Now You're One of Us

In the tradition of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca and Ira Levin's Rosemary's Baby, here is a new classic about the bride who's no longer sure what to think. All families have their own rituals, secrets, and credos, like a miniature religious cult; these quirks may elicit the mirth or mild alarm of guests, but the matter is rather more serious if you're marrying into a household. If its's a Japanese one with a history, the brace yourself: some surprising truths lurk around the corner.

From Publishers Weekly

Although Nonami's macabre thriller was a bestseller in Japan, and the author was won multiple prizes in her native country, American readers may well wonder what the fuss was all about. New bride Noriko is adjusting to her new life as a member of her husband Kazuhito Shito's large family, when she's accosted by a merchant who rents property from the Shitos. The merchant makes an oblique comment before fleeing. The brief, if unsettling, encounter achieves more prominence for Noriko after she learns that the man and his family died in a propane explosion, and she eavesdrops on a conversation that suggests her in-laws were complicit in the tragedy. The plot device of a naïve woman gradually becoming more and more isolated as she's drawn into the suffocating embrace of a sinister family is a familiar one to those who've either read Rosemary's Baby or seen the movie, and Nonami fails to offer anything new to the theme. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time Asia

“This pulpy family psychodrama is hugely entertaining – like watching some filmed version of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test from an adapted screenplay by Mario Puzo and directed by Yasujiro Ozu.”

Fearsmag.com

“Asa Nonami's NOW YOU'RE ONE OF US does for marriage what "Jaws" did for a day at the beach, and males and females alike will surly get a chill out of it.”

Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest

“The story's unpredictability is what makes it so suspenseful and successful.”

Hellnotes

“A different country, a different culture, and characters who create something far more fishy than sushi, make for a very unusual reading experience. Jolting and disturbing, this is a powerful work; it’s an unconventional tale despite the conventional gothic trappings.”

Agony Columns

“Nonami twists Japanese societal norms ever so effectively, turning charm into creep and happiness into horror.”

Complete Review

“An interesting dose of Japanese culture, mores, and history.”

Basugasubakuhatsu

“I like the psychological mystery and unique Japanese perspective in this novel.”

SFRevu

“This isn't quite Science Fiction, though I kept wondering if cloning or genetic modification would emerge as the man behind the curtain. Instead it's a story about old arts and the bending of wills, the keeping of secrets, and the thick blood of family.”

About the Author

Asa Nonami is one of Japan's most popular and versatile authors, with dozens of bestselling novels across various genres to her credit. Her acute and accessible critiques of Japanese society have won her the heartfelt support of women in particular. She won the first annual Japan Mystery Suspense Award for debut talent in 1988 and the prestigious Naoki Prize for excellence in popular fiction in 1996.

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