Hiroshi Sano (1928–2013)

"Fun Crimes" (楽しい犯罪)

About two friends who randomly run across, and solve, "crimes"—though usually more like slight social problems than actual crimes. In fact they probably commit more crimes along the way than they solve (though always for the cause of good). In almost every case the solution involves embarrassing the offender to warn them off rather than involving any authority.

The protagonist, Satoko, is slightly boring, a little conservative (she views her job as merely a way to find a husband), rather timid and slightly dim, but a good girl.

Much more fun is her friend Akiko, who is clever and bold, a bit crazy, and as she works for a lock company, she's an expert lock-pick, which comes in very handy. She's almost always the one that comes up with the plans, solves the puzzles, and more often than not, executes them herself before telling Satoko (who upon hearing the plan protests that it's too dangerous), "oh I forgot to mention, I already did it...."

Occasionally their friend Miki shows up, who's maybe slightly less of a good girl than the other two.

The book drifts along between different episodes, each segueing into the next, along with their personal lives.

The prose is uninspired, the characterization a bit formulaic, and the mysteries often a little fun but vaguely underwhelming, but there's a definite charm to following these two along as they meander along through life trying to make the world a slightly better place than they found it.

In a way it reminds me a bit of of an urban Japanese Nancy Drew for adults, from the viewpoint of one of her more boring friends....… (mehr)