Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye.

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

Why I have it: Because I saw a billboard advertising it. A billboard!

Summary: Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back. Inspired by the real case of ‘The Konkatsu Killer‘

I’m thinking: Yes.

Higher Education by Kira McPherson

Why I have it: Not sure.

Summary: Sam is struggling to find her place at university. That changes when a lecturer introduces Sam to Julia, his charming wife and a corporate lawyer who agrees to mentor Sam through law school. Their closeness provides a way for Sam to understand who she is, and who she wants to become, but over time, their closeness crosses boundaries.

I’m thinking: No.

Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur

Why I have it: Because I loved Wild Game.

Summary: Ken and Abby Gardner’s mother died when they were small. Their father, Adam, an oceanographer, raised them on his own in his remote home on Cape Cod, where the attachment between Ken and Abby deepened. As adults, their relationship is strained but deeply entwined. As Adam approaches his 70th birthday, the children each plan the elaborate gifts they will present to him, jostling for primacy in this small family unit.

I’m thinking: Maybe.

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