Asa Nonami's The Hunter has a couple things in common with some other Japanese novels I've read: it's good, and all the families are dysfunctional.
The story features a young woman who has joined the police force, much against her parents' wishes, and by the time our story takes place, has become part of an elite motorcycle-riding unit that is occasionally called upon for unusual tasks.
But her environment (and, we assume from other books, that of Japan in general) is very male-dominated, and her presence is either resented by other officers or taken sexually by them.
The case she is working on began with a horrific death by fire, and its progress is described in excellent detail in the manner of a police procedural. The story eventually involves aspects of her personal life and those of several other figures who enter the case.
Most moving is the part played by a dog, but I won't reveal any details of that interesting aspect of the case. I had never heard of wolfdogs, but Wikipedia shows that they go back quite a way in history. Research involving wolfdogs has concluded that wolves and dogs are the same species.
This is an exciting book, and certainly leans more toward "literature" than "suspense" novels. I understand that Ms Nonami is a well-known and prolific writer, and that she does not restrict her writing to mysteries. This detective is a fine addition to our roster, and I'm hoping we'll read more of her adventures over time.
--Michael Broschat, Feb 2010