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In the early 2000s when puzzle mysteries began losing their popularity to pulp crime magazines and new thrillers focused more on violence and social realism, Higashino Devotion of Suspect X is a real mind game gem.
This book is a modern-day example of how writers easily toy and play games cleverly with their readers. A story that seems mundane and cold in the beginning gets mind bobbling twists and you can only wonder if I could be amazed anymore.
Introduction
Book’s Name - The Devotion of Suspect X
Author’s Name - Keigo Higashino
Genre - Mystery, thriller
Language - Japanese, English
Synopsis - Spoiler Alert!
Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced, single mother who thought she had finally escaped her abusive ex-husband Togashi. When he shows up one day to extort money from her, threatening both her and her teenage daughter Misato, the situation quickly escalates into violence and Togashi ends up dead on her apartment floor.
Overhearing the commotion, Yasuko's next-door neighbor, middle-aged high school mathematics teacher Ishigami, offers his help, disposing not only of the body but plotting the cover-up step-by-step.
When the body turns up and Detective Kusanagi draws the case and Yasuko is under suspicion and seeing her perfect alibi, he calls in his friend Dr. Yukawa, who was also friends of Ishigami and was convinced he was involved. The rest follow the game of wits between them and to see if justice will prevail or will Ishigami's genius save Yasuko is to follow.
About the Author
Born in February 1958, in the Ikuno ward of Osaka City, he grew up in a working-class city and had a challenging childhood. He attended various schools and graduated from Osaka Prefecture University.
Keigo Higashino is a Japanese author chiefly known for his mystery novels. He served as the 13th President of Mystery Writers of Japan from 2009 to 2013. Higashino has won major Japanese awards for his books, many of which have been turned into TV series and Films.
About the Book
The Devotion of Suspect X is a Japanese thriller novel authored by the renowned Keigo Higashino. This book was a trendsetter in Japanese thriller literature and still has an honorable place amongst the top three best-selling Japanese novels.
It took the world by storm when it was translated into English in 2011. It is about Yasuko who got sick of her Ex-Husband extorting money from them and killed him when he threatened their daughter Misato.
Ishigami comes to their rescue and disposes of the body and makes their perfect logical alibi. Detective Kusanagi, who suspects Yasuko considers her alibi too perfect, asks his friend Dr. Yukawa for help, who also happens to be Ishigami's old friend. Then begins a game of cat and mouse as to who will win this battle of the mind.
It is adapted into movies in many languages like Korean, Chinese, and the famous movie Drishyam is also said to be inspired by this book.
Psychological Analysis
As it's a crime thriller, we know pretty early a crime occurs and those who do it are revealed early. But what's most amazing is that no chapter, no page, not even a single word is unnecessary and contributes to taking the story forward.
We see Yasuko’s frustration and struggles as a single mother worried by her ex-husband and working jobs to support her daughter Misato, who just saw their parents divorce and are still in school.
We see Ishigami, who is a genius of the highest level, only to be working as a professor, and who later we know is depressed and has his share of personal and work problems.
Detective Kusanagi goes through the struggle of Justice vs Right and Dr. Yukawa worries he might send his old friend to jail.
Thus, we see all characters going through mental troubles, and as the story progresses, we see them going through all these and how they still tackle to survive and do what they must.
Famous Quotes
“Sometimes, all you had to do was exist in order to be someone's savior.”
“People who live with their head in the clouds deserve to hit the ground every once in a while.”
“A person's sadness didn't always take a form that others could see.”
The Bottom Line
The devotion of Suspect X is unique because along with the puzzles and mysteries, contains emotions that crime fiction rarely covers. It shows how far you can go and challenges the basic right and wrong. Thus, a must-read from my side and you will gulp it as soon as you start reading.
My rating for this book - 5 on 5
You can buy a copy of this book - The Devotion of Suspect X
Written By - Ashish Joshi
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