Mr. Hands
Gary A. Braunbeck
Leisure Books
ISBN: 978-0843956108
2007

It's easy to be deceived by this book.  As a fan of previous Braunbeck novels I must admit I had my reservations when I first picked this one up.  Between the cover and the short description on the back, it sounded like the whole focus of this novel was on this "Mr. Hands" creature and his trail of death and destruction.  In the hands of a less talented novelist this is probably what we would have been given. 

In his usual style, Braunbeck goes far beyond any simple premise that could be described on a book jacket.  The first half of this novel does not deal with any monster wreaking hell across the earth, but with two interwoven tales of a mentally challenged boy named Ronnie and a tormented woman named Lucy whose life is filled with escalating sorrow.  Their paths will cross more than once, but it's not until much later that we learn just how significant these encounters will be.

Ronnie learns early in his life that he possesses a gift that allows him to not only sense the suffering in other children, but to set them free from the torture that is their lives.  We've seen this general theme before in Braunbeck’s In Silent Graves.  The suffering of the innocent is something that he often explores, and with Mr. Hands, this theme is just as heart-wrenching and engrossing to the reader, thanks to Braunbeck's ability to draw us in.

At the same time, we also witness a parent's anguish due to the death of a child.  When Lucy loses her daughter it is an event that will send her spiraling into unknown territory, both for her and the reader.  The culmination of the rage and agony felt by her and others in this story fuels the birth of Mr. Hands and his mission of taking vengeance against those that have caused the suffering of the most innocent of victims. 

What follows is for you to discover.  There will be plenty of bloodshed as Mr. Hands evens the score, although it never verges on gratuitousness. 

Followers of Braunbeck know that his novels require your full attention.  Mr. Hands is no exception.  Every detail is intricately woven and at times you're not always sure where you are and where you're headed.  His puzzle pieces are more fractured than most, but they still fit together just as nicely in the end.  Nothing is spoon-fed to you.  You've got to work a bit to see the picture he paints, and there-in lies the reason why reading one of his tales is a memorable and gratifying experience.

If you’re a fan of his work, Mr. Hands should come as no disappointment.  If you’ve never read his novels, then this would serve as a great introduction to a truly unique writer.

                                                          -- Michael De Kler