Malice

“The moment I heard about the murder, I knew who did it. The only question was whether I could prove it.”

Chapter 1: The Discovery

Novelist Kunihiko Hidaka is found murdered in his home, just before he was set to move abroad. Detective Kyoichiro Kaga arrives at the scene and quickly notices inconsistencies in the statements of Hidaka’s wife, Rie, and his best friend, Osamu Nonoguchi, a fellow writer.

Chapter 2: The Suspect

Nonoguchi becomes the prime suspect when his alibi falls apart. Kaga digs into Nonoguchi’s past and discovers a connection between him and Hidaka from their school days, suggesting a long-held grudge.

Chapter 3: The Confession

Nonoguchi confesses to the murder but provides a vague motive. Kaga remains skeptical, sensing that the confession is too convenient. He begins investigating Hidaka’s personal life, uncovering rumors of plagiarism and infidelity.

Chapter 4: The Manuscript

Kaga finds an unpublished manuscript in Hidaka’s study that appears to be written by Nonoguchi. The story mirrors real-life events, hinting at a deeper, more calculated motive behind the murder.

Chapter 5: The Truth Unfolds

Through interviews with former classmates and colleagues, Kaga pieces together the truth: Nonoguchi resented Hidaka for stealing his literary ideas and overshadowing his career. The murder was an act of revenge disguised as a crime of passion.

Chapter 6: The Final Confrontation

Kaga confronts Nonoguchi with irrefutable evidence, forcing him to admit the full extent of his malice. The novel ends with Nonoguchi’s chilling realization that his hatred, not Hidaka’s success, was his ultimate downfall.

Key Ideas

• The destructive power of envy and unresolved resentment.
• The blurred line between truth and deception in human relationships.
• The psychological complexity behind seemingly straightforward crimes.
• The role of fate and past connections in shaping present actions.
• The unreliability of surface appearances in murder investigations.