Scan barcode
agmaynard's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Tour de force class of mystery! Slight deduction for the overall coldness and distance that made the story purely a puzzler of unpeeling layers, discovering motives, rethinking theories as the reader progressed.
raskoulnikov's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
It’s not a whodunit. It’s a whole whydunit. I like how the killer has already been revealed in the beginning but we don’t know what the real motive for the murder is and we keep on not knowing until almost the end. The way Detective Kaga explain his analysis itself is a page-turner for sure.
noelrk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
wanderlustsleeping's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
3.75 stars
This is my second book by this author, and I admit I kept holding on to my “I don’t like this format of mystery” assumption when I finished the first one I read (The Devotion of Suspect X) and at my halfway point through this one.
And yet, what did I realize? These books are indeed “Dostoyevskian psychology realism”, as a review on the book puts it, and as Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote my favorite book of all time (Crime and Punishment), and is one of my favorite authors, these ARE the kind of mystery books I enjoy!
That last couple of sentences. Wow!
This is my second book by this author, and I admit I kept holding on to my “I don’t like this format of mystery” assumption when I finished the first one I read (The Devotion of Suspect X) and at my halfway point through this one.
And yet, what did I realize? These books are indeed “Dostoyevskian psychology realism”, as a review on the book puts it, and as Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote my favorite book of all time (Crime and Punishment), and is one of my favorite authors, these ARE the kind of mystery books I enjoy!
That last couple of sentences. Wow!
yuzutart's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a quick read and had a lot of twists and turns. The focus of this mystery was on the "why" rather than the "who", which made the ending even more puzzling to me. I personally didn't absolutely love it but thought it was a fun enough read and would be down to read another from this author.
goneabroad71's review against another edition
mysterious
3.75
There were some great twists in this book, but I found the ending a bit rushed and the motive not entirely satisfying
milknbiscuits00's review against another edition
3.0
Compared to the other novels by Higashino, this one feels just so-so. I don't understand why Kaga put every single dialogue in his notes. However, I like how Nonoguchi tries to make Kaga believes his fake motive.
The story/plot isn't bad, but less thrilling.
The story/plot isn't bad, but less thrilling.
catsandcoffeeandbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Murder