Keigo Higashino Books In Order

Publication Order of Detective Galileo Books

Publication Order of Detective Kaga Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Keigo Higashino is a Japanese novelist popularly known for his mystery novels. He was born on February 4th, 1958 in Osaka, Japan. Higashino graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Osaka Prefecture University. Soon after his graduation, Higashino dedicated his part-time into writing while working as an electrical engineer at Nippon Denso Co.

The author is an award winner of the Edogawa Rampo Prize, a prize that is awarded annually to writers who have finest but unpublished mystery works. In 1985, at the age of 27, Higashino quit his job as an engineer and began a full-time writing career.

The author was awarded the Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1999 for his novel Naoko, which was later years translated into English and published by Vertical Inc later in 2004. Later in 2006, he was listed as the 134th winner of Naoki Prize for the novel The Devotion of Suspect. Some of his novels have been nominated several times for various awards. The Devotion of Suspect X also won the 6th Honkaku Mystery Award and subsequently ranked as book number one by Kono Mystery gas Sugoi in 2006 and the Honkaku Mystery Best 10 the same year.

The English version of The Devotion of Suspect X was a nominee for 2012 Edgar Award for Best Novel category, and in the same year, the novel was also nominated Barry Award for the best first novel.

Apart from writing mystery novels, Keigo Higashino, the author also wrote storybook and essays for children, and his unique style of writing novels and other books differs in that he does not use many characters in other works as in his novels.

Keigo Higashino served as a 13th President of Mystery Writers of Japan from the year 2009 to 2013.

The Devotion of Suspect X

The Devotion of Suspect X is book three in Detective Galileo series by bestselling Japanese novelist Keigo Higashino. The series features Detective Galileo, also known as Manabu Yukawa is a physics professor and a police officer Kusanagi.

Yasuko Hanaoka is a single mom who’s just trying to get ahead after divorcing her abusive husband. She is now working a good and respectable job, one which makes it possible for her to raise her daughter, Misato. Her abusive ex-husband, Togashi is, however, making everything on Yasuko side difficult. As much as she tries to stay away from the abusive man, the more he comes around and extorts money from her. One day, Misato hits her father, Togashi, who in return attacks the little girl, this forces the both the mother and the daughter to join forces in a life or death struggle, and soon Togashi is strangled on the floor.

The two, panic and are discussing on how Yasuko Hanaoka will turn herself to the cops when someone knocks on the door. Apparently, it is Ishigami, a teacher who lives next door, and who seems willing to do anything for Yasuko including hiding the dead for her and they hatch a plot on how to cover up the crime.

On the other side, Detective Galileo, a nickname given to physicist Manabu Yukawa, who earned his nickname for his efforts in helping the police in some cases. He has got observational and Holmesian intellect skills. Back then during the college days, he was a friend and also a rival with Ishigami. Even though Yukawa is not on the case officially, his connections draw him and rather than working with Detective Kusanagi; he starts following his ideology.

After Yukawa encounters Ishigami, he is sure that Ishigami had something to do with the disappearance of Togashi. What happens next is a battle of high stakes as Ishigami does everything in his power to protect Ishigami while out thinking and outmaneuvering Yukawa, determined and most smart opponent.

The Devotion of Suspect X seems to be a mind game between two college genius rivals. A genius mathematician makes his well-calculated moves and develops a foolproof plan to mislead the police. His plans almost succeed until his greatest opponent; the physicist joins this game of hiding and seeks and pieces together the clues available. The novel presents a plot that is cleverly done with some brilliant twists and turns. The character development is ideal for this book.

The Salvation of a Saint

The release of The Devotion of Suspect X book in 2011 was positively received globally. It was the first English language publication from the Japanese writer, Keigo Higashino and was acclaimed as ingenious, stunning and brilliant. Now Detective Galileo, the genius physicist, returns to investigate a case of almost impossible murder where facts clash with instincts and the reality as well crash with the theory.

The novel begins when Yoshitaka, a man who was ready to depart from his marriage life and his wife as well is poisoned using arsenic-laced coffee. The only suspect in the murder case is the man’s wife, Ayana who was apparently miles away when her husband died. The man tasked with conducting investigations on the murder case Detective Kusanagi is smitten by the man’s wife and refuses to believe that the woman was an accomplice to the killing. On the other hand, Kaoru Utsumi is convinced that Ayana had her involvement in the murder of her husband and thus believes that she is guilty. Even though Utsumi believes that Ayana is guilty, the evidence available for the case is another matter, and due to this reason, she calls Professor Manabu Yukawa to use his artistic skills and piece the evidence together.

However, even for Yukawa, this case proves to be a complicated case of his life, and he somehow must find a way to solve this “impossible murder case” and bring the real and deadly murderer into justice.

The Salvation of a Saint is one of the thrilling murder mysteries that you will ever come across as a reader. The mystery, in this case, being, how can someone kill another person without his/her presence at the crime scene? Moreover, secondly, how can a killer dare to plan a murder for a whole year? Keigo Higashino is a master at storytelling, and if you love murder mysteries novels, then his books are worth reading.

One Response to “Keigo Higashino”

1. Charlotte Palmer: 8 months ago

   I love Keigo Higashino’s books!
   I have all of the Detective Galileo novels and the first three Detective Kaga novels.
   I am in the process of collecting all of his books!

   Reply