tags: fantasy, Japanese, Keigo Higashino, mystery
from goodreads
When three delinquents hole up in an abandoned general store after their most recent robbery, to their great surprise, a letter drops through the mail slot in the store's shutter. This seemingly simple request for advice sets the trio on a journey of discovery as, over the course of a single night, they step into the role of the kindhearted former shopkeeper who devoted his waning years to offering thoughtful counsel to his correspondents. Through the lens of time, they share insight with those seeking guidance, and by morning, none of their lives will ever be the same.
The novel has a different tone from Higashino's usual mystery crime novels but is as engaging and hard to put down once you start reading. The story is sweet, heartfelt, and unforgettable. It's 1980 and the owner of Namiya General Store, Yūji Namiya, gives answers to people asking for advice. It began when Mr. Namiya gave verbal guidance to grade school students. He starts giving the answers on notes posted outside the front of the store when he becomes popular with residents and soon adults also start writing for advice. When the store is closed, they would drop their letters through the front door slot and they pick up the handwritten replies from Mr. Namiya from a milk box hung outside on the side of the store. In 2012, three youths who just committed petty thievery hide in the now closed and abandoned Namiya General Store. During the night, a letter seeking advice is dropped from the slot although nobody is outside. The boys become aware that it was written in 1980. When one of the boys decides to reply, the mysteries and secrets of the old General Store become apparent as their letters cut across time and space. The lives of various unrelated characters intertwine through the "miracles" occurring in the store.
Highly recommended.
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