I was very impressed with The Devotion of Suspect X|, and wanted to read more by Keigo Higashino. This book was even better, even more impressive. Every word hooked me, every sentence made me run after the next. As a mystery, the construction is smoother than in the previous book, it flows better as we jump from one hypothesis to the next.

The first scene is chilling. The dinner party that follows is exquisitely false and theatrical. This sets the tone for the rest of the book and the mystery’s solution. Ultimately, this case is about two people with something missing from their souls.

The dynamics between Kusanagi, Utsumi (a new junior detective that I want to see more of – smart and stubborn, I liked her POV chapters), Yukawa, and Chief Mamiya were fun to watch. There are lots of conversations, as they all work, think, discuss, disagree, get frustrated, understand. It’s very clever and tense.
Mamiya comes across as a very good boss – “There’s no rank and no gender when we’re on the case.” Excellent, considering what the Japanese society is like.

I liked the dead-pan stuff sprinkled here and there. It gives the reader some breathing room ;)

“He said your face puts them at ease.”
“Nice.” Kusanagi snorted. “He’s just saying I look like an idiot.”

The part where Yukawa starts helping the detectives almost despite himself was very nicely done (well, if he didn’t take on this case there wouldn’t be any more books, and we can’t have that…)

“...the two of you are doing such a good job at piquing my intellectual curiosity, even though I’d decided not to get involved in another police investigation.”

Kusanagi had an excellent character arc. What happens when a detective lets his emotions get the better of him? How does he come to realize what is happening? The detective part wins at last, at a cost, of course. “And increasingly he found himself longing for an end to his own confusion.”

I finished the book in about 24 hours, I guess this also tells you something. (A combination of lazy weekend with no plans, depressing weather and having a cold might have helped ;) ) ( )

As much as a mystery, this is also a study of characters and their prejudice. Utsumi may seem more open-minded than her boss, Detective Kusanagi, but she was unable to produce concrete evidence to explain why she suspected Ayane. Although Kusanagi tried to disprove his instinct, he managed to remain professional and produced evidence to prove Ayane's guilt. Interesting clash of views and how disagreement results in a more robust outcome. ( )

A procedural worthy of Sherlock. The mystery is not so much who committed the murder but how and why. It was interesting change from most western crime novels. ( )

By the time of this review and revised rating from its original five stars, I had read this book three times I think. The first time, I was blown away and quickly went onto read another mystery of Higashino's. The second read, I eagerly returned to the story and tried to pick out clues. I couldn't find any, not really, but knew the ending and was eager for it to play out. This time, I checked the book out while waiting for another. A warm glow of familiarity had me smiling as I clicked. This turned out to be one of the books that the more I read it, the less attached I was to it. I'm so disappointed about that. This time around, I felt like the book was quite padded. I wasn't attached to any of the characters. I'd actually forgotten about the dynamics between some of the detectives. Upon rereading some interactions, I didn't--care. The focus on coffee versus water as a murder weapon was often examined for pages and pages at a time in a way I felt interrupted the admittedly slow flow of the story. The pacing was befitting that of a character study, not a murder mystery. Descriptions of anything, ever, were absent from the book, and it still managed to be over four hundred pages. There were plot twists that just didn't work and a few "because the plot says so," to quote Film Brain, moments. The dynamics between the three women the dead man had been involved with at various times, would have been interesting if they weren't overall plot contrivance. That's how it came off, anyway. I don't think it was the author's intent at all. The ending pages with one of the detectives falling asleep was part of the book I'd totally forgotten. I think it was supposed to be cute. It was childish, to put it nicely. (sigh) I don't plan to read this again. I will another book of his, though, to learn if my opinion of it changed. ( )

"Salvation of A Saint" is a fun book, but not perfect. It's a rare murder mystery in which you know, or seem to know, who the killer is right in the beginning.

It is an almost perfect murder, which is why "Inspector Galileo" enters the game. He applies scientific methods to figure out the logic, and the method of the murder. I feel his character has been inspired by Sherlock Holmes.

The book, however, petered out towards the end, because I felt Keigo Higashino did not know how to pin the proof onto the murderer. However, from there, we understand the underlying motive of the murder, and why the saint achieved salvation.

This is a good book. It is enjoyable and keeps you engaged through the narrative. ( )