The Lemon Fool

A few months back I took a book out of the library. It was a detective story set in Japan and featuring a young female Japanese detective working for the Japanese police force. It was a good story and had the added interest of the setting and the culture. I must have been in a hurry or something but I took it back to the library without recording the name of the author. I'd like to read any other books about this detective or, indeed any books by the same author.

I realise this is a shot in the dark just in case anyone happens to have read the same book.

midnightcatprowl wrote:
I realise this is a shot in the dark just in case anyone happens to have read the same book.

Was it 'The Silent Dead'?

Lieutenant Reiko Himekawa is a young squad leader in the Homicide Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. As a young woman in a man’s world, she’s faced every obstacle in her rise up the police ranks, but it’s her determination and work ethic that have propelled her to the rank of lieutenant at the age of 27.

She is motivated by the memory of an incident during her teenage years, an incident which shocked her out of complacency and left her with a newfound respect for the police. But not everyone is appreciative of this young woman seemingly coasting her way to the top of the police ranks.

http://www.crimefictionlover.com/2016/0 ... lent-dead/

If it's not the above, is there any chance that you can remember any particular aspects of the story that stand out?

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Itsallaguess you are such a star! That's it and better there's at least one more book with the same detective. Thank you so much.

Lynn

midnightcatprowl wrote:
That's it and better there's at least one more book with the same detective. Thank you so much.

Superb result!

I haven't read it by the way - I just enjoy practicing my 'Google-Fu' when I can, so thanks for allowing me to pass one more test!

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Although you've solved the problem now, is it the case that just by going back to the library they could have told you what books you had borrowed over the last 'x' months? Or do they delete all records once you've returned a book?

is it the case that just by going back to the library they could have told you what books you had borrowed over the last 'x' months? Or do they delete all records once you've returned a book?

They didn't seem to have that information. Or maybe of course the book hunter which hides inside most librarians means he went straight into the catalogue! Unfortunately there were records of many many books by Japanese authors and he was reeling off authors names at me. The enthusiasm to find the book was nice but as I was pretty sure I didn't remember the authors name at all I don't think that approach was ever going to work. I'd only really approached the staff in the small hope that one of them might have read the book.

midnightcatprowl wrote:

is it the case that just by going back to the library they could have told you what books you had borrowed over the last 'x' months? Or do they delete all records once you've returned a book?

They didn't seem to have that information. Or maybe of course the book hunter which hides inside most librarians means he went straight into the catalogue! Unfortunately there were records of many many books by Japanese authors and he was reeling off authors names at me. The enthusiasm to find the book was nice but as I was pretty sure I didn't remember the authors name at all I don't think that approach was ever going to work. I'd only really approached the staff in the small hope that one of them might have read the book.

droopsnoot makes a good point. I have taken books out of the library and been told "You borrowed this book two years ago (or whatever)".

Watis

midnightcatprowl wrote:

is it the case that just by going back to the library they could have told you what books you had borrowed over the last 'x' months? Or do they delete all records once you've returned a book?

They didn't seem to have that information.

Does your library not have an online catalogue/database? Probably at the 'county' level rather than just for your specific library.

Mine does, and I can view my loans going back to 2011. Not a feature I use very often, but once in a while it's handy.

I am able to log on to my library account and one of the features is my loan history which tells me book titles.I am surprised that in these technological days that not all libraries have this facility.

It also tells me the dates of the loan, which is actually quite interesting. I have only once returned a book the day after I borrowed it (and yes I had read it! ) , whereas it shows me that sometimes a book that I felt obliged to read, was renewed many times before I got round to reading it ( or admitting a lack of interest and returning it unread).