The Final Curtain - Kyoichiro Kaga #10

 

The Final Curtain is the 10th Inspector Kaga (4th in English) mystery written by Keigo Higashino. Released (in English) 12th Dec 2023 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format also released in fourth quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats; it makes searching in the text much easier (for character names, for example). 

This is a brilliantly written and unusually well translated modern procedural with a contemplative and intelligent protagonist, an ensemble cast, and an exceptionally clever and well plotted puzzle. The story is mostly character driven and the characters are three dimensional and interestingly well rounded. It's a touch more cerebral than many modern procedurals and is a dignified successor to Christie or Horowitz. Readers are expected to bring a modicum of concentration to the read, there is no spoon feeding. The author doesn't overexplain or simplify.

The translation work by Giles Murray is seamless, and never intrusive, and there's no wonky scansion. It does read like literature in translation and for readers who aren't used to the rhythm of Japanese names and places (lots of both in this book) will need to bring extra patience and possibly a notepad. 

With several volumes translated into English at this point (this is the concluding book in the series), it would make an excellent choice for a binge or buddy read. The author is talented enough to provide the necessary backstory, so it works well enough as a standalone. All the books are wonderfully written with compelling and complex storylines, so reading them in order is recommended, but not absolutely necessary. I found the most difficult part of the book to be the character names, which are kept true to the original. The author/publisher have included a dramatis personae list at the beginning of the book which is quite useful.

Four and a half stars. Very very well written.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.