The Informer

I really enjoyed this book until the last few pages or so. It reads kind of like Harushi (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle) Murakami throughout most of it - very interesting examination of Japanese society, believable characters with real, every day kinds of issues and problems, etc. But the end had one major disappointment, that being that the reader is left wondering what in the world becomes of one of the key characters in the book. It doesn't really impact the "mystery" aspect of the story, it's just that it left me with a lack of a sense of closure about this one central character. Other than that, I thought it was a great read.

One of the better books I've read lately.

He writes sophisticated, subtle stories that give you a real insight into Japanese culture.

I love his books !!!

It’s a very good mystery book! Insights into Japanese culture as well.

This was my second Akimitsu Takagi novel, after  The Tattoo Murder Case , and I was equally impressed. This book is far less of a mystery, with the true identity of the culprit being easy to reason out, and much more of a psychological profile of a nation, showing a greater depth and intensity than his earlier work.Based on a true story, "The Informer" delves into the world of the industrial spy, someone who uses connections and lies to weasel out secret information that would prove valuable if sold. This was a popular topic during the era, such as the 1958 film  Giants & Toys  and 1962's  Black Test Car . The Economic Miracle was just beginning, and businessmen were ruthless in their pursuit of competitive advantage, and willing to lie, cheat, steal and kill if it meant getting ahead.In this novel we have Shigeo Segawa, a hapless fellow who got caught playing the stocks with company money and subsequently finds himself ruined. He is offered two lifelines, one from the hand of Mikio Sakai, a company owner who offers Segawa a Faustian bargain, but something he isn't able to turn down, and one from the hand of Eiko Murozaki, and old lover whom Segawa had never forgotten but who reappears in his life suddenly. The spider-web of intrigues grown from there until Segawa is caught in a cleverly spun trap, and the game is afoot.A novel without heroes, the story is told mostly from Segawa's point of view as he is relentlessly hunted by the city's chief prosecutor Kirishima, an almost amoral character who doesn't seem to mind seeing more innocent bodies fall if it helps him untwist the web. Having a lawyer as the investigator was an interesting twist, and author Takagi had a keen insight into its mysteries, and in fact served as special advocated during a famous trial. The mystery aspect of the case is not too hard to unravel, but that doesn't make the psychological interplay any less fascinating.The tone of The Informer reminded me of  No Country for Old Men , although the plots have nothing in common. One gets the sense that in the 1960's world of Japanese business, there aren't going to be any happy endings, and as long as someone is sitting in jail then justice is satisfied, regardless of whether the guilty party has been caught or not.

Almost 40 years old, this novel has no scenes of violence or sex--or humor! The language and style are very formal, and the characters, virtually all male, are generic, not individualized--not surprising in a culture in which "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." Nearly all the characteristics one associates with the best modern mystery thrillers are absent here, yet Takagi's novel is fascinating and its plot intriguing, both for the inherent complexities and for the light shed on Japanese business and culture in 1965.When Shigeo Segawa, a failed stocktrader, is offered a job at an outrageous salary, he finds himself working, not surprisingly, as an industrial spy, ferreting secrets from Shichiyo Chemical, a company in which a college friend is a high official. Segawa shows no qualms of conscience, despite the fact that Eiko, the love of his life, is now married to the friend. Manipulating the women in his life, all of whom are regarded throughout the novel as brainless ornaments or conveniences, he also fails, eventually, at his spy tasks, becoming the prime suspect when his friend turns up murdered. When two more deaths further implicate Segawa, Takagi shows his enormous skill at creating red herrings, using the intricacies of corporate Japan and the traditional restraint of police and prosecutors to keep the reader occupied and diverted.Differences in legal procedures are stunning here. The police abandon the crime scene because "people were showing up to pay respects [to the widow]...and the atmosphere was no longer suitable." Police and prosecutors make appointments to speak to clients' lawyers and wait patiently till they can be seen. The police give details of confessions to people they are interviewing and seem to share information with whoever wants it. Industrial espionage by itself is not a crime. Careful readers may figure out early who is responsible for the murders, but this novel provides unusual glimpses of Japanese culture, enough to keep a curious reader fascinated and involved till the end. Mary Whipple

Very captivating story and extremely well translated. There is something really special and unique about Takagi's style and perspective that is subtle and delicious to read.

A good crime.