Lucie Blackman tall, blond, twenty-one years old stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000, and disappeared forever. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. Richard Lloyd Parry, an award-winning foreign correspondent, covered Lucie’s disappearance and followed the massive search for her, the long investigation, and the even longer … even longer trial. Over ten years, he earned the trust of her family and friends, won unique access to the Japanese detectives and Japan’s convoluted legal system, and delved deep into the mind of the man accused of the crime, Joji Obara, described by the judge as “unprecedented and extremely evil.”
The result is a book at once thrilling and revelatory, “In Cold Blood for our times” (Chris Cleave, author of Incendiary and Little Bee).
The People Who Eat Darkness is one of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Best Books of 2012
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I read this last weekend, and FSG just dropped the price to $2.99. Fox also just announced that they’ve acquired the film rights. People Who Eat Darkness is nominally a true crime book, about the disappearance of a 21-year-old British woman in Japan in 2000, written by a longtime Tokyo correspondent for The Times of London. The case though, while …
This book is kind of trendy on buzz rn (buzz works). I just finished the audio book and I have come to the conclusion that true crime is the best genre of audio content.
examples:
this book
serial season 1
good episodes of this american life
various crime podcasts
the news
If you think there is a better audio content genre please tell me what it …
I saw a ton of other buzzes about People Who Eat Darkness and so I got the audiobook from the library! This was an incredibly interesting true crime about a young, beautiful British girl who was murdered while working abroad in Japan. I found this book especially interesting because it dives into Japan’s culture, history, and justice system — …
Back in Ye Olde Days of Buzz, @Nick recommended People Who Eat Darkness, an excellent true-crime book that focuses on a young woman who disappeared in Tokyo. But it’s about way more than the particular case: It’s about cultural divides and stereotypes, how people respond to tragedies, and how a criminal can operate without punishment for decades. …
I usually don’t read true crime (too scary!), but @merrycoin reviewed this and I thought it sounded super intriguing, so I checked out the sample… and as soon as I finished the sample I had to read the rest.
Would definitely recommend! The way Parry wove bits of cultural study into everything else made it a fascinating (not to mention …
Extraordinary, compulsive, and brilliant.
An utterly compelling read.
True account of young English tourist who winds up dead during her time in Tokyo. It draws you into what happened to this woman and the tangled pursuit of justice.
An excellent true crime book. Even if you know the details of the Lucie Blackman case, this is a fascinating read. Mr. Parry has put together a book that not only thoroughly describes the case but also gives a remarkable explanation of why this sort of thing could happen in Japan while at the same time dispelling the stereotype of why this is a …
As a long-time devourer of true crime stories it’s hard to find something that–while interesting–is a notch above. I would put Richard Lloyd Parry’s book in that category. Largely because of the insights it gives into the Japanese culture. One can begin to understand (but not forgive) the Tokyo Metropolitan Police for being so slow and inept …
there are monsters who live among us. read at your own peril.
This story does not just focus on Lucie Blackman. It also focuses on the Japenese culture, the western culture, and the breakdown of the victim’s families. This drew me in from the first page and was hard to put down. What was done to Lucie and the other girls was disturbing and horrifying to read. Richard Lloyd Parry did an excellent job of …
Holy moly I can’t even!
Frightening because it’s REAL!
This is more than your usual true crime book. It is a glimpse into aspects of Japan that I had never thought of in addition to a thorough retelling of this horrific crime. The author was there reporting on the murder throughout the duration of the trial so you really get a first hand account of the case and the experience of the victims’ families.
Interesting riveting true story of the murder an investigation of young American female
working as hostess in Japan night club. Not a page turner but very thorough revealing much re Japanese lifestyles and methods on
investigating crimes and court systems. Sadistic murderer who killed several for sexual pleasure.
This story packed a lot of cultural information about Japan, existing racial divides, sexual proclivities, and justice. Participants in the slurry of a missing British woman saga were fleshed out, which added very sufficiently to the book. The “red district” activities and corruption is riveting and keeps you turning the pages.
What I did find …