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The Lock Artist (2010)

by Steve Hamilton(Favorite Author)

3.95 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0312380429 (ISBN13: 9780312380427)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

Minotaur Books

review 1: The Lock Artist is a fantastic thriller about Michael, a teenage thief who hasn’t spoken a word since a traumatic incident during childhood. Though mute, we hear Michael’s voice loud and clear through sharply honest first-person narration and the stories he weaves through a (described) exchange of drawings with a girl he falls in love with. A bit slower than your typical thriller, but compelling and suspenseful, with deeper characters. Highly recommended.
review 2: The first book I've read from Michigan author Steve Hamilton, who has been on the mystery scene for some time, just never caught my attention. In this Edgar Award winning novel, Mike is a mute teenager who is known as The Miracle Boy - for reasons you don't find out until about the last 50 pages... more of the novel. What you assume, is that whatever event being alluded to throughout, was traumatic enough for Mike to never speak again. Being mute brings with it challenges as you might imagine, with the most obvious being communication. As a result he is shut out by most of his peers - in what are certainly some of the most trying years growing up - high school. He has a talent for picking locks though, something he almost accidentally picks up. He also discovers in his junior year, a talent for art, and develops a friendship with Griffin, another artist in his class; they are 2 outsiders who want to be with the "cool crowd". They get an opportunity as they end up at a party - including some football players. At this party, one of the big kids discovers Mike's talent and exploits it to break into a house of one of the neighboring high school football players. Pulling this prank, they of course get caught, after vandalism is committed, and Mike is left to hold the bag. He doesn't give anyone up - and begins a probation relationship with the owner of the house. A lot of set up - as you can tell. This book is written with alternate chapters telling Mike's backstory and how he got involved with safecracking, and then more to after he is working with a crew in L.A. I liked this book - but was hoping for a bigger payoff. There were additionally some parts that didn't make a lot of sense, and didn't give the primary characters a lot of motivation for their actions. Ultimately, Hamilton works to put together an intriguing caper, and a love story - and both fell a little short for me. A quick read - with some great Michigan references. less

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