Is he who he says he is?
Izzie Mallon is looking forward to celebrating Christmas on a relaxing yoga retreat. At least, that is what she's telling her mother and colleagues. In reality, she will be shutting herself away from the festive season, and the snowstorm that has brought the city to a standstill, in her apartment on Henrietta Square -- the beautiful home she shared with her beloved husband Sam until his tragic death a few months ago -- with only her grief for company.
Then, there's a knock at the door -- a stranger, stranded by the bad weather.
He tells Izzie that he's Eli Sanders, her husband's long-time friend. Izzie has never met him in person, but feels she owes it to Sam to welcome Eli into her home. Even though her instincts say that she should do otherwise...
As Izzie tries to reminisce with Eli about her husband, cracks in his story begin to show. But will she be able to see clearly through her grief before it's too late?
Many thanks to Hachette Books Ireland via NetGalley for my copy of The Visitor to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
The cover of Zoe Miller's new book may suggest that this will be a nice story centred around the festive period. Delve a little closer and look at the title The Visitor and the tagline beneath - 'Is he who he says he is?' and it suggests that there is a lot more going on than at first meets the eye. Yes the book may be set in and around one of the most happiest times of the year for so many but for our main character Izzie Mallon life is not all it's cracked up to be and things are about to get a whole lot worse. An unexpected and unwanted visitor arrives at her door and even though she is not in the best mindset she feels she can't turn him away. After all it is the season of good will to all and with Dublin coming to a virtual stand still due to snow what else can she do but offer a helping hand to someone in need?
What follows is a tense story where the reader is constantly asking themselves just what exactly is going on here and what are the specific reasons behind the visitors actions? Admittedly, I did guess one aspect of the overall storyline fairly early on simply because of the way certain sentences were structured and phrased. This didn't take away any enjoyment from the story as there still remained plenty of questions to keep me guessing as to certain specifics and the eventual outcome.
The author does an excellent job of racking up the tension ever so slowly and this is helped by an overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia confining most of the story to Henrietta Square, to a building separated into three apartments. There is a pervading sense of anxiety, restlessness and worry compounded by the fact that there is no escape due to the snow confining everyone to house and home. This reminded me of earlier in the year when we were hit with Storm Emma and I was confined to the house for several days. Maybe this is where Zoe Miller took some of her inspiration. Just what would it be like knowing you are living in fear but can't do anything about because you are marooned in your own home? It's a thought provoking premise and I was intrigued as to how Izzie and the people who live in the same building as her can resolve the major problem they find right in their own homes at a time of year when all you would want is peace, comfort, love and family time.
The opening to this book is very sinister and gives a teaser as to what is to come and the overall tone of the book that will further develop. There is a man waiting at Dublin airport and his goal is to recover what Sam Mallon had robbed from him and he will do this at any cost no matter what obstacles lay themselves in his path. For Izzie she used to love all that Christmas brings but this year is different, twelve weeks ago the bottom fell out of her world. Three months Sam has been gone and she doesn't think she will ever feel herself again, she is going through the motions at work. Normally she is known for being on top of her game and even getting ahead of herself with all things yet it's her assistant Gemma who is trying to keep the show running and covering up mistakes Izzie has made or reminding her of things but she is doing this in a nice, caring and compassionate way. I did question why were we getting chapters from Gemma's viewpoint? I shouldn't have really as she proved her worth at the most crucial of moments. Izzie has lied to her family and friends and has said she is going to a holistic retreat for Christmas. She claims she will be uncontactable and people shouldn't worry about her, instead Izzie has decided to lock herself away from the world and deal with her distress in the manner she feels best.
It was clear from the outset that Izzie was a very vulnerable character and who couldn't blame her given her situation. Her head was all over the place and when Eli, an adventurer friend of Sam's, arrives at her door unexpectedly she felt no choice but to invite him in believing he would be on his way to the airport as soon as it was up and running again. But before she knows it Eli has wormed his way deeper into the confines of her apartment and in doing so the walls begin to close in on her. She seems to lose all sense of self control and the ability to stand up for herself. All sense of rhyme and reason goes out the window and similar to the reader she can't quite put her finger on what the crux of the problem is. Eli seems nice enough at first but what makes him change his demeanour and why on earth did she invite him into her home. I felt for Izzie as she spiralled and lost her voice. I wanted her to gain some strength and put all her thoughts and questions together but I think her mind was in a different place and as this arrival was so unexpected and the fall out from it so threatening and menacing she just couldn't deal with what was happening. In an already emotional, weak and defenceless mindset this situation didn't help her at all. As for Eli I had my suspicions about him right from the get go but as to his motivations I was totally clueless.
If all of the story had been solely between Eli and Izzie the book would have lacked some substance and become repetitive. Instead there was a welcome introduction of elderly neighbour Florence. Similar to Izzie she has had a dark period in her past but unfortunately she has made the mistake of letting it ruin her life. She knows she needs to let go and embrace what life has now to offer her. But at the back of her mind there is always something holding her back. I liked Florence as a character. She wanted to get the residents of no.16 together for a Christmas meet up and she was trying her best to unite everyone in the building rather than have three separate apartments with occupants who pass each other in the hall. Florence could sense the unsettling atmosphere that was drifting from up above but I wish she would have followed her gut and done something about it. I think too often we are fearful of stepping on people's toes and going down a path where people don't wish others to interfere. Sometimes people wish to remain alone but in other cases I think it's best to go against someone's wishes. I did love the little development regarding Florence that occurred in the later stages of the book and it brought a smile to my face.
The two remaining characters were Tom and his young son Noah who are still trying to cope with the loss of their wife and mother. Noah was written to perfection, he had the innocence of youth, the emotions of missing his mother yet at the same time he wanted Tom to find some happiness. He had his own little plan as to how to achieve this but with the arrival of Eli, Noah's senses are on high alert and he begins to questions things that others give scant thought to. Noah was astute and on the ball and in general I felt he wasn't given enough credit for all his smart observations. Children are a lot more perceptive than we often given them credit for. As the story progressed things just got worse and worse and became ever so sinister. You read on desperate to find out just what was going on and if any sort of happy conclusion could be found.
I did very much enjoy The Visitor but it wouldn't be my favourite of Zoe Miller's books. I do enjoy how she always has such twists and turns in her stories and takes modern topics and adds danger, dramatics, secrets and stress which make for riveting reads. The Visitor is well worth a read and if Zoe Miller is a new author you I would suggest you take the time to go back and read her brilliant back catalogue as well.
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