Midnight approaches in an almost empty diner. Mari is drinking her coffee and glances at a book when a young musician disrupts her solitude. Both have missed the last train home. The musician plans to rehearse with his jazz band all night, while Mari is equally indifferent and content to read, smoke, and drink coffee until dawn. They realize they have met through Eri, Mari's beautiful sister. The musician soon leaves with the promise that he will return before dawn. A little later, Mari is interrupted for the second time by a girl from the Alphaville hotel; a Chinese prostitute has been hurt by a client and the girl has heard that Mari speaks fluent Chinese and seeks her help. Meanwhile, Eri is at home, sleeping a deep, heavy sleep that is 'too perfect, too clean' to be normal; her pulse and breathing are at the lowest necessary level. She has remained in this slumbering state for two months; Eri has become the classic myth - a sleeping beauty. But tonight, as the digital clock strikes 00:00, a faint electric spark is perceptible, a hint of life flickering on the TV screen, although the TV plug has been removed. Murakami, a master of surrealism, returns with a stunning new novel where the familiar can become strange after midnight, even for those who thrive in the small hours. With 'After Dark' we travel beyond twilight. Strange nocturnal events, or a game of the night?

Pages: 208, Dimensions: 11x11cm