掏摸
Author:中村文則
Page count:192
Natively:掏摸(スリ) | L30??
Summary
Japanese
お前は、運命を信じるか?東京を仕事場にする天才スリ師。彼のターゲットはわかりやすい裕福者たち。ある日、彼は「最悪」の男と再会する。男の名は木崎―かつて一度だけ、仕事を共にしたことのある、闇社会に生きる男。木崎はある仕事を依頼してきた。「これから三つの仕事をこなせ。失敗すれば、お前を殺す。もし逃げれば…最近、お前が親しくしている子供を殺す」その瞬間、木崎は彼にとって、絶対的な運命の支配者となった。悪の快感に溺れた芥川賞作家が、圧倒的な緊迫感とディティールで描く、著者最高傑作にして驚愕の話題作。
English
The Thief is a seasoned pickpocket. Anonymous in his tailored suit, he weaves in and out of Tokyo crowds, stealing wallets from strangers so smoothly sometimes he doesn’t even remember the snatch. Most people are just a blur to him, nameless faces from whom he chooses his victims. He has no family, no friends, no connections… But he does have a past, which finally catches up with him when Ishikawa, his first partner, reappears in his life, and offers him a job he can’t refuse. It’s an easy job: tie up an old rich man, steal the contents of the safe. No one gets hurt. Only the day after the job does he learn that the old man was a prominent politician, and that he was brutally killed after the robbery. And now the Thief is caught in a tangle even he might not be able to escape.
Availability
Amazon paperback
Amazon ebook
Bookwalker
Personal Opinion
Another book that I grabbed because it was on offer and looked interesting. It has won the Kenzaburo Oe award, and the author has also won the Akutagawa Prize for his book 土の中の子供. It’s been translated into English and seems to have been well received.
Pros and Cons for the Book Club
Pros
- On the short side.
- Translated into English.
- Suspense and good characterization (reportedly)
Cons
- None that I’m aware of
Pictures
Sample on Amazon
Difficulty Poll
How much effort would you need to read this book?
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