The Devil Takes Bitcoin

‘The Devil Takes Bitcoin is a wild ride through the glitchy, glorious mess that is crypto history. Jake Adelstein connects the dots like a conspiracy theorist with actual receipts. Read it. Laugh. Cringe. Maybe even HODL (Hold on for dear life).’

‘It is, of course, brilliant. A twisting, complex, international true-crime thriller involving Bitcoin, The Silk Road, and the cutting edge of Cryptocurrency malfeasance.’

Praise for Tokyo Noir:

‘Journalist Adelstein follows up The Last Yakuza with another illuminating blend of memoir and reportage … As always, the author’s ability to boil down Japan’s complex sociopolitical dynamics in sharp, often-humorous prose impresses … For true crime fans, this is a treat.’

Praise for Tokyo Noir:

‘Mafioso, dirty dealings, true crime — it’s all inherently interesting. And Tokyo Noir is exactly the sort of sequel you’d want to the now-seminal Tokyo Vice.’

Praise for Tokyo Noir:

‘It might be packaged as a hard-boiled, gonzo tour through Japan’s underworld, but this intricate tale keeps unfolding in unexpected ways … It’s tempting to call this story Chandleresque, but there’s a depth of feeling and undercurrent of spiritual questing that goes beyond Chandler’s remit.’

Praise for The Last Yakuza:

‘Journalist Adelstein parlays decades of reporting on Japanese organised crime into a propulsive history of the yakuza. Drawing on interviews with both his yakuza and Japanese law enforcement contacts, he examines how yakuza groups obtained power … He’s especially good at tracing the yakuza’s political influence in Japan, explaining how they bribed and blackmailed legislators into opposing bills that would have curbed their influence. Painstakingly reported and paced like a thriller, this is a must read for anyone interested in organised crime.’

Jake Adelstein has been an investigative journalist in Japan since 1993, writing in Japanese and English. He authored Tokyo Vice (now an HBO series), The Last Yakuza (2023), and Tokyo Noir (2024). He co-hosted the award-winning podcast The Evaporated: Gone with the Gods. A recognised expert on Japan’s organised crime, he’s reported for The Daily Beast, Los Angeles Times, Tempura, and VICE. He is also a low-ranking Zen Buddhist priest, trying hard to be kinder and occasionally exorcising hungry ghosts. Adelstein frequently appears as a commentator on Japanese crime and culture, working as a writer and consultant.