A novel about finding the light when you can't see it

The Global Brand
Shortlisted for the Japan Bookseller's Award

From the multi-million-copy author of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY - her brand new novel, translated into English by the translator of The Travelling Cat Chronicles

'The new moon is a time for a fresh start, the perfect day to try something you’ve never done before'

Each morning on the outskirts of Tokyo, a mysterious podcaster broadcasts live from a bamboo forest. No one knows who he is or where he’s from. Every episode, he shares musings about the moon: its cycles and phases, the science and astrology, and the celestial folklore it inspires - including a captivating ancient legend of the moon goddess.

With Michiko Aoyama’s classic charm and heartwarming beauty, Talking In a Moonlit Forest follows five unique strangers who find themselves drawn into the podcast’s orbit:

A dedicated nurse who has just quit her job;
A failing comedian who cannot give up on his dream;
A motorcycle mechanic left lonely by his changing relationship with his daughter and wife;
A high school girl who longs for independence from her parents;
A jewellery artist struggling for work-life balance as she finds success.

How will their lives connect?

The tales of the moon speak profoundly to each character in the midst of their everyday struggles. As they click onto the podcast, they find their own days waxing and waning in strange news ways - offering second chances and new and invisible connections.

© Michiko Aoyama 2027 (P) Penguin Audio 2027