Positively reviewed in both the NYT and WSJ and written by the ‘most widely read novelist’ (according to the book jacket) in Japan, this is an engaging and readable tale of murder, jealousy, and the life long impact of childhood relationships.  When best-selling author Kunihiko Hidaka is found murdered, suspicion falls on his childhood friend Osamu Nonaguchi, an author of children’s books.  In diaries and descriptions that alternate between Nonaguchi and the detective on the case, Kyoichiro Kaga, the mystery is finally sorted out with the surprise ending that Nonaguchi’s confession while true regarding his murdering his friend, had been framed with a whole series of red herrings designed to ruin the reputation of Hidaka and his first wife, not just murder him.  The translation, like some of Murakami’s reads as slightly stilted with short sentences and a paucity of description but this may just be characteristic of Japanese fiction.  An excellent book.