Sake-drinking Bookstore Staff Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 17 (2022) award
Masaki Maruyama
まるやま まさき
Maruyama Masaki
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1961-01-01 （Tokyo, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 2011-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University, Faculty of Letters (First Department) | Faculty of Letters (First Department) | Theatre Studies | — | — | Japan |
Waseda University, Faculty of Letters (First Department)
Faculty of Letters (First Department)
/ Theatre Studies
Country:
Japan
Graduated from Theatre Studies
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Def Voice
2011 MysteryThe first novel in a series centered on sign-language interpreters and hearing-impaired characters; a courtroom mystery combining social-perspective storytelling with procedural elements.
Hearing impairmentCourtroomCommunication
Ryū no Mimi o Kimi ni (Def Voice: New Chapter)
2018 MysteryA continuation of the Def Voice series that deepens character relationships while presenting a new case and its background.
FamilyJusticeRights of disabled people
The Wail Cannot Be Heard (Def Voice)
2019 MysteryA volume in the series where victim and perpetrator narratives intersect, questioning social blind spots and prejudice.
PrejudiceTestimonyMultiplicity of truth
The Drifting Child
2016 Literary fiction with mystery elementsA novel about family and memory, exploring characters' psyches and pasts with a quiet narrative style.
MemoryFamilyLoss
Detective Nanimori: The Solitary Visage
2020 Short story collection / Detective fictionA short-story collection featuring Detective Nanimori; the structure reveals the protagonist through disparate cases.
SolitudeSense of justiceEveryday mysteries
Wonderful Life
2021 Literary fictionA collection containing short and mid-length pieces that portray contemporary relationships and subtle everyday moments.
Daily lifeHuman relationshipsRenewal
Bibliography
- Def Voice (2011)
- The Drifting Child (2016)
- Ryū no Mimi o Kimi ni (Def Voice: New Chapter) (2018)
- The Wail Cannot Be Heard (Def Voice) (2019)
- Detective Nanimori: The Solitary Visage (2020)
- Wonderful Life (2021)
- At the Table Without Me (Def Voice) (2021)
- Welcome Home! (2022)
- The Sprinkling Old Man and the Library Princess (2022)
- Kids Are All Right (2022)
- Things You Can Say Because of Sign Language: The Mystery of the Crying Blue Demon (2023)
- Husband, Won't You Die? (2023)
- Detective Nanimori: Where the Escape Goes (2023)
- The Blue Bird Flew (2025)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Mystery-tinged prose reflecting social issuesCalm, meticulous psychological description
- Recurring Motifs
- Sign language and communication breakdownFragments of family and the pastQuestions of law and justice
Legacy
Known for socially conscious mystery works that include perspectives of sign-language interpreters and hearing-impaired characters. His background as a screenwriter informs a measured narrative voice and detailed character depiction.
Trivia
- Studied theatre at Waseda University and worked as a screenwriter before debuting as a novelist.
- Made his novelist debut in 2011 with 'Def Voice'.
- Active on social media (X).