In many ways, 1987 was closer to 1927 than it is to 2017. Originally issued in 1993 in Japan, the book takes place in a pre-internet era of 1987 (where the nonexistence of cellphones proves essential for suspense), a fact which I’m sure has something to do with the book’s feel of remote distance. Instead, you will feel you are reading some mid-century-modern classic you never encountered before. You won’t encounter a postmodern, surreal New Weird puzzler here, as in something by Thomas Olde Heuvelt or Nathan Ballingrud. The Graveyard Apartment is a classic ghost story or weird tale, along the lines of milestone work by Shirley Jackson or early Stephen King. And it proves to be a splendid introduction to this fine writer. Luckily, that situation undergoes a partial reversal with the appearance of The Graveyard Apartment in an edition from a well-known and high-profile firm, unlike the earlier small-press English-language editions. AbeBooks lists but one or two of her titles in English, long out of print. But for English-language readers, she remains an untranslated enigma. Martin’s/Thomas Dunne 978-1250060549, $25.99, 336, hardcover) October 2016.īased on available information, Mariko Koike appears to have had and continues to enjoy a remarkable and prestigious career in her native Japan, with her first novel appearing as far back as 1985. The Graveyard Apartment, by Mariko Koike ( St.
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