| Title | : | Invisible Girl |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1982137339 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781982137335 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 357 |
| Publication | : | First published October 13, 2020 |
In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.
Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.
Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.
Invisible Girl Reviews
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This is fascinating psychological mystery/drama more than a thriller. It’s about the real wild animals wearing human furs and acting like decent people! It’s about prejudiced approach and point of views when we see someone weird, different and outcast! As you spend your time to smear someone’s live and ruin him/her with your hypocritical opinions, the real monsters start to walk among you and hurt your loved ones before your eyes!
This is another surprising, riveting, exciting, fast pacing, ready to be devoured at one sit book! But it is also thought provoking, stunningly twisty and surprising story about abuse, womanizing, rape, sexual assault. It’s really dark and irritating. As you finish the story and put down your kindle it still stays in your mind and continues to haunt you throughout your daily life.
We have three POVS of the story: Owen and Saffyre are my favorites because they are both complex, outcast, weird and tormented, lonely characters.
Saffyre Maddox has a big secret: something happened to her when she was 10! Someone had abused and left invisible scars at her soul! Now she harmed herself to deal with her bottled up anger and inner scream. He is orphan, raised by golden-hearted uncle Aaron but she cannot confess him what the boy did to him. So she starts seeing her therapist Roan Fours. She got help for three years but Roan cut her therapy sessions because he thought she was fine. But she was far from fine. She didn’t blurt out her secret slowly killing her. So she decides to stalk her therapist and sees his double life.
We’re introduced Cat, Roan’s wife, mother with two children: Georgia (mostly annoying, spoiled), Josh (mother’s sweet boy), suspected her husband was having affair but her husband insisted he was not so they gave their marriage second chance. They rented a temporary place till their house’s restoration ends but she reads and hears so many assault news around the place. Someone out there is targeting women and she is afraid of her daughter’s well-being.
She is overprotective, prying mother. (I understood for her reasons but mostly this character was so easily manipulated and weakest one from the trio I annoyed so much!)
Now her daughter’s close friend says she was assaulted and all the eyes turn to their neighbor’s house: which brings out our third character (if this book turns into a movie, my candidate to play Owen is Joaquin Phoenix. Owen’s character has quite resemblances with Joker and an actor who knows to empathize the abused, outcast, persona non grata can perfectly be in the character’s shoes.) Owen Pick!
Everybody thinks something really wrong with him. He is nearly thirty three, carrying weirdo vibes like his second skin, ( weird clothes, weirder haircut and weirdest shoes define his modern style) never had a girlfriend. He never had a real friend. His mother passed away and his friend had his own new family, avoiding him like plague. So he lives with her aunt who detests him and not to be kind enough to hide her feelings. He is a teacher and he just got expelled because the girls in the school insist that he treated them inappropriately when he got drunk at the school party.
Now Saffrye is missing and everybody thinks he is the predator! He is involved with the girl’s disappearance. Did he do that? He always has blackouts when he drinks too much and he had his first date at Valentine Day’. He consumed more he could handle. But he never went too far to hurt people. But the girls in school, his neighbors, a woman he bumped into during his walk to home and his own aunt thinks otherwise.
So what happened to Saffrye? Did her stalking tendencies to her old therapist put her into trouble or did her rapist finally catch her? Did the suspicious man, harassing women around the neighborhood hurt her? Or did Owen get anything about her disappearance?
Mysterious, psychological, mind numbing, impeccably crafted, provocative story with powerful conclusion. I’m giving my four stars! I adore Lisa Jewell”s works and thankfully this is so much better than her previous book. I highly recommend it to lovers of mystery books and her fans.
Special thanks to dear Ariele Fredman, Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing this one of the most anticipated thriller ARCS with me in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it so much.
Let's celebrate this good reading properly and Brat Pack-ly!
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Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell
This book felt so dark, foreboding, and hopeless. I wanted to keep reading but I felt like nothing good was going to happen, I didn't see how anything could get better, anything could improve, or anyone could ever be happy. This book was bringing me down but I was enjoying it.
There is Owen Pick, let down by his family every step of the way, with no support from anywhere. He was so awkward, out of step with humanity, with no chance of figuring out how to stop his downward spiral. And then things get worse!
There is the Fours family. Normal, fortunate, well off and successful by most standards but in reality there are very deep problems below the surface. There is a feeling that this family is going to implode before it's all over.
Then there is Saffyre, seventeen year old former patient of psychologist, Roan Four. Saffyre is smart, very clever, and what she doesn't know, she will find out. She's got Roan's number and she's not going to let go. He pretended to help her but instead he left her more damaged than ever. Then Saffyre disappears.
There are women being attacked and all these people are connected in a dark, twisted, mystery. I had no idea who would come out of this story whole. I could feel the darkness and the danger, whether it was in the middle of the night or in the middle of the day. I wanted to put the book down but I didn't want to stop reading.
Published October 13, 2020 -
"He turns the corner, and I see his body language change as he see's the woman ahead. I recognize the shape of him, the angles of his body, and I know exactly what he is planning to do.
I move from my hiding place in the shadows. I stride out, toward the man, toward danger, my actions my own but my fate left wide-open."
Seriously? Talk about an incredibly gripping prologue. Excuse me while I take a moment to bow down at the prowess of Lisa Jewell.
While this isn't my all time favorite book that the author has penned (
I Found You and
The Family Upstairs clench that spot in a stalemate ), I found
Invisible Girl still maintained many of the aspects I've come to admire and expect in a Lisa Jewell novel. I'll keep this brief, because you really, REALLY should go into this one blind, but this book does have the signature "multi-POV's converge toward the end of the book" trademark that Jewell's books tend to formulate, and it continues to work to the reader's favor. I did figure this one out a little sooner than I have with her previous stories, but I also felt like the focus of this book is more on how timely the content is rather than the predictability (or lack there of) factor. If you get uncomfortable about any of these things: , this book will be a hard pass. I truly think this is Lisa darkest, most graphic tale to date, and I love the risks she took with writing this, though they won't be for everyone. Per usual upon finishing her latest book, I'm eager anticipating whatever Jewell chooses to write next!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy. -
Not the biggest fan of this book when you compare it to Gone Girls, Girl on the Train, or The Last Time I Lied.
This book reads like a kaleidoscope of already been done ideas: a cross being The Life of David Gail and the Netflix series, You. It was enjoyable to read although unoriginal. The writing style also is underdeveloped with very short sentences that seem rudimentary at times.
For a more in-depth review:
https://youtu.be/r3bbxNTNYtY
The story centers on a missing girl with two neighbors: Owen Pick and Roan Fours. Owen Pick has recently been on leave from a school where he has been accused of inappropriate conduct with a student while the other neighbor, Roan Fours, is the former psychologist of the missing girl. So who did it? Through flashbacks, we will discover the answer or will we?
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Well.....unfortunately this is going to be about a 3.5 star for me. I did like it but I didn't love it as much as I had anticipated. It was a slow burn throughout and I found it a bit odd. I will admit it did keep my attention the entire time as I was curious as to where this was going.
A 17 year old girl goes missing and the suspects are too many to count. They are sooo many creepy people in this book that could be suspects! That was one of the problems for me. There were so many different characters that I struggled a bit to keep them all straight. Also they were all unlikable. Which honestly I love an unlikable character if they bring and interesting element to the story...but they just didn't do that for me. Look nobody is more upset than me...
The men in this book were all so creepy with the exception of maybe one. The neighborhood oddball Owen Pick made my skin crawl. The character development was really strong throughout the book and they felt real...I found myself thinking how awful it would be to be a resident of this town full of weirdos.
I did fly through this book - it defiantly held my interest. There was just too much going on that I felt the story line was scattered in a million directions. It did manage to pull together at the end but I personally felt it was just a little too odd and out there. I can't go more into details without spoilers. I am very sure that I will be in the minority here......there are a ton of 5 star reviews piling up already for this book! I just had a little trouble connecting with anyone in this story. I do love Lisa Jewell's books and I look forward to reading more for her!
Thank you so much to Atria Books for this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. -
Invisible Girl was thoroughly engaging and kept me up all night. Literally. I'm exhausted.
Following multiple perspectives in one UK-neighborhood, the story builds tension the entire way through.
We get present perspectives, most notably that of Cate Fours and Owen Pick, as well as a past perspective from a teenage girl named, Saffrye Maddox.
Cate Fours is a stay-at-home mom to two teenage children, Georgia and Josh. Her husband, Roan, is a child psychologist, who keeps late hours and isn't particularly present in the day-to-day functioning of the home.
Saffrye Maddox, a teenaged girl with a troubled past, was a patient of Roan for over three years due to self-harming behaviors. When he abruptly decides her care has come to an end, Saffrye feels abandoned. She's not ready for their relationship to end.
Owen Pick is a single-man in his 30s, who recently lost his job as a teacher due to allegations of sexual misconduct, which he vehemently denies.
Owen becomes of interest to the Fours family when Georgia, their teenage daughter, claims Owen was following her home from the tube station late one afternoon. Georgia's freaked out by the encountered and in turn, Cate becomes equally on edge about Owen's seemingly disturbing existence.
Adding fuel to the fire of the Fours family's suspicions are a string of sexual attacks occurring within their neighborhood.
In fact, one of Georgia's friends claims to have been a victim of such an attack after departing their flat one night.
When Saffrye Maddox goes missing on Valentine's Day night, many believe the sexual predator has escalated from groping in alleys to potentially kidnapping, or worse.
Owen Pick ends up arrested for the crime. Through the multiple perspectives, the Reader is brought on a journey through domestic life that will chill you to the bone.
I loved the way Jewell formatted this story. We start following Cate and Owen on the same timeline and Saffrye's perspective begins farther back.
Saffrye's perspective, which I personally found to be the most interesting, progresses along at a nice steady pace, ultimately revealing what happened on the night she disappeared.
The lives of all of these characters are deeply intertwined. There's deceptions and mistrust, scandal and heartbreak, twists and turns.
Owen's perspective is also extremely interesting. His entire personality, treatment by the media, family and neighbors, offers up a lot to consider. I thought his point of view added depth to the story.
There were many times that I thought I knew who was behind Saffrye's disappearance. I am happy to report, I was wrong every time.
One of the people I suspected, I'm honestly so glad it wasn't them. That would have hurt my heart.
Overall, I had a great time reading this one. I felt like it had plenty of tension and drama throughout, while also offering up some great examinations of domestic interactions. Two thumbs up!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I certainly appreciate it!
TW: sexual assault, sexual molestation, self harm -
3.15( buddy read with my mommy)
This is my second Lisa Jewell book after I found you ( I DNF watching you and family upstairs) so you can say I don't like her stories at all.
They are MEDICORE in my opinion , nothing shocking or thrilling and especially very boring.
It took me a week to articulate my ideas because they were very polarising and I couldn't set my mind whether to give it 3.75 or 3.15. I then discussed the book with my mom , and we together decided to give it 3.15 stars.
Speaking of Invisible girl , it was lacklustre and underdeveloped story story for me.
✏ PLOT
The disappearance of a teenage girl disrupts the lives of her former therapist, his family, and a lonely neighbor.Sounds interesting , the idea of storyline was actually very good but the way events and twists unfolded it took me off guard and I yawned multiple times over the course of only 174 pages , especially when events started repeating itself!
✏ Characterisation/Twists and turns/Main theme
Jewell’s latest domestic thriller features an array of characters set in a posh London neighborhood but struggles to create any real tension regarding Saffyre’s disappearance.The themes of sexual assault and incel culture are only marginally developed despite the key part each plays in the story. As such, even with these subjects, Jewell's latest is not nearly as dark as her earlier novels. This might be a welcome change if the characters had emotional depth or unique narrative voices, but they too are only superficially realized.
✏ Expectations and disappointments
I had very high expectations from this book, and they were met only like 45% , yes!There is a strong undercurrent of unease from the very first page. Tat feeling that something awful is going to happen that only grows stronger the further we go into the book and the more we learn about Saffyre’s character and what she has seen and experienced.
But as we reach towards the end , everything just fell out of place and the book started going in million directions without explaining anything , it felt incomplete in some sort of way.
Well that's it I guess , rest you read and decide yourself !! -
“My superpower was invisibility.”
Invisible Girl is a dark mystery/psychological thriller/domestic drama/character study about the masks people wear and what happens when their true selves are exposed.
A young girl, trying to cope with a childhood trauma, goes missing without a trace. The man who tried helping her is not who he seems to be. The family she has become obsessed with and the creepy neighbor across the street wrongly accused of a crime are all linked to her disappearance. All of their lives are linked together in ways that go beyond the norm, by a crime that will change all of their lives permanently.
Cate, married to Roan, plays the role of the devoted wife with her head in the sand.
Saffyre is a 17-year-old girl in high school playing the role of a strong student and popular girl.
Owen hiding his incel (involuntary celibate) tendencies from the world is trying to play the role of a normal man. I didn’t know much about incels before reading this and found this storyline to be fascinating in a very creepy way.
The narrative alternates between Cate, Saffyre, and Owen. I enjoyed Saffyre’s chapters the most. It was hard to read about what she has experienced, but at the same time, her character was the one I felt the most sympathy for. These characters are lonely and suffering in states of despair. Past traumas leave them wounded and searching for connections. All share the desire to truly be seen.
As always, Lisa Jewell crafts her stories and characters in a way that enthralls me. Jewell’s characterization is the strength of Invisible Girl. The dark and twisted mystery also doesn't hurt! The emotions of these characters resonate off the pages: everything from their fear to their hatred to their desire to be loved shines through. I read this in just over a day; I could not put it down!
Of course, being me, I had to have a few issues with this book! Parts of the plot were a little muddled, but all threads came together in the end. I didn’t buy one character’s transformation; it happened a little too quickly and easily. I also found the ending to be a bit predictable, but I loved the last little final twist! Of course, none of these issues really mattered in the end as they did not detract from my enjoyment of this book. Overall, Invisible Girl is another captivating read by Jewell!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. -
Saffyre Maddox was ten years old when something terrible happened to her and she has kept that trauma and pain secret. As an outlet for her pain, she begins cutting and her uncle (who is her guardian) sends her to therapy. After three years of therapy, her therapist, Roan Fours, feels she is ready to terminate therapy but Saffyre hasn't even revealed her painful trauma yet.
Owen Pick is a 33-year-old teacher who has never had a friend let alone a girlfriend. He lives with his Aunt who won't even let him into her living room and finds himself terminated from his job after allegations are made against him. He doesn't understand what he did wrong. He has also had a traumatic past and is viewed by others as being "odd" and "creepy".
Living across from Owen is the Fours family. Yes, the Roan Fours who just happens to have been the therapist who treated Saffyre, and his family live across from Owen Pick! What a small world! Cate Four is Roan's wife and they have two teenagers living at home.
To top everything off, women are being sexually assaulted in the area. Then Saffyre Maddox goes missing on Valentine's Day from the vicinity of Owen's home. Soon, everyone is looking at him.
Is he responsible? Is he a victim? Is he creepy or just a misunderstood young man who has been labeled due to his looks and demeanor? Looks can be deceiving.... Is the predator hiding in plain sight?
This book asks how well do you really know someone? Everyone has secrets, some hide them better than others. What is it like to be judged? What is it like to carry pain and hurt around with you all day? What is it like to have someone form an opinion about you without knowing you? What are the consequences of labeling someone? What are the consequences of using poor judgment? Actions have consequences but will the bad people in this book ever get caught or found out?
This was an interesting book that moved at a very nice pace. The story is told through multiple POV's and that helps us to get into the minds of the characters and to also keep the pace of the book moving right along. I found this book to be well written and thought-provoking. This is a great reminder that there is more to people than meets the eye and often the real monsters walk in plain sight.
Riveting, thought-provoking, and well written. Another solid read by Jewell.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. -
***NOW AVAILABLE, DON'T MISS THIS ONE***
Well I really enjoyed this one. After disliking The Family Upstairs I thought that this one was more like the Lisa Jewel that I enjoy.
One of our main protagonists is Saffyre, a troubled teen. She was left without parents but fortunately had a loving uncle who tried to be there for her. She had a traumatic event in childhood which she never divulged to anyone, not even her psychologist, Roan Four, who worked with her for 3 years and then dismissed her as cured?? She goes to school, gets good grades but is very unhappy. “My superpower was invisibility. There in the playground at school, or in the sixth-form common room, all eyes were on me, but at night I did not exist. I was the Invisible Girl, invisibility was my favorite state of existence”. I loved her spunk and how she faced her nightmares and had the courage to help not only herself but others.
The Fours live in an upscale neighborhood. Roan Four is a child psychologist, he spends most of his time working, doesn’t interact with his own family much and his wife is left to constantly wonder if he still loves her. Cate and Roan have two teenagers living at home who may have their own secrets.
Across the street from the Fours lives a single 30 something, Owen Pick. He has lived for quite a while in his aunt’s flat. He is only allowed to use the kitchen, bathroom and his bedroom. He is an awkward man who has never quite figured out how to deal with people. He is intelligent and educated and works as a teacher at a local high school. He has recently had some allegations charged against him for inappropriate behavior towards some of the young women.
The story takes off when there are multiple sexual assaults against women in the neighborhood. Everyone is quickly suspicious of Owen because he is creepy right? He doesn’t fit in, he doesn’t look quite right.
Things get tense quickly when Saffyre goes missing. Not even her best friend or uncle know where she is.
The characters are interesting, flawed but believable and I enjoyed the story. How often is a person judged by their appearance, their awkward social skills, just because they aren’t like the people we are used to interacting with? We should all know by now that crimes are sometimes committed by people hiding in plain sight.
This novel definitely kept me turning the pages as I wanted to know how it would all play out. There is more than one mystery to unravel here fans!! I can highly recommend this novel to lovers of thrillers with well developed, unique characters.
ADDENDUM: I have been thinking a lot about this book and when I compare it to the thrillers that I have read this year I think I should have given it 5*, so I'm just going to change that right now!
This was a buddy read with Mary Beth, we both enjoyed it.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. -
Lisa Jewell returns with another dark, intense, creepy and twisty psychological thriller set in London that examines a wide range of complex flawed characters, many of whom comprise of societies oddballs and socially awkward misfits, and the quick to judge perceptions of the police and the public, heightened to unbearable levels with vilification through the questionable medium of social media. At the tender age of 10, Saffyre Maddox underwent severe trauma that has haunted her ever since, leaving her self harming. She has been seeing a therapist for some time, Roan Fours, but he has scarcely touched on her trauma, believing she is no longer in need of help. A sexual predator is roaming the Hampstead neighbourhood, attacking women, contributing to an unsettling atmosphere of fear and unease.
On Valentine's night, 17 year old Saffyre goes missing and the finger of suspicion from the police and the public falls on 33 year old geography teacher, Owen Pick, a man who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pick lives with his aunt, opposite to Roan and Cate Fours and their teenage children, Josh and Georgia. Owen is the archetypal social oddball and weirdo, isolated and alone, with no friends and never having had a girlfriend, upset at having been suspended after complaints. In a slow burn of a creepy immersive narrative, relayed from multiple perspectives, there are twists and levels of tension and suspense that make this a gripping and compulsive read.
This is a story of deception, secrets, trauma, revenge, mental health issues, the rush to quick and erroneous judgements, and injustice. Jewell thoughtfully explores how societies real monsters walk blatantly amongst us, hiding right in front of our eyes, rather than those demonised, who all too conveniently fit the picture that a delusional society believes in and how lives are all too easily wrecked, people who are often afflicted with a plethora of problems and issues. This is a disturbing and unsettling read that will appeal to Jewell's fans and other psychological thriller aficionados. Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC. -
⭐ 4 𝘼𝙢𝙖𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧-𝘿𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨! ⭐
I found Invisible Girl more low-key and real than Lisa Jewell's previous books.
She takes her time setting up the characters and she made me interested in them. Then I couldn't put the book down until I knew how it would end for them!
🤫 The Fours Family - Mom, Dad and two teenage kids. All with various secrets.
🤦♂️ Owen - the awkward 33 year old virgin.
🦊 Saffyre - the troubled teenager who goes missing on Valentine's night.
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𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚!!! 𝙄 𝙤𝙬𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙣𝙚! 💖 -
INVISIBLE GIRL by Lisa Jewell is classified as a domestic thriller, and told from the point of view of three characters. It has three timeline parts: Before, After and Now. The main characters are Saffyre Maddox, Cate Fours, and Owen Pick. Saffyre is a teenager living with her guardian uncle. When she was ten years old, something happened to her that started her to self-harm. She has therapy with Roan Fours for three years, but never revealed the source of her trauma. Cate is Roan’s wife, mother of their two children, and a part-time physiotherapist. The Fours family has moved to a flat while their house is being renovated. Across the street from them lives Owen. He’s a 33-year-old teacher, who is friendless, lives with an Aunt, and is thought of as creepy by others. On top of this, there are women being sexually assaulted in the area and Saffyre goes missing. It is amazing how lives become entangled. Who is responsible? Will the right culprit be held accountable?
The characters are extremely well-defined in this novel with plenty of depth, flaws, and virtues. The secondary characters enhance the story rather than overwhelming it. The internal and external conflicts are well-defined, believable, and arise out of characterization and circumstance rather than feeling forced. The prose is well-written, fast-paced and engrossing. The plot is clever, shocking, intense, and absorbing. There are several plot twists and turns. Themes include self-harm, sexual assault, treatment of women, secrets, judging others without knowing them, poor judgement; infidelity and much more.
Overall, this was an insightful, thought-provoking, well-crafted drama with a convincing conclusion. This is the second book I have read by Jewell and I look forward to reading more of her novels. They keep getting better and better. I recommend this to those that enjoy mysteries as well as domestic and psychological dramas.
Many thanks to Atria Books, Ariele Fredman, Lisa Jewell and Net Galley for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. -
Edit: zmieniam na jedną gwiazdkę
Zastanawiałam się nad jedną gwiazdką, bo ani przez moment nie byłam zaniepokojona. Zakończenie było nudne, zero zaskoczenia. Nawet sprawdziłam czy ta książka nie miała być obyczajówką, a to ja założyłam, że to thriller. -
Sitting down with a new Lisa Jewell book, is like sitting down for a cup of coffee with an old friend. ☕️☕️
You feel like you know the (always quirky) characters, because they are well developed, BUT you also know that behind that Cup of Joe, or behind those closed blinds, are people with secrets that you are hoping to coax out of them.
Your cast for this one:
A thirty something year old virgin
A psychologist, his wife and their two teenaged children
And, a former patient of said psychologist
I won’t rehash the storyline, as enough is said in the book’s synopsis, but I will say, that after not enjoying “The Family Upstairs” last year, the author returns to form with a story and neighborhood reminiscent of her 2018 offering, “Watching You”.
Short chapters, and alternating POV’s made for a quick read and the storylines in this novel of DOMESTIC SUSPENSE, were woven together into a satisfying (though not completely surprising) conclusion…
Thank you to the Publisher for inviting me to read a digital ARC, through Netgalley in exchange for a candid review!
NOW AVAILABLE! -
Put on your lounge pants and coziest socks, grab your favourite beverage, give yourself some time and get cozy while you get to know these characters. They are not what you might expect!!
Hot diggity dang!! Now that’s what I been talking about! A well-done domestic, suspense thriller that focuses on fresh, unique unlikeable characters while staying away from those behaviours, roles and characters we come to expect in thrillers.
Lisa Jewell just keeps on getting better and she is an author who is moving forward in suspense thrillers by boldly challenging that tunnel vision in fiction and brilliantly delivers us fresh, not what you expect page-turner!!
Not all page-turners are fast-paced stories and things start off slower here as we start to form some thoughts on the characters and question their actions and behaviour. While keeping things fresh and different here Lisa Jewell does not create the suspense around the mystery here or focuses on it. It all about the characters here and the suspense is brilliantly tied into the characters. They are not the kind of characters that are easy to connect or relate to. They are the kind of people we think we know and who are invisible to the world because of preconceptions we have of them and dismiss them because of it. Lisa Jewell plays on that and shows us how we see the world and others can make us blind to what is really going on. She brilliantly shows us this through the three POV of the characters. At first, the characters seem like what you might expect and I started to form some assumptions about the characters and worried I might be right however Jewell had some surprises for me and the story takes an exciting turn and I loved the way the story came together in the end.
I highly recommend especially to readers who are tired of those tired overdone characters that are written for popularity and are more interested in seeing those invisible people we are blind to in the real world.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley -
Childhood trauma can be carried deep inside for many years, manifesting itself in a myriad of ways. One way is a desire to be invisible, to hide, a desire to not feel confined. Saffyre is one such girl and as she’s “invisible” and hiding in the shadows she discovers the flaws and secrets of several families who live in an exclusive neighborhood.
The story revolves around two families: Owen, a socially awkward misfit who is accused of inappropriate behavior toward his students. He’s also had a traumatic past, and, while he deals with it far differently than Saffyre, in his own way he is also invisible.
Then there's the Fours family who lives across the street from Owen, which includes Roan a psychologist who once treated Saffyre, his wife Cate, a physiotherapist, now a SAHM, and their two children Georgia and Josh. They too have their flaws and secrets.
When there’s a sudden rash of attacks on girls in the neighborhood and Saffyre goes missing the police are sure they know who the culprit is. But are the monsters within and among us so easily identified? Or do they hide in plain sight?
The short chapters, surprising revelations, and multiple perspectives propel the story forward at a fast clip, making this a difficult book to put down. Red herrings abound and it was fun to speculate with Marialyce, my reading buddy. The underlying themes make this a terrific discussion book.
Recommended for fans of twisty domestic dramas where the mystery often takes a backseat to the character study of complex characters. Do yourself a favor and do not read the blurb.
*I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
*for our duo review of this and others please visit
https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...- -
Classic Lisa Jewell. If you’re at all a fan of her work, don’t miss this one!
Lisa Jewell has developed a few new intriguing, unforgettable characters in her latest release!
Owen Pick: A thirty-something man that just got suspended from his job at the university for inappropriate behavior with some female students. Of course, he steadfastly denies it. He claims he’s just simply “misunderstood” when it comes to the female population.
Roan Fours: A child psychologist. Who with his family is renting a home directly across from Owen.
Saffyre Maddox: living with her uncle following the death of her parents. A beautiful young woman who struggles with the incomprehensible loss of her parents. Early on she tried therapy as a patient of Roan. Unfortunately, he was unable to get to the root of her issues. But all is not lost. She may have a second chance, as she notices him outside his office and choses to follow him home.
As always, Lisa Jewell weaves a riveting story, splicing together all the characters and their stories leading to an explosive ending!
Highly recommend!
A buddy read with Susanne
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC to read and review. -
“I have a dark past, and I have dark thoughts. I do dark things, and I scare myself sometimes.”
Four ominous stars for Lisa Jewell’s Invisible Girl, and one of the more brooding of her novels with a sense of menace and mystery from the opening pages. LJ delves into the murkier side of the human psyche with themes of abuse, professional misconduct, infidelity, and troubled family relationships in this theatre of drama and personal tragedy.
A dark psychological thriller that will spark interest and intrigue in the plot and side stories but will also trigger fascination and curiosity with the characters. Flawed, with secrets, mysterious and haunting.
The Plot
Owen is a thirty-three-year-old teacher accused of sexual misconduct against one of the pupils, opening up a stampede of comments about his unsavoury behaviour from others. A victim or an offender?
Roan Four is a family man and child psychologist who has been treating Saffyre Maddox until he is forced to discharge her. His reason is that her treatment is complete, however, Saffyre has other ideas and wants the relationship or contact to continue so tries to track him down. She tries to uncover more about Roan, hides in the shadows and remains invisible. Then she goes missing
Now we have the main elements at play, however with a number of twists, revelations and unveiled secrets the story takes us on an interesting, disturbing, and creepy journey that will inspire a hungry turn of pages.
Review and Comments
The moral to the story is poignant and powerful which I liked. The subject matter was challenging, yet some of the messages were subtle. Things like the little red fox making the occasional appearance heightened the level of suspense and created moments of reflection in the story.
The plot was excellent, dark, and gripping and delivered with the same sense of thrill that is customary with Lisa Jewell novels. An author I do like a lot.
However, it was the characterisation, the behaviours and the performances that really intrigued me in this book. Especially, after the trauma inflicted on a ten-year-old girl who self-harms but wants to remain invisible and portrays what she wants the world to see. In doing so Saffyre creates a safe world for herself where she can remain invisible. It was her interactions with people, their treatment of her and others that fascinated me.
However, the idea of hiding scars and trauma was such a powerful theme, as well as the anguish, suffering, and distress felt by many but hidden and ‘invisible’ to the people around them. The theme continued with the offenders as invisible aggressors and how they can remain undetected in society and even within their own family units.
Thankfully as a society we do a lot to offer counsel and support to those suffering from trauma and abuse but through books like this we continue to reach out to those suffering in silence. Invisible -
My b but I ruined the buddy read with
Karly and
SabiReads by binging the entire book in one night LOL.
SYNOPSIS
At the center of this complex web is the Fours family: Cate (Mom), Roan (Dad), Jack (Son), Georgia (Daughter). Then we have the creepy neighbour across the street, Owen Prick, who gets lost in the incel sauce for a hot minute. Next we have Saffyre (or Saffron as she's known in our group chat) who was a patient of Roan and now just stalks him on the reg. When Saffyre goes missing, everyone's stories collide.
MY OPINION
This is my first Lisa Jewell novel I've read to completion. I tried
The Family Remains but I didn't read book #1 (big dummy energy) so I got mad confused and gave up. I will circle back though.
I have to say I like the writing. It is unique and flowing. Even those super long ass run on sentence (paragraphs more like). It's something different than the formulaic crappola being pumped out en masse. I was a little concerned by that dear diary ass opening, but she found her way with the prose. Unfortunately, she couldn't locate what she wanted this book to be.
The first third of the book was rolling. A lot unfolds in those early chapters. You're like okkkurrr we've got some movement. Then Owen dips his toe in the incel pond and SKKKRRRTTTT suddenly this book switches from plot-driven to character-driven.
The next 60% of the book or so focuses on the inner thoughts of all the characters, from Owen's am I too good to be an incel, to Saffyre justifying her stalking, and to Jack—the creepily adored son who isn't everything his mom chocks him up to be. I don't mind a character-driven novel, but the characterizations were all over the place. Except for Roan. I wanted to whoop his ass from beginning to end.
The book tried to tackle many hot button issues; the entitlement of incels, SA, gaslighting, etc. This could've been strong but each thread was hastily taped together, resulting in a forced and frankly unbelievable ending. I'm giving this three stars because I think it had lots of potential and the writing style stood out to me in a positive way.
SPOILERS SO SCROLL AGGRESSIVELY AHEAD
I didn't like who the bad guy was. It's too convenient. Saffrye just chillin at Roan's mistresses house was laughable. She literally had the police scrambling and damn near had Owen locked up on some nonsense just because what... she wanted to sit back and see how it all played out? The epitome of selfishness. Oh and during her epilogue when she's like "I got over my claustrophobia" LOL what ??? Just like that?? Must be nice.
Why did Owen get such a happy ending? He made inappropriate comments at students and groped them, but all he had to do was write an apology note and take some boo boo ass one week course to get his job back? What school would hire a guy who was accused of sexual misconduct not only within the school but arrested on kidnapping/murder/rape/everything else charges!??? PLUS he gets the girl at the end? PLZ. I feel bad Owen was locked up for something he didn't do; but he did creep on his students (more than once, too) so he shouldn't be allowed back in the classroom.
The "maybe Roan is a rapist" cliffhanger was... le sigh.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: unique writing, short chapters, well-paced, good insights into the psychology of incels
Cons: book was severely disjointed: part thriller, part YA, part character driven, ending was straight up ass -
If someone had asked me six months ago what an incel was, I couldn’t have told you. Since then, I’ve read three books that have it as a plot point.
In the Invisible Girl, there are three different main characters. Owen is a 33 year old virgin, teaching geography until accused of sexual misconduct. His neighbor, Cate Fours, is worried he might be responsible for some sexual assaults in the area when he appears to follow her daughter home one night. And Saffyre Maddox was under treatment with Roan Fours, Cate’s husband, for cutting herself. At one point, Cate suspected her husband of having an affair with Saffyre. When Roan deems Saffyre well and terminates her treatment, she starts to track him and his family. We hear from each of the three in alternating chapters.
In typical Lisa Jewell fashion, she writes a fast paced book that immediately sucked me in. All the characters are a bit off and I was desperate to know how their stories would intersect. And yes, the first two plot twists were obvious to me from early on. But that didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the book. And from then on, I had no clue where she was taking me.
This is good, easy entertainment. The characters aren’t especially well developed. I felt the lack of development most keenly with Saffyre. It’s just all about the plot and the twists and keeping the reader guessing. It’s about how much we truly know our nearest and dearest and how so often it’s not innocent until proven guilty, especially in the arena of public opinion. It ties up a little too pat, but still four star worthy.
My thanks to netgalley and Atria Book for an advance copy. -
4.5 Stars!!
My reviews can also be seen at:
https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
I’ve enjoyed quite a few of Lisa Jewell’s novels. This one was a little different than others I’ve read, but I thought it was a great read.
A young woman disappears on Valentine’s Night.
Where is Saffyre Maddox?Seventeen-year-old, Saffyre Maddox often has dark thoughts that frighten her. Something happened when she was ten-years-old. Something that changed her. She started seeing a child psychologist named Roan Fours when she was twelve. She saw him for three years. Roan Fours felt that Saffyre made great progress, but she disagreed. Most of the time, Saffyre feels invisible. She likes being invisible because she can collect more secrets that way. But if those secrets got out, many lives would be changed.
Thirty-three- year old, Owen Pick is also invisible but wishes he wasn’t. He doesn’t have any friends and he’s never had a girlfriend. He’s never sure how to act around women. He often feels like he’s done something wrong.Life is about to get even harder for Owen Pick. He’s not going to be invisible much longer.
When Saffyre goes missing, almost everyone thinks Owen is responsible. But is he?A gripping domestic suspense novel about a group of people whose lives are forever changed when a young woman disappears.
A terrific read!
Lisa Jewell writes captivating and gripping stories filled with many terrifically flawed characters. True personality is often hidden by the masks people wear and sometimes focusing on things seen as obvious means other important things get overlooked.
The story is told from multiple points of view, but I most enjoyed hearing from Saffyre and Owen. Many interesting twists kept me on my toes. This story deals with many relevant and important issues. Some parts may be upsetting or triggering for some readers. It was interesting and disturbing learning about the world of an involuntary celibate (incel).
An intelligent story with an engaging plot that kept me gripped from start to finish. I’m excited to read more from this author.I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
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A chilling tale with lots of suspense, guessing and shady characters!
I'll leave it to you to decide....
Everyone is living in a house of mystery.
I suspected several characters and flipped a few times while reading (which is always fun!). Everyone seems to be in a hoodie, BUT who is the one?
Something creepy is happening in this little neighborhood. People are watching, peering out their windows, gathering clues.
Jewell's twists create many layers of a puzzle with characters that have depth. She throws in handfuls of truths and unexpected turns.
So many rabbit holes.... a twisty, dark path. An unexpected end!
OUT on August 6, 2020
Thanks to NG and publisher for my review copy! -
Lisa Jewell is one of the few authors who consistently have the gift of successfully weaving storylines together.
In INVISIBLE GIRL, we have a 30+ year-old virgin (Owen), who loses his job due to claims of sexual misconduct. Reading up on incel in his newly found free time doesn’t help when a case of a missing teen literally lands in his yard.
Then, there is the Fours family. They live across the street from Owen. They have always been suspicious of their neighbor from across the way.
Finally, there is Saffyre. She is a former patient of Mr. Fours, and develops an obsession with watching him.
Then, Saffyre disappears.
All of the storylines will tie together, but how?
I was intrigued and captivated from the very first page...which is normal with a Lisa Jewell novel. She has a way with words...and a way with increasing mystery from chapter to chapter.
While this doesn’t compare to her last novel (THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS), it is still a worthy and highly entertaining book that slowly builds suspense and reaches a satisfying (if not totally shocking) conclusion.
3.5 stars -
Saffyre Maddox suffers traumatic incidents aged 10 and self harms as a consequence. She receives therapy from psychologist Roan Fours for three years but her deep seated issues are unresolved. She’s an invisible girl hiding her innermost self to fit in with her peers and acting a role. Owen Pick is a teacher who is suspended from his job after allegations of inappropriate behaviour are made against him. He is regarded as ‘odd’ and is disliked, misunderstood even by his Aunt with whom he lives and the real him and his issues are invisible. Coincidentally, Owen lives opposite the Fours family in leafy Hampstead. When a number of women are sexually assaulted in the area and Saffyre disappears on Valentines Day, Owens life is turned completely upside down. The story is told in multiple perspectives by Saffyre, Owen and Cate Fours, Roans long suffering wife.
This is a story of outcasts and misfits who carry pain and trauma but who try and blend in by wearing cloaks of invisibility to mask their deep seated feelings. Others are masking their true nature under cover of respectability. This is a character driven story which delves deep into Owen and Saffyre to try to get to the essence of them and while there’s no denying that Owen makes mistakes there are others who emerge as the demons of the tale. Both characters demonstrate that people are covering up all kinds of psychological damage but are trying to put one foot in front of the other and they are judged. Owens treatment raises many issues not least that suspects are often named and shamed on various forms of media and are found guilty in the court of public opinion. I like the element of justice and revenge which is sought by several characters, in particular Saffyre.
Overall, this is a well written novel, with a good pace, a solid storyline, it’s very thought provoking and keeps your interest throughout. There is tension, suspense, shocks and plenty of twists. The book definitely takes you into uncomfortable areas but does so for valid reasons.
Ps. Love the fox imagery too!
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the ARC. -
Invisible Girl is full of tension and domestic drama in a posh London neighborhood.
17 year old Saffyre Maddox is hiding pain from a traumatic incident when she was just 10 years old. Owen Pick, a lonely 33 year old teacher, is accused of inappropriate behavior by students which he finds baffling, as he’s never even had a girlfriend or romantic encounter. Roan and Cate Fours live across the street from Owen with their two teenage children. Roan is a therapist, Saffyre’s former therapist actually, who ended their sessions thinking she was fine though she hadn’t yet revealed her traumatic pain.
Women in the area have recently experienced a string of assaults. When Saffyre goes missing on Valentine’s night, all eyes are on this neighborhood, where she was last seen.
No character is without flaws or secrets — They were complex and part of the mystery of Invisible Girl which kept me hooked to the story — Another win for Lisa Jewell. -
Creepy and Captivating!
The Fours Family lives across the street from the creepiest guy imaginable. A socially awkward guy who skulks around the neighborhood, Owen Pick was put on leave from his job due to allegations of behaving inappropriately towards teenage girls.
Roan Fours is a Child Psychologist, his wife Cate is a Physiologist. They have two teenage kids and are a seemingly happy family.
Years prior, Roan treated ten-year old Saffyre Maddox who had been traumatized by a horrific event she never disclosed. Saffyre is now a young woman who is full of secrets.
After a number of sexual assaults are reported in the neighborhood, the Fours Family naturally suspects Owen Pick.
When Saffyre goes missing on Valentines’ night, a suspect is arrested.
Guilt or innocence: the answer is not always clear cut. In addition, things are not always as they seem and trust is hard to come by.
So many questions arose while reading this book and of course, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
“Invisible Girl” is a twisty, turny domestic suspense that will delight Lisa Jewell fans from start to finish. Though I guessed the ending, I still really enjoyed this entertaining thriller!
Another buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Lisa Jewell for the arc.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 9.28.20. -
First off, I cruised right through this book. As always Lisa Jewell grabbed my attention in short order.
We have three POV's that we follow:
Cate Fours, wife of child psychologist, Roan.
Saffyre Maddox, 17 years old, and a previous patient of Roan that feels he didn't take her treatment as seriously as he should have.
Owen Pick, 33 year old virgin and neighbor to the Fours family.
Random sexual attacks have been happening in their neighborhood and fingers start pointing in every direction.
This book has a lot going for it and it is sure to be another hit for Jewell. I was constantly trying to figure out what the heck was going on. However, I was so disappointed in the ending. That last, final twist made me so mad. I understand the point she was making about us never really knowing who someone is but I found this hard to believe. Or, better yet, I didn't want to believe it because I really liked this character. I can't really fault Jewell with my complaint though because she did manage to get me to care enough to be pissed in the first place and that is a job well done. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. -
Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell is a 2020 Atria publication.
Clever and suspenseful!
Three first person voices narrate this enthralling story which examines the various devices humans employ to hide their innermost secrets, darkest pain, obsessions, or deepest character flaws, from society, from family and friends, and maybe even from themselves.
Saffyre Maddox, in treatment for self-harm, is released by her therapist, Roan Fours, before she’s ready. This leads her to stalk him and spy on his family.
Meanwhile, Cate Fours, Roan’s wife, acquired an uneasy feeling about her neighbor, Owen Pick, after several sexual assaults were reported in the area, and her daughter thinks Owen may have been following her home one night, with dark intentions.
Owen, a virgin, living with his aunt, has been let go from his job after being reported for sexual impropriety with his female students. He finds a sympathetic ear after joining an online chat group of ‘incels’.
When Saffyre disappears, key evidence leads investigators to Owen, who then becomes an obvious person of interest...
This is another winner for Lisa Jewell!! The story held my rapt attention from start to finish! The exploration of the darker corners of the internet was chilling. Although, the atmosphere was not as heavy as Jewell’s previous novels, I thought the story was extremely creepy!
I was a tiny bit concerned about the ending after reading a few editorial reviews for this book. I must disagree with the critics in this case.
Okay, sure, in a perfect world, it would end differently- but that’s what made Jewell’s decision so provocative. I thought it was fitting to leave the reader feeling unsettled.
As to the suggestion the conclusion may be weak-as a seasoned crime reader- I guess I must be losing my touch, because I closed the book with a definite shiver running down my spine!!
Fans of domestic and psychological thrillers will enjoy this one!
4.5 stars -
Invisible Girl is the latest book by Lisa Jewell due out in October 2020. I received an early copy through NetGalley and was excited to read it because I've already read and reviewed five of the author's earlier books. I enjoy her writing style and tone very much, and this book is another strong winner.
Cate is married with two teenage children. She lives in a charming English suburb. She knows something is off in her family but uncertain where to start. Owen lives across the street, and he's had several run-ins with the family as well as other neighbors. He's accused of inappropriate sexual advances toward several girls, but he claims he's innocent. Saffyre, another teenage girl, goes missing. We hear the voices of these three people, as well as get to know their families and friends. Somehow they are connected, and it takes a while to sort out all the background. When you do, it's quite intriguing.
Jewell frequently tackles the emotional growth and abuse of teenage girls in her novels. Often, it's a secret that's been buried or a desire that shouldn't be explored. Counseling comes into play, relationships are usually murky, and the tone waffles between suspenseful and somber. It works well for her, and as readers, we quickly become accustomed to her approach to developing strong characters with lots to hide. It's not about unreliable narrators as much as it is slowly dropping all the details so we can feel the momentum in the story.
In this one, we are meant to see both sides of a story. No character is purely dark or light; they have shades of gray and the potential to do both good and bad things. Owen has no memories of the bad things he's done, and it's often due to his drinking. How much of it is real? It's hard to tell, even in the very last pages of the book. We hear the truth of what happened, but a bit is left up to a reader's imagination. I like the potential for something unknown, but I also like closure, which we do get for many of the story-lines.
I think this is one of the author's stronger tales, but I do caution those who struggle with either abuse or sexually inappropriate behavior for teenage girls to go in knowing it will have some emotional scenes. Always tasteful and genuine, they motivate readers to recognize that there are people in this world who are very troubled. The entire incel theme was shocking to me, and I hope those types are sufficiently punished in reality. In the end I recommend this book and give it 4.5 stars. Great tale to devour over a weekend.
