THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SENSATION
WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR 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 revolves around a female gourmet chef and serial killer, along with a journalist determined to solve her case, inspired by a true story and translated by Polly Barton.
There are two things I cannot tolerate: feminists and margarine.
Gourmet chef Manako Kajii is incarcerated in Tokyo Detention Centre, convicted of serially murdering lonely businessmen, whom she allegedly seduced with her exquisite home cooking. The case has captivated the nation, yet Kajii remains silent with the media. That is, until journalist Rika Machida sends her a letter requesting her beef stew recipe, prompting Kajii to respond.
Rika, the sole female in her newsroom, works late into the night, seldom cooking anything beyond ramen. As her visits with the formidable Kajii progress, they resemble a culinary masterclass more than journalistic inquiry. Rika hopes this culinary exchange will soften Kajii, but it appears that she may be the one undergoing transformation. With each meal consumed, something stirs within her. Could it be that she and Kajii share more similarities than she previously believed?
Inspired by the true story of the convicted con artist and serial killer known as 'The Konkatsu Killer', Asako Yuzuki’s Butter offers a vivid and gripping examination of misogyny, obsession, and the transgressive delights of food in Japan.
'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 SY
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