Headless

"A captivating mystery with just the right touch of paranormal and is a great read for those who enjoy a bit of gore, historical fiction, and mythology in their mysteries." — Portland Book Review, 5 stars When the trail of a head-collecting serial killer in Japan takes a supernatural turn, a pair of mismatched journalists must get the story without losing their heads. Akio Tsukino is a staff photographer at a Tokyo newspaper, stuck in the back pages, shooting parades and grade school plays. When a serial killer starts chopping off heads in nearby Kofu, Akio sees a chance to break out of the routine and prove himself. It never occurs to him he'd end up in the path of a monster. Masami Sato, a top staff writer on the police beat, is a tenacious woman making a name for herself in a male-dominated news world. When she's sent to investigate the serial killer, she'll stop at nothing to get the scoop. If only Akio would get out of her way. As they struggle to get along, and ghost stories of evil samurai creep into their investigation, Akio and Masami soon realize that the price for getting the story may be their own heads. "I was engrossed with the mystery, loving the combination of supernatural and historical details. ... Though the book had undeniably dark and creepy moments, the humor helped balance it out." — 52 Letters in the Alphabet "Headless...manages to meld elements of crime procedurals, buddy comedies, horror, thrillers, and historical fiction... The mystery and sharp writing will keep you turning the pages...the author gives you countless interesting little details and reflections that will stick with you long after your first read. Highly recommended!" — Amazon review "Headless is an exciting supernatural thriller with a dash of light-hearted comedy that explores a story and setting far more unique than your typical book in this genre. I was immediately drawn in from the first paragraph and couldn't put it down until the end." — Amazon review "if you like Japanese culture, Swords, Supernatural and a good mystery, definitely check out Headless!" — Amazon review "What a page turner! ... brings crime drama to a fascinating new place. The characters are beautifully drawn, the structure guiding them inevitably toward the wild conclusion." — Amazon review "Lowe's writing style is that of a more seasoned writer. Where a lot of beginning writer's prose is often stilted and uneven, Lowe's is fluid and confident." — Amazon review "Continuously enthralling, this is a book I would recommend to just about anyone." — Amazon review "I was pleasantly surprised at the superb narration skills of the Author. The story itself was a mystery with paranormal elements that was fast paced and thought provoking. The characters were in depth and there was a slight comedic undertone that I liked very much." — Audible review "I love a good mystery with a supernatural twist and Headless delivered!" — Goodreads review A serial killer in Japan is chopping off heads. An unlikely pair of journalists try not to lose theirs.Being a photographer at a Tokyo newspaper is no walk in the park—unless you’re Akio Tsukino and only get assigned to shoot parades and park festivals. All that changes when a serial killer starts chopping off heads in nearby Kofu. Akio maneuvers his way onto the assignment in order to prove himself and get closer to enigmatic staff writer Masami Sato. When the investigation takes a supernatural turn, the unlikely partners find themselves caught between solving the mystery and saving their own lives. In this thrilling and imaginative debut by Tristram Lowe, getting the story may cost them their heads