Book Review: The Devotion of Suspect X

Title: The Devotion of Suspect X
Author: Keigo Higashino
Length: 374 pages
Genre: Mystery, Crime Fiction

Plot Summary: A brilliant but reclusive mathematics teacher becomes entangled in a murder cover-up when his neighbor, a single mother, commits a desperate act to protect herself and her daughter. As the police investigation intensifies, a battle of wits unfolds between the ingenious teacher, who meticulously crafts an alibi, and his old friend, a physicist assisting the detectives. The novel explores the boundaries of logic, devotion, and sacrifice as each character is pushed to their limits in a suspenseful game of cat and mouse.

Review: A modern-day Sherlock Holmes! I was immediately drawn in by the fast-paced mystery and the intellectual duel at its core. The mathematical analogies and the logical precision in the antagonist’s reasoning were especially compelling. However, while the novel excels in clever plotting and intricate logic, it feels emotionally distant. All logic and no emotion can leave a story feeling hollow, and while Sherlock Holmes’s short stories thrive on wit and deduction, sustaining that tone over an entire novel is a greater challenge.

While I did eventually feel the weight of “Suspect X’s” devotion, the emotional payoff arrived too late and felt somewhat muted. The story’s cerebral nature is impressive, but I found myself wishing for deeper emotional resonance to match its intellectual rigor. I wanted characters that weren’t so one-dimensional.

Rating: 3.5/5