'Intricate, fantastic and utterly absorbing. More please . . . Calculated to outdo John Dickson Carr in both ghoulishness and ingenuity' - Kirkus Reviews
'A delightful, different book, not only because of its unusual setting and premise, but because Takagi is a powerful plotter and constructor of fascinating, complex characters' - The A.V. Club
'Like voyeurs, we follow Takagi down the charred streets of bombed-out Tokyo to scenes of fastidiously executed decadence' - The New York Times
'It took 50 years for this novel to reach our shores but it feels thoroughly modern.' - Parade Magazine
'Clever, kinky, highly entertaining . . . I want more.' - Washington Post Book World