Synopses & Reviews
A new and enticing voice in fiction draws readers through the streets of Paris and New York on an intricate adventure. It’s twisting, contemplative, playful and darkly entertaining.
A suicide note. Hidden clues. A deadly game of wits. An imaginary cat. A paean to a strange and addictive friendship. Three Lives of Tomomi Ishikawa is a compelling invitation to indulge in simple delights and explore a shadowy world where the boundaries between truth and invention are blurred.
Ben Constable and his friend Tomomi “Butterfly” Ishikawa live in Paris. They drink in late-night bars, smoking and laughing, caught up in a seemingly endless conversation — until Butterfly sends a letter saying she’s killed herself. Haunted by the loss, Ben follows her final instructions on a mysterious treasure hunt, revealing unexpected joys and obscure faces of the cities she has lived in. But the deeper he digs, the darker the past he uncovers. Butterfly’s life was less innocent than he could have imagined. In a game he thought had been devised for his amusement Ben starts to suspect he is in fact the plaything. And the real and surreal overlap, making it difficult to judge what comes from the heart and what could be dangerous.
Review
"Three Lives of Tomomi Ishikawa is a haunting, mysterious, and beautifully-executed novel. I couldn't put it down while I was reading it, and days later I find myself thinking of the characters, of the secret lives of Paris and New York, of the question of how well we ever really know our friends. Benjamin Constable's elegant debut reads like a cross between a puzzle and a fairytale." Emily St. John Mandel, author of The Lola Quartet
Review
"A haunting book as much about the creative process as it is about the characters." Kirkus
Review
"An offbeat tale — dark but playful." Publishers Weekly
Review
"An offbeat tale—dark but playful." Kirkus
Synopsis
A new and enticing voice in fiction draws readers through the streets of Paris and New York on an intricate adventure. It's twisting, contemplative, playful and darkly entertaining.
What writer Benjamin Constable needs is a real-life adventure wilder than his rampant imagination. And who better to shake up his comfortable Englishman-in-Paris routine than the enigmatic Tomomi "Butterfly" Ishikawa, who has just sent a cryptic suicide note?
She's planted a slew of clues--in the pages of her journal, on the hard drive of her computer, tucked away in public places, under flowerpots, and behind statues. Heartbroken, confused, and accompanied by an imaginary cat, Ben embarks upon a scavenger hunt leading to charming and unexpected spaces, from the hidden alleys of Paris to the cobblestone streets of New York City.
But Butterfly's posthumous messages are surprisingly well informed for the words of a dead person, and they're full of confessions of a past darkened by insanity, betrayal, and murder. The treasures Ben is unearthing are installments of a gruesome memoir. Now he must draw a clear line between the real and surreal if he is to save himself, Butterfly, and what remains of their crazy and amazing friendship.
Synopsis
What writer Benjamin Constable needs is a real-life adventure wilder than his rampant imagination. And who better to shake up his comfortable Englishman-in-Paris routine than the enigmatic Tomomi “Butterfly” Ishikawa, who has just sent a cryptic suicide note?
She’s planted a slew of clues — in the pages of her journal, on the hard drive of her computer, tucked away in public places, under flowerpots, and behind statues. Heartbroken, confused, and accompanied by an imaginary cat, Ben embarks upon a scavenger hunt leading to charming and unexpected spaces, from the hidden alleys of Paris to the cobblestone streets of New York City.
But Butterfly’s posthumous messages are surprisingly well informed for the words of a dead person, and they’re full of confessions of a past darkened by insanity, betrayal, and murder. The treasures Ben is unearthing are installments of a gruesome memoir. Now he must draw a clear line between the real and surreal if he is to save himself, Butterfly, and what remains of their crazy and amazing friendship.
About the Author
Benjamin Constable was born in Bristol and grew up mostly in Derby. He lives in Paris where he writes fiction and teaches English. Three Lives of Tomomi Ishikawa is his first novel.