The cat in the coffin - Mariko Koike

Recently-widowed Goro hires au-pair Masayo to care for his eight-year-old daughter, Momoko, whose best friend is her cat, Lala. Masayo falls in love with Goro, but one fateful night he meets the gorgeous Chinatsu, who soon becomes his girlfriend. As Chinatsu tries to win over her potential stepdaughter's affections she realises she has to compete with Lala the cat - and she hates cats. Meanwhile, Momoko can only watch with jealousy, until the tension climaxes with a shocking act of femme fatale vengeance. A blend of traditional romance and suspense.