Butter (Winner of Waterstones Book of the Year 2024)

本書榮獲2024年Waterstones年度圖書獎及《星期日泰晤士報》暢銷榜冠軍，是一本令人難以釋卷的日系懸疑傑作。靈感來自真實事件，「婚活連環殺人案」震撼全國——女子廚神梶井真名子因毒殺多名男子而身陷囹圄，卻以精緻料理征服人心，至死未曾為罪行開口。

直到一封記者町田梨花的請求——不是為了真相，而是為了燉牛肉食譜，才開啟兩人奇異的書信往來。梨花在新聞社孤軍奮戰，生活乏味，幾乎只吃泡麵。但隨著每一道菜的交流，她的身體、心靈與慾望悄悄被喚醒。

本書融合犯罪、女性身份、食慾與欲望，是一道既美味又危險的心理盛宴，迷人、挑釁、令人着迷。

THE No. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2025

THE NUMBER 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK

‘A full-fat, Michelin-starred treat’ THE SUNDAY TIMES

'I have been glued to Asako Yuzuki's new novel Butter’ NIGEL SLATER

The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story, and translated by Polly Barton.

There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.

Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.

Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?

Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, "The Konkatsu Killer", Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.

'Compelling, delightfully weird' PANDORA SYKES

'Luscious … I devoured this' IMOGEN CRIMP

'A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER

'Unputdownable, breathtakingly original' ERIN KELLY

‘Nothing short of ingenious’ INEWS

‘Ambitious and unsettling’ GUARDIAN

'It isn’t entirely clear whether to read the novel or devour it’ OBSERVER