"An outstanding puzzle mystery… The gradual, logical, but still surprising unfolding of the Russian nesting doll of a plot is a delight." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Fans of P.D. James, Robert Barnard and other literate writers in the genre will welcome this prize-winning author's first work... Superbly crafted and riveting from start to finish." — Kirkus Reviews

"A twisted locked-room fable, made creepily seductive by masterful portrayals of the residents' eccentricities and hints of malevolent supernatural forces." — Booklist Online

"Extraordinarily atmospheric Japanese thriller ... Miss Togawa writes with economy, subtlety and an astonishing feel for time, mood, and the eccentricities of loneliness. An eerie gem." — Marcel Berlins, The Times

"As fascinating a weird yarn of mystery as you'll find... One word sums it up - superb!" — LA Times

"If you seek a wickedly original, clever crime novel, a brilliant exploration of the weaknesses of the human mind, I strongly recommend you lose yourself in Togawa’s acutely portrayed sketch." — Thrillers Books Journal

"Masako Togawa’s works have been recently reissued by Pushkin Press, and we can’t thank them enough!" — Crime Reads

"Starts out on a high note of tension and stays that way up until the very end." — Crime Segments

"A clever story... If you like creepy this will definitely be right up your street." — Crime Review

"A clever, creepy story." — Mail on Sunday

"The PD James of Japan." — Times Literary Supplement

"A bizarre yarn of guilty secrets among the sad, mad and surprisingly bad occupants of Tokyo’s K Apartments for ladies only." — Sunday Times Crime Club

"Slickly-readable… jaw-dropping moments… Sharply crafted plotting ... Is Masako Togawa Japan’s answer to P.D. James? James should be so lucky." — South China Morning Post

The Master Key