Invisible Girl

I have become a great fan of Lisa Jewell's novels, most especially: Watching You and Then She was Gone, though I don't begrudge a minute of any of the seven that I have read. Invisible Girl lacks something of the sharp cutting edge of the writer at her very best but is still a compulsive read. Ms Jewell's forte is creating tension out of familiar domestic scenes. She excels at the cracks beneath the outwardly calm surface of relationships. Here, I feel there is not quite the depth, nor the subtlety that she provides at her best. Owen is a potentially interesting individual but somehow for me the threads are not drawn together as effectively, so that at times I felt I was almost reading two separate novels. Nonetheless, I was held throughout and perhaps I am being a trifle harsh on a writer who has come to lead us to the highest expectations.

I had read several of Jewell’s books and have thought they were ok. Just ok, but nothing special. One (the family upstairs) was probably the best out of a bad bunch(which is saying a lot). Her books are generally easy to read linguistically, not taxing and can be devoured easily. This book was boring. I amsorry but it was. There are no other words for it. It was not gripping, it did not twist, it was not unexpected it was plain boring. I always have to finish a book but I wish I hadn’t. It was predictable, nothing ground breaking and I am disappointed that I have read another book which is basically another books regurgitated. Come on Jewell this is unacceptable! I skim read a lot of it because frankly it was full of waffle, so I finished it in a day. I was expectant that there would be something dark, hopeful but it was a waste of paper that the words were written on. There is no plot, it isn’t developed quick enough. A girl goes missing but is hiding. A poor man has been accused just because he’s ‘odd’. A father cheated on his wife (again) and has some weird fetish. That’s it! Why was the father as a character not explored in more detail?!! Normally I pass on books to friends but this is one going straight to the charity shop. Please do not waste your money on this rubbish. I highly recommend, The Whispering Man, The Silent Patient or No one Home. These are far, far better and not from an author or who spits out any old nonsense. I will not be reading anymore Jewell books; it’s a waste of money and time. If I could give half a star I would!

I’ve read every single one of Lisa Jewell’s novels the minute they are published. This novel comes from a writer who is at the very top of her game. A magnificent book, it should be used in writing classes as an example of how to plot, and how to develop character.I had to force myself to slow down and really savour this. The story, based around a sad, lonely and possibly quite creepy guy called Owen, grows with a slow, steady pace as tense as a stretched wire.I found myself walking around worrying about Owen with his crooked haircut and unfortunate expression. Jewell touches on motherhood, incels, abuse, and fear but the tone is never preachy. Jewell has an absolute gift for making her characters spring off the page at you.All of her books have this. She is so clever you feel a connection with some characters even though you are getting quite worried they might be evil. This is what enables her to explore complicated issues in a thoughtful way as she so humanises her characters. Every one of her novels has this lovely sympathy for her characters, despite their flaws. Jewell always find their humanity so your response to them is always multi-layered.If you haven’t read Lisa Jewell I STRONGLY suggest you start now. This is SUCH a good book it hurt to read it, wrenched as I was with envy at her talent. But, like watching an athlete at the height of their powers there is something joyful about putting yourself in the hands of a master craftswoman like Jewell. She really does seem to just get better and better. Can’t wait for the next one.

I'm a huge fan of Lisa Jewell, but sadly didn't enjoy this one, I found it slow in places and once I put it down was in no rush to pick it back up. The whole storyline bored me and I struggled to finish it.

Lisa Jewell is one of my "instant buy" authors and as per usual, she did not disappoint!Cate and her family have moved to a new area whilst their house is being repaired, but their dreams of this fancy upmarket area are scarpered early on when Cate's daughter - Georgia, is followed home. They are all spooked.A number of sexual assaults have happened close by and now everyone is wondering... was it the guy that followed Georgia, did she have a lucky escape?Her father; Roan, is a child psychologist who has listened to some unthinkable things in his sessions with his patients, but yet has never managed to unlock the true reason why Saffyre has been attending appointments with him for a few years. When he decides to stop the sessions, Saffyre is unhappy, she took a lot of comfort from her time with him.Unable to let go, Saffyre begins to follow Roan outside of his work and begins to uncover not only Roan's secrets but also that of others...Saffyre is the key to figuring out the perpetrator of the assaults but then suddenly she vanishes.The police think they know what happened but do they really...Jewell masterfully uses a varying timeline to piece together the moments leading up to Saffyre's disappearance, and as the story begins to reveal its secrets, it becomes apparent this interconnected complex plot is going to keep me guessing and gasping throughout!The characters within this story all offer the reader something different to focus on and ponder, but one thing I thought they all brought to the table were the concepts of perception and deception.I felt that Jewell was testing the reader to not judge a character off what we first see of them from early chapters or from the viewpoint of another character, and to also remember that judging someone goes both ways... yes, we usually judge negatively but also sometimes we believe a bad person to be good, when in fact they are hiding their true selves. So throughout the book, I asked myself if I was perceiving any of the characters in the wrong way, and if any of them were deceiving me. My views changed throughout!Great pace, great characters and a great plot. 100% recommend!