Blue Light Yokohama

Inspector Iwata #1

by Nicolás Obregón

In a beautifully written, hauntingly original first novel, Tokyo Police Inspector Iwata, recently reinstated to a new post, is assigned to investigate a disturbing multiple murder.

Newly reinstated to the Homicide Division and transferred to a precinct in Tokyo, Inspector Iwata is facing superiors who don’t want him there and is assigned a recalcitrant partner, Noriko Sakai, who’d rather work with anyone else. After the previous detective working the case killed himself, Iwata and Sakai are assigned to investigate the slaughter of an entire family, a brutal murder with no clear motive or killer. At the crime scene, they find puzzling ritualistic details. Black smudges. A strange incense smell. And a symbol—a large black sun. Iwata doesn’t know what the symbol means but he knows what the killer means by it: I am here. I am not finished.

As Iwata investigates, it becomes clear that these murders by the Black Sun Killer are not the first, nor the last attached to that symbol. As he tries to track down the history of black sun symbol, puzzle out the motive for the crime, and connect this to other murders, Iwata finds himself racing another clock—the superiors who are trying to have him removed for good.

Haunted by his own past, his inability to sleep, and a song, ‘Blue Light Yokohama,’ Iwata is at the center of a compelling, brilliantly moody, layered novel sure to be one of the most talked about debuts in 2017.

Praise for Blue Light Yokohama:

"Obregón is a bright, sophisticated new voice in crime fiction: his writing sings at you, reverberates, makes you consider more than just the urgent clamour of his novel’s well-hewn murder plot. In Inspector Iwata, he has created a quiet, troubled hero whom readers will be sure to follow from one disturbing, atmospheric story to the next."

Benjamin Wood
(Shortlisted for The Sunday Times/Peters Fraser & Dunlop Young Writer of the Year Award 2016)



"A twisty, highly entertaining thriller that pulls us into the heart of an unconventional hero as he fights corruption in the gritty, glittering world of Tokyo."

Julia Heaberlin
(Author of Black-Eyed Susans)



"With its Japanese setting and characters, Blue Light Yokohama offers up a bold and refreshingly different take on the serial killer tale."

Simon Beckett
(Author of the David Hunter series)


"Obregón's full-bodied prose is by turns gritty and poetic, and it's consistently energetic. Given the terrific chemistry between the two lead detectives, here's hoping this debut novel kicks off a new series."

Kirkus Reviews


"Poetic, chilling and mesmerising storytelling."

Ragnar Jónasson
(Author of the Dark Iceland series)

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Japan, Fiction, Thriller, Detective, Asia

416 pages, Hardcover

First published February 2, 2017

About the author

Nicolás Obregón is a Londoner, a Madrileño, and a full-time writer. His first novel, Blue Light Yokohama, was published in 2017 across the world. It was conceived two days shy of his 30th birthday while travelling on a bullet train from Hiroshima to Kyoto.

The sequel, Sins As Scarlet, set across California and Northern Mexico, was released in 2018. The final Inspector Iwata novel, Unknown Male, came out in late 2019. In it, Iwata returns to Tokyo for one final case when an English exchange student is found murdered in the days leading up to the Olympics.

His fourth novel, a standalone about a child abductor and an Amish colony, will be released in 2025.

Having lived in London and Los Angeles, Obregón now lives in Madrid.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The lights of the city are so pretty Yokohama,
Blue Light Yokohama
I’m happy with you
Please let me hear Yokohama
Blue Light Yokohama
Those words of love from you”

With its Japanese setting, Nicolás Obregón has created an original and engrossing police procedural.

Inspector Kosuke Iwata has been transferred to a new post within the Tokyo Police Department, Homicide Division. His first assignment will be no easy task, it's a multiple murder of gruesome proportions, and involves the slaughter of the entire Kaneshiro family - Father, Mother, Son and Daughter. The crime scene reveals clues that point to a ritualistic killing, not least the symbol of a large black sun.

Iwata is your archetypal flawed cop, fighting his own personal demons, and we're gradually given insights into what shaped his life, what made him the man that he is today. We know that his transfer was the result of a personal tragedy, but the tragedy, along with his troubled childhood is only revealed to us very gradually.

As the investigation gathers pace, it becomes clear that this multiple murder wasn't the first that the Black Sun Killer had carried out, and more importantly that it won't be his last.

You'll need complete concentration for this one, as it pulls you in many directions with its twists, lies, corruption, and red herrings, but it's definitely worth it. I wondered at times how each snippet of information was going to fit into the storyline as a whole, but it all came together perfectly.

It was beautifully written, and a good start to what is to be a series.

*Thank you to Netgalley & Penguin UK Michael Joseph for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strong 4 stars for me. While it’s a slow burn, the writing is gorgeous and full bodied; I’ve never seen such horrific content described quite so beautifully. I think this is a series that will only grow stronger as it continues and I can’t wait to see where it goes. When I first was contacted about reading this one, I was in the middle of a hunt for more crime fiction featuring various cultures around the world. When I saw this book was prominently featuring Japanese culture, something I’m very unfamiliar with, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

“The lights of the city are so pretty Yokohama,
Blue Light Yokohama
I’m happy with you
Please let me hear Yokohama
Blue Light Yokohama
Those words of love from you”

-My Goodreads friend Maureen also used this quote from the book; just wanted to give her credit for using it first in a fantastic review!

The cool thing about this story, and what sets it apart from the dime a dozen other crime thrillers vying for our attention, is the tiny, unique details that create the big picture. I love how a simple song is used to create something so haunting and monstrous to tear our main character apart. The lead investigator, Inspector Iwata, is flawed and reeling from a recent personal tragedy that the reader is made aware of the details as the book continues. As I stated above, this book may not be appealing to those of a more sensitive nature; the subject matter is graphic and horrifying as it contains the slaughter of an entire family, thus leading us down the path of a dangerous series of murders that seem to be connected. However, if you choose to read this one and like books with these factors (as I clearly do), you’ll not find another novel that tells it’s story with such care and beauty; the writing style and quality are both excellent. Obregon has crafted a tale that we cannot look away from, nor would we want to if we could.

I was pleasantly surprised by the grand finale; I had not pieced together the ending and found that the many red herrings, twists, and turns were placed in a way that made the most of every opportunity. Fans of noir, foreign crime fiction, and well done police procedurals should poach this for their TBR pile. This was not the type of book you pick up to race through for sheer entertainment, but one that you savor and take in piece by piece as a learning experience. I’m pleased to say that I’m looking forward to the author’s next piece in the series and truly can’t wait to see where he takes Iwata.

*Many thanks to Martin at Minotaur Books for my copy; it was a pleasure to provide and honest review.

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Obregon's Japanese Noir debut novel set in Tokyo, the first in a series featuring Inspector Kosuke Iwata, a new addition to the homicide police division of the city. He inherits a case where the previous investigator, Hideo Akashi, killed himself by jumping off Tokyo's Rainbow bridge. Based on a real life unsolved case, it involves the macabre murders of the entire Korean Kaneshiro family, the parents and two children. The father's heart has been removed, there is evidence of rituals and a symbol on the ceiling of a large black sun. Iwata is assigned and assisted by his partner, Noriko Sakai, a woman with a disturbing history and unpopular in the department. The title of the novel is drawn from song lyrics that permeate and haunt the narrative.

Iwata is the archetypal traumatised protagonist, a man plagued by a terrifying and tragic history, so much so that you wonder if there is any further horrors could be heaped on the poor man. Unusually, he has been trained in the US. There is little in the way of tangible evidence or motive behind the killings but Iwata senses that the serial killer has not come to an end, in which he is proved to be right. He tracks down the history of the black sun symbol and uncovers other murders in the past that have been associated with the black sun. Further murders and apparent suicides take place that include a famous film star and the widow of a judge. In the search for connections Iwata goes to Hong Kong. Finding himself isolated, Iwata races against time and under threat of having the case taken away from him as he encounters the 'Children of the Black Sun' cult and their mesmerising leader, Takashi Anzai.

This is a beautifully written novel with a dark intricate plot that disturbs. It is tense and suspenseful, full of twists and red herrings. The investigation uncovers lies and secrets, and the issues of police and political corruption. Obregon has created and developed a complex character in Kosuke Iwata, a man you want to know more about and I can easily see him sustaining a series. One of the perks of reading this book is the author's depiction of Tokyo and Japanese culture and the vibrant details that bring it to life. An enthralling and entertaining read that I recommend. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The rain that fell on the city runs down the dark gutters and empties into the sea without even soaking the ground”

----Haruki Murakami


Nicolás Obregón, a British-Spanish author, has penned his debut nail-biting and page-turning thriller, Blue Light Yokohama which is the first book in a brilliantly epic crime fiction series, Inspector Iwata . A tough Tokyo cop is assigned on a second hand case, of the brutal murder of a family of four in their own home with only one clue of a painting of a black sun, alongside an assistant lady detective, together who unravel lots of mysteries surrounding the Japanese culture, the in house corruption in the police department and their broken pasts, the ghosts of which are now coming alive. So despite of the resistance from his seniors, the tough cop is hard bend to catch the killer before the killer strikes again or before he is kicked out of the force.


Synopsis:

Setagaya ward, Tokyo
Inspector Kosuke Iwata, newly transferred to Tokyo's homicide department, is assigned a new partner and a secondhand case.

Blunt, hard as nails and shunned by her colleagues, Assistant Inspector Noriko Sakai is a partner Iwata decides it would be unwise to cross.

A case that's complicated - a family of four murdered in their own home by a killer who then ate ice cream, surfed the web and painted a hideous black sun on the bedroom ceiling before he left in broad daylight. A case that so haunted the original investigator that he threw himself off the city's famous Rainbow Bridge.

Carrying his own secret torment, Iwata is no stranger to pain. He senses the trauma behind the killer's brutal actions. Yet his progress is thwarted in the unlikeliest of places.

Fearing corruption among his fellow officers, tracking a killer he's sure is only just beginning and trying to put his own shattered life back together, Iwata knows time is running out before he's taken off the case or there are more killings . . .

Blue Light Yokohama is crime fiction at its very best - gripping, haunting, atmospheric and utterly captivating.


A Tokyoite named Kosuke Iwata joins the Tokyo PD as a homicide cop to handle the already forgotten second hand case of a former senior detective who apparently killed himself by throwing himself off a bridge maybe because of all the stress and the strain of this murder case of a Korean family in the heart of the city, right in their home by a psychopath, who took away the heart of the father of the family, only leaving behind the painting of a black sun on the ceiling. Right from the very first step into Tokyo PD, Iwata has only faced resistance from his colleagues as well as seniors, but alongside his gutsy sidekick detective, Sakai, Iwata is determined to resolve the case by catching killer. Little did he knew, that his haunting past and a broken personal life would come around to challenge him besides the gruesome mystery, that made him travel to unknown places, like Hong Kong, the underbelly of the city, the countryside and to the upscale sections of the city, and also that made him risk his own life. Can together Iwata and Sakai, despite of their undeniable chemistry between them, catch the killer and put an end to the rise of the body count?

Just like the author's fascination, Japan also fascinates me a lot, and my fascination also comes from being a die-hard Japanese cartoons' fan. So after reading the sysnopsis, mainly because of the story's backdrop, I could not pass up the opportunity of reviewing this book. And boy, oh boy, this book had me gripped right from the prologue to the very last page of the book. And not to mention, this story left me with a huge hangover with Iwata's grief, joy and broodiness and all thing and everything Japanese. And thanks to the author for taking me on a trip to my dream city of Tokyo through this incredibly riveting thriller that is bound to seep into the readers' hearts, souls and minds to imprint into them, thereby leaving them aching for more after its end. Well I definitely am aching, pinning and longing for more of Iwata's adventures. Moreover, when the story ended on a major cliffhanger, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book from this series.

The author brings alive Japan in this book, and paints the picture vividly with neon lights flooding the darkness, the chaos of the people, the sharp angled sky-scrapping buildings, the dingy alleys smelling of soy sauce, the dirty canals and the gutters sometimes coming into view in some old neighborhood, the smell of incense, the madness in technology, the energy amongst its people, the whooshing of the fast trains, the quaint and quiet countryside surrounded by hills and mountains, the traditional hanging lamps and many other tiny details that will let the readers easily visualize the city of Tokyo right before their own eyes. The authentic flair and flavor of Japan is strikingly captured by the author, and that only proves his immense love for this fascinating city. He doesn't only stop there, he also brings alive some forgotten Japanese culture, cult stories, that will let the readers experience the unseen and unheard side of Japan through this tale.

The author's writing style is excellent, laced with edgy tension and evocative emotions to not only intrigue the readers, but also to let the readers feel deeply. The narrative is engaging, rich and heavily laden with a lyrical prose that is easy to comprehend with. The one downside of this book would be its slow pace, as the story unfolds at a snail's pace and thrillers need to be a fast burner to make it intriguing. But this one dragged often. The mystery concocted by the author is tightly wrapped under layers of unpredictable twists and turns that will only challenge the readers' minds and keep them anticipating till the very last page. The mystery is more like a drug, it only keeps getting addictive eventually with the course of the story line. The twists and turns are so much demanding and complex, that the readers won't afford to look away from the book even for once.

The characters are simply brilliant, in fact, they astounded me with all their flaws and charms. The main character, the protagonist, Iwata, is an exceptionally fantastic hero, whose flaws, shattered past, that is eventually unraveled by the author, personal life drama, intensity of his thoughts, intellect, everything makes him only dark, real and honest to the very core. Iwata keeps a strong grip into the minds of the readers all through out the story line, and by the end of the book, the readers are bound to feel like they know Iwata by the back of their hands. The secondary and supporting cast are also strikingly and very well crafted out.

In a nutshell, this book is epic, it thrills, it absorbs, it challenges, it enlightens, it evokes feelings and Obregón has made it to my favorite crime fiction authors' list.


Verdict: A new crime writer on the block that we need to look out for and a must read page-turning thriller!

Courtesy: Thanks to the author as well as his publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.

[Bookaviz · Rating 5 out of 5]

رمانای جنایی دو دسته هستن
دسته اول خدای هیجانن و موقع خوندن نفست میگیره، دسته دوم مرموز و پیچیدن و موقع خوندن همه چیو با هم قاطی میکنی
چراغ های آبی یوکاهاما جز دسته دوم بود و با وجود اینکه من با این سبک کتابای رازآلود و کشف معما خیلی خوب ارتباط نمیگیرم، دوسش داشتم❤️

ایواتا، ساکایی، هاتاناکا، جنیفر، خانم اوبی و تمام کاراکترای این رمان مدام تو سرم چرخ میخورن و می بینم که چطور یه عالمه چیز بی ربط به هم، کلی به هم ربط داشتن👌
خوندنشو پیشنهاد میکنم؟ آره، بخونین کتاب خوب و قشنگی بود❤️

بعدا نوشت: خیلی وقته که از خوندنش میگذره ولی داستان اصلا از ذهنم بیرون نمیره، برای همین برگشتم تا ۴ ستارشو ۵ تا کنم😌✨

[Roya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
روند داستان یه مقدار کند بود و اوایل خیلی گنگ و مبهم بود ولی با پیشرفت داستان، بهتر شد.
با توجه به قتل‌های سریالی که اتفاق میفتاد، یه مقدار تعداد کرکترها زیاد بود و بعضی‌وقتا گم می‌کردم‌شون و یادم می‌رفت کی به کیه ولی خود پرونده‌ی جنایی هیجان‌انگیز بود.
به نظرم اگر فیلمش رو بسازن خیلی باحال میشه.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit to being drawn to novels set in Japan and was keen to read this. It is the first in a proposed series featuring Inspector Kosuke Iwata. Iwata is a typical maverick cop – trained in the US, he stands up to the bullies who make his new, female, partner’s life a misery and has a background filled with tragedy. His first case, along with partner, Sakai, has been given to him after the previous investigating officer, Hideo Akashi, committed suicide and involves the murder of an entire family.

This is an interesting premise and based upon a real cold case. The Kaneshiro family were a Korean family, who have been horribly, and possibly ritualistically, murdered. Who would murder an entire family and what do the symbols, left behind at the scene mean? Despite the novel being set in Japan, and it being an extremely good crime story, I felt that this story really could have been set anywhere. It quickly turns into a typical serial killer thriller, albeit with a possibly bizarre and ritualistic angle.

Without doubt, this is beautifully written, but I was a little disappointed that the plot quickly became something quite familiar and I felt the author could have used the differences between Japan and the West more than he did. Obviously, Iwata being trained in the US may help him feel more comfortable to readers, but I think this novel could have been great for emphasising the differences, rather than the similarities. That said, a good start to a series and an interesting plot. I received copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Warrengent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping read that will have you in awe of Nicolas obregon writing abilities, kosuke iwata is on the hunt for the black sun killer a serial killer who leaves no trace of DNA or any other clues, other than a mural. Kosuke iwata after a long absence due to personal tragedy joins Tokyo metropolitan police division one and so begins a two week investigation that after its conclusion will leave you stunned and shocked. I truly believe this will be a massive bestseller and I can't wait for the sequel

[Samane Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

بالاخره بعد از مدتها یه رمان جنایی ترو تمیز و خفن!
بازرس ایواتا بنظرم شبیه رورونورا زورو بود (یکی از کاراکترای وان پیس، سریالش، نه انیمه) برای همین بیشتر می‌چسبید و شخصیتشو دوست داشتم...کتاب همه چیز داشت: قتل‌های زنجیره‌ای، فرقه‌ها، پلیس فاسد، نماد، یه عالمه جزئیات پیچیده و ریز ریز و هیجانی که تا لحظات آخر کتاب هی اوج می‌گرفت...خیلی خفن بود خیلی...یه کتاب معمایی جنایی که زیاد درگیر روانشناسی مجرم و اینجور چیزا نبود...دوستش داشتم...
همین.

[Supreeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amount of times that 'Lights of the city are so pretty' repeated throughout the book annoyed me to an extent of dropping it. But that's all I can speak ill of this one. It has everything a slow burner noir needs and the Japanese setting adds to it. It does read like an original Japanese novel.

[María Alejandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abandono. No me gusta el estilo en que el que está escrito. Confuso, lento, salta de una cosa a otra y uno se queda en el aire volviendo a leer para tratar de entender de quiénes o de qué se está hablando. En un párrafo va al pasado de Iwata y en el siguiente vuelve al presente de repente, de una manera abrupta y uno se queda como WTF .

Hay muchos nombres y a veces no se explica quiénes son. Las constantes citas entre comillas no tienen sentido y lo que hacen es confundir más.

Quizás más adelante vuelva a intentarlo, no me gustar abandonar lecturas, pero tengo demasiados pendientes para perder el tiempo con uno que no me gusta. 2🌟

[Kansas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una novela negra muy sólida, atmosférica por los cuatro costados y muy enganchante. Me la he terminado en un par de dias sin sentir esa cansina sensación de giros y personajes mil veces vistos (por ese motivo ya apenas leo novela negra), todo lo contrario, esa sensación de estar disfrutando de una lectura que no podías dejar, y hacia siglos la verdad que no me pasaba, a excepción de esa maravilla que me lei hace poco, Out, de Natsuo Kirino y no tanto porque ambas novelas comparten el escenario principal de Japón , sino porque las dos me han hecho disfrutar de un estilo narrativo que respeta sobre todo al lector, sin engañarlo.

Aquí el protagonista, Kosuke Iwata, rezuma desesperanza y una tristeza interior muy real, muy de estos tiempos, una especie de vacio existencial resultado de un pasado traumático, y tengo que decir que los flashbacks que hacen mención al pasado de Iwata me han fascinado, encajan a la perfección en el presente y al mismo tiempo tienen un poso entre melancólico y poético que me han atraido casi más que la trama central. La investigación de Iwata va a más, no decae y al mismo tiempo vas conociendo a la ciudad, sus recovecos, la sientes viva, áspera, casi como sus personajes.

En fin, una novela que se te queda grabada y la verdad es que estoy bastante impresionada por lo bien que me lo ha hecho pasar leyéndola. Nicolás Obregón en mi punto de mira y habrá que estar al tanto de la segunda de la serie ;-)

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Inspector, I have to say, I find it hard to believe there's a psychopath running around the streets of Tokyo, ripping people's hearts out with an obsidian blade"

...yeah, me too! This is undoubtedly an energetic and fast-paced read but it's also one which depends on a huge suspension of reader's disbelief. I was drawn in by the blurb which promised something different but actually what we get is a conventional slasher/serial killer/religious maniac/he's insane thriller where dead people turn out to be alive and where only our maverick detective can see what's really going on.

I have to admit that my heart sank a little once the issue of ritualistic murders and apocalyptic cults raised its head and it's to Obregon's credit that he kept me reading to the end (albeit with some rolling of eyes!).

Tokyo and its environs is depicted by street names but feels just like LA, and the theme of political/police corruption is a familiar one.

So a high-octane read that I finished in pretty much one train journey. Best not think too hard about this one as the plot holes are many why kill the film star as a diversion to the family killing while not bothering with covering up the others? does no-one realise that their co-worker is an insane psychopath despite working with him for years? how come his ex-wife never mentions he took and brought up the girl from the cable-car? why does no-one realise the relationship between Akashi and Sakai? but if you like your crime fiction fast and furious then this may suit very well.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a unique murder investigation/mystery set in Japan. Vivid descriptions & poetic writing.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I have wanted to read for a while. An interesting location set among the Tokyo police department and a new author to me well received.
This novel does not disappoint on any level; the locations excite and intrigue and the backdrop of shops, billboards and culture pack the story with sensual interest.
The world of the crime investigation is also featured as in any police procedural you may have read but here you have bowing and a hierarchy based on different values. This though is a strong crime thriller where cult and ritual appear to be motivators however there is little to base hard evidence on to build the case. Plenty of motives on the face of it and a number of suspects but no real facts to link it all together.
Tokyo is a police inspector down when one of their finest takes his own life, a country boy recently having been on long term compassionate leave gets the nod. Inspector Iwata is that officer and the main protagonist in this wonderful book. He takes over the late detectives case load and inherits this demanding investigation that spirals quickly into this hunt for a mass murderer.
Iwata is an unusual cop and we slowly learn bits of his background that enable us to warm to him yet he is something of a lone operator which makes his integration difficult and his superiors move to dropping him early on in his probationary period.
The case gets more complicated, Iwata more driven and isolated but he possesses a great self belief and a deep sense that only he can solve this mystery. When he goes rogue he seems to be, not only going out on a limb, but putting his very career is on the line.
The work is littered with song lyrics and moments from his past. It sometimes appears confusing on first reading but the tension ensures the pace never slows and the experience is more rewarding.
This book will take you out of your comfort zone but take you on a journey you will not forget.
A novel to be embraced and enjoyed by a large audience.

[Nicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I feel rather conflicted about this book, as I liked aspects of it but struggled with others.

I was intrigued by the premise of a serial killer with a link to a religious cult, but I found the plot too slow, as I do like a fast paced crime novel. I found it hard to get to know the main character Inspector Iwata, as he felt too distant and his many mixed up memories really confused me at times.

I struggled to keep with all the different minor characters and where they fitted into the plot. Fortunately because I was reading this on my Kindle App I was able to search within the text to discover who different characters were and when they'd been mentioned before. I've never had to do this before so this came in very handy.
Having never visited Japan nor Tokyo and other places mentioned throughout, I found it hard to imagine where scenes were taking place.
I did think about giving up on it but I wanted to find out what happened.

Would I read something by the author again? Maybe, but I'd borrow it from the library instead.
Would I recommend it? Only if like you like a slow paced police procedural.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for my free digital copy.

[NormaCenva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be following this series, it is inevitable. Everything here is first class, from amazing dialogue, to great settings to long lasting impact. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this book! And I am so happy that I was able to read it. This is how modern story telling "should" be. Riveting and grounded in realism. It is amazing to read a book, when it is evident a lot of research was done to make it as it is. Very impressed by the Author's talent.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

New author, new location!

Good solid start for a teccie where I warmed to the two lead detectives immediately, Inspector Iwata who is a “hick from the sticks” when compared to his Tokyo colleagues whilst his partner Asst Inspector Saika seems to be the office misfit with layers of secrecy attached to her.. their boss appears to be of the firm but fair variety which looks to sit fair with the newly partnered duo. It’s Iwata’s first day on the job after a transfer to homicide after a long period of leave……. And is given a gruesome murder case to deal with over others in the office. Will he succeed?

During the murder case we are given flashbacks to Iwata’s younger self as the author attempts to fill in his psyche. Whilst Saika is a vail of mystery throughout keeping her defences up whilst Iwata is a bit of an open book. A very open book & his past is laid bare for all to see which impact on his modern day self too in some ways with one or two bizarre scenes….

It’s all good & absorbing enough at the midpoint…..

Then……

It all got a bit patchy after the initial solid opening, can’t say I found a lot of relevance to Iwata’s informative years with his “friend” & could have done without some of that text & narrative. Saika seems to go on sabbatical too? With Iwata becoming a bit of a one man band in that respect. The plot starts to come apart the deeper you go & the story could really have done with a bit of a timeline as we seem to jump forward here & there without any real context between the here & now. And to top it all off, despite the names & the constant bowing we could be in any US metropolis…. Im not really experiencing the sites, sounds & flavours of Tokyo at nr 100 pages in. The final outcome & endings were summit out of a typical US thriller style read & didn’t really find it that satisfying……

3 Stars rounded up from a 2.5, slightly South of middle of the road come journeys end as in truth is was really uneven & oddly paced from about the mid-point. Won’t be continuing with Inspector Iwata.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black and macabre thriller set in TOKYO



A Korean family of four is brutally murdered in a Tokyo flat. The heart of the father is cut out, and a black sun is painted on the bedroom ceiling. Police Inspector Hideo Akashi investigates, but ends up committing suicide by jumping off Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge. The Police homicide department is over stretched following Akashi’s death and the high profile murder of prominent actress Ming Fong. The inexperienced Inspector Iwata and Assistant Inspector Sakai are drafted in to take over Akashi’s investigation into the original murders (not, I guess, a top police priority because the victims were ‘only Korean’ – not exactly the most popular race in Japan). Iwata is damaged from being abandoned by his mother when young and being brought up in an orphanage, and Sakai is a feisty young woman. They make an unlikely pairing. The widow of a judge is then murdered in the same way – what is the connection between the judge (or his wife) and the Korean family? Why were they targeted by the ‘Black Sun killer’? Who will be next? And, big question, did Akashi actually commit suicide – or was he too murdered?

Time is of the essence for the detectives to prevent further deaths. Iwata travels alone (and off the radar) to Hong Kong to investigate the alleged suicide of Ming Fong’s sister, Jennifer. He feels that the two cases – Ming Fong’s death and the murders of the Korean family and the judge’s widow – are somehow linked. Iwata and Yoji Yamada of the Cults and Religious Groups Division of Tokyo Police decide they should investigate further the meaning of the Black Sun motive – they head for the country and the long deserted and defunct rural HQ of the ‘Children of the Black Sun’ cult and its charismatic leader Takashi Anzai. They learn a great deal in their race against time…

The denouement, and the two key revelations in it, are well thought through and well executed. I saw neither of them coming. The book reaches an exciting climax.

Blue Light Yokohama is a great debut thriller from Nicolás Obregón. Nicolás was brought up in both Madrid and London, but clearly has a deep fascination for Japan – both from his days as travel writer and from his early childhood watching Japanese cartoons! I have visited Japan many times, and his precise descriptions of Tokyo and life in the city ring very true. The book really does bring Japan to life. His comments on Japanese society are also accurate. Enough has been written about the corruption in the Tokyo police force to alert us to the fact that he is not imagining what he is talking about

[Natàlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mi reseña completa aquí

[Madhulika Liddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by the real-life Miyazawa murders, still unsolved, Blue Light Yokohama begins on a cable car ride in the 1990s. A woman, seemingly disturbed, stabs the cable car attendant and then jumps to her death. A police officer who is also in the cable car tries to save her, but to no avail.

What follows seems completely disconnected from this episode. Fifteen years later, Kosuke Iwata is deputed to the Tokyo metropolitan police department, and is given a case: to solve the murders of a family of four. The Kaneshiros, originally from Korea, were killed - the father in an especially gruesome manner - and the murderer spent hours in the home after the crimes, eating, sleeping, browsing the net.

As Iwata investigates a baffling crime along with a brusque, beautiful colleague, Sakai, he deals, too, with other obstacles, other hindrances. His own painful past. The ghosts he cannot put to rest, the guilt, the fear... and all the while, he keeps unearthing clues, some turning out to be red herrings, some taking him down roads he cannot begin to understand.

This was a humdinger of a book: fast-paced, gritty, full of twists and unexpected surprises. The way the culprit is unearthed is neatly done, a good balance between pure and simple police procedural and old-fashioned use of brains and powers of observation. The careful tying up of loose ends at the end of the book is also neat: there was nothing left there for one to wonder about.

What I didn't much care for, though, was the detailed and (to me) gratuitous homoerotic sequences in the book. This was a bit distracting, and it left me with some unanswered questions (and one fairly certain but ultimately misplaced suspicion). Other than that, the way Iwata's past is revealed, in conjunction with his present, all of it interspersed with snatches of the Blue light Yokohama song (which I am listening to as I write this) was good, and Iwata comes across as a believable, interesting, three-dimensional character.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Blue Light Yokohama is a well-written Police procedural/ crime novel which follows Inspector Iwata and his colleague Sakai investigated a triple homicide, strange symbols and mysterious rituals. There’s also what appears to be suicides with strange circumstances.

The plot is paced fairly slowly for the most part, though it does pick up at the end and really ramps up the tension. It features interesting and quite different characters, but I found I didn't hugely care about them, even though we get a lot of flashbacks to give more context to Iwata, for example. We didn't get a huge insight into why he made the decisions he did, though we found out more about how his childhood shaped him as an adult. I found that quite a few of the flashbacks didn't tell me a lot of relevant information, but they were entertaining to read anyway.

Blue Light Yokohama felt quite long, perhaps because it’s quite slow paced as I mentioned, but it's actually around average length – just over 400 pages. Perhaps what I felt was unnecessary information also made me think it’s longer than it actually is. The first third is quite intriguing and I was really drawn in, but the middle third is a little slow and I started to lose interest. The last third then picks up the pace again and reveals all in the concluding chapters, which I really enjoyed reading, and plenty of loose ends are tied up (though not all of them, which felt more realistic than when every single part is neatly finished off, as is the case with many other novels). There's some parts that I feel you'd need to suspend your disbelief for, but I really reading a novel set in Japan, somewhere I'd really like to visit one day, and it made a welcome change from crime novels set in America or England. This, coupled with the beautiful writing, made a change from some other crime novels - it sort of felt more ‘literary’ (a very vague term, I know - sorry!).

This novel is definitely still worth a read for crime fans; it offers something a little different in its style and setting. I just felt that some parts didn't quite draw me in as much as I wanted them to, leaving me a little less excited by Blue Light Yokohoma than I would have liked, considering its interesting premise.

Many thanks to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Netgalley for providing a copy of this novel.

[HJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book very schizophrenic to read. The way it is written there are too many names (and no clarity on who the names belong to at times) and people and points of view thrown around which makes it difficult to read. The descriptions of Japan are great but I think the writing could be better smoothed out. The best writing was when the author wrote in his authors note at the end about his love of Japan. He should keep that voice and style. It was much more engaging.

I ended up getting annoyed because you aren't given information about the main character and no real understanding of the reason why he is acting how he is acting. That makes it difficult to relate to the book. There wasn't enough understanding of the character's motivations. Everything was secret and nothing was revealed. You get some understanding at the end but not very much. Also I found the sexual scenes to be completely disturbing and not at all related to the story. They did not need to be part of the story at all. There was no connection or tie into how they related to the characters at all or why it was happening.

It isn't a great way to write to have multiple point of views in one chapter, or even in one paragraph. I found this very distracting and difficult to follow.

However I did like the mystery and the investigation pieces and I thought that this was well developed. So I gave it 2 stars "It was OK". It did keep me wanting to find out who did it.

[Sahar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce roman a été pour moi une belle découverte malgré un début un peu lent à se mettre en place. Heureusement, par la suite, les choses s'accélèrent rapidement et les événements ainsi que les révélations s'enchaînent.

J'ai adoré le côté très sombre de l'ambiance du roman ainsi que de la psyché des personnages. L'auteur nous plonge dans l'envers du décors Tokyoite où la violence, la corruption et les travers de la société sont à vif.

Je lirais avec plaisir la suite des aventures de l'inspecteur Iwata !

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading the second in the series. It has potential,even if this one wasn't so good (tries too hard,too slow,a bit over the top).

[Lia]

I am not a regular thriller reader. This was a book I took whilst travelling as I wanted an easy, quick read to keep me occupied.
This was strangely compelling. I was drawn straight into the modern Japanese setting. The cultural differences from my everyday added an extra layer of interest, of excitement.
Not high brow fiction, but better than your average thriller.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

A taut, masterful, exceptional, haunting story.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kosuke Iwata kommt nach längerer Arbeitsunfähigkeit zur Kriminalpolizei in Tokio. Studiert hat er in den USA, anschließend als Kriminalpolizist in der Region Kyoto gearbeitet, so dass es nicht verwundert, wenn die großstadterfahrenen Kollegen ihm zunächst reserviert gegenübertreten. Der Schauplatz seines spektakulären ersten Falles ähnelt einem Schlachtfeld, ein Ehepaar koreanischer Herkunft ist mitsamt seinen Kindern ermordet worden. Anschließend hat der Täter noch am Tatort stundenlang im Internet gesurft. Iwata steht sofort im Rampenlicht; denn Anfang des Jahres wurde die Selbstmordstatistik veröffentlicht, die Japan in keinem guten Licht erscheinen lässt. Während die Presse sich aktuell auf das Soap-Opera-Sternchen Mina Fong stürzt, geschieht ein weiterer Mord an der betagten Witwe eines Richters. Signaturen, die der Täter an den Tatorten hinterlassen haben könnte, scheinen auf eine Serie von okkulten Ritualmorden hinzuweisen und auf eine Verbindung zu einer nationalistischen Organisation, die es besonders auf Koreaner abgesehen hat. Gemeinsam mit seiner sehr jungen, sehr forschen Kollegin Sakai sucht Iwata nach Verbindungen zwischen den Opfern – und nach einer Erklärung dafür, warum sein Vorgänger Akashi sich das Leben genommen hat, nachdem sich vor dessen Augen eine Frau in den Tod stürzte. Vielleicht irrt er sich ja, und es gibt keine oder andere Zusammenhänge zwischen den Taten. Eine weitere Spur ergibt sich aus Rückblenden in Iwatas Kindheit, die zugleich seinen ungewöhnlichen Lebenslauf erklären, und aus der Frage, warum speziell ihm als Greenhorn dieser Fall übertragen wurde.

Iwata ist offenbar der typische gesundheitlich angeschlagene Ermittler, auf dessen Schulter wie ein großer, dunkler Vogel eine traumatische Kindheit und ein weiteres Trauma lasten. Der Song-Titel „Blue Light Yokohama“, zugleich der englische Originaltitel des Krimis, zieht sich wie eine melancholische Tonspur durch das Buch. Zusätzlich ist Iwata durch bestimmte Gerüche zu triggern und verliert dann völlig den Faden. Mit der Figur eines Neulings am Arbeitsplatz, der gemobbten Quotenfrau Sakai, verlässlichen Berufskontakten von früher und vermuteten Yakuza-Verbindungen arbeitet Obrégon so viele bekannte Versatzstücke ab, dass sein höchst abgedrehter Fall wie aus einem Lehrbuch für Krimiautoren wirkt. Man muss nicht gleich alle Gewürze in die Suppe streuen, ehe man sie probiert hat. Für den Einstiegsband einer geplanten Serie fand ich den Plot überladen mit diversen Themen. Iwatas Arbeitsbedingungen und der Umgangston in seiner Abteilung klingen so, wie sie sich Nicht-Asiaten vorstellen könnten, wirken jedoch nicht besonders glaubwürdig. Spannung erzeugt Obrégon durch schnelle Schnitte und Szenen, die den Leser immer wieder auf falsche Fährten führen und ihn häufig dazu zwingen, eigene Lösungsvorschläge zu revidieren. Rasend spannend ist das Buch nicht, um auf den Spuren eines Serientäters eine Nacht durch zu lesen; es ragt auch nicht aus bekannten Japan-Krimis heraus. Wer Japan - und Hongkong - als Schauplatz entdecken möchte, kann dem Buch und dem bereits angekündigten zweiten Band eine Chance geben.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sheer number of threads in this story made the backstory of the central character incomprehensible and difficult to focus on - as a result I wasn't able to focus on or invest in characters from his past because I saw them for such a brief period of time and wasn't given any reasoning for their bizarre and tragic actions. Kei, Iwata's Mother, and Cleo, Taba, all became a homogeneous gloup of personal tragedy that failed to pull on my heartstrings - perhaps it would have been easier if only one of these aspects of backstory had happened and had then been given a sufficient amount of space in the book to blossom.

It was a little disappointing that the women in the book seemed present only to be saved or killed, and lacked initiative on their own merit, even Sakai who begins the novel as one of the most promising characters.

There's a strong idea at work here, but the threads are not drawn together satisfactorily, and a rendering of Tokyo should do it more justice than mentioning that the central character is eating rice balls throughout.

[Randee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this murder mystery set in Tokyo. It has a lot of heart and soul. One of the things that I like best about non-American authors is that the pace is usually slower and complex depictions of character's feelings and behavior are developed thoroughly. I like to feel like I know the characters in a story, what makes them tick and the spectrum of a person's emotional make-up. The brutal murder of a family (there are other murders as well) is based on a real case in Japan that has never been solved. This was written by a man who was born in Spain and moved to London after his parent's divorced, around 6-7 years old. He was assigned to Japan for a travel article by a magazine and like so many others, fell in love with the country. This looks like it will be a series and that is good news. I liked the detective, Inspector Iwata. I feel like I got to know him up close and personal and it would be wonderful to read further stories about him.