Invisible (Ivy Malone Mystery Series #1) [Paperback]

Lorena McCourtney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004

She's not your average crime fighter! Ivy Malone has a curiosity that sometimes gets her into trouble, and it's only aggravated by her discovery that she can easily escape the public eye. So when vandals romp through the local cemetery, she takes advantage of her newfound anonymity and its unforeseen advantages as she launches her own unofficial investigation. Despite her oddball humor and unconventional snooping, Ivy soon becomes discouraged by her failure to turn up any solid clues. And after Ivy witnesses something ominous and unexplained, she can't resist putting her investigative powers to work again. Even the authorities' attempts to keep Ivy out of danger and her nosy neighbor's match-making schemes can't slow her down. But will the determination that fuels this persistent, quirky sleuth threaten her very safety? "I laughed out loud. McCourtney's charming mystery debuts a voice both enchanting and startling."-Colleen Coble, author of Without a Trace "McCourtney's skill at blending whimsy, quirks, and questions into a lead character makes Invisible a must read."-Lois Richer, author of Dangerous Sanctuary "Invisible is a treat! Ivy Malone is a heroine with spunk and determination!"-Carol Cox, author of A Stitch in Time

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

She's not your average crime fighter! Meet Ivy Malone, an inconspicuous older woman who has a mutant curiosity gene that often lands her in trouble. Unlike most women her age, she snoops and pries her gray-haired self into one hilarious escapade after another. So when vandals romp through the local cemetery, Ivy can't help but put her snooping eyes to work as she launches her own unofficial investigation. Despite her unconventional sleuthing, Ivy soon becomes discouraged by her failure to turn up any solid clues. And after Ivy witnesses something ominous and unexplained, she can't resist putting her investigative powers to work again. Even the authorities' attempts to keep her out of danger and her nosy neighbor's match-making schemes can't slow Ivy down. But will the determination that fuels this persistent, spunky sleuth threaten her very safety? "I laughed out loud. McCourtney's charming mystery debuts a voice both enchanting and startling."-Colleen Coble, author of Without a Trace "McCourtney's skill at blending whimsy, quirks, and questions into a lead character makes Invisible a must read."-Lois Richer, author of Dangerous Sanctuary "Invisible is a treat! Ivy Malone is a heroine with spunk and determination!"-Carol Cox, author of A Stitch in Time

About the Author

Lorena McCourtney is the award-winning author of Whirlpool, Riptide, and Undertow (the Julesburg Mysteries) and dozens of other novels, including Searching for Stardust and By Invitation Only. Her best-selling work has drawn acclaim from both the Romance Writers of America and the American Library Association's Booklist. She resides in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Fleming H. Revell; Reprinted edition (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800759532
• ISBN-13: 978-0800759537
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (341 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lorena McCourtney is a long-time resident of Southern Oregon and enjoys using Oregon settings in her books. She wrote numerous short stories for children before moving on to romances and now to mysteries, often with a bit of humor. She won the American Christian Fiction Writer's Mystery "Book of the Year" and twice won the Daphne Du Maurier Award of Excellence.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

298 of 313 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful!, August 25, 2004

By 

Kelli Standish "Editor, FocusonFiction.net" (Corpus Christi, TX, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Invisible (Ivy Malone Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

"I'll just read the first few pages."

Or so I thought as I began Chapter One of INVISIBLE at 11:30 PM on a Tuesday night. But I hadn't figured the heroine-spunky Ivy Malone-or her humor-laced story, into my plans.

Four hours later, I was reading the last lines of the book through gritty, but determined eyes, wishing very much that I could claim Ivy Malone as my grandmother, or at least my next-door neighbor.

To say this book is delightful is hardly sufficient. Written from a first person point of view, which is a different voice from McCourtney's past offerings, INVISIBLE is an absolute triumph. Wit and wisdom, pathos and perseverance, and downright eccentricity flow from Ivy's first vision of Nixon in her tomato patch, to her race with flying bullets, really bad bad guys, and the Hound of the Baskervilles in a grungy auto wrecking yard.

And while the tone of the story is humorous from start to finish, a number of deep questions are also addressed. Questions about the goodness and reality of God in the face of death, loss, and injury. Questions about what's right and what's wrong when justice must be served. Questions about where and how to belong in a world that seems to have forgotten you, or perhaps never noticed you in the first place.

In Ivy Malone, readers will find a combination of wacky humor, endearing stubbornness, and unconventional sincerity. In Ivy's story, readers will slink through torn up gravesites, take a dive inside a murdered woman's closet, and watch the stars with a cute guy named Mac. And that's just the beginning!

INVISIBLE is a wild and highly entertaining ride from the first chapter to the last word.

I can't wait for the release of the sequel, IN PLAIN SIGHT, where I'm sure Ivy, and her big white Thunderbird, will cruise into more mayhem, mischief, and maybe even some good old fashioned romance.

Ivy, you go girl:)

886 of 961 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A light mystery book with a heaping helping of religious sauce, November 10, 2010

By 

ltnorham (california, usa) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Invisible (Ivy Malone Mystery Series #1) (Kindle Edition)

As a secular reader who was just looking for a light-hearted mystery, I found the religious content rather distracting and a bit heavy-handed. The writing is breezy and humorous, but this book is very much geared toward a Christian reader. I find it a bit irritating that the description completely omitted this significant aspect, I suspect to attract a wider audience. My reading time is limited and I don't like feeling misled. Please just be honest in the description, as the book seems like a fun read for its intended audience.

74 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A romping good mystery., May 19, 2005

By 

Jack W. Regan (Grand Rapids, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invisible (Ivy Malone Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

Ivy Malone, a spunky, grey-haired widow, realizes the world is passing her by, leaving her unnoticed and invisible. She, however, has no intention of silently growing old and passing away.

Deciding to put this newfound inconspicuousness to good use, she determines to snare some local vandals, who have been violating the cemetery. Little does she know that there are more forces at work than mere vandalism. Throw in the murder of a neighbor and soon danger is knocking at Ivy's door as well. Will Ivy's snooping land her in trouble too deep for her to handle? Or will the resourceful Ivy Malone be clever and "invisible" enough to not only save herself, but apprehend the bad guys, as well?

There's nothing invisible about McCourtney's irresistible humor, clever story-crafting, or delightful characters. After having read Invisible, one can't help but hope that this new series will be a long one. A romping good mystery.

Craig Hart - CraigHart.net/ChristianLit Magazine