t sure. Beyond therapy, Sylvie has what she considers to be a small life: a job as a veterinary nurse, her little brain-damaged dog, Curtains, and a new friend Chloe who she met on the beach. When the therapist delivers some devastating news, Sylvie has to imagine new and lasting ways of coping (that don’t include being adopted by the therapist). Her world has begun to open up, inching beyond the fear that has confined her until now, and she must decide whether she’s ready for a bravery of feeling. In this stunning debut novel, Adelaide Faith encapsulates the great vulnerability, difficulty and joy of being alive. 'There is so much rare humour and insight and sweetness and humanity … and a true and ringing voice' Sheila Heti, author of Pure Colour ‘A spare, associative novel of projection and self-acceptance’ New Yorker 'A tragicomic portrait of a mind in the process of healing' The Cut 'Witty and irreverent … Readers will fall in love' Publishers Weekly 'A jaw-dropping, exhilarating, completely original high-wire act' Jessica Stanley, author of Consider Yourself Kissed 'With tenderness and never force, Happiness Forever reminds us that the most meaningful choices can be the small, everyday things that simply string a life together' Pandora Sykes, author of How Do We Know We're Doing It Right? ‘For fans of Convenience Store Woman and Pond’ Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti ‘Surprising and funny … poignant and philosophical … a book I won't soon forget’ Chelsea Hodson, author of Tonight I'm Someone Else Readers love Happiness Forever⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: 'Utterly beguiling … a truly memorable read' 'Quite honestly couldn’t put it down' 'An utter joy to read! I loved it from start to finish. For fans of Big Swiss!' 'A beautifully crafted debut, filled with heart, wit and a deep understanding of what it means to be human' 'Humorous, bizarre and touching … A very strong debut!' 'So charged and insightful and provocative … I recommend it highly'

Happiness Forever

Brought to you by Penguin. The heartwarming Japanese bestseller for fans of Matt Haig, Fredrik Backman and THE CAT WHO SAVED BOOKS 'Library. What a nice-sounding word. So comforting. I feel like I'm a student again. Library ... Am I allowed to borrow books?' 'What are you looking for?' asks Tokyo's most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. She is no ordinary librarian. Naturally, she has read every book on her shelf, but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of anyone who walks through her door. Sensing exactly what they're looking for in life, she provides just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it. Every borrower in her library is at a different crossroads, from the restless retail assistant - can she ever get out of a dead-end job? - to the juggling new mother who dreams of becoming a magazine editor, and the meticulous accountant who yearns to own an antique store. The surprise book Komachi lends to each will have transformative consequences. Magical and uplifting, What You Are Looking for is in the Library is about the wondrousness of libraries and the power of books for change. Highlighting all the tiny comforts of being alive, it is a story that no reader will ever forget. ©2023 Michiko Aoyama (P)2023 Penguin Audio

What You Are Looking for is in the Library

Brought to you by Penguin. THE UNFORGETTABLE MILLION-COPY JAPANESE BESTSELLER BY THE AUTHOR OF LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR Brimming with suspense and heartbreak, the million-copy Japanese fantasy mystery for fans of BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD and LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR Is there anyone you wish to see? So asks the smart young man, Ayumi, to his clients who have come to him for a reunion with the person who once changed their life. But it is no ordinary reunion The people they ask to see have passed away. Calling himself the go-between, Ayumi lays down strict rules around the meetings between the living and the dead: the deceased cannot have been summoned by anyone else; they may refuse; and they must meet under a full moon. - Anxious Hirase asks to see the celebrity who showed her kindness at a critical moment; - An arrogant family man wants clarity about a will from his beloved mother; - After a bike accident, a school girl has a question for her former best friend; - A salary man wants to ask the only woman he ever loved what caused her to run away. With each reunion, tantalizing clues are scattered for readers to piece together the emotional truth behind the go-between in this mesmeric and unputdownable tale of kindness, compassion and connection. Who would you like to see? Watch out for HOW TO HOLD SOMEONE IN YOUR HEART, the sequel to LOST SOULS MEET UNDER A FULL MOON coming soon. 'Recalls early Murakami. An enchanting read' FT First published in Japan under the title TSUNAGU or GO-BETWEEN ©2025 Mizuki Tsujimura (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon

When lies are everywhere, how far will you go for the truth? A tense eco-drama with an explosive twist from the million-copy selling author of Girl, Missing. Fourteen-year-old Maya cannot believe she has to spend the summer with her grandmother, helping out at the family cosmetics firm. But things get much more exciting when she meets a community of activists who are campaigning against the dumping of chemical waste. Getting closer to one boy in particular, Bear, Maya is dared into joining one of their protest missions, but doesn't know that her grandmother's business is the target. Someone has been lying about their environmentally-friendly products, and as danger threatens, Maya must uncover the truth or betray her family forever. In this edge-of-your-seat drama exploring the line between truth and lies, join millions of listeners in discovering bestselling teen thrillers from Sophie McKenzie. 'Sophie’s thrillers are in a league of their own – nobody does it better' Phil Earle, author of When the Sky Falls

Truth or Dare

Two sisters, two very different lives: the next edge-of-your-seat thriller by Sophie McKenzie, bestselling author of Girl Missing Asha has spent her life on an island community built on the principle of truth. But she discovers she has been lied to about something huge – a secret sister called Willow. Willow has always believed her twin sister died years ago. So when she receives a message in the middle of the night from a girl claiming to be Asha, she doesn’t know what to think. Can they piece together the truth about their pasts and find their way back to each other?

Secret Sister

Secrets and Lies are everywhere you look! And the storm is coming! The new teen thriller from Sophie McKenzie, the bestselling author of Girl Missing Hollie has spent her whole life on the quiet south coast. She's faced some tough challenges, but then who hasn't? When she and her best friend, Parker, start a research project on the local sea-wall defences, the last thing she expects is to uncover a trail of lies that lead her – and those she loves most – into terrible danger. Soon Hollie finds herself at the centre of a growing storm, where she must fight to save everything: her friends, her family and her life . . . Praise for Girl, Missing: 'Page-turning' The Independent 'Will have you gripped for hours' Sunday Express 'Please read this book: it is brilliant!; The Guardian 'Whenever I hear the phrase YA thriller I only ever think of one name - and that's Sophie Mckenzie. Why? Because noboody does it better' Phil Earle, award-winning author 'Sophie's thrillers are brilliant... you can't stop reading' Robert Muchamore, bestselling author 'Brilliantly described, scary and touching' The Daily Mirror 10 YEARS OF AWARDS FOR Girl, Missing Manchester Children's Book Awards Bolton Children's Book Award Soilhill Book Award Winner of the Sakura Medal Red House Children's Book Award Richard and Judy Best Kids' Book Lewisham Children's Book Award

Storm of Lies

An astonishing and evocative debut from a new voice in crime fiction. Holly Blain wants to cover real news. The entertainment beat — pop stars and teen trends — was not why she moved to Tokyo. When she meets Inspector Tetsu Tanaka, head of Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police’s Gaikoku-jin unit, it might just be her big break. Tanaka isn’t so sure. Always one to do things by the book, he’s hesitant about bringing this headstrong reporter into his carefully controlled investigation. But young women keep disappearing and Tanaka is given no choice. He and Blain must trust each other if they are to stop a tormented killer from bringing his twisted plan to its shocking conclusion. Filled with twists and turns, this unforgettable thriller is JJ Ellis’ first novel.

The Flower Arranger

They want — if you like — to have that tiny taste of death. Holly Blain and Inspector Tanaka are back on the case. Despite their tumultuous relationship when taking down the Otaku killer, the unlikely pair find themselves teaming up once more to stop a new murderer who is plaguing Tokyo. Recently, there has been an increase in poisonings from the delicacy fugu. But with strict preparation guidelines for the toxic fish, Blain and Tanaka fear these are more than just accidents. And when a pattern of targeting foreigners emerges, the recent crimes can only be linked to an extremist xenophobic group gathering attention in Japan. Up against a criminal organisation bent on making a deadly point, Tanaka and Blain must risk everything to solve a case that might just go all the way to the top. Grabs you by the lapels from the first sentence. Brutal, beautiful, and dripping with darkness, JJ Ellis has served up a riveting mystery.” NICOLÁS OBREGÓN, author of Blue Light Yokohama, on The Flower Arranger

The Fish Club

Brought to you by Penguin. Potent and vividly emotional, Simone de Beauvoir’s captivating novel questions freedom and individual responsibility in the face of brutality ‘These carefree faces, on which we allowed our smiles to spread, were for others the mask of tragedy.’ Jean Blomart, patriot leader against the German forces of occupation, waits throughout an endless night for his wounded lover, Hélène, to die. Told through memories of his and her life, The Blood of Others paints an intense and moving picture of their love story and life in German occupied Paris during the Second World War. In the face of a seemingly unstoppable force, Hélène and Jean are confronted by the illusion of freedom and made to question their individual roles in the collective struggle against fascism, with devastating consequences. First published in 1945, this powerful novel resonates profoundly today and brings the ideas of one of the most important existentialist thinkers to life in spellbinding prose. © Simone de Beauvoir 1945 (P) Penguin Audio 2024

The Blood of Others

Brought to you by Penguin Flo is sick of Tokyo. Suffering from a crisis in confidence, she is stuck in a rut, her translation work has dried up and she's in a relationship that's run its course. That's until she stumbles upon a mysterious book left by a fellow passenger on the Tokyo Subway. From the very first page, Flo is transformed and immediately feels compelled to translate this forgotten novel, a decision which sets her on a path that will change her life... It is a story about Ayako, a fierce and strict old woman who runs a coffee shop in the small town of Onomichi, where she has just taken guardianship of her grandson, Kyo. Haunted by long-buried family tragedy, both have suffered extreme loss and feel unable to open up to each other. As Flo follows the characters across a year in rural Japan, through the ups and downs of the pair's burgeoning relationship, she quickly realises that she needs to venture outside the pages of the book to track down its elusive author. And, as her two protagonists reveal themselves to have more in common with her life than first meets the eye, the lines between text and translator converge. The journey is just beginning. From the author of The Cat and the City, Four Seasons in Japan is a gorgeously crafted book-within-a-book about literature, purpose and what it is to belong. ©2023 Nick Bradley (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Four Seasons in Japan

Brought to you by Penguin. WINNER OF THE 2022 AKUTAGAWA PRIZE The power dynamics of the office are never more obvious than when it comes to food: mandatory lunches with the boss, the colleague who tries to curry favour with home-baked goods, discovering the discarded remnants of someone else's late-night binge . . . In their Saitama office, Ashikawa is the kind of woman Nitani knows he will likely marry: sweet, obliging, and determined to wean him off his addiction to instant noodles. But he finds himself increasingly unable to respect her – or the sugary treats she shares around the workplace, winning their colleagues’ affection with baking rather than hard work. Oshio is bolder and uninhibited – she is Nitani's drinking buddy. In the oppressive office atmosphere, the pair grows closer, both outsiders struggling with the rigid status quo. Driven to behave in increasingly absurd ways by the workplace rules that govern their lives, they must navigate the tensions of modern life: between leisure and hard work; indulgence and restraint; the promise of delicious food, and the reality of a lonely pot noodle. © Junko Takase 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

May You Have Delicious Meals

Brought to you by Penguin. From the multi-million-copy bestselling author of LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR and LOST SOULS MEET UNDER A FULL MOON Ayumi is a young man with special powers to bring back the dead to meet the living. A gift passed down in his family, he is able to arrange meetings according to strict rules and always under a full moon. After years in this role, he begins to question its meaning, and how his powers affect his own desires in the real world. Meanwhile, he helps out five characters: -A young film star finds resolution with the father who abandoned him, but not as he expected; - An amateur historian is obsessed to meet a minor warlord of the sixteenth century; -Ayumi anxiously juggles two meetings on the same evening, both have lost their daughters; -A former cook, whose request to visit an upper-class young woman in the afterlife has been repeatedly rejected, is finally granted his wish. Find out how Ayumi and his clients learn to lose their regrets, open up to the unexpected, and cherish what they already have in this profound and moving novel by Japan's leading storyteller. © Mizuki Tsujimura 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

How to Hold Someone in your Heart

A fascinating journey through the wisdom and wonders of Japan In love with all things Japan or looking to absorb a little Japanese wisdom into your daily life? From the philosophies of ikigai and wabi sabi to kitsch karaoke nights and futuristic robot restaurants; traditional tea ceremonies and tranquil onsen dwellings to cosplay culture and J-Pop megastars; Japan is full of intriguing contradictions. Though renowned for its ultramodern capital Tokyo - a sprawling neon-lit metropolis straight from the pages of a science fiction novel - Japan is still deeply rooted in ancient tradition. And while the country runs with clockwork precision, the cultural life of its inhabitants is transformed with the changing of the seasons, a testament to the enduring power of nature's rhythms. Alive with facts, history and inspiration, Be More Japan unlocks the secrets behind modern Japanese living - whether you're eating sushi in London or enjoying the cherry blossoms in San Francisco. And if you're dreaming of a future trip to Japan, this audiobook will get you closer to your destination before you've even departed. ©2024 DK Eyewitness (P)2024 DK Audio

Be More Japan

Brought to you by Penguin. The award-winning, bestselling Japanese phenomenon. A propulsive, prophetic novel about the beauty of language and the nature of identity in the age of AI. Welcome to the Japan of tomorrow. Here, the practice of a radical sympathy toward criminals has become the norm and a grand skyscraper in the heart of Tokyo is planned to house wrongdoers in compassionate comfort – Sympathy Tower Tokyo. Acclaimed architect Sara Machina has been tasked with designing the city's new centrepiece, but is riven by doubt. Haunted by a terrible crime she experienced as a young girl, she wonders if she might inherently disagree with the values of the project, which should be the pinnacle of her career. As Sara grapples with these conflicting emotions, her relationship with her gorgeous – and much younger – boyfriend grows increasingly strained. In search of solace, in need of creative inspiration, Sara turns to the knowing words of an AI chatbot… Awarded Japan's highest literary prize, Sympathy Tower Tokyo is an extraordinary novel from one of the most exciting new voices in world literature. Partly inspired by conversations with an artificial intelligence, it offers an extraordinary defence of the power of language written by humans, a touching exploration of the imaginative impulse, and an often hilarious send up of our modern world's unrelenting conformity. 'Stuns and illuminates. Sympathy Tower Tokyo is an ode to language and possibility and the ongoing question of how to be in an ever-changing world.' Bryan Washington, author of Memorial 'A brilliantly ambitious struggle and mediation on language, thought and existence. A wondrous book', Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, author of Chain-Gang All-Stars © Rie Qudan 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Sympathy Tower Tokyo

"Some things we know are present cannot be seen with our eyes." This Japanese belief has existed for thousands of years. Through tidying up and discarding their possessions, characters in these stories come face-to-face with their memories and realize that some things exist but cannot be seen with their eyes. Each story touches on the moment when people realize what happiness in life means and choosing things that truly spark joy. In these stories, Miko, a professional tidying consultant based on Marie, helps people tidy their homes and identify items that bring them joy. Along with her companion, an opinionated talking box named Boxter, Miko has a special power that no one else knows about - the ability to hear the voices of objects in a room. The stories are comical, compelling and emotional and Miko's tidying skills are frequently challenged.

Whispering Rooms

relevance|desc

publishdate|desc

publishdate|asc

rating|desc

title|asc

author_lastname|asc

BookBeat gives you access to 1 million audiobooks right on your mobile. Find your next favourite by browsing through our top lists and categories.

Do you like to read books? Discover 1 million e-books at BookBeat. Pick and choose from different genres, such as best-sellers, crime, romance, non-fiction and much more!

Get access to 1 million e-books on your phone. Browse and find your next favorite read today!

Audiobooks – Find your next audiobook

With BookBeat you can explore more than 1 million audiobooks and e-books on your mobile or tablet. Try for free and enjoy a world of stories at BookBeat.

BookBeat - Audiobooks and e-books directly in the mobile. Try for free!

Unless you're out on an adventure, it's better to sign up at the website of {country}.

You can browse and find the most popular authors and books in the BookBeat app here. We’ve got a great selection of various authors and genres, this list will definitely inspire you to a great reading experience in the app!

{authorName} books - BookBeat

{NarratorName} as narrator - BookBeat

Are you on the hunt for your new favourite narrator, or do you have a favourite that you want to listen to even more? We've got you covered! We've gathered all of the most popular narrators and the books they’ve narrated here.

Search - BookBeat

Title

Person doing dishes and listening to BookBeat

Narrator

Hanako Footman

Get started with BookBeat today

About us

Follow us

Help and contact

Information

BookBeat

Download BookBeat