Butter

By: Asako Yuzuki

Narrated by: Hanako Footman

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SENSATION

WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2025

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER AWARD 2025

A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK

‘A full-fat, Michelin-starred treat’ SUNDAY TIMES

‘A cult phenomenon’ iNEWS

‘Took the literary world by storm’ BBC

‘A killer Japanese novel’ THE TIMES

'I have been glued to Butter ’ NIGEL SLATER

The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story, and translated by Polly Barton.

There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.

Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.

Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body. Might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?

Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, 'The Konkatsu Killer', Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, gripping exploration of misogyny, obsession and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.

**Hooked, the latest novel from Asako Yuzuki is available to preorder now**

'It isn’t entirely clear whether to read the novel or devour it’ OBSERVER

‘Readers around the world are finding themselves utterly captivated’ DAILY MAIL

‘I really enjoyed it’ MEERA SYAL, on BBC Between the Covers

'Compelling, delightfully weird' PANDORA SYKES

'Unputdownable, breathtakingly original' ERIN KELLY

'You’ll be craving rice, butter and soy sauce in no time’ STYLIST

‘Nothing short of ingenious’ iNEWS

‘Ambitious and unsettling’ GUARDIAN

'Luscious … I devoured this' IMOGEN CRIMP

'A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER

©2024 Polly Barton (English translation) (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Unlike any other book I've read/listened to

The story was so weird and so interesting that it was hard to stop listening out of intrigue. I really enjoyed learning about Japanese culture particularly that relating to women and food. The story like was also great, albeit unusual.

Different

I did, just once, make myself a delicious bowl of rice, with good butter and soy sauce. However, I struggled to push through this strangely intimate tale.

Narrator’s reading was distracting from the story.

Sometimes there weren’t pauses for a moment between paragraphs or a new story “beat”/ mood.
Felt more like reciting the words than reading a story.

You are never enough and thats okay

This book reflects society’s view on woman perfectly. Basically, you are never enough and thats okay. Just carry on your journey on this unpredictable world and have fun💪🏻

Translation and narration was on point. I did not want it to end.

Narrator is annoying

Wow wee I really found this hard to get into then realised it was not the story, but the narration. Her breathy high pitched over dramatisation really annoyed me. Find another version of you can.