Welcome Back Fellow Readers!
I just finished the book People Who Eat Darkness
by Richard Lloyd Parry
Lucie Blackman―tall, blond, twenty-one years old―stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000, and disappeared forever. Richard Lloyd Parry, an award-winning foreign correspondent, covered Lucie’s disappearance and followed the massive search for her, the long investigation, and the even longer trial. Over ten years, he earned the trust of her family and friends, won unique access to the Japanese detectives and Japan’s convoluted legal system, and delved deep into the mind of the man accused of the crime, Joji Obara, described by the judge as “unprecedented and extremely evil.”
I haven’t read a true crime novel since college, but picked this one up at a cute little book store in San Fran after reading a staff member’s review. Not only where the reviews intriguing, but one staff member illustrated his recommendation cards! Creepy cool.
Anyway, I found the book “People Who Eat Darkness” written in such a manner where I wanted to know what happened next and I read almost all the words!! Granted, there are a few pages I skimmed, but overall I wanted to know everything about these people. There are so many different stories: the mom, the dad, the roommate, the brother, the mother’s friend, other victims, the victim…all who have their own story, their own relationship with Lucie AND their own way of handling grief (right or wrong…but is there a wrong way to handle grief?)
The author does an amazing job of explaining Japan’s hostess bars and the gentlemen that frequent these establishments. (no sex involved in being a hostess.) Parry also shows how Japan has little crime so when faced with a homicide, the detectives and police don’t know how to investigate and may or may not have missed obvious clues. The Japanese police department is inept to say the least. When the trial begins, it last 10 years due to court only convening once a month. (what??) The entire court system is intriguing while frustrating at the same time.
The book reads as fiction and at times I had to remind myself it was a true crime novel…it’s easy to read and understand. There are times where I thought…that guy HAS to be the guy, nope, this guy has to be the one, nope back to the other guy!! The book is very well written and I would recommend it to those who enjoy crime stories.
I give this 4 out of 5 stars!
PS – don’t let the orange foil cover stop you from reading the book. It only shines bright if caught by the sun or your overhead reading light in the airplane while everyone else has their lights off!