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The Lady Killer

Author Masako Togawa
Translated by Simon Grove
Paperback
$17.95 US
| $23.95 CAN
Steerforth Press | Pushkin Vertigo
On sale Jul 07, 2026 | 224 Pages | 9781805335160
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A dizzying tale of lust, mystery, and murder—from a beloved Japanese crime fiction author and LGBT icon

The Lady Killer leads a double life in Tokyo's shadowy underworld. By day, he is a devoted husband and hard worker; by night, he cruises cabaret bars and nightclubs in search of lonely single women to seduce.

But now the hunter is being hunted, and in his wake lies a trail of gruesome murders. Who is the culprit? The answer lies tangled in a web of clues—and to find it, he must accept that nothing is what it seems.
 
The Lady Killer pulls from author Masako Togawa’s vibrant personal life as a cabaret performer for Tokyo’s gay nightclub scene during the ‘50s and ‘60s. Throughout her writing career, Togawa continued to champion the LGBT community as a queer woman—sealing her reputation as one of Japan’s most prominent crime fiction authors and LGBT heroines.
'Full of subtly menacing tensions and sharp psychological insights, told in lean, sparsely ornamented style. This one is a must for the discerning reader.' - Kirkus

‘Long established in Japan, [Togawa’s] books have benefited from sensitive translation to enjoy a well-deserved second life.’ — Daily Mail

'The PD James of Japan.' - Times Literary Supplement

‘There's a great and distinct timbre to this book … it certainly has the cleverness ultimately to keep a genre reader really satisfied.’ — The Bookbag

"Even when you think you know just where the book is headed… you don’t… Thoroughly enjoyable." — David’s Book World
Masako Togawa (1931-2016) was one of Japan's foremost writers of crime fiction. Born in Tokyo, she worked as a cabaret performer before beginning to write crime fiction backstage, during her breaks. Her debut thriller The Master Key (also available from Pushkin Vertigo) won Japan's prestigious Edgowa Rampo Prize, and Togawa went on to become a hugely successful author, while continuing to lead a colourful parallel life as a singer, actress, feminist, nightclub owner and gay icon.

Simon Grove's translation of Masako Togawa's The Master Key is also available from Pushkin Press.
Masako Togawa View titles by Masako Togawa
Prologue 7
Part 1: The Hunter
The First Victim (November 5) 35
The Second Victim (December 19) 60
The Third Victim (January 15) 74
Interval 93
Part 2: Collecting The Evidence
The Lawyers 99
The Blood Bank 128
The Black Stain 172
Insertion—A Monologue 189
The Black Stain—Continued 192
Epilogue 205

About

A dizzying tale of lust, mystery, and murder—from a beloved Japanese crime fiction author and LGBT icon

The Lady Killer leads a double life in Tokyo's shadowy underworld. By day, he is a devoted husband and hard worker; by night, he cruises cabaret bars and nightclubs in search of lonely single women to seduce.

But now the hunter is being hunted, and in his wake lies a trail of gruesome murders. Who is the culprit? The answer lies tangled in a web of clues—and to find it, he must accept that nothing is what it seems.
 
The Lady Killer pulls from author Masako Togawa’s vibrant personal life as a cabaret performer for Tokyo’s gay nightclub scene during the ‘50s and ‘60s. Throughout her writing career, Togawa continued to champion the LGBT community as a queer woman—sealing her reputation as one of Japan’s most prominent crime fiction authors and LGBT heroines.

Reviews

'Full of subtly menacing tensions and sharp psychological insights, told in lean, sparsely ornamented style. This one is a must for the discerning reader.' - Kirkus

‘Long established in Japan, [Togawa’s] books have benefited from sensitive translation to enjoy a well-deserved second life.’ — Daily Mail

'The PD James of Japan.' - Times Literary Supplement

‘There's a great and distinct timbre to this book … it certainly has the cleverness ultimately to keep a genre reader really satisfied.’ — The Bookbag

"Even when you think you know just where the book is headed… you don’t… Thoroughly enjoyable." — David’s Book World

Author

Masako Togawa (1931-2016) was one of Japan's foremost writers of crime fiction. Born in Tokyo, she worked as a cabaret performer before beginning to write crime fiction backstage, during her breaks. Her debut thriller The Master Key (also available from Pushkin Vertigo) won Japan's prestigious Edgowa Rampo Prize, and Togawa went on to become a hugely successful author, while continuing to lead a colourful parallel life as a singer, actress, feminist, nightclub owner and gay icon.

Simon Grove's translation of Masako Togawa's The Master Key is also available from Pushkin Press.
Masako Togawa View titles by Masako Togawa

Table of Contents

Prologue 7
Part 1: The Hunter
The First Victim (November 5) 35
The Second Victim (December 19) 60
The Third Victim (January 15) 74
Interval 93
Part 2: Collecting The Evidence
The Lawyers 99
The Blood Bank 128
The Black Stain 172
Insertion—A Monologue 189
The Black Stain—Continued 192
Epilogue 205

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