Invisible Girl is not like some of Lisa's other works. This is more of a slow burn; the plot unwinds at its own pace. I liked this, though. This kept me reading because with each little nugget we learned, I knew there was another one coming to connect it with. I also liked the dual narrators, because it really made me question who was reliable and who was unreliable. My thoughts on this changed throughout the story.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

A girl’s disappearance upends a man’s life, while a neighboring family begins to fracture beneath the weight of the secrets they hide.

Thirty-three-year-old lecturer Owen Pick has just been accused of sexual misconduct by two of his students. Suspended, angry and spiraling, Owen returns to his aunt’s spare bedroom where he rages about women in Incel forums.

Across the street, Cate and Roan Fours struggle to mend the tears of their frayed marriage. Cate suspects Roan strays, but her mistrust once made everything wildly unravel and she is determined to get their relationship back on track.

But Roan doesn’t realize his once-patient seventeen-year-old Saffyre Maddox has become obsessed with his shadowed life. She lurks just out of sight as she learns the secrets he hides from him family.

Everything changes, however, when Saffyre suddenly vanishes. Their lives intersect in ways unforeseen as we untangle the events that led to the teen’s disappearance.

I’m such a huge fan of Lisa Jewell, but unfortunately her latest felt a little lackluster. The pacing seemed slower than usual despite short-format chapters and I wanted her to delve deeper with some of the characters—really reveal some of the darker, more nuanced parts of who they were. No big surprises shook the narrative and up until the very last page, I’d hoped Lisa would pull the rug out from under us.

While this one felt a little flat, I can’t wait to see what story she’ll give us next.

This is actually the first book I’ve read by Lisa Jewell and I really enjoyed her writing style. Quick chapters that alternate between characters definitely kept the momentum of the story going. I read the whole book over the course of two days. ⁣
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Saffyre Maddox is a patient of Roan Fours, a child psychologist. When he abruptly ends their treatment, she starts stalking him to try to prolong their connection. While being crazy stalker chick, Saffyre learns some things about Roan and his family and then mysteriously disappears. A creepy neighbor named Owen who lives across the street from Roan becomes the prime suspect. Is he involved? Or did Roan find out he was being stalked and do something rash to keep his secrets? Where is Saffyre and is she even alive? ⁣
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This is classified as a thriller and it had some thriller aspects, a few shocking moments woven throughout. However, the characters are really what drew me into the story. The author does a really good job of developing all of them to the point where I could relate them to people I knew in real life. Everyone involved had their own trauma and demons to deal with and it was interesting to see how they each handled their own situations differently. ⁣
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I really enjoyed Owen’s character and laughed every time Saffyre referred to him as Clive. Clive Owen... haha little comedic jokey type things in an otherwise serious story bring me joy. Owen was so complex. He made me angry and sad. I was disgusted by him one minute and then rooting for him the next. ⁣
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While this wasn’t my absolute favorite book, it was a quick, entertaining read with some strong family drama. I didn’t see the ending coming either and that’s always a plus. ⁣
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I cannot BELIEVE I had not read anything by Lisa Jewell after I finished this one. What a gem! I can't wait to read the rest of her works. I'd give it 10 stars if I could!

Is it just me, or does Lisa Jewell’s writing get freakier and freakier with each new release? She’s not afraid to go that extra mile, push that creepy button, and destroy those comfort zones. And boy, oh boy, I like it. Invisible Girl gave me the chills, heebie-jeebies, and made my skin crawl. There were a lot of WTF moments. Eeek! Compared to Jewell’s previous novels, I found the pacing of this one a tad slower. The twists, turns, and suspense were all still there, but just at a more mellow level. It was more of a disturbing whodunnit mystery to me. No doubt about it, I’ll read anything Jewell writes.

Lisa Jewell is my favorite mystery/thriller author and Invisible Girl is another solid addition to her collection. Saffyre is a teenager who is fascinated by the life of her former therapist, Roan Fours–and she uncovers more than she expected. When she disappears, the Fours’ creepy neighbor Owen Pick is accused. His participation in incel forums, along with a recent spate of assaults, don’t bode well for him.

Told from varying perspectives, Jewell weaves a twisty story of the damage of abuse, assault, toxic masculinity, and the dark world of the incel community. Less thriller and more psychological mystery, this is a fast, unputdownable read.

I stayed up way too late reading this one I just couldn’t put it down. Invisible Girl is a dark, carefully plotted thriller with twist and turns you will never see coming. I was immediately sucked into the mystery, but stayed for the complex characters. The story is told from 3 main POVs Saffyre, Owen, and Cate. They are three very different characters in different stages in their lives with their own dark secrets and traumas. They’re lonely, misunderstood, and (mostly) sympathetic characters that you can’t help but root for.

“No one saw me. When you wear a hood, you’re invisible.”

I felt like I was in an episode of Law and Order: SVU with the story revolving around incel culture, sexual assaults, and a missing persons case. Invisible Girl is a total must read! It is compelling, fast moving, and ends with a satisfying conclusion and one final, disturbing twist. I can’t wait to get some more Lisa Jewell novels!

After seeing psychologist Dr. Roan Fours for three years, Saffyre Maddox is left feeling empty and abandoned when he decides to end their sessions. So, she does what every normal person does and decides to follow his every move to feel a connection with him. Soon, she learns more about his life as she discovers that maybe his family life isn’t so perfect. Meanwhile, Dr. Fours’ neighbor Owen just lost his job after being accused of sexual misconduct at his university. One day, Saffyre Maddox goes missing and Owen is named the prime suspect. Told through the past and present perspectives of Roan’s wife Cate, Saffyre, and Owen is a gripping novel of deception and suspense as each character tries to figure out whodunnit and where exactly is Saffyre?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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💭 I had a few thoughts about this novel as I was reading it. I enjoy Lisa Jewell’s style of writing because she likes to toggle between present and past with multiple perspectives. I believe we only heard from Saffyre, Owen, and Cate because I think each character had a story to tell about mistreatment of women. I really enjoyed the overall theme that women need to be seen as humans and not as objects. Overall an entertaining read!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📖 this book is available now, check out the link in my bio to purchase your own copy!

3.5, rounded up because so many on GoodReads consider 3 a bad rating.
I liked so many things about Invisible Girl-- the incel element, which was a unique avenue, and author Lisa Jewell's delicate handling of the matter. While it's clear that the seedy message forums and communities of men who come together over mutual hatred of women is to be condemned, Jewell doesn't paint Owen Pick as wholly bad. I really appreciate that because so often, books wind up taking the moral path, which flattens characters into archetypes; the 'bad guy', the 'good girl'. Instead, we have here a grouping of deeply flawed and conflicted individuals, who all revolve around one another (geographically and narratively) and are really trying to do their best to cope with the struggles of their lives. This includes a misunderstood alcoholic who is ultimately in search of love, but who is also confused about his role in his community, his behavior, and the effect he has on others; an enigmatic young woman who puts herself in dangerous situations and won't (or can't) explore her past traumas in order to move forward and winds up channelling her angst into vigilanteism; a mother who sacrifices parts of herself every day; a son who is so disenchanted by the truth of his parents' relationship, he has internalized it and now carries complicated feelings towards intimacy and women.
The only element that I would criticize is the actual perpetrator/villain, who isn't really a major presence in the book. The suspects are meant to be hidden in plain sight in books like this. I thought that was set up well here, because I kept going back and forth about who was carrying out the attacks-- there were several suspects who all seemed guilty-- but then it turned out to be a tertiary character.

One of my favorite thrillers of the year! I couldn't put this one down and found it so interesting. I thought the ending was wrapped up nicely without being too outlandish. Jewell is definitely a favorite :)

Lisa Jewell has quickly become one of my favorite authors when it comes to suspense, and I was just as excited to read Invisible Girl as I was my very first novel by her.

I always enjoy the well developed characters that Lisa writes, and the protagonist, Saffyre, a depressed and troubled teen with a flawed past was no exception. There’s also Roan who worked as her therapist years ago, before releasing her and giving her an all clear.

While I expected a fast paced suspense, this was much more of a slow burn mystery that I still thoroughly enjoyed.

*many thanks to Atria, Netgalley, and Libro.fm for the gifted copies for review. All opinions are my own

Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of Invisible Girl. I think a lot of people are really going to enjoy this one! It just has this ominous feeling throughout and you know something bad is going to happen you just don’t know when and it drew me further and further in with every page. I’ve only read two of her books and both of felt this way. I love it. Leading up to the last few chapters though, this one was just okay. It’s a character driven domestic mystery where we have a lot things happen, a slow build, and all the suspicion. What I found interesting as well was how I was proved wrong over and over again because of these characters. Those that were good were so good and the ones who were bad… 😳

It was in those final pages that it really solidified itself as a twisted read. It also raises some interesting conversations around a few topics as well. It was enjoyable, created great conversations with others who’ve read it, and reassured me that Lisa Jewell is an author I’ll continue to read. However, The Family Upstairs is still my favorite!

I love Lisa Jewell books and the way she’s able to write characters with substance! You want to root for these horrible people but you also want to get to the bottom of it all.

The Family Upstairs is still my favorite Lisa Jewell novel. This one was a little too dark for me. Lots of trigger warnings could come up for people reading this. The world of incel is just one that I wasn't ready to wrap my head around at this time (not mad that I was exposed to it in this book). There's lots of different point of views which can be confusing to follow so that may turn you off. Lisa is a really talented author and I cannot fault her for that in this book!

The last time I read Lisa Jewell, I had to close all my blinds and I tweeted and told her so (to her delight). This time, I kept looking at men who seemed perfectly normal as creepy and teenage girls suspiciously.

Jewell is a masterful writer. Her characters seem to start off flowing from her pen but then take on a life of their own in short order. I wonder, as a reviewer, if she marvels at the havoc she wreaks with a few strokes of her pen. The online incel forum is as gross as it sounds - it brings shudders because the world has seen what these people can be capable of.

Once again, Jewell doesn't disappoint.

**Please note that this review appears on goodreads.

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell, and even though I haven't read all of her books yet, I know I will read everything she writes. So it's no surprise that I was super excited to get to Invisible Girl, and I am happy to report that this is another solid thriller from one of my favorite authors! I thought the pacing was perfect and I really enjoyed the many viewpoints. I decided to listen to the audio, and I loved the cast which consists of Donna Banya, Katherine Kelly, and Connor Swindells. There is nothing that makes me happier than a full cast, and they all did such an amazing job voicing this book. I did find myself getting a little confused at times with who Roan vs. Owen was, but other than that this was a great one for audio.

The thing about Invisible Girl is that the mystery takes a little bit of a backseat at times, and the story really focuses on the characters and their complexities. However, there are still plenty of twists and turns, and it focuses on the very serious topic of sexual assault. It is full of short chapters that made the book speed by, and I was taken by surprise by basically all of the aspects of the ending. I would recommend going into this one as blind as you can though which is what I did, and it really is the way to go. If you are a fan of Jewell then I definitely recommend Invisible Girl.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Really loved this. Great pacing of the story. Relatable characters. Ending was a bit flat, but I hadn't figured it out yet so it was surprising. I love this author and have already put this on order for our library.

Kate and Roan Fours are temporarily renting a flat in a posh area of north London, with their two teenage children. Owen Rudd lives with his aunt across the street. He’s 33, has never had a girlfriend, and lost his job after being accused of inappropriate behavior towards students at the technical college he worked at. Saffyre Maddox is a troubled 17-year-old who lives with her stepfather. Roan Fours is her psychologist, and she’s become somewhat obsessed with him.

We learn more about the goings-on and secrets that each of the characters has, as the story progresses, and gradually their lives intertwine more and more.

I really enjoyed The Family Upstairs, by the same author, so I jumped at the chance to read this one. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I just disliked all of the characters so much that I cringed every time any of them did or said anything. The only one who was interesting to me was Saffyre Maddox, but I wanted more depth from her character.

While the convergence of lives and stories held a lot of promise, it felt forced to me and I wished it had been executed in a subtler way.

However, the book was compelling enough that I finished it, and wanted to see how it turned out, so it still got three stars from me. I will say that everyone I’ve spoken to really enjoyed it, so I think I’m in the minority for thinking it was only ok.

Heads up that there are the themes of mental illness, sexual assault, cheating, and parental death just to name a few potential triggers.

I love a good Lisa Jewell book and Invisible Girl doesn't disappoint. This book is full of slightly shady characters, all doing things just a little out of the realm of normal.

There's Saffyre, a teen girl who had been in therapy with Roan Fours for years after some traumatic events. After their sessions together end, she feels abandoned and starts following Dr. Fours. He's no prince, either, and she sees him with women other than his wife. Dr. Fours' son is also a bit of a mystery - seemingly a 'perfect' child, but is he, though?

Owen Pick is the neighbor across the street from the Fours. He is a 30-something virgin who has been let go from his teaching job after accusations of sexual misconduct have been made by students. Owen discovers the online world of incels and goes down a rabbit hole of misogyny and anger that tie him to the sexual predator who has been attacking women in the area.

So, yeah, there's a lot going on in this book. It was really good until the last 5% or so. I felt like it wrapped up really quickly and wasn't quite as twisty as I had hoped. I loved all the family drama and Owen's storyline in police custody is a study in futility, so 4 stars, it is!

My thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Over the past three years, I have read and enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s books I Found You (2017), Watching You (2018), and The Family Upstairs (2019), so I was happy to receive a copy of this year’s Invisible Girl from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. In a slow spot in my pandemic reading frenzy, I was hoping for one of those books…you know, the ones where if you are reading and someone interrupts, it is REALLY annoying, no matter how much you love that person? Yeah, one of those. Also, my rating of the books dropped each year, with a 5-star in 2017, 4 in 2018, and only 3 stars for 2019’s The Family Upstairs. I was definitely hoping the downward trend would not continue!

But TBH, I had a hard time getting into this one. Jewell is great at creating characters who are multi-faceted and sometimes quirky. In this story we have a lonely single guy named Owen who lives across the street from the Fours family, including Roan and Cate (a child psychologist and physiotherapist respectively) and their teenage daughter who thinks Owen is a creepy guy. One of Roan’s patients, a girl named Saffyre, disappears, and the last person to see her alive was Owen. So far, so good. But (and it could just be me) I really don’t understand the whole incel thing, although in May 2018, it became clearer for me after listening to episode #120 of the podcast Reply All. This episode, described as “How a shy, queer Canadian woman accidentally invented one of the internet’s most toxic male communities,” evoked compassion and sadness as I listened to stories about what seemed to be the common characteristic of the incels: loneliness. And, maybe just me, but I found myself not really caring that much about Owen.

But, I digress. I think perhaps my previously mentioned pandemic reading frenzy really needs to slow down so I can appreciate the books I’m reading. I just finished Kate Elizabeth Russell’s My Dark Vanessa, which is a harrowing story about the “relationship” between a fifteen-year-old boarding school student and her forty-five-year-old teacher. It was very well done, but I felt a bit worn out and didn’t really want to read details about Saffyre’s ordeal. Lisa Jewell fans, people who like a good family-secrets-meet-creepy-neighbor story, or anyone ready for a thriller with a plot that hasn’t been done a million times will enjoy this one. Four stars.