In the Miso Soup

Ever wondered what lurks beneath the surface of polite society? What if a night out with a seemingly ordinary tourist revealed a darkness you could never unsee? This chilling psychological thriller plunges you into the neon-lit underbelly of Tokyo, where one wrong choice could be your last. Follow Kenji, a young tour guide specializing in Tokyo's nightlife, as he accompanies a strange American client named Frank. You'll experience Kenji's growing dread as Frank's unsettling behavior escalates, blurring the line between tourist and predator. This gripping journey into paranoia and suspense will make you question how well you can ever truly know someone.

Ralph McCarthy is the acclaimed translator responsible for bringing Ryu Murakami's most celebrated and challenging works, including In the Miso Soup and Almost Transparent Blue, to the English-speaking world. Living in Japan since the 1970s, McCarthy immersed himself in the culture, working as a musician, journalist, and screenwriter before dedicating himself to literary translation. This deep, firsthand experience with Japan's cultural undercurrents and linguistic nuances allows him to capture the raw, visceral energy of Murakami's prose with unparalleled authenticity.