midnightsun
Higashino’s mysteries are intricate puzzles, and that proves true with his latest, Under the Midnight Sun, which spans decades as one dedicated detective just can’t let that unsolved case go.

A murdered pawnbroker’s body is found in an abandoned building. Despite several leads, Det. Sasagaki can’t pin down the murderer, and several clues at the site keep him wondering. The murdered man’s son, Ryo, is one of the main characters, and seen through a succession of other character’s eyes.

So, too, do we learn of the life of another teen, Yuhiko, whose mother may or may not have committed suicide. Taken in by her aunt, the young woman exudes a natural grace and turns heads. Her growth is also tracked by a succession of character’s throughout the years.

And then there is the detective, who finds himself finally at retirement age, yet he can’t let this one case go unsolved. The story is told by this succession of characters as the years pass, creating the effect of a Gordonian Knot that must be untied.

Higashino’s art is this type of complex psychological mystery, where the attitudes and actions of the people are not always what they seem. Yet there are no tricks, and all of the information is there for the reader. At over 550 pages, and spanning two decades, this is the kind of compelling and contemporary mystery that exudes twists and turns, and yet makes a perfect kind of haunting sense.