Departures of note

Keigo Higashino (born February 4, 1958 in Osaka, Japan) was a prolific and internationally acclaimed writer of mystery and crime fiction. After winning the Edogawa Rampo Prize in 1985 with his debut novel "After School", he went on to publish over 60 novels, many of which became best‑sellers and were adapted into films, television dramas, and stage productions. His most famous works include "The Devotion of Suspect X", "Journey Under the Midnight Sun", and the Detective Galileo series, which have been translated into numerous languages and earned him major literary awards such as the Naoki Prize and the Honkaku Mystery Award.

Beyond his literary achievements, Higashino served as president of the Mystery Writers of Japan and was a member of the Naoki Prize selection committee. He was widely regarded as one of the most popular contemporary authors in Asia, with his books selling over a hundred million copies worldwide. Higashino died on July 23, 2026 at the age of 68 after a battle with colorectal cancer, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of mystery literature.