[TTX]∎ Libro Salvation of a Saint A Detective Galileo Novel Detective Galileo Series Keigo Higashino Alexander O Smith 9780312600686 Books

Salvation of a Saint A Detective Galileo Novel Detective Galileo Series Keigo Higashino Alexander O Smith 9780312600686 Books

Download As PDF : Salvation of a Saint A Detective Galileo Novel Detective Galileo Series Keigo Higashino Alexander O Smith 9780312600686 Books

Salvation of a Saint A Detective Galileo Novel Detective Galileo Series Keigo Higashino Alexander O Smith 9780312600686 Books

Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino is the second book of the Detective Galileo series, the first being the hugely popular Devotion of Suspect X (see my review here)

The series revolves around Inspector Shunpei Kusanagi and his friend, Manabu Yukawa, a physics professor who, occasionally, helps Kusanagi solve some of his most challenging cases, and is known as the Galileo detective.

This story starts with the death of a wealthy business man, Yoshitaka Mashiba, by arsenic poisoning. There is one prime suspect – Yoshitaka’s wife Ayane, but she has an iron clad alibi. Working on the case are detective Kusanagi and his assistant Kaoru Utsumi, with some help from Prof. Yukawa.

Salvation of a Saint is what I call as “minimalist suspense thriller”. There is only one suspect, that too with a perfect alibi, very few characters, very few (and very subtle) clues. It is very clear, within the first few pages, who committed the murder and why. And it takes the rest of the book to figure out how!! It is really commendable that the author has managed to keep interest levels high and the narrative simulating enough to keep reading. By the time I was half-way thru, the only thing I wanted to know was how it was done. The book was simply un-put-down-able.

After the ‘The devotion of suspect X’, I had very high expectations from this book and it certainly lives up to it. A very intelligent book, indeed.

For fans of mystery genre, both this and The Devotion of Suspect X is a must read.

PS: In some marketing/PR stuff, Higashino is referred to as “The Japanese Stieg Larsson. This is a very unfair comparison (both to Higashino as well as to Larsson). There is very little in common between the their writings, apart from the fact that both belong to the broader genre of thrillers and were translated to English.

PS: Keigo Higashino’s next novel ‘Journey Under the Midnight Sun’ is releasing on October 08, 2015 and I am already excited about it.


Tags : Salvation of a Saint: A Detective Galileo Novel (Detective Galileo Series) [Keigo Higashino, Alexander O. Smith] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. From the author of the internationally bestselling, award-winning The Devotion of Suspect X</i> comes the latest novel featuring Detective Galileo In 2011,Keigo Higashino, Alexander O. Smith,Salvation of a Saint: A Detective Galileo Novel (Detective Galileo Series),Minotaur Books,0312600682,Murder;Investigation;Fiction.,Physics teachers;Fiction.,Police;Japan;Tokyo;Fiction.,FICTION Mystery & Detective Police Procedural,Fiction,Fiction - Mystery Detective,Investigation,Japan,Japanese (Language) Contemporary Fiction,Murder,Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural,Mystery & Detective International Mystery & Crime,Mystery And Suspense Fiction,MysterySuspense,Physics teachers,Police,Tokyo

Salvation of a Saint A Detective Galileo Novel Detective Galileo Series Keigo Higashino Alexander O Smith 9780312600686 Books Reviews

After reading "The devotion of suspect x" it was not a surprise to me that this 2nd book of Higashino is again nothing but excellent. One murder, done by a normative person, no serial killer, no psychopath. The identity of the murderer is no secret, the real mystery is how he'd done it. The perfect crime written by no less than the perfect mystery writer.
This book was a lot of fun to read. I couldn’t put it down because I too wanted the answers that Galileo was seeking. If you’re looking for a who did it then this might not be for you, this is more of a howdid they do it. Fun to read.
I recently discovered the work of Mr. Higashino in my local library, and I want him to keep writing more books. The writer lets you discover the characters through interviews, internal dialogue, and presentation of the facts. Everyone is very clever, disciplined, and determined. Few dullards are in this novel, and no car chases or explosions - just one very clever killer trying to get away with murder, and equally clever investigators watching and evaluating every move. Highly recommended.
What a great and interesting suspense writer is Keigo Higashino! Having recently read lots of Christie and Simenon, and then a little Seicho Matsumoto, this writer stands up very well. He brings the requisite energy and mood to his complex stories, a world that one fully inhabits as the narrative unfolds. Kudos also to translator Alexander O Smith for helping to bring these books alive. This is my 3rd read after Devotion of Suspect X and Malice, both very good in their own ways. Salvation of a Saint sets a similar tone, overworked detectives drifting around Tokyo locales and hanging out in 24 hour restaurants, storylines with multiples twists, some science and philosophy thrown in courtesy of Professor Yukawa. Tokyo, especially the night time, is a key character in the narrative. I especially liked too the work of Detective Kusanagi in this one, he eschews the purely forensic approach to gradually reveal a mysterious and affecting back story. This one also has elements of a locked room mystery .... and another of the strong bonds between women, in this case, it turns out, three women. It's a world i regretted leaving when the case wraps up. Anymore spoils the mystery but I really look forward to more translations from Mr Higashino.
Although this is not my favorite Higashino, it is every bit as satisfying as his best (Naoko, The Devotion of Suspect X, Malice) in terms of a knotty mystery. I particularly liked the introduction of a young female detective, Utsumi, who adds tension to the Kusanagi/Yukawa dynamic.

My issue with this one is that I just didn't believe the solution. (NO SPOILERS HERE!) It's not a problem I've had with Higashino before. I had figured out part of the solution, but when the entire thing was revealed, I was really disappointed. I also wanted more insight into the main characters. Usually Higashino draws these details very deftly, but I did not find them here.

Part of my disappointment may have been with the translator. I have liked Alexander O. Smith's translations before (other reviewers here have not, I notice), but several word choices and phrases were jarring in SALVATION OF A SAINT. At one point the narration explains a couple's finances by saying "they were not on easy street." You could get away with this kind of thing in dialogue, but not as narration. Another time, a character is described as wearing a "cutsew" shirt. I had to look it up. There is a near-slang sort of style that I haven't noticed in Smith's translations before. But I may be impacted by just having read a different translator -- Kerim Yasar -- for Higashino's NAOKO, which is divine. So perhaps I'm simply more aware of the style at the moment. It's always difficult to judge what is the writer and what is the translator.

In spite of all these criticisms, SALVATION OF A SAINT is a clear 4 stars. The mystery is nice and tight, the characters interesting -- Higashino fans will not be let down. THE NAME OF THE GAME IS A KIDNAPPING (speaking of terrible translations!) is next; can't wait!
Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino is the second book of the Detective Galileo series, the first being the hugely popular Devotion of Suspect X (see my review here)

The series revolves around Inspector Shunpei Kusanagi and his friend, Manabu Yukawa, a physics professor who, occasionally, helps Kusanagi solve some of his most challenging cases, and is known as the Galileo detective.

This story starts with the death of a wealthy business man, Yoshitaka Mashiba, by arsenic poisoning. There is one prime suspect – Yoshitaka’s wife Ayane, but she has an iron clad alibi. Working on the case are detective Kusanagi and his assistant Kaoru Utsumi, with some help from Prof. Yukawa.

Salvation of a Saint is what I call as “minimalist suspense thriller”. There is only one suspect, that too with a perfect alibi, very few characters, very few (and very subtle) clues. It is very clear, within the first few pages, who committed the murder and why. And it takes the rest of the book to figure out how!! It is really commendable that the author has managed to keep interest levels high and the narrative simulating enough to keep reading. By the time I was half-way thru, the only thing I wanted to know was how it was done. The book was simply un-put-down-able.

After the ‘The devotion of suspect X’, I had very high expectations from this book and it certainly lives up to it. A very intelligent book, indeed.

For fans of mystery genre, both this and The Devotion of Suspect X is a must read.

PS In some marketing/PR stuff, Higashino is referred to as “The Japanese Stieg Larsson. This is a very unfair comparison (both to Higashino as well as to Larsson). There is very little in common between the their writings, apart from the fact that both belong to the broader genre of thrillers and were translated to English.

PS Keigo Higashino’s next novel ‘Journey Under the Midnight Sun’ is releasing on October 08, 2015 and I am already excited about it.