The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan

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 that reminds us of the value of friendship and the ability of love to come from the most unexpected of places.

My Review - I saw this book and decided even though I had over 300 books on my Nook that I was going to buy it (it was only 99 cents) and read it. This was all after pondering it for almost a month, can we say frugal? Anyhow, this book was pretty good. I couldn't imagine being Mary with her anxiety. I loved Kyle, Rowen and Claudia though. And the twist with Mary and Daisy was wild and I never saw it coming. The town coming together like they did and it being a small knit community made me want to live somewhere that small. There were some parts of the book that I couldn't put down but then some parts dragged. So overall I gave it 3 stars.