Name: Journey Under the Midnight Sun
ISBN: 9781408704110

Keigo Higashino

When a man is found murdered in an abandoned building in Osaka in 1973, unflappable detective Sasagaki is assigned to the case. He begins to piece together the connection of two young people who are inextricably linked to the crime; the dark, taciturn son of the victim and the unexpectedly captivating daughter of the main suspect. Over the next twenty years we follow their lives as Sasagaki pursues the case - which remains unsolved - to the point of obsession. Stark, intriguing and stylish, Journey Under the Midnight Sun is an epic mystery by the bestselling Japanese author.

Journey Under the Midnight Sun

raven

Keigo Higashino has done it again. Incredible world-building and a story that makes sense all together through a journey of investigation for 20 years... My GOAT fr.

I like how indirectly interactive this book felt too, and I'm so glad that despite me taking my time with it, I was able to still connect it all in my head in the end.. And again, I highlight, that is 20 years worth of details. Just simply amazing, I'm speechless.

Note: I am also pleasantly surprised to see a quick Twin Peaks mention here, which made me even love it more. Can't wait to read my next Higashino.

amira

Man, that was a roller coaster ride. Amazing. Recommended for thriller lovers!

Oliver Magnanimous

Really liked it. It’s told from the point of view of many minor characters, and it was cool to see all the vignettes set in Japan across two decades. It didn’t feel super enlightened towards women all the time, and there was maybe too much use of rape as a plot point. In the end I didn’t feel like the main characters’ actions and motivations fully made sense either.

3.5 stars because the ending was so disappointing…

Audrey

Zita Azlina

Had intended to rate this at least three stars. Story-wise, this book is very enjoyable. No boredom at all. The story just keeps going and I wanted to finish this as soon as I can (I FINISHED THE ENTIRE BOOK IN A DAY). The plot is good, and although it turned to some kinda Bonnie and Clyde story at one point, I don't really give any fucks.

The problem was, the story was so painfully dragged for absolutely no reason. There are so many points that the author trying to made that just didn't work and it makes the story suddenly having no point at all. The story had long lost its story, and there is absolutely NOTHING appealing about this at one point.

The timeskip is very jumpy. There are so many insignificant details and characters that is suddenly becoming significant halfway. So FUCKING stupid. And then there is this thing that makes this book lacking every focus possible. And then everything just went frenzy.

I understand. The line of logic maybe flawed at some, but the chronology makes sense. Their trauma had turned their obsession with money. And it was clear for both Ryo and Yukiho why it was important. But it was so unnecessarily told that it become like a bunch of integrals of absolutely no significant at all.

I wanted to talk so much about this book. The insane amount of characters had to be studied too. And there are so many issues being told that was just left undone. People should be grateful that Higashino treated both gender the same, otherwise it would be very misogynistic or just entirely creepy.

Ending is so bad. And I sympathize for neither Ryo and Yukiho at this point. The only justifiable thing they did is the murder of that pedophile asshole, but the rest is Not. Whatever Yukiho told Ryo to do to Eriko, the violin girl, and Mika is ABSOLUTELY NOT it. Whatever they did to Noriko is absolutely NOT. IT. When Ryo become a Pimp for these poor underaged boys who barely able to think straight, THAT'S NOT IT. 

It's a raw depiction of untreated trauma and lack of childhood education of course. But holy fucking shit man.

Not to mention the no resolution that it had at the end. And we would never see Yukiho's crime being unfold and see her being judged. 

Honestly this book infuriates me more that I had let out. It was so bad and stupid and it had potential but the author just don't want to take it.

Oh my god I'm angry.

Nimish

Keigo Higashino - Take a bow!
Alexander O Smith - Thanks for the translation.

I had been dying to read a good thriller since the last couple of months. And going by my past record of reading Higashino, it was a safe bet to invest in this book. But when I received the book, it was a thick tome - something unlike previous Higashino books I've read, which are relatively slimmer. I had my doubts if this book would indeed by as great as his previous outings, because maintaining a taut narrative over 500 pages is a difficult task.

Well, after finishing the book I can safely say that it is a page-turner for sure. The pre-requisite is that you need to have the patience to keep in mind the multiple Japanese names that keep coming your way in the form of new characters and new places. Also the fact that there are time jumps as the chapters progress. 

In terms of the treatment and the fact that the story spans over a period of 20-30 odd years, I saw a lot of similarity with Sidney Sheldon's 'Master of the Game' with its lead character Kate Blackwell (I still remember her name after all these years) having traits similar to Yukiho, the lead in Highashino's book. Of course, Master of the Game spans multiple generations. But the point I'm getting at is, that if you compare Journey Under the Midnight Sun (JUMS) with The Devotion of Suspect X, Malice and Salvation of a Saint, JUMS is much more grand. 

The story starts off with the murder of a pawn-shop owner Yosuke Kirihara, and after a few days, the death of his 'alleged' mistress Fumiyo Nishimoto. Detective inspector Sagasaki is the one investigating the deaths, and things don't really work out as expected, leaving the case hanging thanks to a cold trail. That's all you need to know as every proceeding chapter has a new sub-plot unfolding, taking the story forward. 

Detective inspector Sagasaki, Yukiho Nishimoto (the daughter of Fumiya) and Ryo Kirihara (the son of the deceased pawnshop owner) are the three major characters. The story is a like a labyrinth revolving around these three characters, with many more characters thrown in in the later chapters. But the climax gives you that satisfaction, which you get when you successfully unspool tangled wire cords. Everything just falls perfectly in place, like a jigsaw puzzle completing itself.

The story follows Yukiho and Ryo's life across school, middle-school and adult life. The reference of 'Pistol shrimp and Gobies' (google it;) to explain the relationship between Yukiho and Ryo is completely apt. Just like his previous books, JUMS is not a whodunnit but more of a howdunnit and whydunnit. Higashino's character sketch of Yukiho is brilliant - the mystical aura he builds around her, makes you want to turn the pages to learn more about her. Ryo's character adds to this with equally dark undertones. The narrative is dark for sure, with some instances making you do a double take. Sagasaki's perseverance is also nicely mirrored by that of the private eye hired later in the book named Imaeda. 

There are countless riddles throughout the book and you need to be aware of them. Yes, the number of sub-plots and brand new characters with every new chapter does get tedious in the initial 100-200 pages. Higashino masterfully uses these new characters to show us the personality aspects of the two main characters, rather than just telling us what Yukiho and Ryo are like. Once you get the hang of this structure, it is then a fast ride.

Like I said before, unlike Suspect X or Malice or Salvation of a Saint, Journey Under the Midnight Sun is all about the 'Journey'. There are no quick solutions to your queries. Higashino just revels in taking you on this metaphorical, dark journey whose destination you are desperate to know - but at the same time, don't want the journey to end either.

If you have read his previous books, he will not disappoint with JUMS. Yes, if you are not technically inclined, you may get bored in the middle portions where Higashino goes on about game development and programming knowledge. 

For the first time Higashino reader - I'd suggest reading The Devotion of Suspect X first, getting a hang on Higashino's style and then coming to JUMS.

mitha

A twenty-year-old murder A chain of unsolvable mysteries Can one detective solve this epic riddle? When a man is found murdered in an abandoned building in Osaka in 1973, unflappable detective Sasagaki is assigned to the case. He begins to piece together the connection of two young people who are inextricably linked to the crime; the dark, taciturn son of the victim and the unexpectedly captivating daughter of the main suspect. Over the next twenty years we follow their lives as Sasagaki pursues the case - which remains unsolved - to the point of obsession. Stark, intriguing and stylish, Journey Under the Midnight Sun is an epic mystery by the bestselling Japanese author of The Devotion of Suspect X.