I had previously read The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell and really enjoyed it. But this book was so disappointing. None of the characters were particularly likeable and generally weren't that believable either.
I felt the police procedure was all wrong, not only questioning someone because a neighbour thinks he looks creepy but taking Owen in for questioning when he was not under arrest, no mention of his rights and that he could have refused to go with them. No mention either of a warrant to search the house, and they would have searched the entire house and not just his room and computer. There was mention of some warrant later when he was arrested, but it didn't feel right to me and the evidence seemed pretty shaky, it was all based on here say.
So they search his computer history but then say the website doesn't exist, but it would have existed if it showed up in his search and browsing history and you can't delete websites that quickly, there are very often cached copies held on the servers and the domain would have been registered and so traceable. That was sloppy research.
Pretty much felt like the book was made up as the author wrote it without a clear idea of where it was going.
The ending was nothing much either, still left in the air.
I am being generous in giving this 2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.

Invisible Girl proved to be the perfect book for me this week. It was entirely charming and lovable with generous dollops of teen angst and a number of heavy issues, as well. Tender and full of characters worth caring for it didn't deliver the gut punch of Then She Was Gone but left me contented by the close. Lisa Jewell is such a reliable author and this book reinforced the high esteem I hold her in. A real winner for those who like thrillers that aren't gruesome or scary but a bit more personal.

There are lots of moving plates in the air at any one time during this book and the interplay between them was well executed. I was anxious to know what happened and didn't see many of the twists coming. I had a fair few hypotheses brewing in my head but was well of the mark, which always pleases me as I like a good surprise.

Yes, I have avoided a plot summary. If you got this far in my review you certainly don't want me dropping a zinger that may spoil the sharply constructed story. Needless to say, I loved it and am going back to Ms. Jewell's bookography to see what might be next up as this warmed my heart and reminded me what a jewel this author truly is. Thanks and enjoy!

There are three interlocking stories in this clever tale - Saffyre, who had a trauma as a youngster that left her scarred; Owen who lives with his aunt in an unhappy situation; and Cate and Roan who have moved with their family to leafy Hampstead while their home is renovated. All have baggage, and their lives become intertwined as a series of sexual attacks happen in the neighbourhood.

The characters are endearing (except Roan) and the reader is really rooting for them, hoping it will all work out as they face many difficult situations. I can't really say more without giving spoilers, but its a cracking tale, well told and certainly kept my interest. The way the story developed, drawing the reader towards the fateful night of 14 February through backflashes with each character was very good. I'll certainly be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Century for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Saffyre Maddox has not had it easy. Her mother died when she was young & she lives with her brother. When she was ten she had a traumatic experience which resulted in her self harming. She spent a few years being helped by psychotherapist, Roan. After he decided that she no longer needed him she found it hard to let go & began to follow him about.

Cate is Roan's wife. She is a physiotherapist but hasn't worked much since she had the children although now they are teenagers she is wondering if she should take it up again The family have moved into an upmarket flat in Hampstead whilst their house is being repaired. She is worried that Roan is unfaithful.

Owen Pick is a loner. He is awkward around women, never had a proper relationship. He lives with his aunt in a house opposite Cate & Roan. He has just been suspended from his post as a college lecturer for unacceptable sexual behaviour. There have been a number of assaults on young women in the area & when Saffyre goes missing on Valentine's Night Owen is a suspect- but he can't remember exactly what happened?

Told from the perspective of these three people the author captures the atmosphere of the area & keeps the reader guessing. The characters were interesting & awful as poor Owen was, I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Once again Lisa Jewell has created a superb range of characters in this novel.

I particularly liked the way the events from her young life, slowly became apparent, for the character Saffyre Maddox.

There are some extremely disturbing themes running through this psychological thriller.

The character of Owen Pick, the somewhat creepy, college teacher is, likewise, developed in an intriguing way as the story progresses.

I won't go into detail about the plot for fear of spoiling the story, suffice to say that there are several surprising twist and turns before the real truth about the disappearance of Saffyre comes to light.

I give my thanks to NetGalley and and Random House (Century) for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Absolutely loved this book. From turning the first page it had me hooked. Lisa Jewell is such a good author. This book will not disappoint but it will have you not wanting to put it down until you have read the last page.

Lisa Jewell just gets better and better! I was thoroughly gripped and read this in a couple of sittings. There are multiple narrators, multiple secrets and too many lies. Twists and turns aplenty meant I kept changing my mind about who I thought the guilty party was, and the ending did not disappoint. I'll recommending this to everyone.

I've been an avid fan of Lisa Jewell for many (many) years now so I was very pleased to see a new arrival in Invisible Girl. As with previous novels, it starts off fairly tamely, then you get hooked and you can't stop reading! I found myself checking the clock, counting down the minutes until I could get my next fix. The overall subject matters that feature in the book can be quite uncomfortable, but the writing is so well crafted that you don't think about that until afterwards - you're so deeply entrenched in the characters and how the story will progress.

Another great Lisa Jewell read!

When 17 year old Saffyre goes missing on Valentine’s night, the police arrest sad lonely Owen who lived with his aunt near where she was last seen. But is he really involved and can he remember what actually happened that night?

Wow! I did not expect the ending at all, although looking back, the clues are there if you know where to find them! I will admit, there were times when I got a little confused, as the action moved back and forwards in time and across several different characters, and so it takes until the end for everything to slot into place. But the way it finishes does make up for a lot of confusion earlier on.

The central characters, Saffyre, Owen and Cate are well developed and generally act in accordance to expectations. The geography of the area wasn’t always easy to follow - I couldn’t work out which way was up at times - but this didn’t affect the story or my overall enjoyment.

Another thriller from Lisa Jewell.

'Invisible Girl' is an intriguing slow-burner, which tells the story of the events before and after the disappearance of a young female, from 3 people's points of view.

I liked it, but I didn't love it, hence my star rating. I wanted to keep reading the book as I was intrigued to know how it ended, but there wasn't the wow factor or any juicy twists for me. However, I think that fans of Jewell will enjoy her latest addition.

As always will Lisa jewels books I was captivated right from the beginning, I couldn’t put it down and I devoured this book in three sittings !
I loved it and can’t wait for the next one !
10/10

Invisible girl was a book I flew through as the twists kept on coming.
Owen Pick is a teacher but has been sacked, he is thirty odd years old and still a virgin. He has a few problems but these take a turn for the worst when he is accused of the disappearance of Saffyre Maddox. He pleads he is innocent but if he is what really happened that night? Saffyre has her own problems and has a tough upbringing, an incident at ten years old finds her in therapy for three years. What has happened to her and why has she been following the man who was her therapist and how are they all linked?
This was a really good read and loved it from beginning to end, the twists just kept on coming and before I knew it I was at the end.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this Arc I received in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a crime/mystery/thriller with a difference, not at all what I expected, which made it an all the more intriguing read. There are plenty of twists and turns and wondering who/why - some tense, breath taking moments and a few surprises. It is a story of a girl with a troubled past and characters with a troubled present - of characters' relationships and infidelity - some disturbing mixes and accused characters that make for tense reading at times. Can you trust those who you think you know or should be able to? The story's main characters are described well and I could picture them and their surroundings clearly. The story kept me guessing to the end... and did not end quite how I had imagined, even right towards the concluding chapter - recommended!

Lisa Jewell really is at the top of her writing game. She is at her best when weaving together the dark, imperfect lives of those who live in close proximity to one another. This is easily as good as her last offering which I adored. Yes it's looking at the unlikeable sides of individuals and the ending will leave you thinking long after you have finished it (no spoilers from me!) but the page on the eyebrow industry made me laugh out loud - she is a very astute writer who can find funny rich material in the most mundane things in life. Enjoy!

This is the first novel I’ve read by Lisa Jewell although she is a prolific writer, if not quite a book machine! However, there is nothing wrong with that and I was impressed.

Saffyre Maddox is the invisible girl in question coming from a bit of a tough upbringing and now being looked after by her older brother. Something bad happened to Saffyre when she was ten years old and she is still trying to expiate the damage done to her.

Also central to the story is Cate, mother of two teenagers George and Josh and married to psychotherapist Roan. The family have moved temporarily to a house in Hampstead while their house in Kilburn is worked over by builders and Hampstead is where this story takes place.

The action revolves around a series of groping sex attacks and the way that suspicion falls on a loner called Owen Pick who lives almost across the road. A genuine strength of the novel is the way that Lisa Jewell builds up the case against him – a mixture of prejudice, teenage (slight) hysteria and circumstance. It’s not overstated but eventually leads to his arrest.

He’s not the only problem for Cate because Roan, rather too suave and smooth for his own good, is receiving Valentine cards from strange women. Cate spends a long time on the edge of things but eventually is forced to confront a series of family crises and it all gets resolved.

Not only well written, the book is paced effectively so that different points of view follow on logically one from the other and the suspense builds slowly. That’s shorthand for saying this book is better than some you might describe as chicklit! If you’re stuck in quarantine after your summer holiday it would be a good way to pass a couple of days!

I really don't understand the less than 5 stars reviews: this books was fantastic, it kept me reading well into the early hours! What i love about Lisa Jewell's writing is that it just flows and is very very realistic. I like learning new things when i read books and learning about "incels" was fascintating. I thought it was made up but after an internet search, incels really are a thing.

A Lisa Jewell novel is always a treat and I am always sorry when they end. Cannot wait for her next one!

2 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I was incredibly excited getting approved for this! Family upstairs was so so good. This unfortunately did not hit the mark at all.

I found that the plot was all over the place. So many characters and perspectives and side plots that I really didn’t care about. A lot of things kept getting put out then taken back too many times. I understand that switching perspectives during a plot point but this did it while nothing was happening so instead of building suspense it was just annoying.

Going back to my point of the plot being all over the place towards the end is just recapping and info dumping so even the book had to put everything down knowing how confusing it was.

I will still pick up Lisa Jewell as the Family Upstairs is one of my favourites!

This book follows three different storylines, and waits for them to collide. You have Saffyre, a troubled 17 year old with unresolved issues from her past. Then there’s Owen Pick, a 33 year old virgin, living with his disinterested aunt, recently left his job as a teacher after students made allegations of sexual misconduct.

Then you have the Fours family: Cate, Roan and their children Georgia and Josh. They have recently moved across the road from Owen, and when there’s a spate of sexual assaults in the area, Cate identifies him as the likely suspect. In fairness, you probably would too; he’s a bit odd, though as a reader, you can clearly identify him as harmless.

When Saffyre, who it transpires has links to Roan Fours, goes missing, Owen is the only suspect. What follows is a life unravelling as there’s a race against time to locate the young girl. The question isn’t who has a secret, but who has the most to lose by theirs coming out?

I’ll be honest, it doesn’t take a genius to work out how this book is going to play out; however, that’s not really the point. Jewell is such a clever writer, dropping crumbs, pulling you around, and then grabbing it all back together, that you don’t mind. It’s the journey, rather than an element of “ooh, didn’t see that coming”. I don’t think I’d call this a thriller, per se, but definitely a mystery, and it’s a dark one (though, not twisty).

Another good book by Lisa Jewell. Fast paced so gripped me from the very beginning and read it in one sitting. I would recommend this book and author.

Saffyre went through a traumatic event when she was just 10 years old. She struggled to cope for years and even self harmed up until she started therapy with Roan. Her treatment went well and she was eventually discharged. However, Saffyre then goes missing and it just happens to take place outside Roans apartment. The finger is pointed at Owen, the village 'weirdo' who has also been discharged from work for sexual misconduct. We follow multiple perspectives as we try find out what happened to Saffyre and how everyone is connected in one way or another.

Lisa Jewell's writing style can only be described as addictive. You're hooked in after the first chapter, needing to know where the story is heading. The characters are all developed well and I liked how everyone was complex.

The suspense and pacing was excellent and there was definitely twists I didn't see coming. I did find the ending wrapped up a little too quickly.

Also, this does tackle the difficult topic of sexual abuse so please be aware if you are sensitive to this!

Like many of Lisa Jewell's book this ends on a real cliffhanger which I find frustrating because I want to know more!

Overall, a really great, fast paced thriller which will keep you on your toes!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me a copy to review.