The crime/mystery genre is not one I usually indulge in, so this book as a bit of a wild card for me.
Journey Under the Midnight Sun is one of two novels by Higashino gifted to me by a family member who wanted to discuss the Japanese author's writing. Like most new books, it took me a while to get into it and remember who all the characters were, particularly as the narrative spans 20 years and introduces a lot of subplots. It begins with Detective Sasagaki investigating a murder in an abandoned building in Osaka. What seems like an initially straightforward case quickly runs out of leads and is eventually left unsolved. Two characters stand at the core of the mystery, Ryo Kirihara, the son of the murdered man, and Yukiho Nishimoto, the daughter of the main suspect. The story follows Ryo and Yukiho as they go through high school and into adult life, both retaining an impenetrable aura of elusiveness, even to those closest to them. Years later, a retired Sasagaki picks up the old case again, his suspicions aroused by a string of unsolvable, seemingly unconnected crimes.
For readers hoping to uncover the mystery for themselves, the clues are there early on, although I confess I did not pick up on them myself at the time. This could potentially reward a second readthrough if one were so inclined. Reading an English translation of a Japanese crime thriller comes with its own set of restrictions. I was unable to appreciate the language and symbolism as well as the author intended, which may have resulted in some passages being overemphasised. Overall I enjoyed the book, although the ambiguous ending leaves a lot to be desired and makes no effort to wrap up the multiple subplots. An epilogue of sorts would not have gone amiss. I could also not help but feel like Higashino was trying to fetishise the femme fatale trope a little too much, as evidenced by the unashamedly lecherous descriptions of Yukiho's naked body.
Rating: 3/5
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