Salvation of a Saint - by Keigo Higashino

This is a Japanese mystery novel written by Keigo Higashino. The English translation of the book is by Alexander.O.Smith. I picked up this book because it has been a long time since I read a whodunit- my favourite genre, as I get to play a detective reading along.

The plot of this book revolves around these central characters:

Yoshitaka - the husband
Ayane        - his wife
Hiromi      - Ayane's employee who is having an affair with her husband
Kusanagi  - lead detective assigned to the case
Utsumi     - the detective's assistant
Yukawa    - a brilliant physicist, who is Kusanagi's former classmate in university.

Yoshitaka is found dead, poisoned by arsenic in his coffee. His wife Ayane is the prime suspect. All the facts point to her as the guilty party but she was in another city at the time of his death and has an iron clad alibi. The lead detective Kusanagi believes Ayane is innocent but his assistant is not so sure. So, Utsumi approaches Yukawa, a genius who has helped Kusanagi in solving crimes before. Together the trio try to crack this case.

The above synopsis of the story line might have led you to believe that this is a simple story of love, betrayal and revenge. But this story is anything but simple. This book is unlike any other I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in the story. All I can say about the solution to the case is "expect the unexpected". Dramatic as it sounds, it is the only way I can sum up this book.

I am not going to say much about the writing style because this is a translation. Translating a book into another language while keeping the essence intact is a difficult task, and Alexander.O.Smith has done a fairly good job.

Coming back to the story, the way it is narrated makes it unusual and interesting. It is definitely different when compared to the other mysteries I have read. Here, not only the"who" but also the "how" kept me guessing till the very end. The detective in me ( I take that role very seriously ;) you know that annoying person in your group who keeps yelling out their predictions and theories whenever you watch a whodunit on television-  yup, that's totally me) was stumped and that to me is the sign of a good mystery. Without revealing too much of the story because I want to keep this review spoiler free, all I will say is this- If you enjoy reading different kinds of stories and books, then this is a must read for you. Read it and you will not be disappointed.

I was feeling a bit low so I turned to this book for diverting myself and to take my mind off things. But this book did more than just divert my mind. It helped me get out of a slump and put me back on the reading wagon. So, more book reviews coming your way soon. Until then, happy reading guys..

Get this book on amazon here:

Salvation of a Saint