Keigo Higashino Books in Order (Updated February 22, 2026)

Keigo Higashino (born 1958) is a Japanese mystery writer known for high-concept “howdunit/whydunit” puzzles and a few recurring detective lines. The main trap for new readers is that English translations only cover part of his Japanese bibliography, and some series are only partially available in English.

Below is a practical, translation-aware reading order that keeps continuities clean.

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A quick way to choose your first book

Pick the experience you want:

• Best “start here” detective novel: The Devotion of Suspect X (Detective Galileo, English #1).
• Best “start here” if you want a more human, community-focused procedural: Malice (Detective Kaga, English #1).
• Best “one-and-done” standalone currently easy to slot anywhere: Naoko, Under the Midnight Sun, or The Miracles of the Namiya General Store.

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Continuity map (what connects to what)

• Detective Galileo (Manabu Yukawa): recurring characters; safest in order, but each case is readable.
• Detective Kaga (Kyoichiro Kaga): recurring detective; English editions currently represent only a slice of the larger Japanese series.
• Everything else below: stand-alone continuity (no required order).

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Detective Galileo (English translation order)

Read these in order if you want the smoothest character continuity and escalating references.

1. The Devotion of Suspect X: The iconic entry point, introduces the series’ core dynamic between a baffling crime and Yukawa’s scientific reasoning.
2. Salvation of a Saint: A new domestic case with a clean, self-contained puzzle that still benefits from knowing the series tone.
3. A Midsummer’s Equation: A longer, quieter case where motive and method are intertwined and the cast familiarity helps.
4. Silent Parade: A wider community mystery that leans on returning relationships and the series’ established investigative rhythm.
5. Invisible Helix: A later Galileo case that sits most comfortably after you’ve read at least one earlier Yukawa novel.

Note: In Japanese, Galileo includes additional short-story collections and more entries than the English line.

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Detective Kaga (English translation order)

These work best in sequence because Kaga’s approach and relationships are the glue, even when the crimes differ.

1. Malice: A layered “what really happened” mystery that sets Kaga’s tone and method.
2. Newcomer: A neighborhood-centered investigation that uses many small perspectives to build the solution.
3. A Death in Tokyo: A case that continues Kaga’s professional world and rewards readers who already know his style.
4. The Final Curtain: A deeply personal Kaga story where the emotional payoff relies on the series context.

Translation caution: Kaga is a longer Japanese sequence than the four English books listed here, so English order is “best available,” not “complete.”

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Stand-alone novels (English translations you can read anytime)

These do not require Galileo or Kaga context.

• Naoko: A domestic shock premise that becomes a tight, identity-and-consequences thriller.
• Under the Midnight Sun: A sweeping crime narrative that follows long-term repercussions across years.
• The Name of the Game Is a Kidnapping: A brisk cat-and-mouse caper-thriller that plays with roles and reversals.
• The Miracles of the Namiya General Store: A genre-blending, time-bending story centered on letters, choices, and second chances.

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Upcoming and newest (English-facing)

• Guilt: Widely listed as an English translation arriving in 2026 (market dates may vary by region/edition).
• Invisible Helix: Listed as the most recent Detective Galileo English entry (after Silent Parade).

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Recommended reading plans (pick one and follow the rules)

Plan A: “The cleanest Higashino starter set” (3 books)

1. The Devotion of Suspect X
2. Malice
3. Naoko
   If you like #1 most, stay with Galileo. If you like #2 most, stay with Kaga.

Plan B: “Stay in one detective lane”

• Galileo: read the 5 English books in order.
• Kaga: read the 4 English books in order.

Plan C: “No series commitment”

Read any of the stand-alones in any order, then try a detective book last if you want recurring characters.

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FAQs

Do I need to read Higashino in publication order overall?

No. Order only matters inside a detective line, and even there the cases are usually readable on their own.

Why do some lists show more Galileo/Kaga books than this page?

Because those lists often mix Japanese-original series entries with English translations. This page separates “English available” from “complete Japanese series.”

Is The Devotion of Suspect X a good first book even if I never read the series?

Yes. It’s a stable entry point and functions as a complete story.

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Conclusion

If you want the safest start with the fewest caveats, begin with The Devotion of Suspect X (Galileo) or Malice (Kaga). Then stay in that lane’s English order, and use the stand-alones whenever you want a break from detective continuity.