“These three stories in Counterfeiter and Other Stories illustrate Inoue’s versatility, his mastery of detail and his control of narrative structure. Inoue presents the tale as mystery and solution. He depicts the tale as psychoanalytic exploration…, and the tale as emblematic social history.”
–Arizona Quarterly

In The Counterfeiter, a writer is commissioned to write the biography of a famous painter. However, he becomes fascinated by a man who produced forgeries of the artist’s work. This fascination is central to understanding Counterfeiter and Other Stories.

Obasute concerns a man’s obsession with a legend of old women being taken to a mountain and abandoned. It also explores his interpretation of the actions of members of his family in light of this legend. The themes in Obasute contribute to the overarching narrative in Counterfeiter and Other Stories.

The Full Moon is a story of company politics, particularly the rise and fall of firm’s president. It is told largely through incidents at annual company parties. These narratives showcase the diversity found within Counterfeiter and Other Stories.