[Book Review] The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

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I got interested in The Devotion of Suspect X when I came to know that it is a bestseller in Japan and has rave reviews elsewhere. Last year I happened to read three thrillers and this was the fourth addition to the when I restarted reading fiction. The Devotion of Suspect X is a story fantastically told. I do not yet know whether it is a mystery or not. Why? Because it is not the regular mystery story, where the story starts with a puzzle and solution to the puzzle is unfolded as the story proceeds towards the climax. In The Devotion of Suspect X, you know the solution of the puzzle at the start – that is – Hanaokas, Yasuko and her daughter Misato, were the killers of Yasuko’s ex-husband, Kinji Togashi. The Devotion of Suspect X is a unique mystery story in the sense that you keep turning the pages just to know whether Yasuko and Togashi are caught.

In Japan, The Devotion of Suspect X is part of an acclaimed detective series (to be exact, third), in which an assistant professor of physics, Manabu Yukawa, nicknamed "Detective Galileo,” helps his friend and detective Shunpei of the Tokyo Police, in his investigations.

The story starts with Yasuko working in a bento box and raising a teenage daughter Misato single handedly. She has divorced her husband, who returns one day in the name of wanting to get back together and of course to snip out some money. Things take a turn and unfortunately or fortunately Togashi is killed by the mother and daughter duo. Their next-door neighbor, Tetsuya Ishigami, who certainly has a liking for Yasuko and happens to be a mathematics teacher comes to their aid and comforts them that they will avoid prosecution and punishment, when the police begin to investigate, provided they do exactly as he says.

With the turn of events, it is unfolded that Ishigami and Yukawa were once classmates but were now pitted against each other. One was busy setting the maze, trying to lead the investigation towards the wrong end and other was busy trying to see through the ploys, and here comes in many mathematical and philosophical jargons.

As the story moves forward, you just hope that Yasuko and Misato are not caught and our great strategist Ishigami is proved a winning warrior. However, what happens in the end will be too much to be revealed and this review will become a spoiler. Only thing that I can say is go to the physical bookstore or an online or to a friend who has bought and read this and read this novel. You will surely love this novel.

The Devotion of Suspect X is worthy of the praise and recognition it has received and it is a perfect example what a capable and clever writer can do. Set in modern-times, this is a classic and will be liked and loved by all the mystery and thriller fans.

My rating:- 3/5.

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