The Devotion of Suspect X - A book review.

Book title : The Devotion of Suspect X.
Author : Keigo Higashino
Translated by : Alexander O. Smith with Elye J. Alexander.

Nothing quite makes sense, and it will take a genius to understand the genius behind this particular crime. One of the biggest-selling Japanese thrillers ever, and the inspiration for a cult film, The Devotion of Suspect X is now being discovered across the world. Its blend of a page-turning story, evocative Tokyo setting and utterly surprising ending make it a must-read for anyone interested in international fiction. 

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A beautiful woman, Yasuko, who worked as a hostess in a nightclub before was now employed at a little lunch home called Benten-tei. She led a quiet life with her daughter Misato, after her past strenuous marriages. Everything seemed perfectly normal until her ex-husband Togashi comes looking for her to patch up things with the only motive of having her for the money she made. When she refuses to get back, he threatens her involving his step-daughter Misato, which somehow leads to his death, whose blood is now on the hands of Yasuko and little Misato.

Out of nowhere, Ishigami, a very quiet mathematician who lives next door comes knocking to find out if something's wrong. They get rid of him saying it's nothing, but soon they receive a phone call from him to inform them of his willingness to dispose the body. Yasuko is flabbergasted as to how he found out. So thus begins the whole story revolving around the three, and also the main detective Kusanagi, his assistant Kishitani and Yukawa, the Physics Professor who was also a college friend of Ishigami. The puzzle of the whole mystery is a total hit with a totally unimaginable mind-boggling ending.

The story is totally gripping from beginning to the end. And so cleverly plotted. It makes you wonder how normal people follow the herd mentality and the importance of thinking out-of-the-box. I could not find absolutely any loop holes in the story and was an extremely juicy read. You won't keep the book down until the last page. A definite page-turner, keeps you awake all night wondering what might happen next. The characters are well described making you feel as though you're actually a part of the scene and invisibly watching everything going on.

Also, the beautiful aspects of this novel are the way the beauty of science, the mutual respect among fellow geniuses, the spirit of competition has been expressed. The love a man can possess for a person. The flavor of love expressed here is one of a kind. The way the love is given, the way it is received, the way it is shared is really commendable. The struggle of a single mother, the affection and support of the people in her lives is brilliantly expressed. I personally would suggest everyone to lay their hands on this book as soon as possible.

Cost : Rs.199
Pages : 374
My rating : 4 on 5



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