MALICE

'December'---that time of the year when I begin to introspect.Also a time when I want to read something fast paced and exhilarating in an attempt to bring some order to the chaos.Solving crime has always fascinated me.But I prefer to be an arm chair detective and try and piece together the puzzle on my own.So all I needed this season was a good thriller and a few uninterrupted hours.

So who did I turn to but none other than my go-to author for crime fiction Keigo Higashino. His books never disappoint. Often referred to as the Japanese Stieg Larsson but in my opinion a class apart.

Malice was a long pending read.Finally got around to it and finished reading it over two days.

The Plot:

Acclaimed bestselling novelist Kunihiko Hidaka is found brutally murdered in his home on the night before he's planning to leave Japan and relocate to Vancouver.His body is found in his office,a locked room,within his locked house,by his wife and his best friend,both of whom have rock solid alibis.Or so it seems.

At the crime scene ,Police detective Kyoichiro Kaga recognises Hidaka's best friend,Osamu Nonoguchi. As Kaga investigates,he eventually uncovers evidence that indicates that the two writers' relationship was very different than they claimed ,that they were anything but best friends.The detective and the killer battle over the truth of the past and how events that led to the murder really unfolded.

My Views:

This book is in a league of its own.In my opinion the hall mark of  a good thriller is 1.It should shock your brain in working mode 2.It should make you oblivious to everything and everyone else and Malice does succeed on both counts.I didn't want to stagger the read but I had to break it over two days.However that didn't affect the build up at all.The writing is crisp and streamlined.The characters well etched.Every loose end neatly tied up at the denouement.

The narrative is very compelling as it is split between Nonoguchi's written account of the events and Kaga's case notes.As he is drawn deeper into their world,so is the reader. I wracked my brain to try figure it out.At the beginning I thought I did know where the story was heading but as I read further ,the twists and turns were so unpredictable that I realized how clueless I was when I got to the end.

Kaga the detective is the brain behind solving the case.His mind works very intelligently and he doggedly pursues each lead until he gets to the bottom of it.This story is much more than just a murder mystery.It delves into the dark side of human nature,exposes prejudices,unlocks envy,brings forth the worst of human behaviour and as the title aptly suggests shows us how hate can fester into malice leading to disastrous consequences.

I would suggest reading this book in a single sitting.And highly recommend it to anyone who needs a fast paced,brilliant read.

I rate it a 4 out of 5.

P.S----Detective Kaga makes a reappearance in the latest novel --'Newcomer'out in November this year.Hoping to share my thoughts on it very soon.