Journalist Rika Machida takes an interest in the female serial killer Manako Kajii and writes her asking for her recipe for beef stew. Manako has refused to speak to the press about her crimes, but she cannot resist responding to Rika’s request for her recipe. Rika isn’t much of a cook herself – she cooks ramen and that’s about it. When Manako tells her what her secret to most recipes is – not margarine – Rika starts cooking with real butter and a world of culinary delights opens up.
Rika looks into Manako’s past and joins the cooking class Manako was a part of so she can find out more about her. Rika is trying to find out what makes Manako tick and how she came to her crimes…
This book is based on a true story, Manako Kajii is based on Kanae Kijima, the Konkatsu Killer. The murders are mentioned in passing but the book deals with relationships, fat-shaming, misogyny and food in Japan.
I enjoyed this book, but I think I would have enjoyed it even more if it had focused on the murders.
Read for the Read Between the Lines Reading Challenge 2025
Prompt 15: An Omniscient Narrator
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
