Arya News - Higashino’s works were widely translated across Asia in the 2000s and established a strong following in Chinese-speaking regions in the 2010s. In recent years, he has also gained fans in Europe and the United States.
TOKYO – Tributes have come pouring in following the news of the death, on Thursday, of mystery writer Keigo Higashino, who became a leading figure in the Japanese mystery genre during his over 40-year career. Many of his works — including the “Detective Galileo” mystery series, in which a genius physicist solves difficult cases — have been made into movies and TV dramas, and his books have been widely read overseas as well.
His 106th book (excluding coauthored works), titled “Eien no Kioku” (Eternal memory), the latest installment in the Detective Galileo series, is scheduled to be published on Aug. 5.
Previous works in the serious have been adapted for the screen by a cast of top-tier actors, such as Masaharu Fukuyama, 57, and Ko Shibasaki, 44. Fukuyama, who played the lead role in the series, posted on social media, “As a character in the author’s works and as a reader, I hope to continue being enchanted by the stories he creates.”
“He had star quality,” said fellow author Bin Konno, 70, who succeeded Higashino as president of Mystery Writers of Japan, Inc. “He hardly ever talked about his work; he would just make small talk. I remember him as being very cheerful and bright at parties and other events.”
Higashino’s works were widely translated across Asia in the 2000s and established a strong following in Chinese-speaking regions in the 2010s. In recent years, he has also gained fans in Europe and the United States.
Chinese state-run media outlets, including China Central Television, quickly reported the news of Higashino’s passing. In bookstores in Beijing, more than 70 of his titles were on display, and many customers picked up copies of his works on Monday, the day the news broke. On the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the phrase “Keigo Higashino death” rose to the top of the search rankings that afternoon.
According to Taiwanese media, a Taiwanese publisher had just released a commemorative collector’s edition of his masterpiece “The Miracles of the Namiya General Store” this month to mark the sale of 500,000 copies of the novel.
Upon hearing the sad news, the Sanseido Bookstore in Yurakucho, Tokyo, set up its own special section dedicated to Higashino. “His plot twists were brilliant, but I also loved his heart-wrenching human dramas,” said a 50-year-old office worker from the city’s Setagaya Ward who was visiting the store. “He put out works at such an extraordinary pace that it was hard to believe he was a real person. I’m in shock.”
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