In our April Book Club episode, Julia and Kathy unpack Butter, the cult Japanese bestseller by Asako Yuzuki.

Inspired by the real-life case of the “Konkatsu Killer” and translated into English, the book follows journalist Rika Machida as she tries to get inside the mind of convicted serial murderer Manako Kajii.

Kajii, a gourmet cook, is serving time behind bars for the murders of lonely businessmen who she seduced with her delicious home cooking.

What follows is an intimate and unsettling relationship between Rika and Kajii, as Rika recreates Kajii’s recipes and finds her obsession with the inmate beginning to cloud her judgment on the case and impact her relationships with those around her.

Julia and Kathy explore the central themes of feminism, body image and obsession, and how food ties them all together.

Butter is published in Australia by HarperCollins and available at most book stores.

https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780008511692/butter/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.