Mimicry Crime Part II (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: (Japanese) Miyuki Miyabe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The First Story of "Copycat Killer"
Story Review: A girl mysteriously disappears. Soon after, a severed right hand is found in a park trash bin, and the case begins. "I am the one who threw the right hand into Daiten Park. Don't you want to report on this event anymore?" Suddenly, a phone call comes into the live broadcast program of the TV station. The criminal has called the program team multiple times, excitedly discussing the case anding even more terrifying things: "Live broadcast my crime." This is a "killing plan" unprecedented in history. However, a car accident seems to have ended this terrifying live report. The police confirm that two suspects died in a car accident while falling off a cliff. Will the case really end so simply?
The Second Story of "Copycat Killer" Plot Summary: As most people believed that the victims, Hidetaka Kurahashi and Kazuaki Takai, who died in a car accident, were the criminals, a man suddenly appeared on the media stage. He is Kōichi Nagaoka, a criminal psychologist who graduated from Yale University. He believes that there is another real criminal. Nagaoka participated in many TV programs, advocating his "theory of the real killer's existence." Soon, his highly persuasive arguments, charming appearance, and wise demeanor became popular throughout society. "The real killer is still alive," and people began to wait for the frightening outcome. But who exactly is the real killer that Nagaoka believes in? And what evidence does he have to confidently assert that "the criminal is someone else"? The perpetrator, the victim, the family members, the police, and the media—all those who know about this case are drawn in, and the case reaches a highly ironic and impactful final conclusion.