To The Last Page

This is a fascinating little murder mystery investigation that on the surface appears to be a quiet old-fashioned police procedural investigation in the style of Maigret. The investigation proceeds initially at a fairly leisurely pace, Inspector Imanishi following leads that seem to be unfruitful, trying to balance a modest family life with a determined duty to see justice done, and relying often on flashes of inspiration to make connections. In that respect, Inspector Imanishi Investigates is a competent police thriller, but almost without you noticing, the novel takes in and reveals much about the complex layers of Japanese society along the way. The murder investigation is centred on the discovery of an unidentified old gentleman, found dead on the railway tracks in Tokyo. Initial investigations fail to gain enough information and the case is reluctantly categorised as unsolved, pending any new information turning up. When a missing person report is connected to the murdered man, I...