Emily Midorikawa In Conversation

Blackwell’s Manchester hosts Emily Midorikawa in conversation with Susan Barker to celebrate the launch of Midorikawa’s debut novel A Tiny Speck of Black and Then Nothing.

Set in the neon-lit nightlife of Osaka, the novel follows Anna, a British teacher who becomes drawn into the enigmatic world of Loll, a glamorous bar hostess whose dazzling exterior conceals a more troubling reality. As Anna grows increasingly concerned by Loll’s mysterious bruises, secretive behaviour and sudden disappearance, she is pulled into a search that leads her deep into the city’s hidden and dangerous underworld. The story explores themes of identity, belonging and the shadows that linger beneath surface appearances.

Emily Midorikawa, an award-winning writer known for her acclaimed works of narrative non-fiction, draws on her experience of living in both Japan and the UK. She will be joined in conversation by author Susan Barker, whose novel Old Soul also explores unsettling and atmospheric storytelling.

Doors open at 6.30pm, with the event beginning at 6.45pm. Tickets are £4, with free entry available on purchase of the book in advance.