"Sometimes, what you find in a small town can surprise you," writes Darcie Chan in her debut, The Mill River Recluse. The novel centers on Mary Hayes McAllister, a wealthy, disfigured, elderly widow who inhabits a white marble mansion that overlooks the insular town of Mill River, Vt. Chan describes Mary as "a woman who knew the difference between being alone and being lonely, who wanted so much to be accepted, to have coffee at the bakery, to come face-to-face with someone she didn't know without feeling fearful." Mary's early life was marred by an event that stole her innocence and confidence, and later led to an abusive, heartbreaking marriage.
The story behind Mary's reclusiveness, which winds back to World War II, unfolds among the affairs of other Mill River townsfolk who are struggling with their own challenges and demons. This includes an 87-year-old priest, Mary's only friend and confidant; a lustful, power-hungry cop; a widower transplanted from Boston with a young daughter; a teacher battling her waistline; and the town misfit, who practices witchcraft.
Secrets and unexpected gestures of kindness shape Chan's compassionate novel that blends elements of mystery, suspense and romance. After 60 years, Mary's reclusiveness is a matter of course in town, but behind the scenes she remains attuned to the lives of those around her--"decent, hardworking people, the kind that don't have a lot but would give everything they have to a neighbor in need." Mary humbly leads this initiative, which culminates in a beautifully rendered denouement that rekindles hope for a troubled world. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines