Kotaro Isaka is the internationally-acclaimed Japanese author of Bullet Train (Japanese title Maria Beetle, 2010). One of the most consistently bestselling authors of contemporary Japanese fiction, Isaka is known for works that straddle the literary and entertainment genres.

His novels include Audubon's Prayer (2000, Shincho Mystery Club Award), Lush Life (2002), Three Assassins (Japanese title Grasshopper, 2004), The Precision of the Agent of Death (2005, Mystery Writers of Japan Award), Shumatsu no Fool (2006), Golden Slumber (2007, Yamamoto Shugoro Award and Japan Booksellers' Award), The Mantis (Japanese title AX, 2017), and Gyaku Socrates (2020, Shibata Renzaburo Award). His latest novel is 777 (2023).

Isaka’s books have been translated into over 20 languages worldwide. Bullet Train was the basis of the eponymous movie from Sony Pictures (2022), directed by David Leitch and starring Brad Pitt.