Might be useful in the LN book club as well… There’s the title, which can be used to advertise, but you lose that if you’re giving a shout-out to nominations or whatnot…
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On mobile at the moment but I’ll address after work. I’m good with adding more to the OP if it’s helpful.
edit: done
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I’ll try to jump in when the right book and difficulty come along.
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And for what it’s worth, you can always nominate something if nothing really matches your criteria.
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Book: 悲嘆の門 (上)
Is there an ebook available?: no 
Summary - Japanese
(From the two-part tankoban)
怖いよ。怪物がくる!
日本を縦断し、死体を切り取る戦慄の殺人事件発生。
ネット上の噂を追う大学一年生・孝太郎と、
退職した刑事・都築の前に、“それ"が姿を現した!
ミステリーを超え、ファンタジーを超えた、
宮部みゆきの新世界、開幕。大ベストセラー『英雄の書』に続く待望の新刊!
(From the three-part bunkoban)
インターネット上に溢れる情報の中で、法律に抵触するものや犯罪に結びつくものを監視し、調査するサイバー・パトロール会社「クマー」。大学一年生の三島孝太郎は、先輩の真岐に誘われ、五カ月前からアルバイトを始めたが、ある日、全国で起きる不可解な殺人事件の監視チームに入るよう命じられる。その矢先、同僚の大学生が行方不明になり……。〈言葉〉と〈物語〉の根源を問う、圧倒的大作長編。
Summary - English
(Official English summary)
A series of murders shocks Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, but Shigenori, a retired police detective, is instead obsessed with a gargoyle that seems to move. College freshman Kotaro launches a web-based investigation of the killer, and comes to find that answers may lie within an abandoned building in the center of Japan’s busiest neighborhood, and beyond the Gate of Sorrows. In this adult sequel to Miyabe’s The Book of Heroes, you will meet monsters from other worlds and ordinary horrors that surpass even supernatural threats.
Content warnings if known
None known
Why are you nominating this book: This looks really interesting (gargoyle, anyone?), and though I haven’t read any of her books, I know the author, 宮部 みゆき is really popular. Unfortunately, this isn’t a standalone novel or available digitally as far as I can tell. On the plus side, even though it’s advertised as some kind of sequel to 英雄の書, it’s my understanding that it’s more of a “also takes place in this world” kind of thing, so reading that one shouldn’t be necessary for this one.
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I like 宮部 みゆき’s books a lot, but that weighs in at nearly 1100 pages total, which feels like quite a lot for a book club pick.
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I didn’t check the page counts, but I noticed that it has 上中下 parts, and that sounded like a lot 
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I figured if that one was picked we’d just read the first book. That way, those who like it can continue outside of club time and those who didn’t can safely drop it.
I guess; I’m not sure there’s going to be much interest in reading a third of a story, though. But we’ll find out how it does in the voting. (My guess is “no ebook” will be the bigger hurdle for many.)
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“No ebook” is why I didn’t nominate ステップファザー・ステップ, another of Miyabe’s, even though I loved it. There are more people who won’t (or can’t) read something if it’s physical-only than if it’s digital-only.
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It’s on my TBR. Glad to know it’s good. I bought it on a whim and don’t even know what it’s about. which I do a lot 
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I put a placeholder value for this in the nominations, but I’ll need the Natively link before I can officially add it. Might be a lil while since I think Brandon is traveling / holidays
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Natively link added!
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Book: 湖底の光芒 | L35?? (Amazon JP and bookwalker )
Is there an ebook available?: yes
Summary - Japanese
遠沢加須子は、夫の遺した中部光学というレンズ製造会社を諏訪で経営している。親会社の倒産で苦境にたった時、手をさしのべてきたのは、ハイランド光学の専務・弓島邦雄だった。親会社の横暴に泣く下請業者の悲哀、加須子にのびる欲望の影、そして奔放な義妹・多摩子の愛憎の果てに、悲劇がおとずれる…。ミステリーの醍醐味を凝縮した長編推理小説。
Summary - English
(Translation from ChatGPT, mildly tidied up)
In Suwa, Etsuzawa Kasuko oversees the operations of Chubu Optical, a lens manufacturing company inherited from her late husband. When the parent company’s bankruptcy puts her in a tough spot, Yumijima Kunio, the Managing Director of Highland Optical, extends support. The tragedy unfolds amidst the subcontractors’ lamentations over the parent company’s oppression, Kasuko’s growing desires, and the complex emotions of her uninhibited sister-in-law, Tamako. This is a detective novel that captures the true essence of mystery.
Content warnings if known
None I know of.
Why are you nominating this book: I like Matsumoto Seichou, and have read a fair number of his books. (As a result this isn’t one of the top three really famous books of his, but I didn’t want to nominate a book I wasn’t going to read with the club!) In the 1960s he was Japan’s best selling author, and won a pile of awards. He’s often credited with bringing a social realism focus to Japanese mystery stories in the post war period and taking it away from mere puzzle solving/alibi breaking/etc; the books of his I have liked best have depicted some aspect of Japanese society as well as being murder mysteries. This book seemed to do OK in Amazon reviews, so hopefully it’s a good one. At 478 pages this is long-ish but it is a single volume work. First published as a magazine serial in 1963 under the title 石路, first published as a novel in 1983. His contemporary fiction novels seem to wind up at about Natively level 35 or thereabouts.
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I put a placeholder for now until the Natively link is up. Helps me remember to fill it in when it’s available.
There is one more spot remaining before nominations close
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Two spots, surely? You still have medium in the nomination list, but that slot is now free for a new nomination.
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Oh I didn’t notice Medium was still there. I usually remove the winner right away. Must have missed it this time.
edit: it’s gone. 2 spots open.
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Book:
Is there an ebook available?: yes
Summary - Japanese
人は、死んだらどうなるの？――いなくなるのよ――いなくなって、どうなるの？――いなくなって、それだけなの――。その会話から三年後、凰介の母は病死した。父と二人だけの生活が始まって数日後、幼馴染みの亜紀の母親が自殺を遂げる。そして亜紀が交通事故に遭い、洋一郎までもが……。父とのささやかな幸せを願う小学五年生の少年が、苦悩の果てに辿り着いた驚愕の真実とは？ いま最も注目される俊英が放つ、巧緻に描かれた傑作。第七回本格ミステリ大賞受賞作。
Summary - English
What happens to people when they die? --They’re gone. - What happens when they’re gone? --They disappear, and that’s it. Three years after that conversation, Housuke’s mother died of illness. A few days after he and his father began living alone, his childhood friend Aki’s mother commits suicide. Then Aki is involved in a car accident, and even Yoichiro is … What is the shocking truth that a boy in the fifth grade of elementary school, who hopes for a small happiness with his father, arrives at the end of his agony? This is a masterpiece by one of the hottest young talents in the world today. Winner of the 7th Authentic Mystery Award.
Why are you nominating this book:
It’s on my physical TBR. It’s famous. It has won a price. It sounds interesting.
Audiobook is being released at the end of February 2024.
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May I remove an old nomination of mine? 眠りの森 東野圭吾
I started reading it on my own and I realise it’s not so accessible as it’s not in e book format, so less suited to the book club 
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