Invisible

Author: James Patterson, David Ellis
Genre: Police Procedural
433 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Synopsis
Everyone thinks Emmy Dockery is crazy. Obsessed with finding the link between hundreds of unsolved cases, Emmy has taken leave from her job as an FBI researcher. Now all she has are the newspaper clippings that wallpaper her bedroom, and her recurring nightmares of an all-consuming fire.

Not even Emmy’s ex-boyfriend, field agent Harrison “Books” Bookman, will believe her that hundreds of kidnappings, rapes, and murders are all connected. That is, until Emmy finds a piece of evidence he can’t afford to ignore. More murders are reported by the day–and they’re all inexplicable. No motives, no murder weapons, no suspects. Could one person really be responsible for these unthinkable crimes?

My review
Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis is an enjoyable, fast-paced read, even if the storyline feels somewhat familiar at times. I’m a big fan of David Ellis, and unfortunately his signature twisty, inventive storytelling doesn’t shine quite as strongly here within the structure of this novel.

That said, this is still a solid crime thriller. The premise is engaging, the characters are easy to invest in, and the story moves quickly. Compared to some truly standout police procedurals and crime fiction novels, though, this one lands more comfortably in the middle of the pack for me.

I know there’s a sequel in the series, and I’ll likely pick it up at some point when I’m in the mood for an entertaining, easy-to-read thriller that doesn’t demand too much mental investment on my part.

My recommendation: just an average read.