The Final Six: BUTTER meets INDUSTRY - the runaway Japanese bestseller
Akinari Asakura
Jun 2026 · Little, Brown Book Group · Narrated by Ami Okumura Jones and Mark Takeshi Ota
headphones
Audiobook
8 hr 38 min
Unabridged
family_home
Eligible
info
Want a free 52 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.
Add
About this audiobook
When the stakes are at their highest, how low would you go?
_____________
Shogo Hatano has beaten thousands of applicants to become one of six final candidates in the running for a graduate position at Japan's most exclusive tech company. Only one will be chosen - a decision made by the applicants themselves.
In a glossy high-rise office in Tokyo, the interview begins. All six of them are equally measured and polished, until they discover the envelopes. One for every candidate. Each containing a secret so terrible that they could ruin more than just careers. They could destroy lives.
The evidence was clearly planted by someone in the room. As suspicion coils tighter and alliances fracture, it's clear the question is no longer who deserves the job, but how far are they willing to go to get it.
Because behind the polite mask and slick words is a monster capable of anything in the pursuit of their goal. But are any of them truly who they say they are?
_____________
Real reader reviews for THE FINAL SIX
'An utterly compelling psychological masterclass that demands to be read in a single sitting'
'Much like Asako Yuzuki's Butter, this novel possesses that rare, addictive quality of being both sharp social critique and an unputdownable human drama'
'A highly engaging read that explores the darker side of human ambition and the masks people wear to succeed'
'A fast-paced and gripping story that keeps the tension high from beginning to end'
'Lovers of translated fiction, whodunits and psychological thrillers will enjoy this read'
'A cracking debut that carves out a unique space in the corporate thriller genre by blending multiple themes seamlessly with a dark, locked-room structure'
_____________
Shogo Hatano has beaten thousands of applicants to become one of six final candidates in the running for a graduate position at Japan's most exclusive tech company. Only one will be chosen - a decision made by the applicants themselves.
In a glossy high-rise office in Tokyo, the interview begins. All six of them are equally measured and polished, until they discover the envelopes. One for every candidate. Each containing a secret so terrible that they could ruin more than just careers. They could destroy lives.
The evidence was clearly planted by someone in the room. As suspicion coils tighter and alliances fracture, it's clear the question is no longer who deserves the job, but how far are they willing to go to get it.
Because behind the polite mask and slick words is a monster capable of anything in the pursuit of their goal. But are any of them truly who they say they are?
_____________
Real reader reviews for THE FINAL SIX
'An utterly compelling psychological masterclass that demands to be read in a single sitting'
'Much like Asako Yuzuki's Butter, this novel possesses that rare, addictive quality of being both sharp social critique and an unputdownable human drama'
'A highly engaging read that explores the darker side of human ambition and the masks people wear to succeed'
'A fast-paced and gripping story that keeps the tension high from beginning to end'
'Lovers of translated fiction, whodunits and psychological thrillers will enjoy this read'
'A cracking debut that carves out a unique space in the corporate thriller genre by blending multiple themes seamlessly with a dark, locked-room structure'
When the stakes are at their highest, how low would you go?
_____________
Shogo Hatano has beaten thousands of applicants to become one of six final candidates in the running for a graduate position at Japan's most exclusive tech company. Only one will be chosen - a decision made by the applican...
Discover more
About the author
AKINARI ASAKURA is a Japanese writer and novelist known for his work as the writer of Show-ha Shoten! Hisaward-winning works have been translated around the world, adapted for stage, screen and into manga comics. This would be his debut novel translated into the English language.
HAYDN TROWELL is an Australian translator of Japanese literature whose work has appeared in Granta, Electric Literature, and Words Without Borders. He has translated fiction by major prize-winning authors such as Yasunari Kawabata, Maki Kashimada, and Rie Qudan, and he has worked extensively with publishers in Australia, Japan, the UK, and the US. Haydn holds a PhD in translation studies from Monash University and has a background in both translation and creative writing.
HAYDN TROWELL is an Australian translator of Japanese literature whose work has appeared in Granta, Electric Literature, and Words Without Borders. He has translated fiction by major prize-winning authors such as Yasunari Kawabata, Maki Kashimada, and Rie Qudan, and he has worked extensively with publishers in Australia, Japan, the UK, and the US. Haydn holds a PhD in translation studies from Monash University and has a background in both translation and creative writing.
AKINARI ASAKURA is a Japanese writer and novelist known for his work as the writer of Show-ha Shoten! Hisaward-winning works have been translated around the world, adapted for stage, screen and into manga comics. This would be his debut novel translated into the English language.
HAYDN TROWELL i...
Rate this audiobook
Tell us what you think.
Listening information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
