Title:

Newcomer

Author:

Keigo Higashino

Category:

Mystery / Thriller

Rating:

Date Reviewed:

March 15, 2025

his is the story of a murder investigation. Middle-aged Mineko Mitsui was strangled in her apartment. Apparently she was killed by someone she knew, it seems that she welcomed the murderer in. No sign of struggle, there was no robbery. But no one who knew Mitsui can think of a reason why anyone would want to kill this divorcee who was happily living alone in a tiny apartment and working as a translator. She was estranged from her son, no contact with her ex-husband in over six months - so no suspects and no obvious motive. It will be challenging crime to resolve. The captain appoints two detectives to lead the investigation - the senior (nearing retirement) Detective Uesugi, and the thirty-something Detective Kaga, who is a bit of an unknown actor since he was just transferred to this police district.

The structure of the novel is unusual. There are nine chapters. Each chapter focuses on different set of characters, most of whom then vanish from the tale. The chapter titles describe a shop in this old-town section of Tokyo: The Rice Cracker Shop, The Japanese Restaurant, The China Shop, The Clock Shop, The Pastry Shop. In each chapter, a new set of characters meets Detective Kaga. He wanders in and begins asking innocent seeming questions. The shop keepers are baffled by his questions, but he is a policeman so they try to cooperate. Kaga seems to have strain of therapist/philosopher in him - he ends up resolving some conflicts and misunderstandings for the shop owners - but what any of this has to do with the murder of Mitsui, only Kaga knows.

The front of the book contains a cast of characters, listing twenty-eight in all. Since I am unfamiliar with Japanese names, it was hard for me to keep track of the many shop keepers and acquaintances of Mitsui. It turns out most only appear in their particular chapter and then vanish from the narrative.

Detective Kaga is deliberately kept remote. We don't know what he is thinking. He is portrayed solely from the viewpoint of the witnesses he interacts with, and most of them find him puzzling or curious. Why is he asking so many questions that seemingly have no relationship to the dead woman? Why is he always giving people gifts of food? (Is giving small gifts an expected Japanese social behavior?) The title of the book, Newcomer refers to the fact that Kaga has only recently transferred to this police precinct. The implication seems to be that he has lesser status, is not be considered competent, and thus his exceptional detective work catches everyone by surprise. (I know nothing about Japanese culture, maybe I entirely missed the point of why the fact that Kaga was a newcomer to the area was significant).

Newcomer is not a thriller, there are no guns drawn, no chase scenes, no violent confrontations. No one is in danger. No deadlines. The pacing doesn't result in frantic page turning to find out what happens next. I think the book is meant to be a portrait of the citizens of this old town section of Tokyo, plus, it is a puzzle book. In the final chapter, we learn what Kaga learned from each of the different shops he interviewed, and how he then deduced whom the killer was, and why Mitsui was murdered.

Higashino won an Edgar Award for The Devotion of Suspect X, apparently that is his best work. If I am going to read another novel by him, I should pick that one up.