Honeybees and Distant Thunder (Onda Riku); Doubleday, 2023

Welcome to a magical world of music, friendship and rivalry ...

In a small coastal town just a stone's throw from Tokyo, a prestigious piano competition is underway. Over the course of two feverish weeks, three friends will experience some of the most joyous - and painful - moments of their lives.

Aya was a piano genius, until she ran away from the stage and vanished; will the tall and talented Makun bring her back?

Or will it be child of nature, Jin, a pianist without a piano, who carries the sound of his father's bees wherever he goes?

Each of them will break the rules, awe their fans and push themselves to the brink. But at what cost?

Tender, cruel, compelling, Honeybees and Distant Thunder is the unflinching story of love, courage and rivalry. Most of all, it shows how three young people reconcile with the highs and lows of what it means to truly be a friend.