It took me a while to connect with Harv, who at first appears to be a doddering eighty-something being targeted for a house title scam. As the chapters move back and forth between young Harvey and the current situation, readers will gain a better understanding of exactly who inhabits the broken down body named Harv. He certainly isn't who we thought he was! "Rita" appears to be a scammer in a Jessica Rabbit body who knows how to distract any male within her orbit, meanwhile making off with whatever she can. But this time, she's mixed up with the wrong scam partner and now she finds herself siding with the targeted victim instead of her accomplice.
With a cast of off-beat characters, a love interest, a gold heist, the mob and 50-year-old secrets, "the Obsessions of Harvey Usher" will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Harvey Usher is 80 and forgetful, but not so forgetful that he would forget marring “Rita.” He wakes up one morning to find her in his house making him his favorite breakfast. How did she know? She tells him her name is Dolores and they married two years ago. Harvey calls her Rita as she reminds him of Rita Hayward. As he struggles to figure out what con she is playing, he flashes back to his past, when he met the love of his life, Lois (Sylvia) and did some things he is not proud of.

Told in two time frames, The Obsessions is part mystery and part love story.

Thank you NetGalley the publisher and the author for this arc.

For the last two years, Harvey Usher has been quietly mourning the loss of his wife of fifty years. But when he wakes up to a much-younger woman, who he calls Rita, claiming to be his new wife, Harvey knows something is terribly wrong. He starts looking for ways to expose her with the help of his neighbor Esther and a PI Eddy Gurski. The more they work to figure out Rita's motives, the more Harvey's hidden past comes to the forefront. As more people begin to die, Harvey must decide if he can finally tell the truth about who he is and what he did for love. A well-crafted novel about the secrets we keep and the redemptive quality of telling those secrets.

Harvey Usher is 80 and forgetful, but not so forgetful that he would forget marring “Rita.” He wakes up one morning to find her in his house making him his favorite breakfast. How did she know? She tells him her name is Dolores and they married two years ago. Harvey calls her Rita as she reminds him of Rita Hayward. As he struggles to figure out what con she is playing, he flashes back to his past, when he met the love of his life, Lois (Sylvia) and did some things he is not proud of.
Told in two time frames, The Obsessions is part mystery and part love story.

I was drawn to the cover and the blurb of this one, it sounded like a fast-paced quick read that would be noir-ish. I loved that there was an older protagonist - I'm enjoying the trend of seeing lead characters be other than 30 somethings... Unfortunately from the opening pages I could not connect to this author's writing style. I found the writing stilted and a weird mix of overly simplistic and purple in its prose. This one was not for me...

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I was so excited when I received the email for this one. It sounded so original and different. Unfortunately, it really didn't hold my attention and didn't intrigue me enough to continue. I had to DNF.

This book , in my opinion, was not up to the authors usual good writing. It also was easy to predict. I found myself skipping some parts. Enough said.

OH what a read!

There is drama, secrets, confusion and a whole lot of story.

This is a book I have been waiting for this year. It is brilliantly written, thoughtfully told and I knew I would love it from the first page.

Harvey Usher is 80 years old and pretty young red head is telling him things he doesn;t quite remember or understand.

This book is unique in its plot and I really was kept guessing about how it would unfold..

Definitely my book of the year so far..

When a stunning redhead greets Harvey Usher, he’s caught off guard. Understandably so as the woman in question claims to be his wife and Harvey has been a widow for some years now. Still, Harvey is eighty and perhaps not as sharp as he once was. Could she be telling the truth? Whatever happens, it’s long past due for lies to come to the surface and some even harder truths.

The twisted tale that follows rounds up all the skeletons in all the cupboards and leaves no one blameless. An entertaining and gutsy read that had me hooked from the off.

I read an advance copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I tried to get into this story but it just didn't hold my attention. I'm sure it's a wonderful novel but just not for me.

A very well written novel with a great storyline that keeps you glued to the pages. The clever twists and turns lead to an excellent finale. Highly recommended read for all thriller readers and worthy of five (5) stars.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
The Obsessions of Harvey Usher by David Putnam is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the mind of a complex and intriguing character. The story follows Harvey Usher, a man struggling with intense obsessions and his troubled past, leading to a tense and suspenseful narrative. Putnam’s writing is sharp and compelling, keeping readers hooked with unexpected twists and deep character exploration. The dark and gripping plot, combined with the unraveling of Harvey’s psyche, makes for a captivating read. It’s an excellent choice for those who enjoy psychological dramas with plenty of twists and a deeply flawed protagonist.

Thanks to Level Best Books and NetGalley for this ARC of 'The Obsessions of Harvey Usher' by David Putnam.

I very much enjoyed this neo-(faux?)-noir, crime caper from David Putnam.

In a story separated by half a century, one part in 1968 and the second in the near present day, we're treated to a small cast of terrifically-drawn characters, some of whom inhabit both parts of the tale but all of whom are connected in some way. The style is noir-lite (in a good way) and sees Harvey Usher deal with grief, fear dementia, and try to unravel what's happening in the present day while protecting those he loves and those he barely knows from the long reach of the violent history he's left behind but never forgotten and never stopped fearing.

This is really well written and paced - it never lags and keeps you interested and engaged from start to finish - throws in some really well-timed twists and turns, and is laced through with a strong thread of completely fitting and appropriate humor and borrows all the best bits from the noir traditions.

This would make a really enjoyable film that I'd pay to watch.

Great cover too.

Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC! This was a great story! It was quirky, suspenseful, mysterious and funny. Very engaging and entertaining characters with great plot twists. I highly recommend this novel and this author.