AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “I absolutely loved Invisible Girl—Lisa Jewell has a way of combining furiously twisty, utterly gripping plots with wonderfully rich characterization—she has such compassion for her characters, and we feel we know them utterly… A triumph!” —Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone returns with … bestselling author
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone returns with an intricate thriller about a young woman’s disappearance and a group of strangers whose lives intersect in its wake.
Young Saffyre Maddox spent three years under the care of renowned child psychologist Roan Fours. When Dr. Fours decides their sessions should end, Saffyre feels abandoned. She begins looking for ways to connect with him, from waiting outside his office to walking through his neighborhood late at night. She soon learns more than she ever wanted to about Roan and his deceptively perfect family life. On a chilly Valentine’s night, Saffyre will disappear, taking any secrets she has learned with her.
Owen Pick’s life is falling apart. In his thirties and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct—accusations he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel forums, where he meets a charismatic and mysterious figure.
Owen lives across the street from the Fours family. The Fours have a bad feeling about their neighbor; Owen is a bit creepy and suspect and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night. Could Owen be responsible? What happened to the beautiful missing Saffyre, and does her disappearance truly connect them all?
Evocative, vivid, and unputdownable, Lisa Jewell’s latest thriller is another “haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late read” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author).
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I am a fan of Lisa Jewell and did enjoy Invisible Girl for its plot premise and twists. It was fast paced and an easy read. The issue I did have with it was that I didn’t connect with any of the characters. I found none of them especially likable. I didn’t have a character I was rooting for or even cared about. The story was well written but left me wanting more—wanting a character that didn’t seem cardboard. That being said, it is still a decent read for the thriller elements that had me reading to see if I guessed correctly “Who dunnit”
A masterclass in how to write with pace and tension.
Saffyre Maddox, 17, lives with her uncle as the rest of her family has passed away. She is an intelligent girl. At age 10, something bad happened to her and she began to cut herself. That’s when her uncle took her for therapy with Roan Fours, a child psychologist. When Roan tells her that he feels she no longer needs therapy, she is crushed as she has found him to be a good friend.
Roan is married to Cate who is a physiotherapist and works from home. They have two children, Georgia, 15, and Josh, 14. One evening, Georgia comes home scared saying someone was following her from the tube. There is a man who lives across the street who Georgia says is creepy and she’s sure it was him.
Owen Pick teaches computer science and has just been suspended after two girls accuse him of inappropriate behavior. Owen is furious. He is single, 33, and lives in a flat with his aunt Tessie. He has lived there for a number of years. His life is lonely. He does not date and has never been with a woman.
When Saffyre goes missing, Owen is charged while denying everything. What happened to Saffyre and why is Owen charged?
This book goes back and forth among these characters and all is not well in their lives. I could not figure out who the “bad guy” was up until the very end. The author points out how some people’s lives are quite sad and rather gritty.
I’ve read a number of this author’s books some of which I liked and some that didn’t really grab me. This book was OK but I must say it’s not a favorite.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I’m a HUGE Lisa Jewell fan, so I was ecstatic when Atria books gave me a Netgalley widget so I could read Invisible Girl. Huge thanks for the e-galley, which in no way reflects my thoughts or opinions.
One thing I love about Jewell’s writing is her character development, which was once again on point for me. I felt I really knew all the characters. I disliked some, felt bad for others, plus I just kinda have a thing for messy characters.
Invisible Girl is told in 3 POV’s, which I loved. We had Cate, Saffyre, and Owen, and we see how all theirs stories are tied together as it unfolds. I feel multiple POVs are a must in thrillers, and the 3 worked perfectly for this story.
There were a couple times towards the beginning I wasn’t sure I could finish this book due to the nature of the sexual harassment, but her writing encouraged me to push forward. I appreciated that trauma was a focal point, and how healing from that trauma is crucial. I also appreciated the issue of toxic masculinity being a focal point. I do feel the Incel community could have been better represented in the book, though.
If you like domestic thrillers, I think this would be a good one for you.
I am always reminded of Ruth Rendell at her very best when I read Lisa Jewell. Not only is her plotting masterful, Lisa has the rare ability to make you care — passionately — about all her characters, whether they are important or minor, instantly appealing or apparently monstrous. Invisible Girl is quite brilliant in every way.
Dark, gripping, emotionally intense. My heart hurt from being squeezed so tight.
As a fan of author Lisa Jewell, I was truly looking forward to reading her latest suspense thriller, “Invisible Girl.” Unfortunately, I really struggled to get through this one. Not only did it fall short of my high expectations, overall, I found it to be mediocre at best. Clearly, I’m in the minority here, but I just wasn’t that invested in either the story or the characters. Add to that the sluggish pace and an anti-climactic ending, and the whole book just fell flat. Oh well, you can’t knock it out of the park every single time. Maybe next time.
Saffyre has been in psychotherapy for several years. When her therapy ends, she feels like there should have been more to it. She never did actually tell the therapist her trauma. So, Saffyre watches from afar, her therapist, Roan, and his family. She discovers many secrets and actually becomes a friend of Roan’s son. And things are not as they should be.
Well, I will be honest. When I first started this read, I really thought it was going to be a DNF for me. But, the further I went along the more I became hooked. Now, this is not my favorite Jewell novel. It is way too slow of a start. But, Saffyre is a unique character which captures your heart. She is the reason I kept going. And I am very glad I did.
This story just keeps twisting around and you just keep guessing. But, toward the end…you realize one of your guesses is right! You must read this to find out! And the creepy neighbor, Owen. He is a weirdo!
Slow burn….but very much worth the effort! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
The plot of this book was filled with bone chilling mystery, seemingly creepy characters and the ever present who done it question. Not only do we have that to wonder but also to wonder what happened to teenager Saffyre Maddox.
Could it be the 33 year old virgin and suspended teacher Owen Pick who lives with his aunt and was the last to see Saffyre alive, could it be phycologist Roan Fours whom Saffyre has recently been discharged from his care but has been following him and keeping tabs on him, what about his wife Cate who had suspected that he was having an affair with the teen.
The police have set their sights on Owen but the neighborhood holds many more secrets and sinister activities that all link back to Saffyre. Now the police must have their wits about them as they search for the right criminal but also try to find Saffyre Maddox and uncover what really happened to her.
Another fantastic read from Ms. Jewell. Will definitely keep you guessing!!
Brisk, creepy, and addictive!
Invisible Girl is an unsettling, compelling, psychological thriller that delves into all the deep, dark secrets people keep even from those closest to them and raises the question how well do you really know anyone.
The writing is sharp and crisp. The characters are secretive, cunning, and troubled. And the plot builds quickly creating suspense and intensity as it unravels all the relationships, motivations, personalities, and behaviours within it.
Invisible Girl is, ultimately, a story of suspicious personalities, lies, deception, manipulation, familial drama, abuse, hatred, violence, and the danger-infused incel subculture. And like most of Jewell’s previous novels, this one keeps you on the edge of your seat with its multitude of twists, turns, and surprises right up until the final page.
How easy it is for us to judge someone, carrying that judgement as far as it can go, possibly ruining a life because they’re different, aren’t they? You see it too, don’t you? While right beside us are the monsters who look nice.
Saffyre Maddox, 17, is a loner. Her super-power is being invisible. “I have a dark past, and I have dark thoughts. I do dark things, and I scare myself sometimes.” She lives in a two bedroom flat with her uncle Aaron, only 27 himself. When Saffyre was 10, “something really really bad happened” to her. She was sent to see child psychologist Roan Fours who worked with her for three years before releasing her from his care. He may be done with her, but she’s not done with him. She likes to keep tabs on him and has followed him for years.
Owen Pick, 33, teaches computer science to 16 – 18 year olds. He has lived with his aunt Tessie MacDonald, 55, since his mother, Tessies’s older sister, died 15 years ago. Tessie doesn’t like him. She never has. He’s not even allowed to go in her living room. And he’d just odd. Seems creepy.
Cate, a trained physiotherapist gave up her practice when her first child, daughter Georgia, 15, was born. She also has a son, Josh, 14, and a husband Roan (father to both children) who she’d really like to trust, but can’t. She’s a woman who always tries to be everything she should be for others, and wonders if she’s lost herself along the way.
A series of sexual assaults have been occurring in the neighborhood, a neighborhood which they all have in common. You see, Owen lives across the street from the Fours, and Saffyre often frequents the area while watching Roan. Saffyre goes missing on Valentine’s Day night. Owen was the last one known to have seen her.
This novel is a delightful read with a dark atmosphere. The author reveals the characters to her readers layer by layer, challenging us to try to discern the truth about each of them and about what happened to Saffyre. Surprises are peppered throughout. The story is told through the points of view of Saffyre (1st person), Owen (narrator) and Cate (narrator).
A perfect distraction for these troubled times. I give it 4 stars and highly recommend it!
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
I really enjoyed Invisible Girl. This chilling thriller is the fourth Lisa Jewell book I’ve read, but not since The Girls in the Garden, the first one of hers I read, have I given one a five star review.
Jewell weaves three very different families together into one engrossing story. Her characters are very well-developed, and I think we’ve all known “real” people like those in the story. This makes Invisible Girl so much more effective at getting to our emotions. You’re thinking, “How could he/she do that to her/him?” and “What is wrong with you, girl/guy!”
I could really relate to Cate’s fierce protectiveness regarding her teens, and if you’re a mom, you probably will too. All of the characters will get to you in one way or another. They’re so layered and they hide their layers well. Therefore, it’s astonishing when they do something so unexpected! It’s undeniably a big part of what makes Invisible Girl such a great thriller.
The setting is incredibly creepy, though if you were on the outside looking in, you probably wouldn’t think so. You’d see an affluent, desirable neighborhood. You wouldn’t see the coldness or disconnect there. It’s the perfect backdrop for Invisible Girl.
Invisible Girl will keep you turning the pages, and you’ll stay up way past your bedtime just to finish it. I read it in a little over a day because, try as I might, I couldn’t stay awake for those last few chapters. You are going to want to add this incredible novel to your TBR piles.
Saffyre is keeping a hefty secret. Wrecked from being dumped by her therapist, she’s taken to spying on him. While it seems unconventional, that spying allows her to see secrets that involve not just him, but the neighbor, Owen as well. Owen is going through a lot, and it’s because of that stress that things are further going awry in his life. We watch this story come together in pieces, told from alternating viewpoints, in this riveting read.
I’m always amazed when people have issues with the way the story is told. It’s because it’s broken up amongst many characters to come together in a complete picture that makes this such a thrilling read. Her characters are vivid and deep, and they are relatably flawed. They’re also keeping secrets. We parse our way through the ones that seem insignificant, to the ones that can be life-changing. A lot is going on in this one, and Jewell tackles some tough situations such as depression and sexual assault. Overall, a thrilling and suspenseful read. Thank you, Atria Books, for sending this along.
Invisible Girl is one of those rare specimens of fiction where you simply cannot skip to the final chapter to find out what happened. You will itch to do that, but going to the end won’t give you many answers. The complexity of this book is hidden in every sentence and every chapter as you press on, page after nail-biting page. You cannot it blink or you will miss another nuance or vital clue which will only make sense later. This book is booby-trapped with twists, secrets, suspicions, misdirection and complication.
Last night, before midnight, I started on 68%, thinking I wouldn’t be able to finish it in one sitting. How wrong was I! I read into the early hours of the morning.
The story is told from the point of view of three main characters, diametrically different from each other, but closely interconnected. Owen is a socially inept, 33-year old virgin who loses his teaching job because of allegations of sexual nature made by his students. Cate Four is a wife of a respected psychotherapist, a mother to two teenage children, a woman given to suspicion and guilt about being suspicious. A troubled teenager with a past that affects her mental health, Syffire Maddox is the psychotherapist’s erstwhile patient who develops unhealthy obsession with the man and starts following him around. At first sight the only thing they have in common is their postal code in Hampstead, London. Soon, it becomes clear that much more binds them together as several themes are being dissected by the author: the deception of appearances, the veneer of respectability, the suffocating effect past trauma has on a person’s life, the restraints of morality the society places on people and what happens when some of us give themselves a respite from sticking to them. and much, much more.
Invisible Girl is a psychological thriller at its best.
This is a wonderful physiological thriller that is really well written with captivating characters. It literally consumed me and I read this book near enough straight through in a day. The storyline was intriguing, addictive and thoroughly enjoyable.
The story is told from three POV’s; Cate Fours, Owen Pick and Saffyre Maddox. The characters are so real and the story believable with so many different perspectives my head was spinning but in a good way.
Honestly, there are so many twists and turns in this story it was hard to keep up. Just when I thought I had it all sussed out in my head and I thought I knew which way this story was going, this very clever author flipped it all around and I was back to square one.
The chapters were short which I loved and the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” definitely comes to mind. There is a lesson to be learnt in this book and one that Lisa Jewel has portrayed exceptional well. This is a definite must-read.
Lisa Jewell’s latest book is the story of misfits in society, the story of desiring acceptance and love, the story of betrayal and lies and deception, and the story of secrets. It is a multi-layered story told from the point of view of three main characters. Cat Fours, the wife of Roan and mother of self-centered Georgia and spoiled Josh, is a woman who knows something is wrong but chooses to ignore it rather than confront. Saffyre Maddox is a teen who was abused as a young child and is still suffering from that physical assault. She sat under the therapy of Roan Fours, but since he didn’t cure here, she has decided to stalk him. The final narrator was the most unreliable but also the most interesting. Owen Pick is a complete misfit, a thirty something who has yet to find his place in the world. Fired from his job as a geography professor, Owen lives with Tessie, a relative who seldom interacts with him. Owen is part of an online group known as the incels, a group of involuntary celibates, something that I had never heard of before and I’m not sure that I want to know more about them now. Dark! Very dark! When Saffyre disappears, Owen is naturally the first suspect and is picked up, questioned and finally charged. Owen continues to declare his innocence, Cat continues to turn the other way and refuse to acknowledge that evil may exist under her roof, and Saffyre is still missing. This is not really what I would call a thriller, but rather a psychological family drama. It was thought-provoking throughout, especially at the end, when I closed the book and continued to reflect on the deceptive appearances that are a central theme. Who is in my life who wears one face and hides the real person inside? I really enjoyed this book, but not with a happy feeling at the end. The book is too dark with multi-faceted themes to leave me with contentment at the end. However, it left me with a lot to ponder. Fans of Lisa Jewell and psychological mysteries will really enjoy this fast-paced book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
I’m just going to say it – Lisa Jewell is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her latest book, Invisible Girl, is a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.
This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. Right away, Jewell drew me in to the lives of her characters. Each one was unique and interesting. Mystery surrounds them all, so it’s never clear until the end who is responsible for Saffyre’s disappearance.
I’ve found that a lot of family dramas/psychological thrillers will be slow to start before they pick up the pace. That is never the case for Invisible Girl. With so many well-placed hints and red herrings, Jewell keeps her readers on the edge.
With its fast pace and interesting characters, I definitely recommend Invisible Girl.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the review copy.
Four out of five stars.
This was a twisted little story. It seemed a little slow to start but got much better half way through. I enjoyed the story! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
Invisible Girl nailed that uneasy, what’s gonna happen next feeling. There were a handful of characters (mostly neighbors and a couple extra), and we got to see the story from each perspective. You have the suburban mom, who has a tense relationship with her husband. Her teen son and teen daughter, who thinks the neighbor guy is creepy. The husband who works late and is a child psychologist. An old patient of his. Oh and the “creepy” neighbor who is having trouble at work. They all see pieces of a bigger puzzle and from a different angle, making the story unfold in a way that makes it hard to put down. I kept wanting to see what happened next!
The flow of this was great. It’s the second book I’ve read by this author and I loved them both. I like the way it all ended, and the character development made me invested in each of them and how they would turn out.
This was a really good psychological thriller that kept me reading! Saffyre Maddox goes missing and all the neighborhood men are suspects. Owen Pick is an odd man. He seems like the perfect suspect doesn’t he? The book does have a lot of characters and at first it is hard to keep everyone straight. This was a great thriller and keeps you guessing the entire time. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.