Since Volume 7 or 8, my fondness for this series has started to flag, and the reasons why were particularly evident in this volume: a cast of unlikable characters, tortured storylines and lack of thought. Spoilers ahead.
Even though the characters were either ineffectual (Matsuda, Sochiro Yagami), evil (Light, L arguably, Mello) or kind of silly (Miss), you could always see where they were coming from and relate. Insights were clearly explained and understandable, motives clear. You were impressed with L'a conclusions and Lights countermeasures were logical if somewhat unrealistic (but within the realms of acceptable suspension of disbelief). You couldn't help but like Matsuda and Mogi's attempts to contribute, even though they were well out of their league. Even Mello's efforts were logical, if brutal. Unfortunately, all that has ended.
Nears conclusion that Light is Kira has yet to be even remotely logically supported by a shred of evidence. At best he proves that it *could* be the case, that it isn't impossible. This would be a fine start, except he goes on to dismantle the efforts of Light and his team to find Kira: fine if he's right, but catastrophic if he's wrong. It's impossible to respect his alleged intellect, when all he does is respout L's conclusions and evidence of doubtful veracity provided by Mello, who has a clear motive to lead Near in the wrong direction, and who should be treated as morally unacceptable as Kira himself. The attempt to go in a different direction to L is commendable, but in this case it hasn't worked out, and relies heavily on plot-forcing, rather than logical progression. The suspicion stirred up in people who should have been the last people to suspect Light was dine entirely too easily, given what we know of the characters involved, and no justification given.
All in all, it comes off as extremely forced: Tsugumi Ohba set up a fantastic story and set of characters, but now has been forcing the story to end with the "bad guy" defeated and the "good guys" victorious, regardless of whether it actually makes sense or not. A real decline of a story I deeply, deeply enjoyed.