The Devotion of Suspect X: A Detective Galileo Novel (Detective Galileo Series, 1)
Now a major motion picture on Netflix, Jaane Jaan
Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced, single mother who thought she had finally escaped her abusive ex-husband Togashi. When he shows up one day to extort money from her, threatening both her and her teenaged daughter Misato, the situation quickly escalates into violence and Togashi ends up dead on her apartment floor. Overhearing the commotion, Yasuko's next door neighbor, middle-aged high school mathematics teacher Ishigami, offers his help, disposing not only of the body but plotting the cover-up step-by-step.
When the body turns up and is identified, Detective Kusanagi draws the case and Yasuko comes under suspicion. Kusanagi is unable to find any obvious holes in Yasuko's manufactured alibi and yet is still sure that there's something wrong. Kusanagi brings in Dr. Manabu Yukawa, a physicist and college friend who frequently consults with the police. Yukawa, known to the police by the nickname Professor Galileo, went to college with Ishigami. After meeting up with him again, Yukawa is convinced that Ishigami had something to do with the murder. What ensues is a high level battle of wits, as Ishigami tries to protect Yasuko by outmaneuvering and outthinking Yukawa, who faces his most clever and determined opponent yet.
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Community Reviews
What an absolutely fascinating spin on a mystery crime thriller, because even though you're told who the killer is from the start, it's even more riveting than if you hadn't known. There is a cat and mouse element at play, along with some psychological intrigue that kept me hooked throughout the entire story.
The Detective Galileo series was originally released in Japan with this story as book three, but with the English translations they are calling The Devotion of Suspect X, "Volume 1". I can say, without reading any of the other titles, this read as a complete standalone.
I thought the narration was pretty good, but it was kind of odd hearing it read by a traditional American accent when the characters and names are Japanese. It would have been nice to have an English speaking Japanese narrator, but again, the English actor did do a fine job.
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