University student, Masaya goes to his hometown for his grandmother’s funeral, and feels uncomfortable with his estranged father. He receives a letter from Yamato, the owner of the bakery where he used to be a regular customer. It seems that Yamato has been sentenced to death for killing 24 people including high school students and female office workers, and now he’s asking Masaya to find the real killer of the last murder, the one he didn’t commit. As Masaya investigates the case, he gets gradually absorbed and ends up faced with a terrible truth. Based on the novel of the same title by Kushiki Riu, Lesson in Murder is a psychological thriller directed by Shiraishi Kazuya. The director eerily depicts the abyss of a psychopath serial killer with great skill. Actor Abe Sadawo’s nonchalant facial expressions graphically portray the cold nature of the serial killer. The climax and ending reveal the truth of the event after a swirling storyline, which is quite overwhelming. (Martin LEE)