Naoko (1998)

by Keigo Higashino

A tragic bus accident causes the spirit of a woman, Naoko, to take over the body of her daughter, Monami.

 

"Secret" (Japanese)

Naoko's body dies, and Monami's essence appears to be lost forever.

 

"Secret" (Korean)

Naoko and her husband, Heisuke, decide to deal with this situation in secret.

 

"Secret" (Chinese)

After all, who would believe them?

 

"Naoko's Secret" (Vietnamese)

So, to the world, it appears that Heisuke is a widower living with his daughter, when in fact his daughter has died and he is living with his wife--although, really, he has lost them both.

 

"Secret" (Thai)

When author Keigo Higashino is focused on this complex relationship, his novel is quite involving and even moving, although it is not as suspenseful or edgy as the cover copy would have us believe.

 

Keigo Higashino

Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of extraneous material to slow down a narrative that is already rather relaxed and subdued. I kept waiting for Heisuke's investigation into the circumstances of the bus crash and the driver's background to tie in with the main narrative, but it never did. I also couldn't help thinking that, given Naoko's detailed knowledge of her own life, they probably could have convinced members of Naoko's family about what had happened, thereby sharing the burden. Nevertheless, the end of the novel is quite touching and satisfactory.