Nothing in Japanese literature prepares us for the stark tensionfilled plotdriven realism of Natsuo Kirinos awardwinning literary mystery Out. This mesmerizing novel tells the story of a brutal murder in the staid Tokyo suburbs as a young mother who works the night shift making boxed lunches strangles her abusive husband and then seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body and cover up her crime. The coolly intelligent Masako emerges as the plots ringleader but quickly discovers that this killing is merely the beginning as it leads to a terrifying foray into the violent underbelly of Japanese society. At once a masterpiece of literary suspense and pitchblack comedy of gender warfare Out is also a moving evocation of the pressures and prejudices that drive women to extreme deeds and the friendships that bolster them in the aftermath. show more