I saw the movie version of this a few years ago and remember it being quite disturbing. Well, the book is just as disturbing and then some. It's basically about a widower in his 40s in Japan who is seeking a new wife. He and his friend come up with an idea to set up an audition for a possible movie to screen the young women who show up for the audition and try to find a suitable prospect as a wife. The protagonist ends up fixating on one young woman in her 20s who, it turns out, has a somewhat troubling past filled with abuse by her step father and aunt when she was a child. Don't want to spoil this but be prepared for a fast-paced story with a very horrific climax. High recommendation!
