Member Reviews
Invisible Girl is a mystery drama thriller dealing with issues of society.
The story follows the three main characters. Saffyre Maddox is a seventeen-year-old living in London with her uncle, Aaron Maddox. She loves her family & her grandfather and uncle are her lifelines. When she was ten, a traumatic event changed the course of her life.
Roan Fours a psychotherapist by profession. He, along with his wife and two children, move to posh Hampstead Heath with a wife and two children. Cate and Roan took this opportunity to reboot their relationship, but secrets are taking up space.
Owen Pick lives with his aunt. He’s a lecturer in a college, but he’s shy and socially awkward. He doesn’t have many friends. The people around him assume he is a weird guy and his actions confirm their belief.
There comes a time when their lives collide. And everything changes in their lives forever!
The chapters are narrated by Saffyre, Cate, and Owen. The reader gets to know them up close while they tell their stories. They talk about their insecurities, their fears, their relationships. They raise questions that they are not ready to answer.
The book scores point in two aspects. First, the subtext of the book directs towards societal prejudices. While reading the book, it feels Lisa Jewell has done her share of research on the matter. Second, the closing pages of the book and the entire book reflected the true meaning of the title.
The characters of the story grow along with the book. The story moves with a pace that suits the narrative. It also portrays the theme.
A highly recommended book for crime/ mystery thriller fans.
My Rating for the book: 3.5 stars
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House UK for the copy of the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I didn’t read the synopsis of this book before I started to read as I knew I would enjoy it . Lisa Jewell always tells a good story.
I had no idea where this book would take me . A missing teenage girl, a counsellor who lies and deceives, a strange man in his thirties who lives in a bedroom in the house of his aunt. If that’s not enough we have Cate who knows both her teenage son and husband are acting strangely.
Whom will the finger point at when a girl goes missing ? Who is responsible for the sex attacks against women in the area?
This book is filled with flawed, unhappy people. It only takes one person to become the catalyst for everything falling apart.
I’m giving no spoilers as this book kept me on the edge of my seat or bed well into the small hours.
I actually could not put it down, it fell out of my hands.
I had to wait until the last few chapters to get the answers I had from the beginning, lots of surprises in this story.
Brilliant book!
When Saffyre Maddox was ten years old, something terrible happened to her. The man she thought was going to heal her didn't, and now she hides from him. Owen Pick is thirty three years old and has never had a girlfriend. He's never even had a friend. Nobody sees or cares about him. But when Saffyre disappears from across the street from him, suddenly everyone is looking at him, holding him responsible.
What a thrilling read this is. The characters are well developed. You are drawn into this story from the beginning. There's secrets and twists. The final twist is mind blowing. I suspected a few characters whilst reading. This is a well crafted drama that's tense with a steady pace.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Lisa Jewell for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
YOU DON'T SEE HER. BUT SHE SEES YOU.
MIDNIGHT: In an area of urban wasteland where cats hunt and foxes shriek, a girl is watching ...
When Saffyre Maddox was ten, something terrible happened, and she's carried the pain of it ever since. The man who she thought was going to heal her didn't, and now she hides, learning his secrets, invisible in the shadows.
Owen Pick is a thirty something sixth form lecturer, he's a bit of a loner, never had a girlfriend and lives with his auntie in Hampstead, he's recently been suspended from his job for apparent inappropriate behaviour towards two of his students and when 17 year old Saffyre Maddox goes missing on Valentine's night, after being seen near his house, Owen is immediately held responsible for her disappearance.
Cate Fours lives across the street from Owen, with her family, and hen her daughter is followed home, Cate is convinced it was Owen and decides to keep an eye on him, then Saffyre disappears and it seems even more likely he had something to do with that too, but things aren't exactly rosy in the Fours house either are they?
This book is told across three timelines and from three points of view; Saffyre, Cate and Owen, it starts off a slow burner with the multiple timelines and character views, but even with all that, it's a plot that captures the imagination, taking the reader on a journey with unexpected twists and turns, then suddenly everything ramps up a notch and things begin to fall into place. It's a tense, well crafted read which kept me intrigued throughout, quite often thinking I'd worked it out, only for Jewell to throw a spanner in the works and change direction. Is Owen as guilty as it first seemed, are people too quick to make a judgement about someone they don't really know anything about just because they seem a bit odd. Can Cate really trust her husband Roan and what is the terrible secret that Saffyre keeps hidden? You will need to read it to find out.
I'd like to thank Random House UK Cornerstone and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
This is a brilliant psychological thriller that really makes you think.
We start to learn about Cate, Roan and their children and also about Saffyre from chapters from their perspective.
Saffyre is being treated by psychotherapist Roan but when he tells her the sessions have finished, she can’t let go.
She starts to follow him and watch his house at night.
When she disappears on Valentine’s night an investigation is carried out on Roan’s street.
He’s oblivious to her following him but as the story unravels we learn that someone knew she was sleeping in the derelict house opposite Roan’s before she disappeared.
Owen who lives on the same street with his aunt is seen as an odd character and is soon under suspicion for Saffyre’s disappearance - but will the Police believe he’s innocent?
This is a great read that has lots of different elements that really make you think.
Thanks to Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.
"A story of secrets and injustices, and of how we look in the wrong places for the bad people while the real predators walk among us in plain sight."
Saffyre Maddox is missing. She disappeared on Valentine's night opposite the home of Owen Pick. Owen is invisible to those around him: 30-something year old, never had a girlfriend, no friends.
But the house Saffyre disappeared in front of is the home of her former psychologist, his wife and their two teenaged children. Something terrible happened to Saffyre when she was ten. The psychologist was supposed to cure her, but didn't. She hides, learning his secrets, invisible in the shadows.
The novel is exciting and fast paced, with a sensitively handled story of abuse and rape. We learn that one of the characters, Owen, is incel (involuntary celibate), and this was displayed in a fascinatingly creepy way.
I would say this story is more of a psychological drama, rather than a psychological thriller, with a lot of the characters having some weird aspects of their personalities. This lead to me putting most characters in the frame for Saffrye's disappearance! The story is told through three characters' POVs, which helps the reader get to know them further, and only adds to the confusion as to who is responsible. I love the lonely, tormented, but strong, character of Saffrye.
The book is very thought provoking, with lots of tension, shocks and suspense.
A great book, thanks netgalley and thanks lisa Jewell for this wonderful thriller.
One of the main characters is Saffyre Maddox whose life has not been easy at, and had her childhood stolen by older boy at an early age, and has grown up to hate and self harm.
Another character is Owen a gentle and reserved man, whose days seem to go from bad to worse and then ends up in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Really enjoyed this book, here’s to the next one please.
Lisa Jewell never fails to keep my interest right from the very beginning and let me tell you she has done it once again!
Saffyre Maddox a ten year old self harming after a traumatic experience. Cate Roan wife of Roan, Saffyre's therapist and Owen Pick, the odd, creepy 33 old neighbour who lives with his aunt across the street from the Four’s family all intertwine in this book in an unimaginable way.
After years of providing therapy to Saffyre, Roan ends the sessions believing Saffyre has healed and no longer requires them. Saffyre is not convinced this is a good thing and can’t seem to let go and takes up stalking Roan. Watching his every move and his house where he lives with Cate and their two children Joshua and Georgia.
In previous years.
Cate suspected Roan of having an affair. She was convinced and needed to prove it That’s when she had read Saffyre's confidential patient file.
There’s a predator sexually assaulting woman in the normally quiet streets of Hampstead so when 17 year old Saffyre disappears and the last place she is seen is across from the Roan’s house, neighbour Owen is soon the number one suspect. With incriminating pieces of evidence stitching together its hard not to think he’s guilty of something.
But Cate just can’t seem to comprehend the coincidence of Saffyre going missing right out front of their house and why is her son, Josh acting out of character? Then there is her husband Roan's running clothes that she found stashed in Joshua’s wardrobe along with a balaclava.
Don’t judge a book by its cover is an old but good saying that you will need to keep in mind while reading this one! It will have you thinking you figured it out but then you’ll be caught off guard with a twist that makes you reconsider your thoughts.
This was a quick read for me with short chapters and told from multiple POV's that keep the pace flowing nicely. Definitely be prepared to not put this one down because the suspense will keep you absorbed until the very end!
Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell is a clever,twisty psychological thriller that jumps from character to character and goes backwards and forwards in time in way that keeps the reader on their toes and seeing events, and people, in a different light as the story progresses.
Cate and Roan Fours and their children Georgia and Josh are renting a flat in Hampstead while their house in Kilburn is undergoing repair work after being damaged by subsidence. Across the road from them is a neglected property, an old house turned into flats, where Owen Pick,a college lecturer in his 30's , lives with with his Aunt. Owen is a bit of an oddball who is known locally for his strange behaviour. There have been a number os sexual assaults on females in the area leading to concerns ,tensions and suspicions.
Saffyre Maddox is a schoolgirl with a history of self-harm who is referred to therapist Roan Fours, who eventually resolves her problems....or thinks he has. Saffyre disagrees and becomes obsessed with Roan to the extent of basically stalking him.
That's the basis for a superb book as various,sometimes unlikely characters find themselves interacting as more attacks happen and the finger is pointed at Owen Pick. The hapless Owen finds himself being accused of all kinds of things , mostly because of bad choices he's made , his main "offence" being that he's "a bit odd" with the Press vilifying him and the Police desperate to pin him down. I was reminded very much of the unfortunate Colin Stagg who was "Britain's most hated man" according to the press when they and an inept Police force hounded an innocent man for years.
Lisa Jewell's characterisation is superb, Saffyre is disturbed by events in her life but beats her demons and finds inner strength and a will to win through, the Fours turn out to be a less than happy family and Owen Pick is one of life's losers. It's a tale of redemption, appearances, perceptions ,relationships and the the best and worst of human nature .
I thought I'd worked out who the attacker was and was fairly happy to be proved "half right" at the end.
A great story ,well-written.
Thanks to Lisa Jewell,Random House UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
I'm a huge Lisa Jewell fan but this one wasn't for me and I wish it had came with some trigger warnings.
I’d like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Invisible Girl’ written by Lisa Jewell in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Saffyre Maddox is seventeen and lives with her Uncle Aaron. By day she’s a hard-working A-grade student but at night she prefers to keep away from people, sleep under the stars and become invisible. People think Owen Pick is creepy, he teaches computer science at the local college and is a misfit finding it hard to communicate with women, but when Saffyre disappears he’s arrested for her abduction. How can Owen prove his innocence when he’s unable to remember what he was doing the night she disappeared?
‘Invisible Girl’s is a gripping psychological thriller with an intricately woven plot, convincing characters, suspense, drama and twists and turns. I like the characters of Saffyre who’s tough but kind-hearted, Josh who she becomes friends with and Owen who’s in his thirties and has never had a girlfriend as he finds it difficult to socialise. From a slow beginning the tempo increased, I could feel the tension building the further I got into the story until it was impossible to stop reading. This is an excellent novel which I thoroughly enjoyed and can wholeheartedly recommend.
After a slow start, where I wondered if this Lisa Jewell story would envelop me as much as some of her previous works, I found myself surprisingly intrigued. Looking back I can recognise that the lives of the characters and scenes needed embedding in my mind so that the events that followed (rapidly) could run at pace.
Cate and Roan, Georgia and
Josh - an ‘ordinary’ but displaced family are central to the story. Along with Owen Pick, a troubled young man sadly living with an aging and unpleasant aunt - Tessie. Then you have Saffyre, a young girl badly affected by a series of events within her youth. Altogether an eclectic groups of characters.
Jewell is an expert at creating a ‘normality’ and at the same time drip feeding the reader with a glimmer of issues and problems and a hint of what is to come.
After about half-way I was totally emotionally invested in the story.
The effective / realistic characterisation changes as your understanding of their back -stories develops and I found I developed a real empathy for specific central characters despite some unpleasant quirkiness.
Along the way possible scenarios are raised along with many questions which you are left trying to rapidly piece together before the story reveals answers to you.
I found the ending was really satisfying but still with a little sting to leave you wondering.
Chilling and thrilling. I couldn't put this one down. So many thanks layers and reveals, and the odd red herring. I enjoyed the different characters and was fascinated by the terrifying insight into the world of incels, there are some scary people out there! Probably her best novel yet.
Lisa Jewell has nailed it again! This book was scary in that it looks at how easily someone's life could be ruined by a combination of bad decisions, bad luck and misconceptions.
I would say this is more of a domestic thriller than psychological. Saffyre has been carrying trauma with her for a long time and is out for revenge. Her counsellor Roan and his wife Cate move to a new area when suddenly women start being attacked in broad daylight. Opposite them lives Owen, who is his in thirties, lives with his aunt (who doesn't particularly like him) and has no friends.
There is a lot going on and it's interesting keeping track of the different relationships. It also touches on the 'incel' community which is super interesting and something I'd only really heard about on Reddit and the like. It was great seeing it being brought to light in a novel - grim indeed!
What an absolute stunning read!! I read this book over three days whilst I should have been working and sleeping! Loved the way in which the story was written from each characters perception showing how their lives intertwined before revealing the true twist at the end.
The chapters were not too long which allowed me to follow the story with ease. The plot took off right from the start and took me on a rollercoaster of twists and turns before revealing the truth. I guessed the perpetrator pretty early on in the story and was positively surprised to guess I was correct!!
Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors and hasn't disappointed with this stunner of a book.
Much needed distraction from life's dramas and a definite recommendation for 2020.
Well done Miss Jewell!!
I have always enjoyed Lisa Jewell's books, but unfortunately I did not enjoy this book as much as I have with her previous books.
This is well written and has many twists and turns. However I found the some of the subjects and themes were too dark and difficult for me and I struggled to read parts of it
I am looking forward to reading Lisa Jewell's next book. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.
Lisa's newer style of writing family drama thrllers is such a good fit as she still develops really complex and interesting characters and has a skill for weaving a very gripping plot together.
This book started slowly for me but I knew hints where going to mean things would speed up once he foundations where laid and I wasn't wrong. Exploring really hard topics such as sexism, privilege, trauma, toxic masculinity, incels etc which were handled and explored well.
Overall this was a good read.
Thanks to Netgally for my ARC
I was excited to recieve this as I've read Jewell before and I know what kinds of books she writes.
This is a mystery that just keeps you guessing.
Saffrye. Everything that happens is centred around Saffyre. I did get a bit overwhelmed at times with all the sub plots, and it had my head whirling. I just couldn't seem to focus. Even though, I enjoyed the sub plots, I think the expression "Less is more" is absolutely vital here. I would have liked to concentrate more on the main characters, and go more in depth here. Saffyre has a secret that she can't talk about. When she finally does, I felt a bit deflated, I thought it was going to be more dramatic, especially with the build up behind it.
Even though this did keep me guessing, there were a few misses and things not explained which lost the thread for me. I felt things could have been explained a bit more and gone into more depth.
Interesting read. It held my attention well. I won't hesitate to pick up more from Jewell
Love the author and this book too. Liked all the twist and turns and the mysteries the characters bring to the story. I love how you are kept guessing to the end,
This was my first Lisa Jewell book and certainly won’t be my last. With a new author, it always seems to take a few chapters to align with the writer’s pace; Invisible Girl took me several chapters and then I was hooked.
Invisible Girl is loaded with twists and turns that will leave you wondering who is guilty and who is innocent. All the characters are damaged, to some degree, and it’s hard not to point the mental finger at each one of them.
The story is told from multiple view and time points which, over the course of the book, create theories and answers in quick succession. I’m pleased to say that I didn’t spoil the ending for myself by guessing who the villain was. Possibly because, on many levels, there was more than one villain.
The conclusion and the wrapping up chapters tie up all the loose ends and, for me, it was good to know ‘what happened next’.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.