People Who Eat Darkness: The Fate of Lucie Blackman by Richard Lloyd Parry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I saw some buzz about this book when reading blogs and emails. As a true crime aficionado, I was immediately interested. One reviewer even compared People Who Eat Darkness to Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood (a personal favorite of mine). Oddly, when I went to the bookstore, I found the book in the biography section instead of true crime. There was only one copy left, and it had obviously been read by someone drinking a frappe. I bought it anyway, and I was not disappointed. Parry, an investigative journalist, used all his skill and expertise in his research. He also handled the victims’ families with empathy and delicacy. It was an engrossing, enlightening read, and I highly recommend it for fans of true crime even though it is so much more. The book explores class issues, racism, Japanese culture, and family dynamics. It is haunting and memorable.