If I had to suggest an improvement, it would be a more detailed account of the character’s thoughts, in particular, Yasuko’s internal struggles. The relationships between the characters, their intentions, down to the very fabrication of the crimes: I did not see the plot twist forming before it eventually swept me off my feet. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino lingered in my mind days after I finished reading. The heinous crime in contrast to the unveiling of the culprit’s mask truly made this piece an outstanding read.

In retrospect, the moment Yukawa’s suspicion gained its corroboration, the consequences that Higashino fated for Ishigami, and the choices leading up to the aftermath show just how well-drafted this novel was. This made me feel as if the author put less significance on the act of murder itself, but rather on the complicated nature of human relationships. The events are described in a level-headed manner, with the murder and the cover-up portrayed as if it were a normal happening. The straightforward, nonchalant writing style is what I found most deceiving. He also kept some of the character’s suspicions, namely the detectives, concealed from the reader, adding more suspense to the mystery.

Higashino did a good job of keeping me engaged throughout the read I found myself just as curious as when I began. When the investigation reached its boiling point, what I thought I understood about the crime became unclear.

The blind spots that appear in the investigation add to the compelling angle of the story, and although the reader knows exactly what has happened, the methods Ishigami uses to disguise the crime are revealed towards the end of the novel. A knock on the door reveals their next-door neighbour Ishigami, who overhears the entire commotion and offers to help them dispose of the body.įollowing the footsteps of the suspects and the police, Higashino narrates the story by flicking between the perspectives of the characters, offering a unique take on their side of the mystery. In the heat of the moment, a struggle breaks out between the two, eventually leading to an accidental murder by Yasuko and Misato. Immediately after she divorces her abusive, alcoholic ex-husband, she starts anew in a Japanese-style lunch box shop.īut the peace doesn’t last long and the story takes a drastic turn when one fateful evening, Yasuko’s ex-husband, Togashi, shows up at her doorstep uninvited.

Set in Tokyo, The Devotion of Suspect X is a story about the quiet lives of a single mother, Yasuko, and her child, Misato.

The devotion of suspect x reviews