How far are you willing to go for the one you love? Would you help him or her cover up a murder too? Think about it the girl you want to impress ends up killing someone and its upto you to save her from getting caught. What would you do and most importantly how would you do it? Would you abandon her or travel that extra mile to protect her from all the hassles. The book ‘The Devotion Of Suspect X’ is set along these lines; how Ishigami becomes the suspect behind a murder which a woman he fancies commits and how far he goes to show his devotion towards her- yes that’s what the book is all about.

‘The Devotion Of Suspect X’ is the tale of a divorced single mother, Yasuko, trying to lead a life that would provide for a better future for her only daughter Misato. Just when she begins to believe that she had escaped the clutches of her tormenting ex-husband, Togashi; he appears out of nowhere at work and then forcibly follows Yasuko to her apartment. Things turn ugly, out of control and Togashi ends up dead on the floor of her apartment. The ruckus and the noise cause the entry of Ishigami, the knight in shining armor. Ishigami is a teacher by day; Mathematics fanatic by night but more importantly smitten by the demure Yasuko. He takes it upon himself to save his lady love. He devices an iron clad plan to save Yasuko and then begins the chase where a detective, Kusanagi, and his professor friend, Yukawa, toil to find those guilty of the murder.

The immaculate way in which the author causes Ishigami’s character to draw out a strategy to save Yasuka from the clutches of law is praiseworthy. The story gets even better when a duel of wits ensues between Yukawa and Ishigami, both friends in their college days and both men highly superior in intellect and reasoning.  The story makes you wish that Yasuko and Ishigami are never caught; why should they when the one Yasuko murdered was just a lowly tormentor. The mother daughter pair does exactly what Ishigami asks them to. The detectives seem to be getting nowhere with the investigation apart from conjecture or speculation. Then come the complications as Yukawa begins his deductions and starts removing the covers off the story painted by the accused. But at every step he finds Ishigami ready with a well thought out assault. Whatever they unearth seems to be planted right there by Ishigami! As you near the climax the author comes up with an unexpected twist. It is wonderfully timed and explained in the story.