A review by em_beddedinbooks
Villian by Shūichi Yoshida

3.0

3.5 starter -better than average, but something missing to pass it with distinction. And here, the something was the ambiguity as to the ending, and the thought process that went behind the violence. A girl who likes finding online dates and make them pay for favors, is found strangled near a lonely highway pass,and her middle class parents are devastated. Soon dirty secrets emerge, and the suspects narrow down to two of her recent boyfriends - both of whom had interactions with her on the fatal day. Another girl enters the scene, this one who attempts online dating not for money, but only for assuaging her loneliness. The lives of all those who are immediately affected is chalked out, and finally the Villain is apprehended.
Loved reading the book. Would recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries with character development.