***LATE REVIEW*** Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was not the book for me and that's okay, don't let that stop you from reading it.

I was intrigued by the plot of this book because it seemed right up my alley and very interesting. However, I found the pacing to be off at times and there is quite a bit of repetition which made the book feel longer than it actually was. I also found this book forgettable which is partly why I forgot to review it until I looked at my NetGalley list today.

Thank you to the author, Level Best Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting, I have had continuing familial health challenges to contend with in the past months.

This noir crime novel is confusing on several fronts. There are multiple POVs, the characters seem to have multiple names and identities, and the main character might be suffering from dementia, or many hallucinations. The plot moves sluggishly and I found it hard to stay engaged, let alone care about what was happening on the page.

While it was an interesting read overall and the two timelines eventually wrapped up nicely, it took longer to get into the book and to keep the attention, since it was rather difficult to connect to any of the characters. to care enough about how it's ending for them.

I persevered to the half way mark but it really struggled to hold my attention. Story alternates between ‘Current’ and 1968. The chapters are relatively short and read easily. There’s some humour and intrigue but it just didn’t grab me.
Thank You to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A mystery turned murder mystery and mafia legacy, The Obsession of Harvey Usher is unlike anything I've read lately. Following an old man named Harvey, he awakes one day to find a stranger in his home, claiming to be his wife for the last two years. She, however, says he has dementia, and even after the cops have come and left, is sticking to her story.

It's been two years since his first wife died, and he has turned completely into a recluse. Not even visiting the neighbor, he decides to venture out to see if her story matches his new wife's. The thing is, she says she's never seen the new wife before in her life, and through her help enlists her boyfriend to be a private investigator and find out all he can about her.

The problem is, is that the next day after he meets her, he turns up dead, and this is only the beginning of the story. Intwined with a flashback chapter every other break, we learn of Harvey's past life as a mobster in the 1960's. Seemingly unrelated, we learn that not only did people walk all over him, but he had one of the most important jobs in the mob, keeping track of the money. And this is how we learn that not only the new wife, but also, our main character, have deep secrets in their closet.

The characters in this book were really realistic, and I really felt their emotions with them, especially finding a strange women in their house and having to call the police, but not having anyone believe them. The ending came completely at a surprise to me, and I was really sucked into this story from the very beginning. Not usually something I would pick up, I'm glad I did give it a chance, and I think that this opens up my interest to reading more books like this in the future.

The obsessions of Harvey Usher by David Putnam, this book has too many plots and sub plots to give a good summary so I will just say Harvey wakes up and find a beautiful woman claiming to be his wife who is also 40 years younger than he is. he’s only been married once and that was to Lois for 50 years and she was the love of his life and he’s been mourning her loss for the past two years. although Dolores claims to be his second wife and to make this even harder for Harvey she looks like Rita Hayworth. he has no memory of her despite her claiming they’ve been married for two years and he’s not suffering from dementia or at least he doesn’t think so. The last thing Harvey is going to do is except this beautiful redhead as his wife even though Dolores insist she is and even brings up memories they supposedly had that Harvey has no reference for. When he gets his good friend Esther to ask her good friend Eddie to find out what her game is, this is the beginning of the trouble. because right when Harvey starts getting somewhere at disappears in Harvey‘s life becomes like a snowball rolling down the mountain gaining speed and momentum and his biggest issue is the snowball has been heading his way for the past 40 years. Soon he will have to confront monsters he thought left long in the past. I was not expecting this book to go where did but then again it is a David Putnam novel so I should’ve been prepared. I love his books especially the protagonist he has a way with words and whether he is writing a character like Harvey or one like his other series with Imagene it’s all laugh out loud and always compulsively readable. This is the type of writer whose books you want to read one after the other I can’t say enough about his stories and it seems they just keep getting better. Harvey Usher is very astute with a vast classic vocabulary and someone you’ll definitely want to root for… I know I did! #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #DavidPutnam, #TheObsessionsOfHarveyUsher,

I'm a sucker for a good mystery and having someone to root for, even if they happen to be a complicated individual who isn't a prince.

Harvey is an 80 year old man when we first meet him, the book alternating between current day and the late 1960's when Harvey first meets his wife. He was an accountant for a mob boss, be aware there is a lot of violence, the king you would expect with the mob.

Harvey went into hiding decades ago and his intelligence helps him stay that way for a long time. Putman does a great job of bringing it all together in the end along with the supporting characters who are fun to get to know.

thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

5.0/5.0 Stars

THE OBSESSIONS OF HARVEY USHER – by David Putnam

‘At eighty years old, Harvey Usher lives a quiet, reclusive life, still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, Sylvia. But when a stunning redhead named Rita shows up, claiming to be his wife of two years, Harvey's carefully constructed world begins to crumble.

‘As Harvey struggles to expose Rita's deception, dark figures from his past emerge from the shadows, forcing him to confront the violent secrets he's kept buried for five decades.’

WOW—That Was An Awesome, Yet Heartbreaking Ride—HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

P.S. LOVE The Cover

Thank you, NetGalley and Level Best Books, for providing me with an eBook ARC of THE OBSESSIONS OF HARVEY USHER at the request of an honest review.

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.

At 80 years old, Harvey Usher lives a quiet, reclusive life, still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, Sylvia. But when a stunning redhead named Delores (whom Harvey calls Rita since she reminds him of Rita Hayworth) shows up, claiming to be his wife of two years, Harvey's carefully constructed world begins to crumble.

Told in segments from the current day and from 1968, it's an entertaining novel with a bit of noir flavour but not really to my taste. There's much repetition and It seems to drag in places so that it seemed much longer than 315 pages. I was curious to find out Delores/Rita's story but didn't enjoy the whole book all that much. There's quite a bit of mob-related meanness and violence which isn't a trope I normally seek out. I'm a bit of an outlier on this one so check some of the more positive reviews if you're interested in the title.

Thank you to Lisa from Swell Media and to the publisher, Level Best Books, via Netgalley, for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 8, 2025

This is a hard-boiled crime story full of quirky, dangerous characters trying to outwit one another. Even Harvey himself, although not exactly an anti-hero, is not above skirting the law when he needs to, although his reasons may be morally superior to those he is going against. The book reads like an action novel, and it is full of numerous acts of violence. Although some may enjoy this aspect, even those who wouldn't necessarily want to see violence right in front of them in the form of a TV show or movie, others may be disturbed by it and prefer to read something else.

I have read a few of Putnam's novels and have liked his detective ones. This one is quite different. The pace is very slow. There is not much action in the current timeline. There are many flashbacks to the 1960s when Harvey was an accountant for a mobster. There is some action in that timeline but it seems on the surface to not be connected to current events. In the end, we see how the events are connected and there are fun twists, right up to the last scene.

The characters were interesting but I never really felt engaged with any of them. The plot was not very exciting until near the end. It seems Putnam is experimenting with a new style of fiction. I liked this novel but I do not think it is Putnam's best.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Swell Media. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Obsessions of Harvey Usher by longtime novelist David Putnam may not be for everybody, but it certainly is for me, and it is for my readers. Harvey Usher is an 80-year-old man who wakes up one night with a woman who appears to be old-time movie star, Rita Hayworth. But Rita insists that her name is Dolores and Dolores claims they have been married for two years. Naturally, Harvey is confused and calls the authorities; however, Dolores has identification proving that she is Dolores and has been married to Harvey. Finally, Harvey turns to a PI to help him prove what is happening here and see whether Harvey is being conned out of his money or just out of his mind. It gets interesting as people start to die for no apparent reason. When Harvey met his wife Lois, at the time, there was some connection to organized crime, this only adds seasoning to an intriguing and unpredictable mystery. David Putnam is a highly creative writer who creates novels with the best of them. It is with my full confidence that readers pick up The Obsessions of Harvey Usher by David Putnam and enjoy a twisty and unpredictable novel written by one of the genre's masters.

This book has a fun, quirky premise and a main character who’s equal parts cranky and compelling. The mystery is intriguing, but the plot tends to wander and the tone shifts can feel jarring. Still, it’s an entertaining read if you’re into slower, character-driven stories with a twist of chaos.

After reading a few chapters I found the story a bit confusing in the same way as was Harvey's mind, the past and the present are mixed up, he's mixed up after finding Delores/Rita making him breakfast in his kitchen. Was he allucinating? Was he suffering from dementia? Was everything a big scam? I also found it difficult to relate to Delores/Rita's character and even to Harvey's - was he really just a confused and lonely octagenarian?
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Obsessions of Harvey Usher explores one character’s deepest secrets—telling a tale of crime and obsession and love. It’s an entertaining crime thriller that will keep readers guessing until the end.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

Okay, wow. I knew I’d like this precious book, but I did not expect to absolutely love it. Harvey’s journey completely captivated me, and not just because of his first name. (It’s used so rarely in fiction that I can’t help but be drawn to a character named Harvey.) At once familiar and breathtakingly original, The Obsessions of Harvey Usher will make you smile while you’re crying. A masterpiece.

So here’s the setup: Harvey Usher is an octogenarian with a mysterious past, a questionable memory, and the energy of someone who’s just found out prune juice was spiked with adrenaline. Enter stage left: a woman claiming to be his wife. Harvey’s reaction? Somewhere between “Excuse me?” and “Who authorized this plot twist?”

David Putnam gives us a noir-tinged mystery wrapped in flashbacks, memory gaps, and more red herrings than a Scandinavian buffet. The dual timeline of Harvey Then vs. Harvey Now tries to build intrigue, but sometimes feels like dueling banjos played by amnesiacs. One minute we’re knee-deep in mob drama, the next we’re wondering if Harvey remembered to put on pants.

The premise is bonkers in the best way, and Harvey is… well, Harvey. He’s cranky, guilt-ridden, and allergic to straightforward answers. You want to root for him, even when he’s making you question whether this is a crime novel or a very intense episode of This Is Your Life.

The pacing stumbles, the plot occasionally wanders off like someone left the nursing home door open, and the flashbacks come at you like, “Surprise! Trauma!” But the bones of a really solid thriller are here but just wearing bifocals and occasionally yelling at clouds.
A messy, moody, slightly unhinged ride through one man’s haunted conscience and possibly imaginary relationships. Worth reading, but keep a flowchart and some ibuprofen handy.

Best enjoyed with: a stiff drink, a notebook, and zero expectations of chronological order.

This is a decent book with an interesting setup - an elderly widower (an interesting character) suddenly finds himself entangled in a strange relationship with a shady character, interesting to an extent and suddenly forced to confront memories from his criminal past.
Harvey the centre piece in this set-up is a compelling character and the mix of mystery and personal reflection gives the story some emotional weight.
But despite the interesting start, the plot feels a bit predictable at times and the writing doesn’t always strike the right tone wavering between sentimental and flat. This story overall did not work for me (not in my zone) but I still feel that there was enough material and zing here to keep me turning pages and going forward and completing the book.
Please do pick this one up if you enjoy quieter, character driven mysteries.

Headline: Unputdownable Psychological Thriller!

Book Review: The Obsessions of Harvey Usher by David Putnam
Published by Level Best Books, July 8, 2025

★★★★★ (4.5 Stars rounded up, Rave!)

Present Day.
Mission District, San Francisco, California

AN 80-YEAR-OLD WIDOWER wakes up one morning, ready for breakfast, only to find a stranger in his house, a woman claiming to be his wife of two years. Which just couldn't be, as the widower still loves his deceased wife, the better half of fifty wonderful, storybook years whom he'd tragically lost to cancer.

Readers are then treated to a narrative of five perplexing chapters seemingly straight out of random scenes from "Memento" (2000) and "Mulholland Drive" (2001), which, of course, are those blockbuster movies themed on amnesia by Hollywood icons, Christopher Nolan and David Lynch.

But I digress.

IT IS IN CHAPTER SIX that the book abruptly segues into an account of harrowing events five decades earlier, back to 1986, brought about by a rediscovery of an exchange of love letters hidden in the house. An exchange between a drop-dead young woman, and a love-struck geeky, slightly successful accountant.

It is also in Chapter Six that readers may get a bit overwhelmed as the "two Harveys" meet without much build up, the Harvey of the present and the Harvey of the past, the octogenarian and his younger self, with the narrative abruptly inserting hitherto unknown characters from the past.

REVIEWER'S TIP:
Read Chapter Five, Six and Seven TWICE to grasp the profundity of the author's plot.

// “You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car,
But because they sing a song only you can hear.” ― Oscar Wilde //

1986.
Hoboken, New Jersey

THE QUIET ACCOUNTANT called the "Ledger Man" knows where the money is hidden, where all the bodies are buried. Yet he'd never risen above his bottom-dwelling spot within the hierarchy of the Jersey mob, an organization in which he's constantly derided with far more vulgar variations of excrement. "Why kiss a Propeller-head", they'd sneer.

But the Ledger Man is smart, smart enough to invent a "candy bullet". Thereupon he earns his new moniker. He becomes the "Candyman".

He gets irreparably, bitterly entangled with his mob bosses over the loss of the woman he loves, whom they'd coerced to be tied in matrimony to one of their own. A bitterness he keeps to himself.

IT IS WHEN THE MOB pulls off a daring heist, the "Suisse Air Transport caper" that an idea emanates in the head of the despised pencil-pusing pushover. Privy to all things mafia, the lowly Ledger Man is held to account (on pain of death, at times) for cash, assets and liabilities, to balance the books, to audit stocks, inventories, to certify locations and storage. And in the one instance that matters, to ascertain the whereabouts and inventory of stolen gold.

Then the Ledger Man crosses over. ― And strikes!

He plans. He puts his "candy bullets" to good use. He subdues the punks. He grabs the booty.
Then he runs. Not alone, but with someone. Someone who'd turn out to be the love of his life.

The Ledger Man, himself, then known as Harvey Dortmund.

----------

Present Day.
San Francisco, Calif.

IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE but 80-year-old Harvey Usher eventually finds out that Rita, the spousal impostor, had actually endeavored to help him fulfill his own lifetime's objective.

The elimination of the bane of his existence. To be forever free of the Mob. Free of Jackie the Nose. Free of the LaBruzzo family.

Then keep possession of that one thing he'd filched from his mob bosses. Apropos, the Suisse Air Transport heist.

----------

Quite an unexpected, finely-crafted Class-A psychological thriller from author David Putnam, the creator of the highly compelling, eleven-book "Bruno Johnson" series (2014-2024), an incomparable police procedural spanning continents, imbued with uplifting themes of hope and redemption.

David Putnam parlayed his years of law enforcement into the palpable realism of his police procedurals and suspense thrillers. Inter-alia, he was with the real Hawaii Five-O, a narc, on an FBI-sponsored team, with a SWAT team and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau.

And now, an unputdownable psychological thriller!

Review based on an advance review copy courtesy of Level Best Books and NetGalley.