Rin Matsuki Wins 79th Mystery Writers of Japan Award [Short Story Category]! Paperback Edition of Debut Short Story Collection 'Sagittarius-Scented Summer' to be Released in June!

The debut short story collection, which encapsulates all the sparkle and pain of youth in stories set in the "summer," will be released on June 26th from Sogen SF Bunko!

Rin Matsuki's 'Sagittarius-Scented Summer' Hardcover Edition (Sogen Japan SF Series)

Rin Matsuki's 'The Place Where We Buried the Twilight' (from the January 2025 issue of 'Shosetsu Suiri') has been chosen for the short story category of the 79th Mystery Writers of Japan Award, a mystery literature prize given to the most outstanding works of the year.

Rin Matsuki debuted in 2021 after winning the 12th Sogen SF Short Story Award for 'Sagittarius-Scented Summer.' This marks the third consecutive year that a writer from the Sogen SF Short Story Award has won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award's short story category, following Yusuke Miyauchi (co-winner with Kaoru Sakazaki) for 'The Dionysos Plan' at the 77th awards, and Mikihiro Hisanaga for 'Black Sabbath Days' at the 78th awards.

Tokyo SogenSha will release the paperback edition of Matsuki's debut short story collection, 'Sagittarius-Scented Summer,' this June!

'Sagittarius-Scented Summer' was published by Tokyo SogenSha in 2024. This work, consisting of four youthful sci-fi stories set in the "summer," has garnered much attention. In particular, the included story 'Jugo made wa Kami no uchi' (Until Fifteen, in the Hands of God), which uses a time-travel sci-fi framework, became a hot topic as an 'unforgettable work' for its intricate plot and lingering aftertaste.

Please pay attention to the striking debut work of the up-and-coming Rin Matsuki, who is gaining attention across genres!

'Sagittarius-Scented Summer' Synopsis

In a Japan where the right to 'rewind'—choosing a 'world where one was never born'—is recognized through the application of time travel technology. 'I', who lost my 15-year-old brother, who was supposed to have a promising future, to a 'rewind' 30 years ago in the summer, visit my hometown island as if led by the mystery of his disappearance. This volume includes four stories, including the 12th Sogen SF Short Story Award-winning title, and 'Until Fifteen, in the Hands of God,' which gained attention as an 'unforgettable work' for its intricate structure and the powerful emotions that wash over the reader upon finishing. A gem of a debut short story collection that encapsulates all the sparkle and pain of youth in stories set in the "summer," is now in paperback.

Commentary by Hirotaka Tobi

Bibliographic Information 'Sagittarius-Scented Summer' Hardcover Label: Sogen Japan SF Series Format: 46-size, semi-French binding Pages: 346 ISBN: 978-4-488-02102-3 C-Code: C0093 Price: 2,090 yen Photo: hale Design: Albireo

'Sagittarius-Scented Summer' Paperback Label: Sogen SF Bunko Format: Bunko (paperback) Pages: 384 First Edition: June 26, 2026 ISBN: 978-4-488-73602-6 C-Code: C0193 Price: 1,012 yen

Author Profile Rin Matsuki Born in 1990. Alumnus of the Keio University Mystery Novel Club. Received an honorable mention in the 51st 'Tobu Kyoshitsu' competition in 2020, an excellence award at the 8th Nikkei 'Hoshi Shinichi Award' in 2021, and won the 12th Sogen SF Short Story Award in the same year for 'Sagittarius-Scented Summer.'

Tokyo SogenSha Co., Ltd. Location: 1-5 Shin-Ogawamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0814 CEO: Kentaro Shibuya URL: https://www.tsogen.co.jp/np/index.html