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The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping
Sakuma is a high-profile ad agent who was about to land one of the biggest gigs of his career. But he was betrayed by the owner of the company that just hired him.
Down on his luck and now on his way out career-wise, he planned to go publically chew out the man who brough him down. Instead, upon uncovering a deep secret, he devises a plan to bring down his new rival in a twisted game called kidnapping.
Down on his luck and now on his way out career-wise, he planned to go publically chew out the man who brough him down. Instead, upon uncovering a deep secret, he devises a plan to bring down his new rival in a twisted game called kidnapping.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2002
176 people are currently reading
2,932 people want to read
About the author
Keigo Higashino
178?books7,706?followersAssociated Names:
* Keigo Higashino
* –|Ò° ¹çÎá (Japanese)
* ¶«Ò°¹çÎá (Traditional Chinese)
* ????????? ????? (Thai)
Keigo Higashino (–|Ò° ¹çÎá) is one of the most popular and biggest selling fiction authors in Japan¡ªas well known as James Patterson, Dean Koontz or Tom Clancy are in the USA.
Born in Osaka, he started writing novels while still working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co.¡¡(presently DENSO). He won the Edogawa Rampo Prize, which is awarded annually to the finest mystery work, in 1985 for the novel H¨kago (After School) at age 27. Subsequently, he quit his job and started a career as a writer in Tokyo.
In 1999, he won the Mystery Writers of Japan Inc award for the novel Himitsu (The Secret), which was translated into English by Kerim Yasar and published by Vertical under the title of Naoko in 2004. In 2006, he won the 134th Naoki Prize for Y¨gisha X no Kenshin. His novels had been nominated five times before winning with this novel.
The Devotion of Suspect X was the second highest selling book in all of Japan¡ª fiction or nonfiction¡ªthe year it was published, with over 800,000 copies sold. It won the prestigious Naoki Prize for Best Novel¡ª the Japanese equivalent of the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize. Made into a motion picture in Japan, The Devotion of Suspect X spent 4 weeks at the top of the box office and was the third highest©\grossing film of the year.
Higashino¡¯s novels have more movie and TV series adaptations than Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum, and as many as Michael Crichton.
* Keigo Higashino
* –|Ò° ¹çÎá (Japanese)
* ¶«Ò°¹çÎá (Traditional Chinese)
* ????????? ????? (Thai)
Keigo Higashino (–|Ò° ¹çÎá) is one of the most popular and biggest selling fiction authors in Japan¡ªas well known as James Patterson, Dean Koontz or Tom Clancy are in the USA.
Born in Osaka, he started writing novels while still working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co.¡¡(presently DENSO). He won the Edogawa Rampo Prize, which is awarded annually to the finest mystery work, in 1985 for the novel H¨kago (After School) at age 27. Subsequently, he quit his job and started a career as a writer in Tokyo.
In 1999, he won the Mystery Writers of Japan Inc award for the novel Himitsu (The Secret), which was translated into English by Kerim Yasar and published by Vertical under the title of Naoko in 2004. In 2006, he won the 134th Naoki Prize for Y¨gisha X no Kenshin. His novels had been nominated five times before winning with this novel.
The Devotion of Suspect X was the second highest selling book in all of Japan¡ª fiction or nonfiction¡ªthe year it was published, with over 800,000 copies sold. It won the prestigious Naoki Prize for Best Novel¡ª the Japanese equivalent of the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize. Made into a motion picture in Japan, The Devotion of Suspect X spent 4 weeks at the top of the box office and was the third highest©\grossing film of the year.
Higashino¡¯s novels have more movie and TV series adaptations than Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum, and as many as Michael Crichton.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 630 reviews
July 11, 2023
An exciting crime story about a kidnapping by Keigo Higashino.
Surprising that there were no police investigators' narratives in this novel.
I was shocked when the outcome of the kidnapping story.
The story was exciting and took a sudden turn.
It took me to reread the ending of this novel, especially the last crucial sentence.
So far, his books were never disappointed me.
Wish to watch this movie soon.
Surprising that there were no police investigators' narratives in this novel.
I was shocked when the outcome of the kidnapping story.
The story was exciting and took a sudden turn.
It took me to reread the ending of this novel, especially the last crucial sentence.
So far, his books were never disappointed me.
Wish to watch this movie soon.
April 23, 2024
¡®The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping¡¯ unfolds as a cerebral tapestry, woven with the threads of human cunning and the stark unpredictability of life¡¯s chessboard. It is a novel that respects the intelligence of its readers, challenging us to think several moves ahead, to look beyond the obvious plays, and to appreciate the beauty of a game well played. The plot, while skirting the boundaries of believability, does so with such finesse that captivates and captures us within its hypnotic allure.
The story begins with an unorthodox proposition: a young woman, running away from home accepting a brazen proposition from a total stranger¡ªa chance to be kidnapped. This counterintuitive decision thrusts them into an arena of psychological jousting, where trust is both a precious commodity and a prelude to treachery. The abductee and her captor are ensnared in a perilous pas de deux, yet Katsutoshi Katsuragi, their formidable adversary, is not one to concede defeat lightly.
What sets this thriller apart is its departure from melodrama of conventional thrillers. Higashino masterfully sidesteps the emotional excess often mired in the genre, presenting a more intellectual duel. His characters are not simply black and white piece in the game¡¯s narrative; they are richly developed, each with their own endgames and hidden tactics, engaging in a battle of wits that is as much about personal triumph as it is about survival.
The narrative is strung like a high-tension wire, with the kidnapping scheme itself a work of art¡ªintricate, calculated, and dangerously deceptive. Every element, down to the last penny of the ransom, is a deliberate move designed to outwit opponents. Higashino¡¯s meticulous planning is apparent, as he scatters a trail of clues that guide us through an enigmatic forest of plot twists, each more bewildering than the last.
In his signature style, Higashino plays a cunning game with his audience through a series of forks and pins, planting the seeds of doubt and anticipation. We sense the twist looming on the horizon, yet its shape remains shrouded in mystery. When the revelation hits, it¡¯s not just a turn in the tale; it¡¯s a revelation that reshapes everything we thought we knew, leaving us stunned and hungry for more.
In this battle of intellects, where every decision could tip the scales between freedom and captivity, the ultimate question looms: Who will emerge victorious? This enigma keeps us tethered to the pages, desperate to uncover the fate that awaits these unconventional players.
The story begins with an unorthodox proposition: a young woman, running away from home accepting a brazen proposition from a total stranger¡ªa chance to be kidnapped. This counterintuitive decision thrusts them into an arena of psychological jousting, where trust is both a precious commodity and a prelude to treachery. The abductee and her captor are ensnared in a perilous pas de deux, yet Katsutoshi Katsuragi, their formidable adversary, is not one to concede defeat lightly.
What sets this thriller apart is its departure from melodrama of conventional thrillers. Higashino masterfully sidesteps the emotional excess often mired in the genre, presenting a more intellectual duel. His characters are not simply black and white piece in the game¡¯s narrative; they are richly developed, each with their own endgames and hidden tactics, engaging in a battle of wits that is as much about personal triumph as it is about survival.
The narrative is strung like a high-tension wire, with the kidnapping scheme itself a work of art¡ªintricate, calculated, and dangerously deceptive. Every element, down to the last penny of the ransom, is a deliberate move designed to outwit opponents. Higashino¡¯s meticulous planning is apparent, as he scatters a trail of clues that guide us through an enigmatic forest of plot twists, each more bewildering than the last.
In his signature style, Higashino plays a cunning game with his audience through a series of forks and pins, planting the seeds of doubt and anticipation. We sense the twist looming on the horizon, yet its shape remains shrouded in mystery. When the revelation hits, it¡¯s not just a turn in the tale; it¡¯s a revelation that reshapes everything we thought we knew, leaving us stunned and hungry for more.
In this battle of intellects, where every decision could tip the scales between freedom and captivity, the ultimate question looms: Who will emerge victorious? This enigma keeps us tethered to the pages, desperate to uncover the fate that awaits these unconventional players.
July 14, 2019
First of all, this book didn¡¯t dazzle me as much as many of the author¡¯s previous books, but I think it¡¯s quite interesting to read. The protagonist Sakuma works at a PR firm. He treats everything like a game and he¡¯s very good at winning. When his project idea gets dismissed for not being good enough, he feels slighted and decided to exact revenge.
What happens next is the game of kidnapping as you can guess from the title. The first half is slow and quite predictable. But, if you¡¯ve read Higashino before, then you know you¡¯re in for a surprise. I definitely enjoyed the last half of the book and the twist at the end. I loved the interaction between the characters and the discussion about masks. Give this book a try to you want to read something short and entertaining.
What happens next is the game of kidnapping as you can guess from the title. The first half is slow and quite predictable. But, if you¡¯ve read Higashino before, then you know you¡¯re in for a surprise. I definitely enjoyed the last half of the book and the twist at the end. I loved the interaction between the characters and the discussion about masks. Give this book a try to you want to read something short and entertaining.
August 28, 2021
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???????? : ??????????? ??????-? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ???, ?? ?????????? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ????????? ?????? ?? ???????????, ???????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????, ?????????, ?? ??????????? ???? ??????????? ????? ??????
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?????? ???????? : ??? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ????, ????????? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ???, ??? ????? ????????
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March 10, 2025
It's hard to review a dud by an author you've grown to love. The one rule I have is that a book shouldn't bore me. This didn't but it also left me wondering what its point was. The book starts with Sakuma losing a gig at work because the head honcho at the client's firm decided he wanted him off. Why? Who the fuck cares? The book doesn't really. He gets drunk and decides to go case his home. While there, he sees a young woman scale the walls and jump out then decides to follow her. He accosts her at a hotel and together they decide to launch a false kidnapping. She introduces herself as Juri, the head honcho's illegitimate daughter who's decided to run away from home after a fight over face cream. He comes up with a plan, a game, where they fake her kidnapping and will split the ransom cash.
The whole thing is ridiculous, convoluted and ultimately pointless. There's a whole conspiracy afoot under Sakuma's nose that he should have uncovered considering how much attention he pays to detail. He doesn't even verify Juri's identity and that eventually undoes his meh laid plans. When the twist unfolded, it ruined the whole book for me because it makes no sense.
When you try to describe the plot with the end in mind, it is even more nonsensical. It leaves me in a place where I don't know how to process the book. This is because I've read multiple Higashino-san books. I've read four and each of them explores humanity from different angles ultimately creating a vision of restorative justice even when it's hampered by the law. Japanese corporate culture is one thing that's constantly criticised by the native authors but in this book doesn't seem to give a fuck about any of that.
None of the characters have particularly believable motivations. Sakuma deciding to engage with the head honcho with a kidnapping is strange. This story would have made more sense if he was, perhaps an inventor whose device was stolen by the baddie. On the flip side, we have the illegitimate daughter getting bad vibes from her family and deciding to run away, contact him--as someone who was also recently affronted by the family and asking him to team up to get some kind of revenge as justice since the police can't help him get his invention back. I kept trying to "fix" the book and that becomes a death knell on the narrative. Is this an indictment on the story or my expectations getting the best of me? It's difficult to compute.
At the end of the day I have to admit, that while not a boring story, this book is one that misses Higashino-san's signature flair. As one of his earlier works, I also don't know if it's fair to judge it by that standard. Perhaps we needed this to be able to get his better books like or . I respect it for what it was attempting but I condemn it for its shortcomings and such a bizarre ending that was desperate to justify its entire plot. If you're interested in Higashino-san's works, perhaps start with this then go further into his Kaga or Galileo works so as to avoid this bizarre feeling. I feel like I got a bad bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau on the first day of the season.
2.5 stars rounded up because Keigo Higashino is a personal fave.
The whole thing is ridiculous, convoluted and ultimately pointless. There's a whole conspiracy afoot under Sakuma's nose that he should have uncovered considering how much attention he pays to detail. He doesn't even verify Juri's identity and that eventually undoes his meh laid plans. When the twist unfolded, it ruined the whole book for me because it makes no sense.
When you try to describe the plot with the end in mind, it is even more nonsensical. It leaves me in a place where I don't know how to process the book. This is because I've read multiple Higashino-san books. I've read four and each of them explores humanity from different angles ultimately creating a vision of restorative justice even when it's hampered by the law. Japanese corporate culture is one thing that's constantly criticised by the native authors but in this book doesn't seem to give a fuck about any of that.
None of the characters have particularly believable motivations. Sakuma deciding to engage with the head honcho with a kidnapping is strange. This story would have made more sense if he was, perhaps an inventor whose device was stolen by the baddie. On the flip side, we have the illegitimate daughter getting bad vibes from her family and deciding to run away, contact him--as someone who was also recently affronted by the family and asking him to team up to get some kind of revenge as justice since the police can't help him get his invention back. I kept trying to "fix" the book and that becomes a death knell on the narrative. Is this an indictment on the story or my expectations getting the best of me? It's difficult to compute.
At the end of the day I have to admit, that while not a boring story, this book is one that misses Higashino-san's signature flair. As one of his earlier works, I also don't know if it's fair to judge it by that standard. Perhaps we needed this to be able to get his better books like or . I respect it for what it was attempting but I condemn it for its shortcomings and such a bizarre ending that was desperate to justify its entire plot. If you're interested in Higashino-san's works, perhaps start with this then go further into his Kaga or Galileo works so as to avoid this bizarre feeling. I feel like I got a bad bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau on the first day of the season.
2.5 stars rounded up because Keigo Higashino is a personal fave.
July 23, 2017
This was fun.
Hot shot ad man, Sakuma has a change of luck. This starts a whole new game he decides to play. Revenge is the game, and Sakuma is a dedicated player. There is a lovely analysis of masks and I suppose if I were a better reviewer I'd go through various Noh plays and pick out the times that Sakuma or other characters displayed classic postures of Noh masks. Maybe I'll do it, later.
Even though I saw substantial portions of this long before they happened, there was a twist I didn't add in and it was definitely entertaining. In end, I read it one day and enjoyed myself. I raced through the last fifty pages and the very last one was worth it. So, yeah, I really liked it and I'll be checking out another of Higashino's book.
Hot shot ad man, Sakuma has a change of luck. This starts a whole new game he decides to play. Revenge is the game, and Sakuma is a dedicated player. There is a lovely analysis of masks and I suppose if I were a better reviewer I'd go through various Noh plays and pick out the times that Sakuma or other characters displayed classic postures of Noh masks. Maybe I'll do it, later.
Even though I saw substantial portions of this long before they happened, there was a twist I didn't add in and it was definitely entertaining. In end, I read it one day and enjoyed myself. I raced through the last fifty pages and the very last one was worth it. So, yeah, I really liked it and I'll be checking out another of Higashino's book.
September 4, 2023
Sakuma's biggest project for one of the biggest automotive companies is cancelled by its CEO and he seeks revenge on the person who did it.
Soon opportunity comes his way and he meets the daughter of the man he despises. She needs his help and they start a game pretending the girl was kidnapped.
In the story, they plan all operations in detail. Can they succeed? And are the things as they seem to be?
The story is full of twists and interesting moments. The end is shocking. But from the middle of the book you have some hints about the end.
Keigo Higashino didn't disappoint me again and I enjoyed the book.
Soon opportunity comes his way and he meets the daughter of the man he despises. She needs his help and they start a game pretending the girl was kidnapped.
In the story, they plan all operations in detail. Can they succeed? And are the things as they seem to be?
The story is full of twists and interesting moments. The end is shocking. But from the middle of the book you have some hints about the end.
Keigo Higashino didn't disappoint me again and I enjoyed the book.
Read
April 7, 2021Something rather different from this author: it's a heist story rather than a murder mystery, though as with all his work, the plotting makes a corkscrew look like a bradawl.
This one's very clever though depends rather too much on two entirely chance acts, one at the beginning and one at the end, which slightly took away from the cleverness. (A bit like those Dr Seuss books where he can find a perfect rhyme for anything simply by making up words that rhyme perfectly. Technically it works but it's still cheating.) Good but not his best, I'd say.
This one's very clever though depends rather too much on two entirely chance acts, one at the beginning and one at the end, which slightly took away from the cleverness. (A bit like those Dr Seuss books where he can find a perfect rhyme for anything simply by making up words that rhyme perfectly. Technically it works but it's still cheating.) Good but not his best, I'd say.
March 31, 2017
I am little baffled on how to rate this book. On one hand, this little mystery story is one of the better ones in its genre and on the other hand, if one compares it to other books written by Keigo Higashino falls way behind. So, I begrudgingly rate this book at 3 stars.
This book is about a battle of wits between two very smart people and none come out better at the end (in my humble opinion). There is nothing more to say about the story beyond this except that the reader is witness to a kidnapping and then the surprise ending. Anything more would be just spoilers.
Having said that, this book brings to question several things about morality. Be it the sensibility that allows certain people to treat a serious crime as a game or the vanity of the rich who think they are above the law. At the end, I ended up hating every character in the story.
Overall, I found this book - a breeze to read, quite entertaining and by the end, a little depressing.
This book is about a battle of wits between two very smart people and none come out better at the end (in my humble opinion). There is nothing more to say about the story beyond this except that the reader is witness to a kidnapping and then the surprise ending. Anything more would be just spoilers.
Having said that, this book brings to question several things about morality. Be it the sensibility that allows certain people to treat a serious crime as a game or the vanity of the rich who think they are above the law. At the end, I ended up hating every character in the story.
Overall, I found this book - a breeze to read, quite entertaining and by the end, a little depressing.
December 16, 2023
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March 4, 2017
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 waiting this novel (it was originally supposed to be released in early January but the date was changed twice) and I am very disappointed. I will finish reading it but from now on I will make sure to check the name of the translator before I buy another novel by Mr. Higashino.
October 27, 2018
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January 18, 2025
This standalone by the author of the Detective Galileo and Detective Kaga series is focused pretty much exclusively on plot. Higashino¡¯s books typically feature insights into human nature and unique aspects of Japanese culture. The Name of the Game¡ could actually be set in any affluent country, and the only aspect of human nature addressed is greed.
The main character, Sakuma, is a self-absorbed hot shot PR man whose proposal for an ad campaign is nixed by the top executive of the client it is intended for. His removal from the job lowers Sakuma¡¯s status within his firm and triggers a plan to get revenge on that executive.
From there on, we observe each of Sakuma¡¯s carefully planned moves, and his responses as events outside his control interfere with his strategy. How can he adapt - and are those events really random?
This should be an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys reading between the lines, looking for clues and trying to guess the resolution ahead of the big reveal. I was completely caught up in it by the end.
The main character, Sakuma, is a self-absorbed hot shot PR man whose proposal for an ad campaign is nixed by the top executive of the client it is intended for. His removal from the job lowers Sakuma¡¯s status within his firm and triggers a plan to get revenge on that executive.
From there on, we observe each of Sakuma¡¯s carefully planned moves, and his responses as events outside his control interfere with his strategy. How can he adapt - and are those events really random?
This should be an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys reading between the lines, looking for clues and trying to guess the resolution ahead of the big reveal. I was completely caught up in it by the end.
October 17, 2018
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October 25, 2018
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January 16, 2024
It enthralled me on how I am still exhilaratingly enjoyed this plot even on my second read. I honestly don¡¯t remember much on the after ransom scene so it gets super addictive to me in delving into Sakuma¡¯s kidnapping game just to reach to those twists and revelation in its later chapters. It was a quiet, so secretive almost too bleak backdrop yet giving me a thrill and appealing insight of a staged crime that was triggered from a work-related conflict; of how Sakuma¡¯s idea was dismissed by Nissei Auto and he was suddenly removed from the project team that when he heard someone said¡ª¡°other than at crime, no one can beat Sakuma.¡±¡ªhe decided to dupe a hefty ransom to help a runaway heiress by ¡®inviting¡¯ her father, the executive of Nissei Auto to play a game.
"If you're interpreting it as revenge, that's unfortunate. I told you from the start, didn't I? This is a game."
I love how the plot having a clear motive and how it thicken in phases with almost a page-turner execution; a devious howdunnit plan that was so thoroughly curated with an unseen room of suspicion from Sakuma¡¯s side and a willing hostage as pretty and wealthy as Juri. A playful adventure that goes so easy as planned for Sakuma; too straightforward with nothing mindblown or tricky much but this is where the excitement lured me in with a series of twists that even on this second read, I was still amazed on how Higashino could managed to plot the surprise for me.
Sakuma¡¯s tone can be a bit narcissistic and arrogant yet his POV was so intensely inducing esp during the revelation part where his anxiousness interspersing grippingly throughout the narrative. I love the meeting scene with Katsutoshi Katsuragi at the end, bit suspense, so mischievous and might be abrupt but totally a well wrapped up ending to the game.
¡°?????? ????¡ªit was the same as then. I opened my mouth at last. How about a game? A game that¡¯ll grant your wish. Because this is a game, if it¡¯s not fun, it¡¯s not worth it.¡±
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy to review!
"If you're interpreting it as revenge, that's unfortunate. I told you from the start, didn't I? This is a game."
I love how the plot having a clear motive and how it thicken in phases with almost a page-turner execution; a devious howdunnit plan that was so thoroughly curated with an unseen room of suspicion from Sakuma¡¯s side and a willing hostage as pretty and wealthy as Juri. A playful adventure that goes so easy as planned for Sakuma; too straightforward with nothing mindblown or tricky much but this is where the excitement lured me in with a series of twists that even on this second read, I was still amazed on how Higashino could managed to plot the surprise for me.
Sakuma¡¯s tone can be a bit narcissistic and arrogant yet his POV was so intensely inducing esp during the revelation part where his anxiousness interspersing grippingly throughout the narrative. I love the meeting scene with Katsutoshi Katsuragi at the end, bit suspense, so mischievous and might be abrupt but totally a well wrapped up ending to the game.
¡°?????? ????¡ªit was the same as then. I opened my mouth at last. How about a game? A game that¡¯ll grant your wish. Because this is a game, if it¡¯s not fun, it¡¯s not worth it.¡±
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy to review!
February 7, 2020
???c ?u ?i?m l¨¤ truy?n d? ??c, kh?ng sa ?¨¤ nhi?u v¨¤o t?m l?, t¨¬nh ti?t th¨² v? l?i cu?n v¨¤ k?t b?t ng?. ?i?m tr? l¨¤ c¨® nhi?u l?i logic trong k? hoach b?t c¨®c. Nhi?u c¨¢i m¨¤ Sakuma t? h¨¤o k¨ªn k? trong th?c t? ho¨¤n to¨¤n c¨® th? l?n ra d?u v?t.
Tuy kh?ng nh?n v¨¤o ch? ?? t?m l? x? h?i s?u s?c nh? nh?ng cu?n kh¨¢c nh?ng c?ng c¨® c¨¢c c?u tho?i ch?m bi?m th¨² v?. ?n t??ng nh?t l¨¤ nh?ng ?o?n Sakuma n¨®i v? ''m?t n?''. M?i ng??i ch¨²ng ta trong cu?c s?ng t¨´y l¨²c ph?i c? ?eo l¨ºn nh?ng chi?c ''m?t n?'' kh¨¢c nhau ?? th¨ªch nghi v?i ho¨¤n c?nh, c¨¢c m?i quan h? x? h?i ph?c t?p.
Kh?ng b?ng Nghi Can X, B?ch D? H¨¤nh ???c nh?ng l¨¤ m?t s? ??i gi¨® th¨² v?. Nh?ng ai ch?a ??c Keigo m¨¤ nh?p m?n c¨® khi l?i th?y th¨ªch v¨¬ d? v¨¤o.
Ch?m 7,25/10.Kh?ng c¨® ch? ?? 3 sao r??i n¨ºn ?¨¤nh l¨¤m tr¨°n xu?ng 3 sao v?y, d¨´ c¨® h?i kh?t khe v?i b¨¢c Keigo t¨ª.
Tuy kh?ng nh?n v¨¤o ch? ?? t?m l? x? h?i s?u s?c nh? nh?ng cu?n kh¨¢c nh?ng c?ng c¨® c¨¢c c?u tho?i ch?m bi?m th¨² v?. ?n t??ng nh?t l¨¤ nh?ng ?o?n Sakuma n¨®i v? ''m?t n?''. M?i ng??i ch¨²ng ta trong cu?c s?ng t¨´y l¨²c ph?i c? ?eo l¨ºn nh?ng chi?c ''m?t n?'' kh¨¢c nhau ?? th¨ªch nghi v?i ho¨¤n c?nh, c¨¢c m?i quan h? x? h?i ph?c t?p.
Kh?ng b?ng Nghi Can X, B?ch D? H¨¤nh ???c nh?ng l¨¤ m?t s? ??i gi¨® th¨² v?. Nh?ng ai ch?a ??c Keigo m¨¤ nh?p m?n c¨® khi l?i th?y th¨ªch v¨¬ d? v¨¤o.
Ch?m 7,25/10.Kh?ng c¨® ch? ?? 3 sao r??i n¨ºn ?¨¤nh l¨¤m tr¨°n xu?ng 3 sao v?y, d¨´ c¨® h?i kh?t khe v?i b¨¢c Keigo t¨ª.
April 19, 2020
C?u chuy?n di?n bi?n nhanh, v¨¤ l?i cu?n ??c gi?, ?¨²ng nh? phong c¨¢ch x?a nay c?a Keigo-sensei.
M¨¬nh kh?ng bi?t nhi?u v? c¨¢ch s?ng c?a ng??i Nh?t, nh?ng vi?c ?ng b? b? qua cho Chiharu v? Juri th?t s? khi?n m¨¬nh th?c m?c. Kh?ng ph?i h? ??u l¨¤ con ru?t c?a ?ng ta sao?
M¨¬nh v?n mong t¨¬m ???c th¨ºm m?t cu?n s¨¢ch ??nh cao gi?ng nh? Ph¨ªa sau nghi can X, m¨¤ c¨® v? l?i kh?ng th?y n?a r?i ??
Btw, b?n n¨¤o mu?n mua s¨¢ch ??p v?i gi¨¢ h?p l¨ª th¨¬ gh¨¦ page m¨¬nh xem nha :") ().
M¨¬nh kh?ng bi?t nhi?u v? c¨¢ch s?ng c?a ng??i Nh?t, nh?ng vi?c ?ng b? b? qua cho Chiharu v? Juri th?t s? khi?n m¨¬nh th?c m?c. Kh?ng ph?i h? ??u l¨¤ con ru?t c?a ?ng ta sao?
M¨¬nh v?n mong t¨¬m ???c th¨ºm m?t cu?n s¨¢ch ??nh cao gi?ng nh? Ph¨ªa sau nghi can X, m¨¤ c¨® v? l?i kh?ng th?y n?a r?i ??
Btw, b?n n¨¤o mu?n mua s¨¢ch ??p v?i gi¨¢ h?p l¨ª th¨¬ gh¨¦ page m¨¬nh xem nha :") ().
March 22, 2020
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??????????????????????????????? ???-??? ????? Keigo ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ¡°???????????????¡± ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????? ??????????? ???????????????????????? ??? ¡°??????????? ??????????????????????????¡± ?????? ?????????????? Keigo ???
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March 22, 2017
Was a crisp and taut mystery, true to Higashino style.
A young man working in an ad company is upset at the decision of the rich customer to have him removed from his car ad team, and he by chance meets the rich customer's disgruntled daughter while scouring his bungalow. They concoct a convoluted kidnap plan so as to benefit them both equally. From then on things are not straight forward. After many twists and turns, one reaches a surprising finale.
Would have been a five star book if things were kept a bit more simple and realistic.
A young man working in an ad company is upset at the decision of the rich customer to have him removed from his car ad team, and he by chance meets the rich customer's disgruntled daughter while scouring his bungalow. They concoct a convoluted kidnap plan so as to benefit them both equally. From then on things are not straight forward. After many twists and turns, one reaches a surprising finale.
Would have been a five star book if things were kept a bit more simple and realistic.
October 14, 2020
3.75/5
Quy?n n¨¤y kh?ng qu¨¢ cu?n h¨²t m¨¬nh nh? ?c ? tr??c ?¨®. Tuy nhi¨ºn ??c c?ng r?t ok. Nh?n v?t kh?ng t?t x?u ho¨¤n to¨¤n, twist c?ng ?n, kh?ng qu¨¢ b?t ng? nh?ng c?ng k qu¨¢ nh?t nh?o.
M¨¬nh ngh? quy?n n¨¤y c?ng ch? ph?i trinh th¨¢m l?m ??u v¨¬ ?¨²ng nh? t¨ºn truy?n, n¨® nh? ki?u tr¨° ch?i ?y. B?n n¨¤o mu?n trinh th¨¢m, t¨¬m ki?m hung hay ??ng c? g?y ¨¢n th¨¬ kh?ng c¨® ??u.
T¨®m l?i, b¨¢c Keigo v?n khi?n m¨¬nh b?t ng? tr??c quy?n n¨¤y, v¨¬ n¨® k gi?ng b?t c? quy?n n¨¤o b¨¢c vi?t m¨¤ m¨¬nh ?? ??c. T?m ph?c tr??c s? s¨¢ng t?o v? c¨¢ch k? chuy?n v¨¤ ?? t¨¤i m¨¤ b¨¢c khai th¨¢c!!!
Quy?n n¨¤y kh?ng qu¨¢ cu?n h¨²t m¨¬nh nh? ?c ? tr??c ?¨®. Tuy nhi¨ºn ??c c?ng r?t ok. Nh?n v?t kh?ng t?t x?u ho¨¤n to¨¤n, twist c?ng ?n, kh?ng qu¨¢ b?t ng? nh?ng c?ng k qu¨¢ nh?t nh?o.
M¨¬nh ngh? quy?n n¨¤y c?ng ch? ph?i trinh th¨¢m l?m ??u v¨¬ ?¨²ng nh? t¨ºn truy?n, n¨® nh? ki?u tr¨° ch?i ?y. B?n n¨¤o mu?n trinh th¨¢m, t¨¬m ki?m hung hay ??ng c? g?y ¨¢n th¨¬ kh?ng c¨® ??u.
T¨®m l?i, b¨¢c Keigo v?n khi?n m¨¬nh b?t ng? tr??c quy?n n¨¤y, v¨¬ n¨® k gi?ng b?t c? quy?n n¨¤o b¨¢c vi?t m¨¤ m¨¬nh ?? ??c. T?m ph?c tr??c s? s¨¢ng t?o v? c¨¢ch k? chuy?n v¨¤ ?? t¨¤i m¨¤ b¨¢c khai th¨¢c!!!
August 10, 2019
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????????????????????? ?????? ??????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????
September 3, 2019
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???????????????????????????????????????? 3 ?? 4 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ?????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????? 3 ?? 4 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ?????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????
March 7, 2022
Note nh?: ??ng ??c b¨¬a 4 n?u b?n kh?ng mu?n b? spoil nhaaaaa!!!
?ang trong ??t gi?n c¨¢ch x? h?i do corona, n?m ? nh¨¤ c?m cu?n n¨¤y l¨ºn ??c c¨¢i v¨¨o trong v¨°ng m?t ng¨¤y lu?n. ?¨²ng l¨¤ b¨¢c Keigo idol c?a m¨¬nh, truy?n kh?ng bao gi? l¨¤m m¨¬nh ng?ng n¨ªn th? v¨¬ h?i h?p v¨¤ v¨¤ b¨¤ng ho¨¤ng v¨¬ nh?ng c¨² twist c?c ??nh. Nh?t l¨¤ c?u cu?i c¨´ng! Tuy?t v?i!!!
?ang trong ??t gi?n c¨¢ch x? h?i do corona, n?m ? nh¨¤ c?m cu?n n¨¤y l¨ºn ??c c¨¢i v¨¨o trong v¨°ng m?t ng¨¤y lu?n. ?¨²ng l¨¤ b¨¢c Keigo idol c?a m¨¬nh, truy?n kh?ng bao gi? l¨¤m m¨¬nh ng?ng n¨ªn th? v¨¬ h?i h?p v¨¤ v¨¤ b¨¤ng ho¨¤ng v¨¬ nh?ng c¨² twist c?c ??nh. Nh?t l¨¤ c?u cu?i c¨´ng! Tuy?t v?i!!!
October 5, 2020
A very very different Higashino than usual. Though you have the meticulous plot full of twists and turns, everything else feels like a different writer all together.
The biggest obstacle for Higashino fans is likely our narrator, who is a total jerk. The unlikable female narrator is something we've talked about a lot in the last decade or so, but the unlikable male narrator is another thing all together. This guy sucks and he sucks enough that you can tell there is no way that he is going to be redeemed or see the error of his ways by the end of the book. So you have to know you're going in to a book where this guy is going to be sizing up women and playing stupid games of masculinity with men and that is just the thing.
All that said, it is a unique mystery and one that mostly works because our guy sucks so much. A good person would not do the stuff he does. So I see what Higashino is doing here and it mostly works. I didn't get to revel in it as much as I do with his best stuff, but he's always interesting and even if you have some suspicions that there's more here than meets the eye, the twists are legitimately surprising. The pacing is the biggest flaw, it's a very short third act with most of the twists all packed in together. But I admit, I was so pleased to find a Higashino that I was willing to forgive a multitude of sins.
The biggest obstacle for Higashino fans is likely our narrator, who is a total jerk. The unlikable female narrator is something we've talked about a lot in the last decade or so, but the unlikable male narrator is another thing all together. This guy sucks and he sucks enough that you can tell there is no way that he is going to be redeemed or see the error of his ways by the end of the book. So you have to know you're going in to a book where this guy is going to be sizing up women and playing stupid games of masculinity with men and that is just the thing.
All that said, it is a unique mystery and one that mostly works because our guy sucks so much. A good person would not do the stuff he does. So I see what Higashino is doing here and it mostly works. I didn't get to revel in it as much as I do with his best stuff, but he's always interesting and even if you have some suspicions that there's more here than meets the eye, the twists are legitimately surprising. The pacing is the biggest flaw, it's a very short third act with most of the twists all packed in together. But I admit, I was so pleased to find a Higashino that I was willing to forgive a multitude of sins.
August 9, 2017
This translation is awful. Bizarre slang choices, entire sentences that don't make sense. But the story is so entertaining, clever, fast-paced and well constructed that it shockingly makes little difference. Now I have read every single Higashino book in English, and I'm a little sad that it's all over.
July 24, 2021
A perfect Crime! what more can I say!
??????? ????, ???????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??,??????,??,???? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????! ??????? ???? ????????? ?????????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ??? ?????? ????? ????????? ????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ??? ?????????? ??????! ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???????! ??? ?? ???????, ????????? ???????, ???? ???????! ?????????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ???,????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ? ?????! ?????? ????????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????????? ?????????????? ????? ???? ???! ???????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ???, ''??? ???, ???? ?? ???????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ??? ???????!'' ????, ???????? ?? ????, ?? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????, ???? ????? ?? ???????, ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ????! ???????? ???????? ????!
??????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????????
???? ???? ??? ?????? ???, ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ???, ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ?????? ????!!
??????? ????, ???????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??,??????,??,???? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????! ??????? ???? ????????? ?????????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ??? ?????? ????? ????????? ????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ??? ?????????? ??????! ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???????! ??? ?? ???????, ????????? ???????, ???? ???????! ?????????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ???,????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ? ?????! ?????? ????????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????????? ?????????????? ????? ???? ???! ???????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ???, ''??? ???, ???? ?? ???????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ??? ???????!'' ????, ???????? ?? ????, ?? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????, ???? ????? ?? ???????, ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ????! ???????? ???????? ????!
??????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????????
???? ???? ??? ?????? ???, ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ???, ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ?????? ????!!
March 15, 2024
Leave it to Keigo for making me rid of my reading slump (its been a month good lord) and serving with a story that leaves your brain twisted till the very end. And it goes to show - Keigo is a mastermind in his trade and he writes well written stories that will will question everything that you read from the very start.
As usual with Keigo's stories, its better to go in without knowing much about the premise. But what I can say here - living true to the title itself, we will be following through the creatives mind of a human and how crafty and sinister we can be. At the end of the day, will you be the puppet or the master of the game? That, you will never know. And that's what makes this story so interesting and intriguing.
Keigo for me has been that author that can write anything and I will definitely eat it up. With this story, is differs a bit from his usual route for crime thrillers, but I sometimes wonder what goes through his mind when writing these stories. And with most of Keigo's stories, you will already know what's bound to happen, BUT, you will still be surprised when everything unfolds. Reading his books will give you that sense of disorientation - of not knowing who and what to trust and we, as readers, are strung along with the narrator as well. The characters and the plot progression for me was spot on, and I kind of loved that most of his characters are very smart too. It gives you joy in reading something that is well-thought and planned out , without losing the human touch and the exploration of human complexity and human nature in the process as well.
This book feels like watching a huge game and puzzle unfold. It will definitely leave your jaw gaping at some point (and I kind of expected what was about to happen) but it still left my heart racing. If you're in need of a quick, pick up book that will want you wanting for more , pick up this one. You can never go wrong with Keigo's books. And I'm thankful that Kodansha picked this up again for reprints cause Keigo's stories definitely deserved to be explored more to the world.
Personal Ratings : 4.5?
Thank you to Times Reads for one of the copies! I truly appreciate it :)
"To begin with, everyone wears a mask to some degree in going about their lives."
"It's an unlivable world otherwise. If you expose your true face, you don't know when it'll get pummeled. This world is a game. It's a game where, depending on the situation, you put on the relevant mask."
As usual with Keigo's stories, its better to go in without knowing much about the premise. But what I can say here - living true to the title itself, we will be following through the creatives mind of a human and how crafty and sinister we can be. At the end of the day, will you be the puppet or the master of the game? That, you will never know. And that's what makes this story so interesting and intriguing.
Keigo for me has been that author that can write anything and I will definitely eat it up. With this story, is differs a bit from his usual route for crime thrillers, but I sometimes wonder what goes through his mind when writing these stories. And with most of Keigo's stories, you will already know what's bound to happen, BUT, you will still be surprised when everything unfolds. Reading his books will give you that sense of disorientation - of not knowing who and what to trust and we, as readers, are strung along with the narrator as well. The characters and the plot progression for me was spot on, and I kind of loved that most of his characters are very smart too. It gives you joy in reading something that is well-thought and planned out , without losing the human touch and the exploration of human complexity and human nature in the process as well.
This book feels like watching a huge game and puzzle unfold. It will definitely leave your jaw gaping at some point (and I kind of expected what was about to happen) but it still left my heart racing. If you're in need of a quick, pick up book that will want you wanting for more , pick up this one. You can never go wrong with Keigo's books. And I'm thankful that Kodansha picked this up again for reprints cause Keigo's stories definitely deserved to be explored more to the world.
Personal Ratings : 4.5?
Thank you to Times Reads for one of the copies! I truly appreciate it :)
November 11, 2024
3.5 ??
It's pretty good. This book is very suitable for those who are just starting to read detective stories. It's very easy to follow the story line and the plot twist is quite interesting (but for those who have read many stories of this genre, I believe they will somewhat guess a bit). I enjoyed the process of reading this book, hope u too
It's pretty good. This book is very suitable for those who are just starting to read detective stories. It's very easy to follow the story line and the plot twist is quite interesting (but for those who have read many stories of this genre, I believe they will somewhat guess a bit). I enjoyed the process of reading this book, hope u too
January 23, 2021
Plot twist c?ng kh¨¢ n¨¤y n?, gi?ng ki?u ?ang ?i t??t? l¨ºn b?ng thang b?, t? d?ng r?ng 1 ph¨¢t b?ng thang m¨¢y, nh? VN-Index ng¨¤y th? 3 ?en t?i v?y.
V¨¤ c¨¢c c?u ?, r?t cu?c ph? n? c¨¤ng ??p th¨¬ c¨¤ng bi?t c¨¢ch l?a ng??i.
V¨¤ c¨¢c c?u ?, r?t cu?c ph? n? c¨¤ng ??p th¨¬ c¨¤ng bi?t c¨¢ch l?a ng??i.
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