Mami Suzuki: Private Eye

by Simon Rowe

2024 Ngaio Marsh Award — Best First Novel nominee
#1 Bestseller (Women Sleuths) — Amazon Japan, Singapore
Tokyo Weekender magazine — Autumn 2024 book club choice

Beneath the sheen of its orderly streets and obedient populace, all is not well in the port city of Kobe. Business is as brisk as the Haru-ichiban spring breeze for Mami Suzuki, hotel clerk by day, private investigator by night.

Who's stealing from Japan's biggest pearl trader? Where's the master sushi chef and why are his knives missing? How did the tea ceremony teacher's brother really die? And what does an island of cats have to do with a pregnant Shinto shrine maiden?

From the Kobe wharfs to the rugged Japan Sea coast, the subtropics of Okinawa, and a remote island community in the Seto Inland Sea, each new adventure ends with a universal truth - that there are two sides to every story of misfortune.

Genres: Mystery, Japan, Fiction, Detective

212 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2023

About the author

Simon Rowe has lived in Japan for more than 28 years, winning numerous awards for his short fiction and screenplays, including Good Night Papa (2013 Asian Short Screenplay Contest) and Pearl City: Stories from Japan and Elsewhere (2021 Best Indie Book Award).

His stories about Japanese life and culture have appeared in The Paris Review, the New York Times, TIME (Asia), the South China Morning Post, The Straits Times, The Australian, and the Australian Financial Review

He is originally from New Zealand.

Reviews

[hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This goes so enjoyably fun than I expected. Amateur sleuth character always excites me and I like its quirky cozy mystery theme a lot. 4 settings along the Japan Sea coast and its scenic port city and island, I followed Mami Suzuki—a hotel clerk by day and a private investigator by night—in her adventure to solve 4 cases that came in string after one another. From a suspected pearl theft to a missing chef husband, a drowning death tragedy and a runaway novice priest, Suzuki brought me to uncover the puzzling whydunnit and whodunnit also how her quick-witted personality and compassion could led her to an unexpected luck in solving the mysteries.

I love the cases’ expositions and how each affectingly grasped a plot on familial, relationship and one’s morality concern. The storytelling was pleasingly tense and twirled into an intriguing suspenseful progress that later intrigued me with Suzuki’s deductions and revelations. A cool, reasonable and perceptive character of Suzuki that I admired and cute Teizo as her Watson; love him too much, their interactions and those hints of love in the air really adding more dynamic to the plot. I like how the author crafted Suzuki’s background with an enthralling perspective of a single mother premise highlighting on the pressure and prejudice that one might encountered. Totally a fan to Suzuki’s mother for her witty short remarks that always amused me.

I was hoping this can be a series considering how the last case was wrapped with Teizo and his idea. Utterly endearing for a detective plot, so delightful and captivated me to crave for more. Adding Suzuki to my list of fav fictional detectives!

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy to review!

[Nique 💫 chroniqled ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow i loved this book. full review to come!!

[Norshafarina Faharuddin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Latest update 17th Feb 2025

Mami Suzuki: Private Eye by Simon Rowe

It feels like I am traveling with Mami Suzuki in Japan, helping her solve customer cases.
Honestly, this is my first time reading a story about an amateur sleuth who is a woman, and I really enjoy the way she solves cases. I can say that all her cases do not require police involvement or a formal investigation.

The story is set in one of Japan's port cities, Kobe. Mami Suzuki, a hotel clerk by day and a private investigator by night, is a single mother who also takes care of her mother. She works two jobs to support her family.

From the theft at Japan's biggest pearl trader to the disappearance of a master sushi chef and his knives, to the mysterious death of a tea ceremony teacher's brother, and the connection between an island of cats and a pregnant Shinto shrine maiden, Mami Suzuki takes us on a journey while analyzing each case and lets us ride along with her thought process to solve each case.

Character-wise, besides Mami Suzuki, who is a determined and resourceful single mother juggling multiple responsibilities with grace, I love her undefined relationship with Teizo, who is also her so-called personal advisor. I think Teizo is truly knowledgeable and full of wisdom. Another aspect I like is how her clients find out about her and reach her with full trust.

Overall, this is a fun read for me, and I want to change my rating from 4 to 5 stars.

[PJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10! I really enjoyed this as my first detective-y story. definitely got some recs for kobe

[Bella Azam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mami Suzuki is such a cool woman. Her coolheaded, observant, intuitive nature made hera likeable person and a splendid private eye. Mami Suzuki is a single mom caring for her old mother while struggling to pay the bills with her job as hotel clerk thus her side job as a private eye is a choice she made for side income. And she excelled well in it. This book told four different cases that have some interconnections with each whether its the person who hired her or people near them. What makes me like the book is the simplicity of it, the coziness that came from solving mysteries, not murder or heavy crime but more on family issues, suspicions, missing person case, some slight demeanour in the company and how each of these cases have their own values to be learned. In the end, humans make mistakes but they can be rectified and forgiven if the parties involved make amend for their mistakes.

The first story talked about Suzuki being hired to investigate suspicious hunch by the CEO of missing pearls and led us to slowly unravel the mystery behind it & why it happened. Suzuki herself can relate to the situation which showcased her compassion once she solved it. The second one is more tied closely to family bond with a missing husband and a father which led her to a trip to the seaside to search for the man. The descriptions of the places with focus on cultural belief and history attached to the town is so nice to read. The 3rd one is on a mystery of the drowning of an older brother requested by the sister for Suzuki to investigate the sister in law. This was quite sad in some sense & we learned how complex sometimes when a person reached retirement, they will feel lost in their life. The last story bring Suzuki to locate another missing person & this time its a young priest in training whom fled upon rumor of him as the father to the child of the pregnant Miko. So we discovered yet again a town that was beautifully described with cultural contexts with the place. I appreciate the sentiments and how comforting this book is. Its simple but profoundly endearing in execution. Also love the dynamic between Mami and Tetsuo, can we get more middle aged couple who just seems to enjoy each other company & perhaps with feelings attached

Thank you to Times Reads for review copy in exchange for an honest review

[Hestia Istiviani · Rating 3 out of 5]

No. Private Eye is not stalker. Nor private detective.

“Private investigation was a lot like boarding a rush-hour kaisoku train. There was an art involved. One had to push, but not be too pushy.”

Let me introduce you. Mami Suzuki, an ordinary worker at noon, a Private Eye at night. She dwelled in unique cases which brings her to unexpected relationship about family—mother and daughter, husband and wife, mentor and mentee.

There are 4 cases in this 150ish pages book. Not directly connected from one to another but happened in chronological timeline. And not also the plot it self—this is one of my favorite part from the book— @simon_rowe also “builds” Mami Suzuki into someone who developed herself from case to case. How she engaged with client(s) helped her to rethink about her future career.

Anyway, those 4 cases are interesting enough for me. Not too fast and not too slow. First part of the case always start with explanation about the client, and the rest focused on how Mami Suzuki did her job—travel around Japan also included.

For readers of detective theme, Mami Suzuki: Private Eye could be your option whenever you need a “light” book to get over from reading slump (it works on me!! 😆)

[Tia Ayu Sulistyana (tiareadsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

•read•
4/5⭐️

Set in the port city of Kobe, Japan, the story centers on Mami Suzuki, who works as a hotel clerk by day and a private investigator by night. She works two jobs to support her family as a single mother taking care of her four-year-old kid and her elderly mother.

This book has four different cases that have emerged sequentially and are all interconnected in some way. In contrast to detectives who work on cases involving homicides and felonies, Suzuki's cases as a private investigator cover nearly any kind of case. From a suspected pearl theft from Japan's biggest pearl trader to the disappearance of a master sushi chef, the truth about the tragically deceased brother of a tea ceremony teacher, and a novice priest on the run. Suzuki took it all.

Her keen observing skills, quick wit, compassion, and great deductions allow her to solve any mystery with ease. Suzuki's character development is also obvious in each case, and by the time it's all over, she understands how much potential she possesses. Alongside the investigation, this novel takes you not only to places around Japan but also shows a glimpse into Japanese culture and way of life.

I've never read anything by Simon Rowe before, but I enjoy this one! The story's storytelling is compelling, and the pace is just right—neither too fast nor too slow. For me, reading this novel is intriguing and refreshing because I love reading mysteries, thrillers, and detective fiction!

All in all, if you enjoy a mystery with a 'light' detective theme, you need to read this book! All cases are unique with its simplicity and brilliantly done. I enjoyed reading this one. Each case has values to be learned. That life is a complex yet perplexing thing that should be appreciated. Furthermore, every tale of misfortune has two sides.

Oh, the ending is great! I'm curious to see where Suzuki and Teizo will take from there. Their dynamic is truly charming!🥰

Thank you Penguin SEA for sending me a copy of this book to review!🥰

#tiareadsbooks #tiawritesreviews

[Sulagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy mystery lovers! This one's for you!

Mami Suzuki is a single mother working as a hotel receptionist but secretly she's a private investigator. She has bills to pay— for her elderly mother's medications, for her daughter's school, and for her house. Hence her dual life.

This book is divided into four parts— four cases that Mami Suzuki solves. The cases that she solves are much more than juat a case. As she implores into the lives of her clients, she realizes there's much more to the story of the accused/the ones she's investigating. The book is about life, it's unpredictability, about relationships and everything else.

This little book also serves as a travel guide to Japan. From Kobe which is the heart of Japan's pearl trading to the cat island in Japan, you'll travel all across Japan with Mami Suzuki and explore the food, the culture, and the people.

[alya adlina · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a great book. this is my first time reading this kind of book. a japanese literature that has investigations. very interesting plot and writing. it has four chapters and each chapter has different cases. that’s what makes it interesting. Mami Suzuki, a private eye who works investigating a case where people asked for help. idk how to describe it but it is very interesting read i need more. the ending of this book is good and i enjoyed it. reading this book make me feel like im in Japan and i love that so much. gave this book solid 4 stars. really want to read more books like this!!!

[Amaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3,75

Cerita misteri dan heartwarming sangat jarang bisa disandingkan. Makanya, pas baca ini rasanya kayak aneh. Well, sesuatu yang baru memang rasanya asing di awal, kan?

Mami Suzuki membuka bisnis sampingan sebagai detektif swasta, di samping pekerjaannya sebagai resepsionis hotel bintang lima. Keuangan yang tidak cukup untuk biaya hidup termasuk salah satu alasannya.

Per bab membahas kasus yang berbeda, tapi sebenarnya punya hubungan. Pattern yang kelihatan jelas adalah rekomendasi dari klien sebelumnya. Pertama soal pencurian mutiara, lalu salah satu tokoh di sini merekomendasikan bisnis Suzuki ke klien di bab kedua, soal menghilangnya koki sashimi. Kemudian rekomendasi berlanjut pada permintaan penyelidikan seorang kakak yang sudah meninggal dan diyakini berhubungan dengan campur tangan istrinya. Lalu, terakhir mengenai seorang kekasih yang terlalu terkejut mendapati berita kehamilan pacarnya dan memilih menghilang.

Kayaknya nggak bisa bahas panjang kali lebar soal kasusnya karena berpotensi mengarah ke spoiler. Yang pasti, alurnya mengalir--dalam arti harfiah. Alirannya tenang sampai-sampai lupa ini genrenya misteri. Genre yang lebih dikenal dengan aura seriusnya. Untuk ukuran misteri, buku ini kelewat tenang, nggak ada kesan tegangnya malah.

Bisa dibilang, buku ini sama seperti j-lit yang lain, walaupun penulisnya bukan orang Jepang asli. Kalau dipikir-pikir, penulisnya sukses memasukkan vibe j-lit tanpa ada kesan memaksa.

Intinya, buku ini bagus banget. Dari segi karakterisasi, voice karakter, semuanya pas. Yang lagi cari bacaan misteri, tapi nggak mau kebanyakan mikir, harus coba baca ini.

Oh, kecuali kasus terakhir yang bagiku agak diburu-buru dan agak nggak jelas. Agak disayangkan kasusnya ditutup dengan cara begitu, tapi yah bagian Suzuki mempertimbangkan jadi detektif penuh waktu itu cukup membayar kekecewaan akibat kasus Pulau Kucing, sih. Agak tapi.

[Shanifiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review lengkap menyusul!

[bookmehnia · Rating 4 out of 5]

{2/2024} 4.5/5🌟 Investigative Fiction | 201 pages

“𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧”

Talking about life. Each day we go through will have its own struggles and challenges. It is just how we go through it. We might win, sometimes we lose ourselves to it. Life is never perfect. Well, I am not going to be talking philosophical, but perhaps introduce you to my new favourite investigator.

Introducing, Mami Suzuki, a 40 year old Japanese lady, a divorcee, with a very cute 4 year old daughter, Aya and living with her mom in the downtown city of Kobe. Mami had a permanent job that was to manage the front desk at the Orient Hotel. Nobody at the hotel knew that she had a double life, and that was as a private investigator outside her front desk job. She had a go-to person named Teizo, who once worked with Japan Self-Defense Force, now a retiree.

Interestingly, Mami obtained her clients by word of mouth and recommendation as she always solved a case with a thought-provoking and thinking out of the box methods, which were always proven to be successful. It was fascinating to see how she was able to come out with such solving and that was what I was looking forward to each of the case she was given - there are four in this book.

What I like about this book was how the cases she was solving were nothing like top-graded government P&C matter, but mainly very domesticated - in the sense of family, workplace, and relationship matters - which the clients certainly took seriously because of how they thought the authority won’t and maybe won’t even be regarded as important. In turn, Mami certainly took every case seriously. Mami certainly had her own principles that she lived by.

I certainly love the storytelling and how the writer incorporated Japanese cultures (food, tradition, belief, superstitions) into each story and how readers would be brought along the trip crossing the archipelago, mainly within the Honshu island, with wondrous and vividful descriptions. My mouth was certainly salivating reading the meals served for Mami.

Something troubling happened in the last case she was solving that could jeopardise her situation and it was up to Mami now to determine what she would want to do with her future and her family. Wait a minute, could there be love between Mami and Teizo? We have got to wait as we cross our fingers whether there would be a continuation to her adventure. Mami Suzuki is certainly one cool lady, only less makcik bawang than me and Vera Wong, LOL!

A recommended read if love Japan and its cultures, and investigative genre.

Thank you #timesreads for this review copy in exchange of my personal opinion.

#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #JanuaryReads #JanuaryTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #januaryinjapan #mamisuzukiprivateeye #simonrowe

[Pradnya Paramitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mami Suzuki adalah ibu satu anak yang menjalani dua kehidupan berbeda setiap harinya: siang sebagai pegawai Hotel Orient dan malam sebagai detektif swasta.

Buku ini terdiri dari 4 kasus, yang sebenarnya sederhana sekali. Yep, buku ini menunjukkan bahwa detektif nggak selalu berhubungan dengan kasus pembunuhan. Dan yang paling menarik, alasan Suzuki menjadi detektif ini sangat manusiawi: butuh uang. Manusiawi dan relate sekali, Bu Suzuki 🤣

Untuk kasus-kasusnya sendiri sebenarnya aku kurang bisa menikmati. Bukan karena terlalu sederhana, tapi proses pencarian kebenarannya itu kadang terlalu ujug-ujug. "Kinerja" Suzuki sebagai detektif di sini jadi terkesan "nggak sebagus itu", karena Suzuki terkesan mendapat bantuan tak terduga di sana-sini. Bahkan, beberapa kasus seolah terpecahkan dengan sendirinya--ya walau di beberapa poin Suzuki berhasil memecahkan kata kuncinya.

BTW, awalnya aku berpikir ini novel Jepang. Belinya sudah lama dan nggak terlalu merhatiin nama penulis. Setelah menyelesaikan cerita pertama, aku merasa aneh. Kok "taste"-nya beda dengan novel-novel Jepang yang kubava sebelumnya? Dialognya lebih efektif dan sat set, dan banyak emosi yang tergambar dalam narasinya. Setelah cek lagi, eeh ternyata yang nulis bukan orang Jepang (bahkan bukan novel Jepang karena publisher pertamanya adalah Penguin) 🤣

Tapi pengetahuan penulis soal Jepang bener-bener wow sih. Banyak banget insight tentang budaya dan filosofi-filosofi Jepang yang kudapatkan di sini.

Satu lagi, di buku ini aku mendapatkan gambaran yang jelas tentang budaya "malu" orang Jepang. Mereka tuh kalau melakukan kesalahan atau menimbulkan masalah, benar-benar merasa malu. Nggak kayak di sini, kan? Yang salah siapa, yang lebih galak siapa 🥺

[aynsrtn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Menjadi detektif swasta memiliki banyak kemiripan dengan menumpang kereta kaisoku pada jam sibuk. Ada seni yang terlibat. Dia harus bisa mendorong, tetapi tidak terlalu mendesak. Dia harus bisa mencari celah untuk masuk sambil tetap menghindari kontak. -p.236

Mami Suzuki memainkan peran ganda. Di siang hari dia menjadi pekerja di sebuah hotel, pada malam hari dan hari libur dia menjadi seorang detektif swasta. Semua ia lakukan demi memenuhi kehidupannya sebagai ibu tunggal, anak perempuannya, dan ibunya yang tinggal bersama.

Jika mengharapkan bahwa novel ini akan penuh dengan intrik kriminal, investigasi, dan penyelidikan seperti detektif pada serial Sherlock Holmes, Shinichi Kudo, Hercule Poirot, maka tidak demikian. Novel ini seperti slice of life dalam perspektif detektif.

Ada 4 kasus di novel ini. Keempatnya saling berkaitan—bukan dalam kasusnya, tapi sebagai pengguna jasa. Suzuki tidak pernah mempromosikan secara gamblang bahwa dia memiliki pekerjaan sebagai detektif swasta—apalagi pekerjaannya di hotel tidak memungkinkan untuk mengetahui pekerjaan sampingannya ini. Jadi, tahunya dari mulut ke mulut. Pun sama dengan 4 kasus di sini. Kasus kedua, kliennya masih "relasi" dengan orang yang menggunakan jasa di kasus pertama. Kasus ketiga dapatnya dari kasus kedua, dan kasus keempat relasinya dari klien kasus ketiga. Seperti MLM, hehe.

Kasusnya pun bukan kasus yang kriminal dan suspense. Tentang pencurian mutiara, orang yang "memilih" untuk hilang, tenggelamnya seseorang, dan perawan kuil yang hamil. Ya, lebih ke "meneliti". Suzuki pun tidak memakai deduksi seperti halnya novel-novel detektif lainnya.

Biasanya ku membaca novel dengan latar Jepang adalah di Tokyo. Tapi di sini mengeksplor tempat- tempat rural yang masih asing buatku. Kobe, Okinawa, Laut Pedalaman, pulau-pulau kecil lainnya. Deskripsi tempatnya pun detail sehingga membuatku serasa berkunjung ke sana.

Hubungan Suzuki dengan Teizo pun unik. Sayang tidak diceritakan bagaimana awalnya Suzuki bisa "dekat" dengan Watson-nya itu. Masa lalu Suzuki dengan mantan suaminya serta awal mula kenapa dia memilih pekerjaan sampingan sebagai detektif swasta pun tidak terceritakan.

Meski demikian, terima kasih kepada Penerbit Baca dan Berliani M. Nugrahani yang sudah menerjemahkan novel ini.

Akhir kata, novel detektif "ringan" yang membawa kita berkeliling kawasan pesisir Jepang 🏝

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the main character Mami Suzuki and I would enjoy reading more books following this character and I was invested in the cases as well as her as a character. Mami Suzuki is a single parent , moonlighting as a PI in Kobe area of Japan . The book has 4 sections each section is a separate case though slightly connected by characters word of mouth about her PI business . The stories were enjoyable — for those who aren’t in Japan it is descriptive and makes a nice guide— I am always looking for books to use for bookclubs with family and friends to expose them to Japanese culture ect. I would recommend that this book and future books if aimed at people with no knowledge of Japan have a glossary of all the Japanese words —the pronunciation and definitions added at the end —although 80% of the Japanese words in the book are described some require inferring from later discussion — someone with no Japanese skill or understanding could easily get lost - unless they glossed over it all but then some of the of the story depth would be lost as well— so I think this would help to expand the reader base to those with no Japanese or Japan knowledge . Overall the book is a fun , fast paced read with a likable , relatable character in many ways. Looking forward to Mami’s next adventures !!

[Veronica Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karena terbagi dalam 4 kasus, jadi setiap kasusnya tidak sedetailitu. Gaya penulisannya menyenangkan, sangat mudah dibaca dan alur ceritanya sederhana juga khas penulis-penulis
Jepang. Penyelesaian kasusnya tidak se-wow itu kalau dibandingkan buku misteri lainnya,
tapi Suzuki sebagai seorang detektif memberikan perspektif baru. yaitu ia sebagai seorang
orangtua tunggal dan perempuan

Dari kasus pertama sudah bikin cukup kaget akan pilihannya mengenai hasil
penyelidikannya. Tapi hal ini terus konsisten sampai kasus ke-3. Di kasus ke-4, aku punya
harapan cukup tinggi tapi cerita yang ini lebih ke shit happens' dan Suzuki akhirnya
mengambil risiko untuk mencari penghasilkan secara penuh dari menyelesaikan masalah.

[Anne Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not to be mistaken for a 'detective / crime' novel,
Mami Suzuki Private Eye' has a beautiful rhythm and cadence all of its own. Each chapter details its own gentle investgation, undertaken by solo mum Susuki whilst moonlighting from her jobon front desk of a 5-star hotel in Kobe.

I especially loved the careful descriptions of japanese city and rural life. Beautiful, it could have been longer, but I did also enjoy slowing my reading to savour it all.

Suzuki's investigations are always revealing, but she does not always reveal everything she uncovers to her clients.

[Cindie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully unusual. A smart female (mostly) that is a good private detective. Are there more on the horizon? Sign me up for the next one.

[Rizkana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Di tengah-tengah keramaian kota, siapa pun bisa bersembunyi di depan mata dengan mudahnya. Kota besar menjadikan manusia anonim."

Agak terkecoh dengan ekspektasi sendiri ketika membaca blurp buku. Entah bagaimana, yang saya antisipasi adalah dunia detektif noir, agak gelap, dingin, penuh misteri, mungkin sedikit baku hantam. Mungkin itu karena kata kunci "di balik pesona jalanan teratur", "mencuri dari pedagang mutiara terbesar", "mengapa pisaunya turut lenyap", "tewasnya saudara seorang guru", "pulau terpencil", dan "cerita nahas".

Ternyata, yang dituturkan dalam cerita ini hampir normal-normal saja, cukup dekat dengan kehidupan sehari-hari karena Mami Suzuki, tokoh utama novel ini, adalah pegawai hotel pada siang hari dan bekerja sebagai detektif swasta pada malam hari atau akhir pekannya.

Namun, mungkin itu jugalah yang menjadi daya tarik cerita ini. Menjadi detektif swasta, setidaknya di Jepang, mungkin dilakukan oleh masyarakat biasa selama ia berhasil mengantongi semacam sertifikasi. Keseharian Suzuki yang menjalani dua pekerjaan juga menarik untuk diikuti. Terkadang, dari sanalah ia mendapat semacam 'pencerahan' untuk memahami kasus yang sedang dihadapinya.

"Menjadi orang asing di sebuah kota asing dapat membebaskan seseorang dari tuntutan dan kewajiban yang dibebankan oleh keluarga dan masyarakat; di tempat asing, seseorang bisa mendapatkan privasi dan waktu untuk dirinya sendiri."

Dari segi plot, pembaca akan mengikuti empat kasus yang dihadapi Suzuki. Pertama, kasus pencurian mutiara. Kedua, kasus koki yang menghilang. Ketiga, kasus dugaan pembunuhan oleh seorang istri. Keempat, kasus pendeta yang menghilang dan perawan kuil Shinto yang hamil.

Saya cukup menyukai pilihan alur dan bagaimana setiap kasus ikut memengaruhi Suzuki, termasuk kasusnya yang terakhir. Yang agak kurang memuaskan adalah, bagaimana ia 'memilih' untuk menyelesaikan kasus pertama dan ketiga, lalu kasus keempat bahkan rasanya selesai tanpa bantuan Suzuki sama sekali. Ok, mungkin pesannya, dalam hidup dan pekerjaan, terkadang, masalah bisa menyelesaikan dirinya sendiri, tapi rasanya tidak benar ketika popularitas dan promo word of mouth Suzuki mengungkit betapa puasnya klien sebelumnya atas penyelesaian kasus Suzuki. Apanya yang diselesaikan?

"Di dunia yang penuh ketidakpastian ini, Suzuki San, ada orang-orang yang rela membayar untuk mendapatkan kepastian."

Dari segi karakter, hanya dua yang akan saya bahas, yaitu:
- Mami Suzuki adalah ibu tunggal yang memiliki dua pekerjaan untuk menghidupi keluarganya. Dari gambaran latar belakang dan semangat juangnya, saya menyukai karakternya. Ia juga digambarkan cukup tenang, pengamat, dan pemikir. Selebihnya? Seingat saya, tidak ada karakter fisik yang terlalu menonjol dan ditekankan oleh penulis. Desain sampul bukulah yang membantu saya memvisualkan seperti apa kira-kira penampilan Suzuki.

- Teizo selalu bisa diandalkan, berpengetahuan luas--baik yang bisa membantu memecahkan kasus, maupun yang sifatnya trivia, seperti ceritanya tentang sejarah penemuan karaoke dari Kobe, kokoh memberi dukungan, dan tidak bisa (tidak adil juga jika dinafikan begitu saja) dimungkiri, digambarkan masih terlihat menawan meski sudah memasuki usia paruh baya.

"Dia menuruni tangga, dan pikirannya melayang kepada seseorang yang pendapatnya selalu bisa diandalkan."

Dari segi latar cerita, penulis membawa pembaca ikut bertualang ke daerah-daerah Jepang yang, bagi saya, masih asing. Saya menikmati semua perjalanan Suzuki ke berbagai daerah-daerah terpencil di Jepang yang jarang disorot. Begitu juga dengan perjalanan daratnya menggunakan kereta atau ketika ia terpaksa harus bermalam di pulau karena badai.

Suzuki sendiri tinggal di kota pelabuhan Kobe. Banyak adegan yang diambil berlatar kesibukan kota pelabuhan, aktivitas memancing, atau kedai sushi. Di lain kasus, penulis membawa pembaca mengikuti Suzuki ke Shimane, wilayah dengan jumlah hari tanpa sinar matahari terbanyak di seluruh Jepang. Kali berikutnya, ke pulau kucing. Semua pemilihan dan penggambaran latar yang tampak jauh, terpencil, dingin, dan misterius menambah sedikit antisipasi pembaca akan kasus yang sedang dihadapi Suzuki.

"Satu-satunya ramalan yang kupercayai adalah yang kukatakan kepada diriku setiap pagi setelah aku membuka mata."
"Yaitu?"
"Hari ini adalah hari keberuntunganmu."

Dari segi gaya penulisan, satu yang ingin saya garis bawahi, selain bahwa narasi penulis cukup mengalir dan mudah diikuti, yaitu sarat konteks budaya.

Ada beberapa praktik perayaan dan kepercayaan yang disebutkan dalam alur, seperti:
- Hatsumode atau ritual mengunjungi kuil Shinto pada perayaan Tahun Baru untuk memohon kesehatan, kesejahteraan, dan kebahagiaan;
- Shichi-fuku-jin atau Tujuh Dewa Keberuntungan yang juga pelindung para nelayan dan pedagang;
- beberapa istilah stigma di Jepang, seperti johatsu (menghilang atau melarikan diri), jisatsu (bunuh diri), karosbi (kematian akibat terlalu banyak bekerja), dan hikikomori (penarikan diri dari ranah sosial); serta
- kebiasaan untuk mengembalikan jimat (omamori) ke tempat asalnya jika keberuntungannya sudah habis.

Terakhir, dari sisi efek personal buku ini bagi saya, mungkin juga satu yang paling menarik perhatian saya, yaitu kasus Shimizu yang mengangkat isu masalah manusia modern, apalagi kalau bukan: kewalahan menghadapi kehidupan.

"Shinkei-jime atau seni memutus saraf pusat untuk melumpuhkan ikan sehingga kesegaran dan rasa umaminya terawetkan. Selama ini saya merasakan kelumpuhan. Kehidupan telah melakukan shinkei-jime kepada saya. Saya hanyalah darah, daging, dan tulang tanpa perasaan. Saya tidak bisa bergerak maju, mundur, atau memutuskan apa pun untuk diri saya sendiri. Yang saya rasakan hanyalah kewajiban untuk terus bekerja, menafkahi, menanggung beban--hingga saya tidak sanggup lagi. ..."

Bagian ini, di antara kasus-kasus lainnya, paling beresonansi dengan apa yang sedang saya pikirkan. Beruntung penulis memberikan akhir yang baik untuk tokoh Shimizu.

"Lalu, saya mendapatkan pencerahan. Saya menyadari bahwa saya memiliki kekuatan untuk meninggalkan semuanya dan pergi begitu saja. Saya tidak perlu mencabut nyawa saya sendiri."

Jadi, kalau boleh merekomendasikan, apakah sebaiknya baca atau tidak? Bacalah. Ada lebih banyak hal yang dapat direnung-renungkan dan dinikmati dari buku ini dibanding catatan saya, seperti sedikit misteri, persahabatan dua orang dewasa, kenyataan hidup yang mau tidak mau selalu berbenturan dengan ekonomi dan harapan, dan awal baru yang semula mungkin terlihat menakutkan.

"Sepertinya masalah bisa menjadi pekerjaan penuh waktu."

[Nanda Qonita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like detective stories. This one is on the light side of the genre. Fun, enjoyable, and... the resolution of the cases isn't conventional. It's new to me. Making it distinctive from other detective stories.

But, I think 1 book is enough. No need for more sequels. It's just, okay :)

ps. I read the Indonesian translation.

[sesamesyrup · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐4,3/5

Novel misteri-detektif ringan yang terdiri dari 4 bab dengan kasus yang berbeda-beda ini tidak hanya menyajikan teka-teki yang mengikuti penyelidikan Mami Suzuki saja, akan tetapi juga dibawa untuk ikut merasakan berbagai pengalaman yang dilalui Suzuki, seperti saat ia menghadapi beraneka ragam sifat dan perilaku klien serta orang-orang yang dihadapinya, perasaannya dalam menghadapi kesulitan saat bekerja dengan dua profesi yang sangat berbeda, hingga mengikuti perjalanan-perjalanannya melintasi berbagai kota, desa, dan pulau-pulau dengan berbagai kegiatan dan keindahan pemandangan yang menyertainya selama perjalanannya.

Meskipun bukan ditulis oleh orang-Jepang-tulen, Simon Rowe berhasil membuat cerita berlatarkan Jepang yang luwes dan sangat detail, mungkin karena riset dan pengalamannya selama tinggal di sana selama lebih dari dua puluh lima tahun yang menjadikannya berhasil menulis cerita yang bagus dan menyenangkan untuk dibaca saat waktu luang ini.

[Loundraw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agak mirip A Suspicious Second-hand Shop (Toko Barang Bekas yang Mencurigakan) bedanya kalo Suspicious Second-hand tuh konfliknya lebih ringan sama diselingin komedi, tapi Suzuki ini konfliknya lumayan berat tapi kaya gapernah diselesain sama detektifnya aneh sih 4 kasus ini dia beruntung doang.

Detail penggambaran tempatnya tuh bagus, berasa diajak jalan jalan. Cuma ini doang yg aku suka dari buku ini. If you want something mystery with an essence of adventurous this book for you, as we join her journey in solving cases, we could also feel like we were travelling through Japan.

[nur'aini tri wahyuni · Rating 4 out of 5]

good enough sebagai pembuka series ((idk apakah ada lanjutannya atau engga, tapi ini potensial kalo mau jadi serial Mami Suzuki)).

kasusnya ringan jadi feels detektif baru nya berasa plus karna sekadar kerja sampingan jadi untuk awalawal sudah lebih dari cukup.

isinya empat kasus yg berbeda, macammacam pula penyelesaiannya. trus bukan ((atau belum?)) merambah ke kasus kriminal yg pembunuhan dll which is make sense dengan keadaan Mami Suzuki saat ini. kasus terakhirnya bikin jengkel tapi semoga blessing in disguise dah buat karakter utamanya.

[Karen]

... a debut series of linked short stories by NZ born, Japan resident author, Simon Rowe. Mami Suzuki is a hotel clerk, and a part-time private investigator, running her slowly building sideline around the day job, and her mother and young daughter at home.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ngl, I delved into this expecting a hardcore detective story but I got something else which is as equally great. This is fun and enjoyable read which takes you through different places in Japan while the main character tries to crack the mysteries of some of the most eccentric requests.

[Hujan Buku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebuah novel fiksi detektif yang bergenre slice of life

Novel ini membuat kita melihat sudut pandang lain mengenai mereka yang menjadi objek kasus yang ditangani Suzuki san

Ringan, namun meninggalkan kesan

[Andrew Innes]

A great book and very well written. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the places the main character travels through.

[DC Palter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I previously enjoyed Simon Rowe's collection of short stories, Pearl City.

My favorite of that collection was the title story, “Pearl City”, about a female private investigator named Mami Suzuki digging into the mystery of pearls disappearing from a processing factory in Kobe.

When I heard Rowe had written a new collection entirely about P.I. Suzuki, it went straight to the top of my reading queue. I wasn’t disappointed.

Mystery novels are common, short stories less so, novellas rare. Too short to publish as stand-alone books and too long for literary journals, novellas don’t fit the standard publishing model. But by collecting four novellas together, each a separate Suzuki mystery, Rowe has created something new and unique that harks back to the Sherlock Holmes collections of yesteryear.

Rowe’s Mami Suzuki consists of 4 stories, three of which are tied to unique seasons in Japan: the start of new jobs in springtime, the typhoons of summer, the gathering of Shinto gods after the autumn harvest.

Suzuki is a single mother, living in Kobe with her daughter and her own aging mother. Struggling financially, she works at the reception desk of the Orient Hotel. And like most private investigators, at least fictional ones, she drinks too much for her own good.

Like all great mystery novels, Mami Suzuki is not about the who of a whodunit but the exploration of why. The investigator has license to shine a flashlight into the hidden corners of society to understand why a husband finds the need to run away from his family, why someone is stealing pearls in affluent Kobe, and why the spirit of a dead man is unable to find peace. Rather than a police procedural that ends with the arrest of the culprit, Suzuki helps each find the reconciliation they need.

The 4 stories of the collection are:

--Pearl City: Pearls are missing from the Tokai Pearls company in Kobe. Suzuki is hired to uncover the thief.
--Land of the Gods: A top sushi chef in Kobe is missing. Suzuki heads to rural Shimane prefecture in search of him.
--Sounds of the Tide: The brother of a tea ceremony teacher in Himeji drowns in Okinawa. A fortune teller says his spirit is troubled. Suzuki looks into the circumstances of his accident.
--Isle of Cats: A young woman working at Kobe’s Ikuta Shrine is pregnant. The girl’s family hires Suzuki to find her boyfriend, an apprentice priest at the temple who has disappeared.

Working as a private investigator while holding down her hotel job and taking care of her daughter causes practical complications. Although Suzuki claims to avoid missing persons and divorce cases, standard fare for private investigators in Japan, her precarious finances mean she can’t turn down these jobs even when they require her to leave town.

In the final story in this collection, her absence from work sends her life in a fresh direction. I can’t wait to read the next installment of Mami Suzuki.

[Neysa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must say, I am giving this particular book a rating of two out of five. To be perfectly honest, I anticipated a great deal more from this publication, but my initial high expectations were left unfulfilled as I progressed through the narrative. I believe this might serve as a rather straightforward read for a casual reader if they wanted to expand their range into crime thriller mysteries genre. However, for an enthusiast reader who routinely enjoys this specific genre, the book regrettably comes across as somewhat bland. There were no compelling plot twists nor were there any particularly intriguing cases presented.
The narrative itself is merely so-so, failing entirely to provide any genuine thrills or suspense during the reading experience. It consists of four distinct cases, none of which managed to properly engage the reader with the thrills storyline. For someone like me who genuinely adores an intricate, twisting plotline and possesses many reading experience with the crime mystery and thriller genres, I found this detective novel to be quite boring overall.

Furthermore, I encountered considerable difficulty in comprehending how the author sought to depict the various backdrops of the story—specifically, the rural areas of Japan and the city of Kobe, where Mami Suzuki was tackling her cases (three in rural areas, one in Kobe). I struggled immensely to visualise what the author was trying to convey. It is possible this is due to the fact that the author himself does not reside in Japan nor Japanese , which may have hindered his ability to explain the locales area in a manner easily comprehensible to the reader. I am also unable to project any clear depiction of the setting in my mind. This is a contrast to the works of an author such as Keigo Higashino, where I effortlessly can visualise the Japanese setting, presumably because he is Japanese and understands the local ambience of the places and cities in Japan.


Despite the cons, I still very much appreciate Simon's effort to keep the book easy to read for a reader who wants to dwell into the crime mystery genre,
the translation is also quite simple to follow. Another pros quality of this book is there were several moments where the main character exhibited humour behaviour whilst working on her cases, which makes the reader entertained.
In conclusion, I shall finalise my rating for this book at 2.8 out of 5 stars.

[Ari's Library || booksandpieces · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 Since most contemporary novels focus on male detectives who've always had police force backgrounds or contacts, the choice of the protagonist being a single mother who's also a hotel receptionist, is intriguing to say the least. The text highlights the dynamics of private detective business in Kobe, via the enigmatic Mami Suzuki.
📖 In some stories, the pacing can be called leisurely at best. That is quite understandable, since the format of the book isn't meant to pursue raw thrill. Suzuki takes her time, wades through the difficulties of daily life, juggling a job and a private detective work while being a single mother with an aging parent.
📖 It is interesting to see the difference in nuances in the investigations carried out by Suzuki, and other male detectives. Since her clients usually approach her with cases that are for, a multitude of reasons, beyond the police's scrutiny, the way she interacts with her clients/suspects/witnesses, is interesting to watch.
For example, in Japan, where conservative nature is still prevalent, a woman who knows the gossip of the town would be more inclined to talk with a mother than a young bachelor of a detective. This facet aids Suzuki in a lot of ways, as her "target" demographic is different from hotshot criminals : she sets them at ease, and confessions usually flow relatively easily.
📖 This also contributes to another important concept in the book : professional dilemma. Unbound by strict professional answerability to the legal system, Mami Suzuki exercises her choice of morality and integrity whenever she sees fit, and it usually leads to interesting conclusions.
📖 Suzuki comes across as relatable, which, personally, seems to be the overarching concept of the book. There is no fastidious deduction and thrilling revelation. She takes up cases because she, like almost all middle class people, is perpetually in need of money, and we get it.
📖 I also liked the fact that the cases have a string of continuity. Acquaintances from one case lead to her getting another, posing a continuous stream of events in Suzuki's life.
📖 The book ends on a note that promises new beginnings. Here's to hoping for a sequel soon! God knows I need it. 🤭