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Published: May 24, 2011
Words: 110239 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook short description
Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister hasn't been seen by the people of Mill River, Vermont, in almost sixty years. Only Father Michael O'Brien, the town's elderly priest, knows Mary and the secret she keeps -- one that, once revealed, will change all of their lives forever.Extended description
Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister spends almost sixty years secluded in a white marble mansion overlooking the town of Mill River, Vermont. Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below.Most longtime residents of Mill River consider the marble house and its occupant peculiar, though insignificant, fixtures. An arsonist, a covetous nurse, and the endearing village idiot are among the few who have ever seen Mary. Newcomers to Mill River--a police officer and his daughter and a new fourth grade teacher--are also curious about the reclusive old woman. But only Father Michael O’Brien knows Mary and the secret she keeps--one that, once revealed, will change all of their lives forever.
The Mill River Recluse is a story of triumph over tragedy, one... (Read more)
Tags
secret, priest, river, widow, vermont, social anxiety, millAvailable ebook reading formats
Single purchase gains access to all formats. How to download ebooks to e-reading devices and apps.| Format | Full Book | Sample First 20% |
|---|---|---|
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| Online Reading (JavaScript, experimental, buggy) | Buy | View sample |
| Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps) | Buy | Download sample |
| Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others) | Buy | Download sample |
| PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing) | Buy | No sample available |
| RTF (readable on most word processors) | Buy | No sample available |
| LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub) | Buy | Download sample |
| Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices) | Buy | Download sample |
| Plain Text (download) (flexible, but lacks much formatting) | Buy | No sample available |
| Plain Text (view) (viewable as web page) | Buy | No sample available |
Reviews
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Review by:
Tammy Duzenack
on Feb. 14, 2012 :
Great book - loved how even when you thought you had it all figured out, there was still a surprise toward the end to wrap everything up. Great characters and well written. Was a quick read since it was very engaging.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Anita Smith
on Jan. 29, 2012 :
Loved it.... could share Mary's feelings. Story was well written. At first I thought I didn't like knowing that bit of info in the begining...but each page I turned I appreciated knowing that tibit up front. (smile)
The book was a good reminder how we all may remeber an elderly neighbor when we were younger... we were told not to bother the neighbor. It's good to be reminded as an adult to "not judge folks, unless we have walked in their shoes."
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
MoshPit Publishing
on Jan. 27, 2012 :
It took me a little time to warm to this book, but like so many well-written stories that refuse to pander to their audience, I just had to get to the point of no return ... and then I couldn't put it down!
Intelligent, warm, well-paced, sensitive, well-researched, great dialogue, straightforward up-to-date writing style - do yourself a favour and read it today.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Dena Dale Crain
on Jan. 25, 2012 :
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a remarkable story well told, full of sensitivity and edge-of-your-seat action. The plot is well-paced and the characters well defined. I will be on the lookout for more books by Darcy Chan. This one was a treat!
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
Jean MacIntyre
on Jan. 12, 2012 :
This is definitely a five-star story!
(reviewed within a week of purchase)
Review by:
Cindi Sanders
on Jan. 05, 2012 :
(no rating)
A friend recommended this book to me and I have really enjoyed it. I really did not expect to be captivated by the storyline. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by Ms. Chan
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Michelle Gray
on Jan. 01, 2012 :
Although general fiction is not my usual reading material, I thought this book sounded interesting so I bought it. It was! I measure how well a book is written by if it makes me 'feel' enough to either laugh out loud or shed a few tears (happy or sad). This book made me feel, so I give it a high rating. I've been suggesting it to all my friends and family that like to read.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Gwen Baker
on Oct. 07, 2011 :
(no rating)
My DIL asked me to get this book because she knows the author. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the book so well. It was one of those books that I didn't want to put down till I finished. Hope to see more from this author.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Marjorie Noll
on Oct. 05, 2011 :
(no rating)
I haven't had time to do a lot of reading of this book. But I've enjoyed what I've read this far and am anxious to find out what the "mystery" is.
Margie 169
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Marjorie Noll
on Oct. 05, 2011 :
(no rating)
I haven't had time to do a lot of reading of this book. But I've enjoyed what I've read this far and am anxious to find out what the "mystery" is.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Marjorie Noll
on Oct. 05, 2011 :
(no rating)
I haven't had time to do a lot of reading of this book. But I've enjoyed what I've read this far and am anxious to find out what the "mystery" is.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Marjorie Noll
on Oct. 05, 2011 :
(no rating)
I haven't had time to do a lot of reading of this book. But I've enjoyed what I've read this far and am anxious to find out what the "mystery" is.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Lyn Meadows
on Sep. 27, 2011 :
When I read the synopsis of this book I was expecting the normal, run of the mill contemporary fiction book. In fact, what Ms. Chan has given us in her first outing as an author is more than that. She has a wonderfully descriptive writing style that is easy to read. Her descriptions of living with Social Anxiety Disorder, everyday life in a small Vermont town, and the landscape of Vermont are spot on.
The characters in the book are wonderfully developed. Most of them are flawed in some way. As Mary (the main protagonist) likes to say, "no one is perfect". It is these imperfections that Ms. Chan gives her characters, even the most subsidiary ones, that make them endearing. From early on, I felt that I was catching up with old familiar friends.
The combination of her descriptive writing and the development of wonderful characters makes this book a delightful read. I enjoyed it quite a bit and really hope that Ms. Chan will write more novels.
The bad news is that currently the book is only available as an e-book on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble (not sure if it is other places as well). The good news is as such it is only .99, which is a real bargain for a book this good. I have no doubt as word gets around, though, that someone will want to publish it in print format.
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
queenofsheba50
on Aug. 22, 2011 :
Wow!!! What I great book. I got it off Lendle for free but I had to have my own copy so I came to Smaswords and purchased it. This is the kind of book that will have you thinking for a long time about how to live your life. A must read if I could give it 10 stars I would,
(reviewed the day of purchase)