Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to win the lottery? Of course you have. Seriously, who hasn’t? Aidan Marlowe is just like all of us, fantasizing about winning big money. He plays the same numbers every time and, like most of us, has never won. Aidan is not a lucky man. He lost his brother when they were both in their middle teens. And now he’s burying his wife. He loved Holly beyond words, but she died way too soon.

As Aidan stands there by her grave, remembering their lives together, his phone pings. Irrationally, he reaches for it in the hope that it’s Holly, sending him a message. Ridiculous, of course. It’s not from Holly, but what he sees seems almost as absurd: after 15 years, he’s won the lottery! The feeling is bittersweet. Holly, who meant everything to him, is gone, leaving him heartsick. But he has to soldier on for their young twins, Bo and Maggie. In the days following the funeral, he struggles to put his life back together and finally comes to a fateful decision: They will leave Baltimore and start fresh.

"Carter Wilson’s THE NEW NEIGHBOR is one of those unputdownable books; you can’t bear to leave the story to attend to mundane aspects of life."

So it is that, in a small town by the name of Bury, Aidan, Bo and Maggie arrive at their new home. Standing there before the giant mansion, the three gaze at the massive front door. Awed by its size, Bo and Maggie run inside to explore. Aidan experiences momentary second thoughts, then reassures himself that this is going to work out. They are home now. But why this house in this town? There was an unnatural draw about 1734 Rum Hill Road that compelled him to buy it. When he found it online, he simply had to have it. He can’t explain why. Maybe it’s the story behind it; the mystery of the family who owned it before him. Also, the place is magnificent.

Initially, the townspeople regard him with the suspicious eye that residents do when outsiders move in. It’s not hostile exactly, but not what you’d call warm. That’s fine; Aidan simply wants to settle in, go slow, nurture his kids and take time to heal. He chose to leave Baltimore so they could live in peace and anonymity. Keeping the source of his wealth a secret has been a priority. He feels it's safer if no one knows he won the lottery. But then sinister notes begin showing up on his doorstep. Who found him out, and how? More importantly, is his family still safe? The messages aren’t overtly threatening, but they warn him not to try to leave Bury. And then the notes take a darker turn. How can he protect his children with this hanging over their heads?

Aidan is a man broken by grief and then by guilt over winning the lottery, a stroke of luck that he can’t share with the only woman he ever loved. What good is the money if he will be puttering around a huge house without Holly? He and the twins miss her desperately. His mind has trouble coping. As many people do in his situation, he turns to alcohol, which naturally doesn’t help. He’s experiencing gaps in time. Is he losing his mind, or is it the drinking? Bo and Maggie are too young to totally understand, but they see that something isn’t right with their dad. Desperate, Aidan asks his father to come stay with them while he sorts things out --- which means confronting ghosts from his past, not just the ones in their new house.

Carter Wilson’s THE NEW NEIGHBOR is one of those unputdownable books; you can’t bear to leave the story to attend to mundane aspects of life. Who is doing this to them, and why? How is Aidan going to fix this? Those questions push readers ever forward. The mystery is over-the-moon compelling, and the narrator --- Aidan himself --- is a fine guide to the solution.