Books like The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura

I've been wanting to become friends with the Woman in the Purple Skirt for a very long time... Almost every afternoon, she sits on the same park bench, eating a cream bun while the local children try to get her attention. Unbeknownst to her, she is being watched by the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who is always perched just out of sight, monitoring her every move. From a distance, she looks like a schoolgirl, but there are age spots on her face, and her hair is dry and stiff. She is single, she lives in a small apartment, and she is short on money. She is invited to a job as a housekeeper at a hotel, where she too is a housekeeper. Soon, she is having an affair with the boss and everyone is on her case. But no one knows or cares about the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who is the difference between her and the Woman in the Purple Skirt.

First publish date: 2021