Right from the very first lines this felt wrong. After struggling with the style for almost 15% of the novel, I decided to check the name of the translator and it’s not the same one who did all the other Keigo Higashino novels I have read in English. I understand that it isn’t always possible to work with the same translator but a good translation is supposed to make the reader forget she’s not reading the original work and that is simply not the case here. I had been eagerly awaiting this novel (it was originally supposed to be released in early January but the date was changed twice) and I am very disappointed. I finished reading it but I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I have enjoyed Higashino’s previous books.
But enough about that, let’s talk about the plot.
Sakuma is a successful advertising executive who has been working on a big project for a large company. He is cold and calculating and very focused on his job. Suddenly, his boss tells him that the director of the company, Katsuragi, doesn’t want him to work on the project anymore and has made some very harsh comments about him to explain his decision. As far as we can tell, the two have never metso this seems a bit strange… So, Sakuma is off the project and he’s very bitter, he believes his career is ruined (I thought that was a bit over dramatic) and he starts to dream of revenge. And this is when things get REALLY weird (and SPOILERY!!!)
Full review available here.
Well, this is a shame. I’ve really enjoyed the two books of his that I’ve read, and looked forward to more.
I’ll probably still read it, though, at some point.
I think you should. This is my 8th Higashino novel and the very first one that I’m not enthusiastic about. And there’s a new one coming in November, “Newcomer”, translated by the same person who did the Galileo novels so I’m definitely reading that one.