Malice - Detective Kaga Series (Revised Edition)

Author Keigo Higashino · Publisher Hyeondaemunhak · Published 2019-07-25 · ISBN 9788972750031

About the Book

Keigo Higashino's most beloved character,
Hyeondaemunhak's 'Detective Kaga' series' first complete revision in 10 years

Keigo Higashino, the most beloved novelist by Koreans in the past 10 years (as of January 2019, Kyobo Bookstore), meets readers with a completely new look for his representative work, the 'Detective Kaga Series', more than 10 years after its first publication in Korea.

Kyōichirō Kaga is an unrivaled detective with a sharp mind, a passionate heart, and keen, penetrating eyes who relentlessly pursues criminals, yet never loses his warm consideration for humanity in any situation. 'Detective Kaga' is a character that Higashino, who typically refrains from excessive use of series characters, has exceptionally nurtured and developed with affection for nearly 30 years, and is considered the author's most beloved character and his persona.

In 1986, the fresh young author Higashino, in his late 20s, first introduced the university student 'Kyōichirō Kaga' in his second book, "Sotsugyo (Graduation)". Subsequently, Kaga transformed into a detective in "Nemureru Mori (Sleeping Forest)" (1989) and has been active in 10 works. Kaga's growth as a detective in each volume serves as an indicator of the changes and development of Higashino, the mystery novelist who created him. Beginning with "Sotsugyo," which offers the pleasure of solid tricks, followed by "Nemureru Mori," the first romantic mystery by Higashino, and "Dareka ga Kanojo o Koroshita (Someone Killed Her)" (1996), with its unprecedented structure where the culprit is not revealed until the end, early works showcase the author's uninhibited ideas and skill through Kaga's astonishing deductive powers. Furthermore, in "Akui (Malice)" (1996), considered one of the greatest masterpieces among Higashino's 90-plus works, he firmly established himself as a unique author writing detective novels that are like 'a drama perfectly dissecting the human psyche'. In "Akai Yubi (Red Finger)" (2006), his first work after winning the Naoki Prize, one can feel that Higashino's literature, known for its social mystery, had reached its peak.

The newly revised 'Detective Kaga Series' from Hyeondaemunhak encompasses seven works, covering Detective Kaga's university days up to his time as a detective at the Nerima Police Station. In this revised edition, translator Yang Yun-ok extensively revised and supplemented her original translation from over a decade ago. She applied updated Korean language rules, corrected minor and major errors in the existing editions, and meticulously refined over 3,000 sentences in each volume to ensure a complete reading experience. Additionally, the series' collectibility is enhanced by illustrator Choi Hwan-wook's cover art, which features brilliant interpretations for each volume, adding a sense of unity to the series.

His mysteries contain empathy that sadly observes the distortions in ordinary life, and a bright yet not premature hope. The bold development that courageously omits curiosity for cruelty or twisted, introverted sentiments, the serious experimentation with deduction, and the meticulous imagination firmly rooted in reality are probably the reasons why he is loved by readers worldwide. As I revised each line of my translated sentences, I realized that language is reborn with time. The story of Detective Kaga has miraculously been resurrected as a novel living in the present through this revised edition. This miracle of leaping across time was possible because it was Keigo Higashino, and because the book was so swiftly embraced by our readers.
Translator Yang Yun-ok, in her note for the revised 'Detective Kaga Series'

Table of Contents

The Incident 事件 - Osamu Nonoguchi's Memoir
The Doubt 疑惑 - Detective Kaga's Record
The Resolution 解決 - Osamu Nonoguchi's Memoir
The Pursuit 追及 - Detective Kaga's Monologue
The Confession 告白 - Osamu Nonoguchi's Memoir
The Past 過去 1 - Detective Kaga's Record
The Past 過去 2 - Stories from Those Who Knew Them
The Past 過去 3 - Detective Kaga's Recollection
The Truth 眞實 - Detective Kaga's Explanation

Commentary
Translator's Afterword · In Search of the Reason for Unprovoked Malice