Crossfire

This is about two women committed to fighting evil with their differentalents: one is a policewoman with a good head and heart, the other a youngoman with the supernatural power to start fire. It is easy to assume thathe unusual ability of the latter would be more effective, but the novelxplores how "powers" actually rob their owners of the freedom to live normalives. Another theme is of the nature of vigilantism, explored provocativelyith irredeemable, violent criminals who manage to evade meaningful legalustice. Crimes include the rape and murder of high school girls by minorsho are given lenient treatment by the law, and women who are victimstalkers and domestic violence. This is where the vigilante group Theuardians step in. However, innocent lives are lost in the crossfire, and theeader is left to decide whether the legal system, despite its imperfections,e left to handle criminals, or are citizens justified in taking the law intoheir own hands? Miyabe presents us with vigilantes with supernatural powers yet they are very human characters.;Ultimately the focus is less on them

MIYUKI MIYABE was born in Tokyo in 1960 and worked in a law office before becoming a full-time writer. She is the recipient of numerous literary prizes, including Japan's most prestigious award for popular literature, the Naoki Prize, in 1998.