(Reviewed by JD Jung)
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Eighty-three-year-old Harvey Usher is a recluse who still, after two years, mourns the death of his wife. When he finds a young woman inside his house who claims to be his wife, he’s sure that he’s being conned.
He calls the police to get her out, but this redhead —whom Harvey dubs “Rita” after the screen siren Rita Hayworth— shows them a driver’s license that states that this is her home.
The strength of the book lies in its layered narrative. Seamlessly shifting between 1968 and 2018, the story peels back the decades of Harvey’s past—his life as an accountant for mob boss Luco LaBruzzo, and his deep love for a woman named Lois. Though LaBruzzo’s son also wants to marry Lois, this is just one of the dangers in Harvey’s life. He has also managed to acquire multiple enemies.
As we’re reading about “Rita”, we wonder if Harvey is of sound mind or if this stranger has ulterior motives. We also keep wondering how Harvey managed to escape his dangerous life in the underworld relatively unscathed.
Harvey, as well as the supporting characters are fully fleshed out, and we understand their motives. By the time the final twist arrives —and yes, there are several—it feels both surprising and inevitable.
A must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological suspense, The Obsessions of Harvey Usher is a smart thriller that will keep readers engaged until the very end.