Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from. His name is Theo and he's there by chance. Or is he? He finds the local coffeehouse, where 92 pencil portraits hang on the walls, each one a face from the community, drawn by a local artist. Discreetly, methodically and without a word of self-promotion, he begins buying the portraits one by one and returning them to their owners.

That's the whole plot. And it is everything! With each exchange, a story unfolds and a friendship forms. Lives are changed, sometimes quietly, sometimes dramatically. 

Theo's love for people, combined with his delight in books, art, birds and stories, finds expression in everything he does. No stranger to sadness and loss himself, he quickly becomes a welcome presence in the community, though his new friends can't help but wonder: who is Theo, and why is he really here?

What lifts this novel beyond pleasant storytelling is its depth. Theo insists on delivering each portrait in secret, in person, one at a time. When the ever-practical Mrs. Gidley suggests doing them all at once with a bit of fanfare, Theo declines. He's not interested in efficiency, but the irreplaceable act of truly seeing another person. In a world of texts, video calls and algorithmic everything, this is something special.

Theo of Golden was self-published in 2023 by Allen Levi, a former lawyer, judge, and songwriter, and found its readership almost entirely by word of mouth. By December 2025 it had landed on the New York Times bestseller list, before being picked up for international publication. Allen is the first to admit that it almost didn’t happen!

"When I finished writing Theo, I concluded that it was probably not a book worthy of publication," he says. "My intent was to print a copy, put it in a desk drawer, chalk it up as a good experience, and move on. Thankfully, some friends whose judgment I trust much more than my own encouraged me to self-publish it. I did so with fear and trembling!"

Theo of Golden is the perfect read for turbulent times and offers a heartwarming antidote to modern negativity. Ultimately, it is a story about giving and receiving, about seeing and being seen, and the power of creative generosity. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to lead a truly purposeful life, this beautifully written novel will show you. I guarantee Theo of Golden will leave you wanting to be kinder, more generous and a little more present in your own life.

Reviewer: Andrea Molloy

HarperCollins