The Visitor

Widowed, grief-stricken Izzie Mallon, the heroine of this enjoyable psychological thriller with a cozy vibe from Irish author Miller (A House Full of Secrets), is planning to spend Christmastime in isolation, snowed up in her apartment in what appears to be Dublin. Then an American unexpectedly knocks on her door and introduces himself as Eli Sanders, the best friend of Izzie’s beloved late husband, Sam. She halfheartedly welcomes the man, whom she has never met, into her home after learning that he was stranded at the airport, but when Izzie catches Eli attempting to access Sam’s laptop, she begins to question his true identity. Later, Noah Brady, Izzie’s 10-year-old neighbor, notices inconsistencies in Eli’s memories of Sam and fears she’s in danger. Noah confides his concerns to his amiable father and a grandmotherly neighbor, who assume that Izzie is still in mourning and tell the boy to respect her privacy. The plot engages to the end, and touching flashbacks depict Izzie’s life with Sam. This is a great book for readers looking for a suspense story with a lot of heart. Agent: Sheila Crowley, Curtis Brown (U.K.). (Nov.)