Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

 I am usually wary of highly praised books. I have found that I'm more selective in my praise than many readers, so I was pleased to see that I agree with the majority of readers who thought this was an especially good book. 

When a mysterious elderly gentleman appears in the city of Golden, going only by the name of Theo, people are curious about him. Then he begins acquiring portraits of the locals for sale in a coffee shop and giving them to the people depicted. His goal is to buy the nearly 100 portraits on display and reunite them with their subjects in exchange for getting to know them. Along the way, Theo becomes acquainted with the artist and several interesting and sometimes quirky individuals. Theo remains an enigma to the residents of Golden, but he is seen as harmless, if a bit eccentric. With only one exception, the subjects welcome Theo's generosity and accept him into their community.

The writing and the stories of the people of Golden captured me from page one. The reader is just as uninformed as the residents about Theo's motives, but the journey of discovery is well worth the effort. This is Allen Levi's debut novel, and I foresee a long and successful career. I look forward to his next book. 

4.5/5 stars.

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