The Latest Breaking News from Asako Yuzuki

The books everyone will be reading this summer

SUMMER READING: From sun-soaked page-turners to perfect al fresco lunch companions, these are 21 of the hottest reads right now

The Independent UK · Jun 14

SNL UK is a welcome comedy of errors – what to watch, listen to and read this week

When it was announced that Saturday Night Live would launch a UK version there were a lot of naysayers, including me. I’m not a total hater, there have been sketches I’ve found genuinely funny in recent years – like this one poking fun at the incomprehenisbility of the metric system.…

The Conversation · Mar 27

Hooked by Asako Yuzuki: a biting tale of female loneliness and obsession

After the sensational reception of her novel Butter (2017, translated into English in 2024), Asako Yuzuki is back with Hooked (translated by Polly Barton) – a novel about loneliness and the sometimes twisted and complicated relationships between women.

The Conversation · Mar 13

Books to look out for in 2026 – fiction

Maggie O’Farrell, Yann Martel and Julian Barnes are among the authors publishing new novels this year

The Guardian - UK · Dec 27, 2025

'Butter': The Foodie Feminist Bestseller Skewering Sexism In Japan

Japanese writer Asako Yuzuki did not expect her novel "Butter" to capture a cult following abroad, hailed as a biting feminist critique of sexism and body-shaming.

International Business Times · Jul 15, 2025

How the real murders behind the hit novel Butter exposed Japanese media misogyny

Japan, 2009. It is a morning in August and, in a parking lot in Saitama – a regional centre about 30kms north of Tokyo – a rental car is spotted with a man lying in the back seat. His name is Yoshiyuki Oide. But it turns out that he’s not…

The Conversation · Jan 31, 2025

The ten best novels of 2024 – according to literary experts

With Something Good, the arts and culture newsletter from The Conversation UK, we aim to cut through the noise and recommend the very best in new releases every fortnight. In 2024, we’ve been spoiled for choice when it comes to recommending fiction. From Samantha Harvey’s spellbinding Booker winner Orbital to…

The Conversation · Dec 16, 2024

Novels about serial killers and loyal dogs voted Waterstones books of 2024

Booksellers chose true-crime inspired Butter by Asako Yuzuki as book of the year, while Ross Montgomery’s fun adventure I Am Rebel took the children’s prize

The Guardian - UK · Nov 28, 2024

Foodie mystery novel Butter named Waterstones Book Of The Year

The novel focuses is about a Tokyo female journalist who tries to interview a female gourmet cook and serial killer in prison.

The Independent UK · Nov 28, 2024

Surrealism, cafes and lots (and lots) of cats: why Japanese fiction is booming

From tales of alienation to comforting novels set in bookshops, Japanese authors have written nearly half of this year’s bestselling translated novels in the UK. What’s their secret?

The Guardian - UK · Nov 23, 2024