Diary of a Void

For the sake of women everywhere, Ms Shibata is going to pull off the mother of all deceptions...

A prizewinning, thrillingly subversive debut novel from a new star of Japanese fiction, perfect for readers of Convenience Store Woman and Breasts and Eggs.

As the only woman in her office, Ms Shibata is expected to do all the menial tasks. One day she announces that she can't clear away her coworkers' dirty cups - because she's pregnant and the smell nauseates her.

The only thing is . . . Ms Shibata is not pregnant. Pregnant Ms Shibata doesn't have to serve coffee to anyone. Pregnant Ms Shibata isn't forced to work overtime.

Pregnant Ms Shibata can rest, watch TV, take long baths, and even join an aerobics class for expectant mothers. But she has a nine-month ruse to keep up. Before long, it becomes all-absorbing, and with the help of towel-stuffed shirts and a diary app that tracks every stage of her 'pregnancy', the boundary between her lie and her life begins to dissolve.

Diary of a Void will keep you turning the pages to see just how far Ms Shibata will carry her deception for the sake of women everywhere. Translated from the Japanese by David Boyd and Lucy North