Higashino was born in the Ikuno-ku ward of the city of Osaka in Osaka Prefecture. The logographic letters that make up the family name were initially read as "Tono", but Keigo's father changed the reading to "Higashino".

Growing up in a working class area, Higashino's childhood was challenging because of the lower class to which his family belonged.^[2] He attended Koji Elementary School, Higashi Ikuno Junior High School, and Hannan High School. During his high school years he started reading mystery fiction.

Higashino studied Electrical Engineering at Osaka Prefecture University, where he became captain of the archery club. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

Higashino started writing while in high school and university, showing his manuscripts to friends.

In 1981 he began working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co. (presently DENSO), and married a high school teacher. He continued to write in the evenings and on weekends,^[3] submitting unpublished mystery novels for consideration for the annual Edogawa Rampo Prize in 1983. In 1984 his submission, which drew on his wife's occupation, reached the final round. In 1985, at the age of 27, he won the Rampo Prize for best unpublished mystery for Hōkago (放課後, After School), drawing on experiences of the archery club at his former university. He resigned from DENSO in 1986 to start a career in Tokyo as a full-time writer.

In 1998 Higashino published Himitsu (秘密, Secret), which was converted into a feature film and won the 52nd Mystery Writers of Japan Award for feature films in 1999. Secret was later translated into English by Kerim Yasar and published as Naoko in 2004, with a limited print run.^[3] Higashino was inspired to write the story by reading a book in which a young child possessed the memories of someone who died nearby. He tried writing a short story featuring the implications of what would happen in such an instance, "but the ideas didn’t fully materialize. Finally I presented it as a novel and it got picked up." A 1999 Japanese film, Himitsu, was based on the book, as was a 2007 English-language French remake,The Secret, starring David Duchovny.^[2]

In 2006 Higashino won the 134th Naoki Prize for Yōgisha Ekkusu no Kenshin (容疑者Xの献身, The Devotion of Suspect X), an award for which he'd been nominated five times previously. Suspect X also won the 6th Honkaku Mystery Award and was ranked the number-one novel by Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2006 and 2006 Honkaku Mystery Best 10, annual mystery fiction guide books published in Japan. The English edition of Suspect X, translated by Alexander O. Smith, was nominated for the 2012 Edgar Award for Best Novel and the 2012 Barry Award for Best First Novel.^[3]

Higashino received the Eiji Yoshikawa Literary Prize in 2014 for Inori no Maku ga Oriru Toki (祈りの幕が下りる時), When the Curtain of Prayer Descends), the 10th book^[4] to feature Detective Kyoichiro Kaga. He thought that the book was the end of the Kaga series, as he had done what he wanted to do with it.^[5]

Higashino is one of the most popular authors in Asia and, reportedly, the most popular novelist in China.^[6] Translation rights for his books, like Suspect X, were sold as far afield as China, Thailand, France, Russia and Spain.^[3] Both his The Devotion of Suspect X and Salvation of a Saint were published in 6 languages.^[7] His popularity has drawn the attention of Asian academics, with papers and master's theses on his work published in China,^[8] Indonesia,^[9] Malaysia,^[10] and Taiwan,^[11] for example, but has also stimulated United States scholars.^[12]

Higashino was elected president of the Mystery Writers of Japan in 2009, and served until 2013. From 2002 to 2007 he served on various MWJ selection committees, and fulfilled a similar role for the Edogawa Rampo Award from 2008 to 2013. In 2014 he became a selection member for the Naoki Prize.^[13][14]

After the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, Higashino donated the royalties of 100,000 copies of the reprint of Kirin no Tsubasa (麒麟の翼, The Wings of the Kirin), the sequel to Newcomer, to relief efforts in affected areas.^[15]

Higashino reportedly avoids publicity as he prefers people not to recognize him on the street.^[3]

Higashino admitted in 2015 that his content and style had changed from his earlier writings, in which he treated motivation as the most important element.^[5] In a 2011 interview he stated that he wants his "readers to be continually surprised by my ideas.”^[3]

In addition to mystery novels, Higashino writes essays and story books for children. His style of writing the latter differs from his novels, and he does not use as many characters as in his novels.^{[citation needed]} Higashino's works often include scientific elements, such as nuclear power generation and brain transplantation. Sports references, such as archery and kendo, ski jumping, and snowboarding, also occur often.

Suspect X inverts the classical whodunit structure, as the reader learns early on who the murderer is. Andrew Joyce writes in The Wall Street Journal that Higashino explores how "feelings of loyalty and the oppressive weight of human relations" are "catalysts for murder and dark pacts between neighbors or co-workers to dispose of bodies." Higashino claims that Japanese people prefer this format, in which the effects of characters' actions and intentions, in terms of emotions such as guilt and anguish, become clearer only towards the end of the story.^[3]

While Higashino admits to liking Western writers, he feels most strongly influenced by Japanese authors such as Edogawa Rampo and Seicho Matsumoto. And "so my work naturally has that Japanese sense of old-fashioned loyalty and concern for human feeling.” With regards his Western readers, Higashino wants them "to read my work and come to understand how Japanese people think, love and hate. I want them to be impressed that there is a Japanese person who came up with such unusual stories."^[3]

Novels edit

Detective Galileo series edit

• The Devotion of Suspect X (original title: Yōgisha X no Kenshin), trans. Alexander O. Smith (Minotaur Books, 2011)^[16]
• Salvation of a Saint (original title: Seijo no Kyūsai), trans. Alexander O. Smith (Minotaur Books, 2012)^[17]
• A Midsummer's Equation (original title: Manatsu no Hōteishiki), trans. Alexander O. Smith (Minotaur Books, 2016)^[18]
• Silent Parade (original title: Chinmoku no Parēdo), trans. Giles Murray (Minotaur Books, 2021)^[19]
• Invisible Helix (original title: Tōmei na Rasen), trans. Giles Murray (Minotaur Books, 2024)^[20]

Police Detective Kaga series edit

• Malice (original title: Akui), trans. Alexander O. Smith (Minotaur Books, 2014)^[21]
• Newcomer (original title: Shinzanmono), trans. Giles Murray (Minotaur Books, 2018)^[22]
• A Death in Tokyo (original title: Kirin no tsubasa), trans. Giles Murray (Minotaur Books, 2022)^[23]
• The Final Curtain (original title: Inori no Maku ga Oriru Toki), trans. Giles Murray (Minotaur Books, 2023)^[24]

Other novels edit

• Naoko (original title: Himitsu), trans. Kerim Yasar (Vertical, 2004)^[25]
• Journey Under the Midnight Sun (original title: Byakuyakō), trans. Alexander O. Smith (Hachette, 2015)^[26]
• The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping (original title: Gēmu no Na wa Yūkai), trans. Jan Mitsuko Cash (Vertical, 2017)^[27]
• The Miracles of the Namiya General Store (original title: Namiya Zakkaten no Kiseki), trans. Sam Bett (Yen On, 2019)^[28]

Essay edit

• My Favourite Mystery: Kuroi gashū (黒い画集, The Black Art Book) by Seichō Matsumoto (Mystery Writers of Japan, Inc.)^[29]

Honours edit

Awards edit

Japanese Mystery Fiction Guide Rankings

• 2006 – The Best Japanese Crime Fiction of the Year (Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2006): The Devotion of Suspect X
• 2010 – The Best Japanese Crime Fiction of the Year (Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2010): Shinzanmono (The Newcomer)
• 2012 – Ranked as the No. 13 novel on the Top 100 Japanese Mystery Novels of All Time: The Devotion of Suspect X
• 2012 – Ranked as the No. 18 novel on the Top 100 Japanese Mystery Novels of All Time: Journey under the Midnight Sun
• 2018 – Ranked as No. 1 novel on the Weekly Bungeishunjū Mystery Best 10: Chinmoku no Parēdo (沈黙のパレード, Silent Parade)

By 2018 Higashino had published 66 novels, 20 short story collections, and one picture book. In all, there were 715 works in 8 languages by Higashino worldwide in 2020, excluding 20 which were about him.^[7]

Detective Galileo (Manabu Yukawa) series edit

• Novels
  • Yōgisha X no Kenshin (容疑者Xの献身), 2005 (The Devotion of Suspect X, Minotaur Books, 2011)
  • Seijo no Kyūsai (聖女の救済), 2008 (Salvation of a Saint, Minotaur Books, 2012)
  • Manatsu no Hōteishiki (真夏の方程式), 2011 (A Midsummer's Equation, Minotaur Books, 2016)
  • Kindan no Majutsu (禁断の魔術), 2012 (The Forbidden Magic)
  • Chinmoku no Parēdo (沈黙のパレード), 2018 (Silent Parade, Minotaur Books, 2021)
  • Tōmei na Rasen (透明な螺旋), 2021 (Invisible Helix, Minotaur Books, 2024)
• Short story collections
  • Tantei Galileo (探偵ガリレオ), 1998 (Detective Galileo)
  • Yochimu (予知夢), 2000 (Foresight Dream)
  • Galileo no Kunō (ガリレオの苦悩), 2008 (The Anguish of Galileo)
  • Kyozō no Dōkeshi (虚像の道化師), 2012 (The Virtual Clown)

Police Detective Kaga series edit

• Novels
  • Sotsugyō (卒業), 1986 (Graduation)
  • Nemuri no mori (睡りの森), 1989 (The Forest in Sleep)
  • Dochiraka ga Kanojo o Koroshita (どちらかが彼女を殺した), 1996 (Who Killed Her)
  • Akui (悪意), 1996 (Malice, Minotaur Books, 2014)
  • Watashi ga Kare o Koroshita (私が彼を殺した), 1999 (I Killed Him)
  • Akai Yubi (赤い指), 2006 (The Red Finger)
  • Shinzanmono (新参者), 2009 (Newcomer, Minotaur Books, 2017)
  • Kirin no Tsubasa (麒麟の翼), 2011 (A Death in Tokyo, Minotaur Books, 2022)
  • Inori no Maku ga Oriru Toki (祈りの幕が下りる時), 2013 (The Final Curtain, Minotaur Books, 2023)
• Short story collection
  • Uso o Mō Hitotsu Dake (嘘をもうひとつだけ), 2000 (Just One More Lie)

Naniwa Detective Boys series edit

• Naniwa Shōnen Tanteidan (浪花少年探偵団), 1988, Short story collection (Naniwa Detective Boys)
• Shinobu Sense ni Sayonara (しのぶセンセにサヨナラ), 1993, Short story collection (Goodbye, Miss Shinobu)

Detective Daigoro Tenkaichi series edit

• Meitantei no Okite (名探偵の掟), 1996, Short story collection (The Rule of the Detective)
• Meitantei no Jubaku (名探偵の呪縛), 1996, Novel (The Curse of the Detective)

Other novels edit

• Hōkago (放課後), 1985 (After School)
• Hakuba Sansō Satsujin Jiken (白馬山荘殺人事件), 1986 (The Murder in Mansion Hakuba)
• Gakusei-gai no Satsujin (学生街の殺人), 1987 (The Murder in the College Town)
• Jūichi Moji no Satsujin (11文字の殺人), 1987 (The Case of 11 Letters)
• Makyū (魔球), 1988 (Magic Ball)
• Uinku de Kampai (ウインクで乾杯), 1988 (Cheers with a Wink)
• Jūji Yashiki no Piero (十字屋敷のピエロ), 1989 (The Clown of House Juji)
• Chōjin Keikaku (鳥人計画), 1989 (Plan Chojin)
• Satsujin Genba wa Kumo no Ue (殺人現場は雲の上), 1989 (Murder on the Cloud)
• Burūtasu no Shinzō (ブルータスの心臓), 1989 (Heart of Brutus)
• Shukumei (宿命), 1990 (Fate)
• Kamen Sansō Satsujin Jiken (仮面山荘殺人事件), 1990 (The Murder in Mansion Masquerade)
• Henshin ^[jp] (変身), 1991 (Transformation)
• Kairōtei Satsujin Jiken (回廊亭殺人事件), 1991 (The Murder in Kairotei)
• Aru Tozasareta Yuki no Sansō de (ある閉ざされた雪の山荘で), 1992 (In a Mansion Covered with Snow)
• Utsukushiki Kyōki (美しき凶器), 1992 (Beautiful Weapon)
• Dōkyūsei (同級生), 1993 (Classmate)
• Bunshin (分身), 1993 (Alter Ego)
• Mukashi Boku ga Shinda Ie (むかし僕が死んだ家), 1994 (The Home Where I Died)
• Niji o Ayatsuru Shōnen (虹を操る少年), 1994 (The Boy Who Controlled the Rainbow)
• Parareru Wārudo Rabu Sutōrī (Parallel world love story) (パラレルワールド・ラブストーリー), 1995
• Tenkū no Hachi (天空の蜂), 1995 (The Bee in the Sky)
• Himitsu (秘密), 1998 (Naoko, Vertical, 2004)
• Byakuyakō (白夜行), 1999 (Journey Under the Midnight Sun, Little, Brown, 2015)
• Kataomoi (片想い), 2001 (One-sided Love)
• Reikusaido (Lakeside) (レイクサイド), 2002
• Tokio (時生), 2002
• Gēmu no Na wa Yūkai (ゲームの名は誘拐), 2002 (The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping, Vertical, 2017)
• Tegami (手紙), 2003 (Letter)
• Ore wa Hijōkin (おれは非情勤), 2003 (I'm the Ruthless Teacher)
• Satsujin no Mon (殺人の門), 2003 (The Door of Murder)
• Gen'ya (幻夜), 2004 (Mysterious Night)
• Samayou Yaiba (さまよう刃), 2004 (The Hesitating Blade)
• Shimei to Tamashii no Rimitto (使命と魂のリミット), 2006 (The Limit of Mission and Heart)
• Yoake no Machi de (夜明けの街で), 2007 (The Street Where the Dawn Breaks)
• Daiingu Ai (Dying Eye) (ダイイング・アイ), 2007
• Ryūsei no Kizuna (流星の絆), 2008 (The Bonds of the Shooting Star)
• Paradokkusu Sātīn (Paradox 13) (パラドックス13), 2009
• Kakkō no Tamago wa Dare no Mono (カッコウの卵は誰のもの), 2010 (Whose Cuckoo Eggs)
• Purachina Dēta (Platinum Data) (プラチナデータ), 2010
• Hakugin Jakku (白銀ジャック), 2010 (Silver Hijack)
• Masukarēdo Hoteru (Masquerade Hotel) (マスカレード・ホテル), 2011
• Namiya Zakkaten no Kiseki (ナミヤ雑貨店の奇蹟), 2012 (Miracles of the Namiya General Store)
• Mugen-bana (夢幻花), 2013 (Dream Flower)
• Utsuro na Yujika (虚ろな十字架), 2014 (Hollow Cross)
• Ningyo no Nemuru Ie ^[jp] (人魚の眠る家), 2015 (The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps)
• Rapurasu no Majo (ラプラスの魔女), 2015 (Laplace's Witch)
• Kiken'na Bīnasu (危険なビーナス), 2016 (Dangerous Venus)
• Masukarēdo Naito (マスカレード・ナイト), 2017 (Masquerade Night)
• Kibō no Ito (希望の糸), 2019 (Thread of Hope)
• Kusunoki no Bannin (クスノキの番人), 2020 (The Camphor Keeper)

Essay collections edit

• Anogoro Bokuraha Ahodeshita (あの頃僕らはアホでした), 1995 (When We Were Stupid)
• Charenji? (ちゃれんじ?), 2004 (Challenge?)
• Sai Ensu? (さいえんす?), 2005 (Science?)
• Yume wa Torino o Kakemeguru (夢はトリノをかけめぐる), 2006 (Dreams over Turin)
• Tabun Saigo no o Aisatsu (たぶん最後の御挨拶), 2007 (Probably the Last Greeting)

Other short story collections edit

• Tantei Kurabu (探偵倶楽部), 1990 (Detective Club)
• Hannin no Inai Satsujin no Yoru (犯人のいない殺人の夜), 1990 (A Night of Murder with no Murderer)
• Kōtsū Keisatsu no Yoru (交通警察の夜), 1991 (A Night of the Traffic Officer)
• Ayashii Hitobito (怪しい人びと), 1994 (Suspicious People)
• Kaishō Shōsetsu (怪笑小説), 1995 (Weird Laughs Novel)
• Dokushō Shōsetsu (毒笑小説), 1996 (Poisonous Laughs Novel)
• Chō Satsujin Jiken: Suiri Sakka no Kunō (超・殺人事件 推理作家の苦悩), 2001 (Super-Murder: The Anguish of the Mystery Writers)
• Kokushō Shōsetsu (黒笑小説), 2005 (Dark Laughs Novel)
• Ano Koro no Dareka (あの頃の誰か), 2011 (Someone of Those Days)
• Waishō Shōsetsu (歪笑小説), 2012 (Crooked Laughs Novel)
• Masukarēdo Ibu (マスカレード・イブ), 2014 (Masquerade Eve)

Children's book edit

• Santa no Obasan (サンタのおばさん), 2001 (Illustrated by Hiromi Sugita)

Comics edit

• HE∀DS (ヘッズ), 4 volumes, 2003 (Illustrated by Motorō Mase)

Some of his novels have been made into TV drama series and films:

Japanese films

• Naoko (1999, Original Title: Himitsu, 1998)
• g@me. (2003, Original Title: Gēmu no Na wa Yūkai, 2002)
• Lakeside Murder Case (2004, Original Title: Lakeside, 2002)
• Henshin (2005)
• Tegami (2006)
• Suspect X (2008)
• The Hovering Blade (2009, Original Title: Samayou Yaiba, 2004)
• Into the White Night (2011)^[33]
• Yoake no Machi de (2011)
• The Wings of the Kirin (2012)
• Platinum Data (2013)^[34]
• Midsummer's Equation (2013)
• Broken | Banghwanghaneun Kalnal (2014)
• The Big Bee | Tenku no Hachi (2015)
• Shippu Rondo (2016)
• Miracles of the Namiya General Store | Namiya Zakkaten no Kiseki (2017)
• The House Where The Mermaid Sleeps | Ningyo no Nemuru Ie (2018)
• The Crimes That Bind | Inori no Maku ga Oriru Toki (2018)
• Laplace's Witch | Rapurasu no Majo (2018)
• Masquerade Hotel (2019)
• Parallel World Love Story (2019)
• Masquerade Night (2021)
• Silent Parade (2022)^[35]

Japanese TV dramas

• Tokio chichi e no dengon (2004 Aug–Sep, Original Title: Tokio, 2002)
• Byakuyakō (2006)^[36]
• Galileo (2007 and 2008, Original Title: Tantei Galileo, 1998, Yochimu, 2000, and Galileo no Kunō, 2008)
• Ryūsei no Kizuna (2008)^[37]
• Meitantei no Okite (2009)^[38]
• Himitsu (2010)^[39]
• Shinzanmono (2010)^[40]
• Higashino Keigo Mysteries (2012, Original Title: Hannin no Inai Satsujin no Yoru, 1990, Ayashii Hitobito, 1994, and Ano Koro no Dareka, 2011)
• Galileo II (2013 and SP, 2013, Original Title: Seijo no Kyūsai, 2008, Galileo no Kunō, 2008, Kyozō no Dōkeshi, 2012, and Kindan no Majutsu, 2012)
• Dangerous Venus (2020)^[41]
• The Forbidden Magic (2022)^[42]

South Korean films

• White Night (2009)
• Perfect Number (2012)^[43]
• Broken (2014)

French film

• The Secret (2007, based on Himitsu; French title: Si J'etais Toi, meaning "If I Were You")

Chinese film

• Namiya (2007, based on Namiya Zakkaten no Kiseki)

Indian film

• Monica, O My Darling ( Hindi language 2022 film based on Burutasu No Shinzou)^[44]*
• Jaane Jaan (2023 Hindi Language film based on The Devotion of Suspect X )

• Japanese detective fiction
• Mystery Writers of Japan
• Edogawa Rampo Prize
• Naoki Prize
• Honkaku Mystery Award

• J'Lit | Authors : Keigo Higashino | Books from Japan