Shadow Family

Book excerpt: This is a murder mystery focusing on the dark world of internet chat roomsopulated by people attracted by the chance to be whoever they want to be.olice investigating the murder of a middleaged office worker discover emailsn the victim's computer that indicate he had been a regular participant inn internet chat room. He wrote about a fantasy "family" of which he Isather: the other members of this shadow family being people he had met. Aoman detective is assigned to protect the dead man's real-life teenageaughter Kazumi, who says she's being stalked. The inspector in chargeonvinces his superiors to allow him to conduct a controversial experimenthat involves questioning members of the internet family while Kazumi watchesrom behind a two-way mirror to see if she recognises any of them, either byppearance or voice. During the interview, Kazumi talks about her feelingsowards her parents, and her boyfriend with whom she is in constant emailontact via her cellphone...Excellent detective fiction that keeps youuessing until the end, and exploits Miyabe's skilful characterisation to the