"I killed my wife." Soichiro Kaji, an incumbent police officer, has turned himself in for the murder of his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Kaji is honest about his motive and the process of the murder, but he stubbornly refuses to talk about his actions during the two days between the murder and his surrender. Why isn't Kaji's confession complete, and what thoughts is he hiding in his heart?
(Translator: DeepL)
Plot synopsis: A police officer kills his wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's and then turns himself in. It should be an open and shut case, but the question of what he did the days between her death and his confession drives the story.
Review
I loved this book. Each chapter is a continuation of the events (with slight overlaps) from the view of another person involved with the case. We get a glimpse of their lives, their thoughts, the circumstances which may prejudice them one way or the other, and the social rules which they struggle against in choosing which actions to take.
A recurring point in this book is Alzheimer's, and the toll it takes on the person themselves as well as the people who love them. If Alzheimer's runs in your family or you know someone directly impacted it's very likely this will be an emotionally difficult book for you.
For content warnings in general there is of course murder, and in discussion of other police cases there is mention of sexual assault of minors.
Difficulty
Grammar-wise this book requires comfort with grammar points through N1. The vocabulary used is extensive and strongly centers around legal terms and positions as well as police ranks. The author does not hold back on idioms or descriptions. Understanding the job ranking of the characters is important to following the power plays in the book, so I'd advise not skimming over those.