Fuminoroi Nakamura’s The Thief is a captivating, slow-burn suspense story told through a side of Tokyo typically unseen. Nakamura’s detailed descriptions of the life and profession of a pickpocket add a grounding realism to the spiraling intrigue plot. The writing style is fluid and unique, which makes me wish I could read it in the original language, too.
The Thief follows an unnamed protagonist, the titular and professional thief, as he is drafted into several odd jobs by a very dangerous man. Kizaki hired the protagonist and his partner in crime for a robbery years ago, and the next day the man they robbed was found dead. The thief never heard from his partner after that day, either. Years later, Kizaki is back, and orders the thief to carry out a series of strange crimes, or be killed.
The characters are well rounded and engaging, and many of them terrifying. The thief is a flawed man, but an endearing protagonist. Even as he is introduced as a self-described uncaring man, he soon becomes a mentor figure to a little boy. He looks out for the boy when the child’s own mother would not, and tries to dissuade the boy from following in his pickpocket footsteps, even though the child seems determined to. Kizaki threatens the boy’s life, too, which is the real reason the thief agrees to the odd jobs. Though most of the novel is a slow walk through Tokyo, stealing wallets along the way, when Kizaki returns, the action suddenly kicks up, as the thief has only a few days to fulfill the man’s orders.
The building mystery, coupled with the sudden adrenaline shot that is Kizaki’s late return makes the book impossible to put down. The Thief leaves the reader with an ending you can never forget. It is a perfect read for any fan of mystery or suspense.
