{"title":"Kaoru Takamura","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the gripping world of Kaoru Takamura, an acclaimed Japanese author celebrated for her masterful storytelling in the \u003cem\u003eCrime \u0026amp; Thriller\u003c\/em\u003e genre. In our collection, you'll find Takamura's most illustrious works, including the enthralling \u003cem\u003eLady Joker\u003c\/em\u003e series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTakamura's prowess in crafting intricate plots is vividly showcased in \u003cem\u003eLady Joker, Volume 1\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eLady Joker, Volume 2\u003c\/em\u003e. These novels delve deep into the human psyche, presenting a complex tapestry of crime and deception that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Set against the backdrop of Japan, her novels offer a profound commentary on social issues, wrapped in suspenseful narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a seasoned thrill-seeker or new to the genre, Kaoru Takamura's books promise an unforgettable journey through the darker corridors of human nature and society. Dive into our collection and discover why Takamura is a towering figure in contemporary crime fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"lady-joker-volume-1-by-kaoru-takamura-9781616957018","title":"Lady Joker, Volume 1","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of Japan's great modern masters, Kaoru Takamura, makes her English-language debut with this two-volume publication of her magnum opus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTokyo, 1995. Five men meet at the racetrack every Sunday to bet on horses. They have little in common except a deep disaffection with their lives, but together they represent the social struggles and griefs of post-War Japan. A poorly socialised genius stuck working as a welder; a demoted detective with a chip on his shoulder; a Zainichi Korean banker sick of being ostracised for his race; a struggling single dad of a teenage girl with Down syndrome. The fifth man bringing them all together is an elderly drugstore owner grieving his grandson, who has died suspiciously after the revelation of a family connection with the segregated buraku community, historically subjected to severe discrimination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIntent on revenge against a society that values corporate behemoths more than human life, the five conspirators decide to carry out a heist: kidnap the CEO of Japan's largest beer conglomerate and extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by the unsolved true-crime kidnapping case perpetrated by \"the Monster with 21 Faces,\" \u003cem\u003eLady Joker\u003c\/em\u003e has become a cultural touchstone since its 1997 publication, acknowledged as the magnum opus by one of Japan's literary masters. It has been twice adapted for film and TV and is often taught in high school and college classrooms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46549763490028,"sku":"9781616957018","price":45.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/19332413482763.jpg?v=1749923888"},{"product_id":"lady-joker-volume-1-by-kaoru-takamura-9781529394214","title":"Lady Joker: Volume 1","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTHE JAPANESE CRIME CLASSIC - ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'One of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year' - David Peace\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTokyo, 1995.\u003c\/strong\u003e Five men meet at the racetrack every Sunday to bet on horses. They have little in common except a deep disaffection with their lives, but together they represent the social struggles and griefs of post-War Japan: a poorly socialised genius stuck working as a welder; a demoted detective with a chip on his shoulder; a Zainichi Korean banker sick of being ostracised for his ethnicity; a struggling single dad of a teenage girl with Down syndrome. The fifth man bringing them all together is an elderly drugstore owner grieving his grandson, who died in suspicious circumstances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIntent on revenge against a society that values corporate behemoths more than human life, the five conspirators decide to carry out a heist: kidnap the CEO of Japan's largest beer conglomerate and extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by the unsolved true-crime kidnapping case perpetrated by \"the Monster with 21 Faces\", \u003cem\u003eLady Joker\u003c\/em\u003e has become a cultural touchstone since its 1997 publication, acknowledged as the magnum opus by one of Japan's literary masters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts' -\u003c\/strong\u003e Yoko Ogawa, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Memory Police\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Takamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society' -\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLady Joker\u003c\/em\u003e is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like \u003cem\u003eThe Wire\u003c\/em\u003e' -\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eNPR\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072606486764,"sku":"9781529394214","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14363863482732.jpg?v=1765118956"},{"product_id":"lady-joker-volume-2-by-kaoru-takamura-9781529394269","title":"Lady Joker: Volume 2","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction'\u003c\/b\u003e David Peace, author of \u003ci\u003eTokyo Year Zero\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of Japan's great modern writers, this second half of \u003ci\u003eLady Joker\u003c\/i\u003e brings Kaoru Takamura's breathtaking masterpiece to a gripping conclusion.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFive men who meet at a Tokyo racetrack every week carry out a heist. They have kidnapped the CEO of Japan's largest beer company to extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eKnown as Lady Joker, the men make their first attack on the beer company when their demands are not met. As the attacks escalate, the shady networks linking corporations to syndicates are exposed, the stakes rise, and bring into riveting focus the lives and motivations of the victims, the perpetrators, the heroes, and the villains. Some will lose everything, even their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by the real-life Glico-Morinaga kidnapping, an unsolved case that terrorised Japan for two years, \u003ci\u003eLady Joker\u003c\/i\u003e reimagines this watershed episode in modern Japanese history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts'\u003c\/b\u003e Yoko Ogawa, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Memory Police\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072606847212,"sku":"9781529394269","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14364413482732.jpg?v=1765118962"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/kaoru-takamura.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}