The cash register beeped as the clerk tapped the keypad. Waiting for her to finish the transaction, I took one final look around the bookstore. That’s when I spotted The Noticer, by Andy Andrews. I grabbed a copy and skimmed the inside cover. “I’ll take this one too,” I said, placing it on the stack of books in front of me. The gray-haired lady behind the counter smiled. “That is a really good book. I just read it,” she said.

As it turned out, the clerk was right. I did have some doubts, though. After reading the first chapter, I wondered if the book was just an ode to positive thinking. Fortunately, this slim volume went deeper.

The Noticer features a weathered, suitcase-toting character named “Jones” who wanders into a little seaside town, befriending everyone he meets. He has the mysterious power to detect each person’s crisis and help each one overhaul his or her perspective. He steers a homeless person back into productivity, counsels a couple about to divorce, liberates a businessman from his self-love, advises single people, and even gives a chronic worrywart a reality-check.

To perform all these quasi-miracles, Jones has to be someone special. In fact, he is—he has many of the same qualities as Jesus. Jones always speaks the truth (Ephesians 4:15); he has the ability to appear at just the right moment (Luke 24:35); he doesn’t have a home (Luke 9:53); he’s ageless (Colossians 1:15); the list goes on. Amazingly, the author succeeds at writing this supernatural character in a believable way.

Although I think Jones’ likeness to Jesus was purposeful, his sage advice is more “self-helpy” than biblical. If you’re looking for chapter and verse on how to tackle life’s tough problems, you may not be satisfied with this read. Still, Jones’ insights kept my nose in this book. In fact, I read it with pen in hand so I could underline the bits of truth that called my name. Here’s an example: “…there is no difference between a person who intends to do things differently and the one who [just] thinks about it.” Or, my favorite: “whatever you focus upon increases.”

While I enjoyed the profound insights peppered throughout the book, the author broke a basic rule of fictional writing—he changed the point of view. The book started off reading like a memoir and shifted to a “novelesque” viewpoint. The book shuffled back and forth like that several times, and this transition jarred me out of the smooth ride that helps me suspend my disbelief when reading fiction.

Regardless of the bumps, I still think this book is worth reading. It addresses an array of life problems that are sure to touch everyone from your next-door neighbor to your grandma! It’s a quick read that is packed with thought-provoking insights.

The lady in the bookstore had the right perspective on this book; it is a good one. But, don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.