Slow Fuse

by Masako Togawa

When one of his patients informs Dr. Uemura that he has committed a murder, the psychiatrist undertakes his own investigation into the case, uncovering a far-from-dead supposed victim, as well as a labyrinthine web of sexual decadence, dark secrets, and hidden identities. 15,000 first printing.

Genres: Japan, Crime

195 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 1995

About the author

Masako Togawa (戸川昌子) was a Japanese novelist, Chanson singer-songwriter, actress, feminist, LGBTQ+ activist, former night club owner, metropolitan city planning panelist and music educator. She was born in Tokyo, in 1933.

Masako Towaga began writing in 1961, backstage, between her stage appearances, and her first work The Master Key was published a year later, in 1962, for which she was awarded the prestigious Edogawa Rampo Prize. The story is set in the same apartment she grew up in with her mother. Her second novel, The Lady Killer , followed in 1963, becoming a bestseller. It was adapted for both TV and film, and nominated for the Naoki Prize.

She wrote more than thirty novels and was one of the most popular mystery writers in Japan, with many of her stories based on her own life experience.

She died in 2016.

Reviews

[Sae-chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as messy as the other Togawa-san's stories, but the end was. With chains of events that was like a tangled spider webs, it was definitely a Togawa's end.

Whenever I read this kind of story, I was wondering, is there any people living a simple life with a true love, just like what I used to read when I was a kid? Anybody out there that are in love, don't you ever let your love go, no matter what.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to be in the minority, but I quite enjoyed this quite short novel. The main character and all his women was a bit laughable and it’s certainly not PC for these times, but this is a very old thriller/mystery and it shows.
I found it easy enough to follow, which isn’t always the case in this genre, and certainly the motives weren’t predictable.

[Till Raether · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hardboiled detective Parodie mit einem implausibel anziehenden dauergeilen Psychiater als Ermittler. Gerade kurz genug, dass es auszuhalten ist. Die Übertreibung klassischer Krimiplotwendungen ist unterhaltsam, aber am Ende reicht es dann auch.

[Angelika · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 1/2 stars - because entertaining at times, but among the worst prose I've ever read. There is no (literary) style whatsoever. Occasionally you get the feeling it was written by a first-timer who has never read a decent book in his/her life. His/her...well not that it matters, but it's certainly interesting that you wouldn't notice the author is female if you didn't know. Her male gaze when it comes to describing women is very well-developed. Basically, most of the women present some kind of sexual threat/temptation to the main character, a psychiatrist/hobby detective who is very eager to keep a professional distance, but not always succeeds, which does not really pose a problem because he is a decent thoughtful guy. At times it's actually almost sweet.
The further in you are, the more ridiculous it gets in every respect. I wouldn't recommend this book to mystery aficionados either - there is some suspense at the beginning, but eventually the riddle gets solved on a few pages, and neither is it engaging nor shocking, just ridiculous, (it made me laugh out loud) which also has a lot do with the way that book is written - in that bland, bland, boring style with just few interesting observations. The only redeeming point of that book is its slight entertainment factor and the fact that it's just about 150 pages long. An easy read.

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uniquely AWFUL, but amusing in its awfulness.

[Elaice Fe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Verhalten sich Menschen wirklich so? Wäre der Twist gewesen, dass der Doktor die einzige Person ist, die fantasiert und psychisch krank ist, hätte das Verhalten der Charaktere für mich deutlich mehr Sinn gemacht.

[JoeG · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
The author's attempt to write a psychological thriller featuring a psychiatrist as the main character only worked sporadically. Too often he would be flummoxed by a minor character (who often came in announced and with little explanation) who would soon disappear. One such reappeared at the strange and poorly developed ending. (It did fulfill Chekhov's famous 'shotgun on the wall' theory.)

[Luisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
Ich mochte es nicht ganz so gerne wie ihr erstes Buch, war aber trotzdem eine kurze und am Ende auch spannende Story.
Natürlich sind die ganzen Frauengeschichten sehr überzogen, aber das Buch ist auch wirklich relativ alt.

[Anastasia Stasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite intriguing, but the plot is just … too much, way too much :)

[Annalena · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5/5

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5