I was browsing books at Barnes & Noble just before Christmas with my mom (she likes to have me pick out several books for my Christmas gifts so she can wrap them up and give them to me days later, even though I already know what they’re going to be. It’s fun). As per usual, I found myself in the thrillers section. I love all different kinds of books, but what can I say – I have a type.

This time, though, I found a book that caught my eye as a more unique choice. I’ve been wanting to get into more culturally diverse literature, and that’s when I came across a copy of Murder at the Black Cat Café by Seishi Yokomizo.

I’d never actually heard of Yokomizo before, but with just a little bit of research, it’s easy to learn that he was a prolific Japanese crime fiction writer whose work was hugely popular in the 1970s – so much so that many of his stories were adapted into movies and television shows. His work has now been translated into English by Bryan Karetnyk. In the copy I picked up, there’s actually another novella included in the second half of the book that I can’t wait to devour another day, but I already blew through Murder at the Black Cat Café and can totally see why it’s often suggested as the perfect introduction to Yokomizo’s work.

Taking place in post–World War II Japan, this twisty thriller is reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery. With a varied cast of characters and a faceless corpse found buried alongside a dead cat, there were so many questions I found myself asking – and every time one of those questions was answered, it only led to more questions. Without spoiling the ending, I’ll say that this constant questioning served as the perfect lead-up to a truly mind-boggling outcome that I never could have predicted. Seriously, the final reveal is easily one of the best I’ve come across in any of the books I’ve read. This is one you definitely don’t want to miss.

If you’re looking for a diabolical twist in a thriller that transports you to another time and place and urges you to turn the pages as fast as you possibly can, this is a must-read. I also recommend picking up the same edition I have – not only for its beautiful cover art, but for the excellent translation and the added bonus of another Yokomizo story to enjoy at a later date. You know I’ll be reviewing that one sometime in the near future.