A corpse has fled the scene of a brutal murder—?! The shockingly entertaining, must-read mystery 'Sycamore' by Ian Rogers (translated by Kenji Kazama) will be published by Shinchosha Bunko on March 30th (Saturday)!

His only weapons are his quick feet and his sharp tongue.

An extraordinary private investigator is 'challenged' by a series of brutal murders in the demon world?!

Ian Rogers' 'Sycamore' (translated by Kenji Kazama) will finally be published by Shinchosha Bunko on March 30th (Monday).

A portal to a dark demon realm known as 'Blackland' has appeared in the town of Sycamore, near Toronto. Coincidentally, a series of brutal murders is occurring in the town, and a corpse has vanished—or rather, it seems to have run away—from a blood-soaked crime scene. Felix, a private investigator hired for a strange missing persons case, finds himself forced to search even in the 'Blackland' he has no desire to visit... The protagonist, whose level of motivation is hard to gauge, is challenged (or rather, forced to take on) a case that actually requires him to unravel a complex, tangled mystery. With its dark fantasy-style unique setting, serial murder case, a wisecracking private investigator, and a surprising development that is also a perfectly crafted whodunit, this is a true page-turner. This highly unconventional mystery, which you will want to read in one sitting, may well become the 'eye of the storm' in this year's mystery best-10 rankings.

Book Introduction Sycamore, the demon city. A town where a portal to 'Blackland,' a demon realm where vampires and werewolves run rampant, has appeared. A series of brutal murders is taking place in the streets, and a corpse has vanished from a blood-soaked scene. Hired to 'find my husband's body,' detective Felix, with a spirited female librarian as his partner, finds himself forced to step into the unbelievable Blackland... The birth of a cutting-edge, uniquely-set mystery that swallows up various elements and is perfectly crafted as a whodunit!

Author Introduction: Ian Rogers Born in 1976. Lives in Ontario, Canada. A dark fantasy, horror, and mystery writer. Debuted in 2012 with the short story collection 'Every House Is Haunted.' In 2024, he made his novel-length debut with 'Family.' That same year, he published the novel 'Sycamore,' which depicts the exploits of private investigator Felix in the 'Blackland' setting. His 2012 work 'SuperNOIRtural Tales' is a collection of stories featuring Felix.

Translator Introduction: Kenji Kazama Born in Tokyo in 1953. Graduated from the Faculty of Humanities at Musashi University. A fantasy literature researcher and translator. In 1998, he received the Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Best Critical Work for 'Horror Shosetsu Taizen' (The Complete Guide to Horror Novels). Major works include 'Kai-i Ryoki Mystery Zenshi' (A Complete History of Strange and Bizarre Mysteries) and 'Horror Shosetsu Taizen.' His translations include Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' series, Tad Williams' 'The War of the Flowers,' and 'Splatter Movies: Breaking the Last Taboo of the Screen' by John McCarty.

Book Data [Title] Sycamore [Author] Ian Rogers / Translated by Kenji Kazama [Release Date] March 30, 2026 [Format] Paperback (Bunko) [Price] 1,210 yen (tax included) [ISBN] 978-4-10-241181-0 [URL] https://www.shinchosha.co.jp/book/241181/