“Sometimes all you have to do is exist to be someone’s savior.”- Keigo Higashino.
The Devotion of Suspect X
by Keigo Higashino
Minotaur Books
February 2011
In Keigo Higashino’s latest must read The Devotion of Suspect X being a savior is a common theme. Every girl dreams that one day she will find a man with the devotion to go to the end of the earth to save her from even the smallest amount of pain and this is exactly what Yasuko, the main female character finds in this book. In the first few pages, Higashino introduces Ishigami, a math teacher, who has a crush on his neighbor, Yasuko. Yasuko is a single parent, struggling to make ends meet for her and her daughter by working at a lunch box shop in Japan. Each day, Ishigami visits the shop where Yasuko works to get his lunch, because this is the only guarantee that he will get to exchange a few words with her.
Yasuko becomes unpleasantly surprised to find that her exhusband, not only knows where she works, but also shows up unannounced to her apartment. She had worked very hard to insure that he would never find her in her new life. Once he forces his way into the apartment, he begins to make suggestive comments to Yasuko’s daughter. The daughter becomes very upset and hits the man over the head with a vase. This turns into a struggle in which the only option Yasuko has is to kill the man, before he kills her daughter. Ishigami happened to over hear the entire struggle and immediately sees a way to make sure Yasuko never forgets him again. He offers to not only help conceal the murder, but to assist both women with their alibis and divert the murder investigation.
This book was completely full of twists and turns, and I would have never guessed the ending in a thousand years. I find Higashino’s writing style captivating and I consider this book a definite must read.
Amanda King is a college student trying to make a difference. She is involved in several volunteer organizations and is always looking for a way to impact the lives of others. Although that takes up most of her time, her true passion is reading and she enjoys the ability to use books to escape from the ups and downs in everyday life. Check out Amanda’s personal blog HERE.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.