Mitch Albom Hopes Latest Novel Is ‘Heaven’-Sent

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (AP) – Mitch Albom’s latest novel focuses on the same death-and-afterlife subject matter that has made him a fixture on the best-seller list ever since “Tuesdays with Morrie” debuted 16 years ago.

Look a little closer, though, and you’ll see “The First Phone Call From Heaven” isn’t quite like the rest.

It’s 100 pages longer than Albom’s past books and includes richer character development.

Plus, the author says the 323-page novel that was released on Tuesday is “a bit of a thriller.”

It follows a few residents of a Michigan town who start receiving regular phone calls from their deceased loved ones. The otherworldly communications send shockwaves through the normally sedate community, who want to know if the calls represent tangible proof of the afterlife or are some kind of elaborate hoax.