This is a murder mystery focusing on the dark world of internet chat rooms
populated by people attracted by the chance to be whoever they want to be.
Police investigating the murder of a middleaged office worker discover emails
on the victim's computer that indicate he had been a regular participant in an
internet chat room. He wrote about a fantasy "family" of which he Is father:
the other members of this shadow family being people he had met. A woman
detective is assigned to protect the dead man's real-life teenage daughter
Kazumi, who says she's being stalked. The inspector in charge convinces his
superiors to allow him to conduct a controversial experiment that involves
questioning members of the internet family while Kazumi watches from behind a
two-way mirror to see if she recognises any of them, either by appearance or
voice. During the interview, Kazumi talks about her feelings towards her
parents, and her boyfriend with whom she is in constant email contact via her
cellphone...Excellent detective fiction that keeps you guessing until the end,
and exploits Miyabe's skilful characterisation to the full.
