The Invisible Ones
by Stef Penney
Putnam Adult
January, 2012
A great mystery with very memorable characters and very good atmospheric writing, I would recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of the exotic mixed with just a bit of suspense. Having just read
Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh (Thomas Dunne Books), I was really into the characters’ background as Romany Gypsies and I thought the two books presented similar pictures of the lifestyle–which makes me think that they’re being accurate.
The main detective–Ray–in Penney’s novel is a wonderfully flawed character, struggling with his obsessions over various women. His big advantage, or his strength as a detective, seems to that he’s obstinate. He keeps with the “case” after the client has been satisfied, after his employee seems to be finished, after everyone else is ready to throw in the towel. Much like he’s unwilling to give up on his marriage even after his wife files for divorce–refusing to sign the papers despite the obvious need to–or his rebound=like interest in a character who seems to be involved elsewhere. He’s not the type to trow in the towel, and at least in the area of finding the missing girl, it ends up paying off.
The other main character to love and to play foil to Ray is JJ, a young gypsy struggling to balance his family and school worlds whose whole life is thrown into question. He’s lovable and sweet, making a good contrast to the older, more complex Ray. His story line brings the gypsy life more into focus, and helps bring across the more positive aspects of the family-focus lifestyle.
My one critique: the surprise at the end was not really all that surprising, I had figured out what it most likely was way further and the build up had a bit of a feel of a let down. It was still a great story, but I would have shifted the focus so it was less on revealing, and more on characters dealing. Penney certainly did handle the dealing, I just would have put most of the readers attention there.
In the end, it was a really good read and I’d recommend it to mystery lovers and family drama lovers alike.
