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Gentle Purgatory

優しい煉獄

• by Morioka Hiroyuki
• published by Tokuma Edge

"Master," I said, surprised. "This coffee is cold!"
"Haven't you heard?" he asked. "Starting today, coffee can get cold."
Reality is so inconvenient.

After we die, we can arrange for a back up of our memories to reside in purgatory -- virtual reality -- until our bank accounts run dry.
The main character has chosen to reside in a Showa era section of purgatory, largely because he has always wanted to be a private detective.
There are four stories here; mystery fans may find them lacking in interesting puzzles, but as far as ways of exploring this world and concept, they work very well. As always, characters are interesting, and dialogue remains dryly witty.
I believe this is an ongoing series, but when exactly the next volume will come out is anyone's guess; like the fifth Seikai no Senki novel, whenever he gets around to it.