The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (2009)

If the front cover of this novel had not indicated that it had been given the Edgar Award as Best Novel by the Mystery Writers of America, I would not have thought of it as a mystery novel at all, but instead as a character-driven literary novel about a young man scarred by tragic circumstances. I am not generally a mystery reader and would probably never have come upon The Lock Artist except that it was recommended to me by my reader friend Jonathan Aaron Baker. A majority of the mysteries I have read have tended to be formulaic and not very well written. I should have learned by now, however, not to prejudge a book because it is classified as genre fiction.

The first-person narrator, Michael, has been so traumatized by a violent event in his childhood that he has been mute ever since. The story begins with him as a prisoner for a yet-unnamed crime and then backflashes to his high school days. Isolated and lonely, by happenstance he discovers that he has an unusual talent -- he can unlock things: doors, padlocks, even safes. His abilities bring him to the attention of some very bad people, and he finds himself unwillingly drawn into their criminal activities by his wish to protect his first love.

Author Steve Hamilton does a fine job of creating a believable and sympathetic protagonist, particularly in his portrayal of the blossoming of young love. The considerable suspense comes from the problem of how Michael can extricate himself from the underworld he has been drawn into. Also, the account of the incident that left him mute is withheld until late in the narrative, adding to the tension.

This is a very enjoyable book to read, recommended to all readers, not just to those who favor mysteries.