ysterious but not a mystery. Fascinating, compelling. These words describe a heartwarming narrative you will not want to put down after you read the first two pages.

“The Noticer” by Andy Andrews (Thomas Nelson, 2009) is a novel, a philosophical narrative that reflects a point of view. The story begins with Andy whose mother had died of cancer and soon after his father was killed in a car wreck. Devasted, lonely and without money, he lives under the Gulf State Park Pier feeling abandoned and without hope.

Meet the “Noticer” who goes by the name of Jones, who has long white hair, is of questionable ethnicity and age and always carries a brown suitcase. A total stranger to Andy, Jones visits with Andy by the pier, and seems to know all about his troubles, calls him by name and gives him some sound advice along with three books to read. After this meeting, and later, several other meetings with Jones, Andy’s life begins to change for the better. One piece of Jones’s advice was to start noticing a few things and gain a new perspective.

As the story progresses over a period of about 40 years, readers follow Andy through life-changing events such as marrying, having children and becoming a vital part of the community.

Andy is not the only person Jones meets and helps. We meet him in a café as he counsels with a couple married for 21 years whose marriage is on the rocks and the wife has filed for divorce. In each chapter, we meet different people with different backgrounds but all in need of someone to give them advice and point them in a different way, giving them a different perspective. Jones also checks in on Andy as well as the others to monitor their progress.

Jones calls himself a “noticer.” He sees things that many miss and gives them a broader view – a new perspective that lets them begin their lives again. It’s all summed up on the front cover: “Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.” Are you at a point where you need a different perspective in your own life?

It’s also more than a fascinating and heartwarming story. Although the book does not directly quote Scripture verses, all of the Noticer’s” advice is biblically based.

Included with the book is a readers guide for each chapter, which would be useful for personal reflection or for group discussion.