Three Lives of Tomomi Ishikawa by Benjamin Constable

Published by Simon and Schuster

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.

Benjamin Constable has crafted a phenomenal book. This book was a very loaded read. The story goes is quite heavy, and has a significant impact on the readers emotions.

I loved the twists and turns crafted into the storyline. Just when I had predicted how something would unfold, I was completely in awe over what developed.

To go into detail would reveal too much. This is a book that must be experienced by the reader to truly understand its dynamics. It is written beautifully. It is tragic, lovely, inspiring, depressing and mesmerizing.

A great read.

This is the sort of book you need to read twice just to see if you missed anything the first time around. Perhaps in knowing how the story unfolds, smaller details will be more significant to the storyline in the second reading.

Brilliant.