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103rd out of 206 books
—
51 voters
Invisible (Ivy Malone Mysteries #1)
by
Lorena McCourtney (Goodreads Author)
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...more
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...more
Kindle Edition, 322 pages
Published
August 1st 2004
by Revell
(first published 2004)
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This is a book that is about a LOL (little old lady) who uses LOL disguises to investigate a murder. Who would ever suspect an old lady? I think that it was a great book considering that I got it for free off of the kindle store.
I enjoyed this mystery book. It was a fun read and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. Not that I'm old(yet) but I could totally relate to some things in this book and not all of them were age related(I am only in my 40's). I don't remember if the book every said Ivy's age, but I think she was either in her 60's or 70's....either way, she was a spry LOL(little old lady) and alot gutsier than I am now! It's definitely Christian themed, so if you don't like that, then you won't like...more
1 like · like · see review
This is a new favorite author! I will be reading the entire series and she is a Christian author which makes me feel good about recommending her books. Ivy Malone is a great character and a complete crack up! I laughed out loud on numerous occasions. One of many of the funny lines is when she goes to visit a man in the hospital who is under guard and has to get patted down, "Me, I got patted down! I felt rather flattered that he thought I could have an AK-47 concealed in my pants leg or a bomb s...more
It's a "who dunnit" ... with a Christian twist.
I haven't figured out the ending yet, so I guess it's pretty good. If it keeps me guessing, then the author has done a good job so far. :-)
I haven't figured out the ending yet, so I guess it's pretty good. If it keeps me guessing, then the author has done a good job so far. :-)
With the creation of her super-sleuth Ivy Malone, McCourtney brings new meaning to the acronym LOL. After the death of her best friend, Ivy (aka the Little Old Lady) feels at loose ends. Without her best friend to laugh at life with, Ivy begins to feel ignored and, well, invisible. Then she gets the brilliant idea to use her newfound invisiblity to investigate vandalism at the local cemetery. Only when her neighbor turns up murdered, the stakes are raised for Ivy's investigations...
I'm kind of...more
I'm kind of...more
This story had an interesting concept in that the amateur sleuth is an older woman. Ivy looses her best friend which in my opinion did not help the story. I found that as soon as Thea dies, there is very limited involvement with the other characters.
I enjoyed all the characters for the brief time Ivy was involved with them, but then she ends up doing so much by herself that there isn’t much conversation. I think I’ve figured out why in other cozy mysteries they sleuth ends up having a buddy and...more
I enjoyed all the characters for the brief time Ivy was involved with them, but then she ends up doing so much by herself that there isn’t much conversation. I think I’ve figured out why in other cozy mysteries they sleuth ends up having a buddy and...more
Ivy Malone is a very lovable character. She never did anything which made me think "why would she do that? What a stupid thing to do!" like many characters tend to do in mystery novels, although I certainly (humorously) agreed with her personal reflections that she's just made a terrible decision.
The mystery of the novel was not too convoluted that it did not make sense nor was the solution immediately noticeable to everyone but the characters in the book. All of the characters in the book, not...more
The mystery of the novel was not too convoluted that it did not make sense nor was the solution immediately noticeable to everyone but the characters in the book. All of the characters in the book, not...more
"Invisible" is about an older widow (in early 70s probably) who discovers she can become invisible. She uses this ability to help discover who is vandalizing an old cemetery and in so doing becomes involved in a much larger mystery.
I quite enjoyed this book, it was entertaining and fun and I even laughed out loud in a couple spots. The mystery itself wasn't terribly hard to figure out for those of us used to reading novels like this, but it was enjoyable to follow along as the main character Iri...more
I quite enjoyed this book, it was entertaining and fun and I even laughed out loud in a couple spots. The mystery itself wasn't terribly hard to figure out for those of us used to reading novels like this, but it was enjoyable to follow along as the main character Iri...more
Feb 22, 2012
Wealhtheow
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Wealhtheow by:
free on Kindle
Ivy Malone's husband and son are dead, and she herself is in her twilight years, but she's got irrepresible spunk. She spends her days chatting with friends and going to church. It's a low-key, quiet life. But when her mysterious neighbor disappears, Ivy investigates, and turns up murders, conspiracy, and a lot more excitement than she'd planned for.
It's not bad. The mystery itself is pretty obvious: no red herrings or kindly faced villains here. The style is similar to Charlaine Harris's, where...more
It's not bad. The mystery itself is pretty obvious: no red herrings or kindly faced villains here. The style is similar to Charlaine Harris's, where...more
Dec 31, 2011
Norma Budden
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who like detective stories
I picked up this book and didn't want to put it down. Because sleep beckoned, I had no choice - but I picked it up and finished it the following day. I really fell in love with Ivy Malone and her spunk, not to mention courage. After all, who would sit up alone in a graveyard all night - let alone get up and do jumping jacks trying to stay awake? To be honest, she reminds me of the person I would likely be if I didn't have kids depending on me because, like Ivy, I have a mutant curiosity gene for...more
2.5/5
By far the strength of Invisible is its protagonist: Ivy is smart, incisive, and hilariously self-deprecating. McCourtney does a fine job of depicting the assumptions made about senior citizens and the way that they are treated as a result, and Ivy really does come to life as a character. The standard cozy mystery elements regarding friendships with police officers, potential love interests, and the kooky best friend are all evident here, but with a protagonist of Ivy’s age, they come with...more
By far the strength of Invisible is its protagonist: Ivy is smart, incisive, and hilariously self-deprecating. McCourtney does a fine job of depicting the assumptions made about senior citizens and the way that they are treated as a result, and Ivy really does come to life as a character. The standard cozy mystery elements regarding friendships with police officers, potential love interests, and the kooky best friend are all evident here, but with a protagonist of Ivy’s age, they come with...more
1 like · like · see review
When I read a book jacket I get an idea stuck in my head on what a book will be about and I decide if it will appeal to me or not. Yes, it is a form of judging a book by its cover and yes, I do plead guilty to that. When I read the basic description of Invisible by Lorena McCourtney, I got into my mind that she was literally “invisible”. I was thinking along the lines of the Bailey Ruth Series by Carolyn Hart. A series that I enjoyed but unfortunately, that is not the kind of invisible that Ivy...more
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Series: 1st book in the Ivy Malone series
Series Order:
1. Invisible (2004)
2. In Plain Sight (2005)
3. On The Run (2006)
4. Stranded (2006)
First Line: "The sign arched over the gravel driveway proclaimed Country Peace in rusty wrought iron."
Synopsis: Ivy Malone isn't your typical mystery solver. She's a retired librarian enjoying a quiet life although with her curiosity and spunk she finds herself in the middle of trouble. She has learned that as a LOL (Little Old Lady...more
Series: 1st book in the Ivy Malone series
Series Order:
1. Invisible (2004)
2. In Plain Sight (2005)
3. On The Run (2006)
4. Stranded (2006)
First Line: "The sign arched over the gravel driveway proclaimed Country Peace in rusty wrought iron."
Synopsis: Ivy Malone isn't your typical mystery solver. She's a retired librarian enjoying a quiet life although with her curiosity and spunk she finds herself in the middle of trouble. She has learned that as a LOL (Little Old Lady...more
2 likes · like · see review
I really liked the premise of the book's title. Having reached the age where I sometimes catch a glimpse of myself and wonder "who is that old woman and why is she wearing my clothes", I was grateful for having the syndrome identified. Invisible. That's what it is. Invisible.
The book started out on a good note, but stretched reality a bit for the sake of a story. I understand that it is fiction and writers do this all the time, it just seems that Ms. McCourtney lacks some of the skill to carry i...more
The book started out on a good note, but stretched reality a bit for the sake of a story. I understand that it is fiction and writers do this all the time, it just seems that Ms. McCourtney lacks some of the skill to carry i...more
What's better than a free Kindle book? A free Kindle book that allows me to check Missouri off the list on the Read the USA Challenge. Ivy Malone is a little old lady whose best friend has just died and she is feeling rather adrift. Then Ivy suddenly realizes that all old women become increasingly invisible as they age. I've heard women say this for years and as I ramble toward my invisible years, I was interested in how Ivy would handle this. She decided that her newly discovered anonymity was...more
I downloaded this for free while sitting in the doctor's office. There are books that transcend their story and make the experience of one (say, a elderly christian woman feeling "invisible") applicable to any reader. Ahem. THIS IS NOT THAT BOOK. Forgive my bluntness, but, for instance, having your protagonist say, "I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was ten years old, and the Lord has been my guide, companion, and comforter ever since," while chatting up the detective helping her out doesn't...more
Dec 19, 2010
Eddie Snipes
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
christian-fiction
When I read Invisible, I wasn’t sure this was the type of book for me. Although I enjoy reading a wide range of genres, a book about a little old lady snooping around and trying to solve a crime didn’t sound overly exciting. But this book pleasantly surprised me.
The premise of the book is a little old lady, happy with her eventless humdrum existence, finds herself looking for answers when a tenant disappears without a trace. In a moment, the world around her no longer appeared as certain as it...more
The premise of the book is a little old lady, happy with her eventless humdrum existence, finds herself looking for answers when a tenant disappears without a trace. In a moment, the world around her no longer appeared as certain as it...more
Loved this book. I was a little confused at reading the book's blurb regarding how Ivy is invisible but once I realised I was away. This book was fascinating and had MANY laugh-out-loud moments in it. I saw a lot of reviewers had talked about all the religious stuff and I was a little put off but thought I'd try it nevertheless and I'm glad I did. Ivy quotes the bible here and there but there was really nothing excessive for non-believers like me at all. So please don't let that put you off.
Some...more
Some...more
Sweet and spunky Ivy Malone can see herself in the mirror, so she knows that she's still physically present, but that doesn't explain why everyone else around her seems to look right through her, as if she's invisible! Bothered at first by this discovery and its implications about the meaning and impact of her life, Ivy soon realizes what a great asset invisibility can be. When vandals begin destroying an old cemetery at the edge of town, Ivy and her best friend, Thea, are determined to stop the...more
Feb 05, 2012
Deb
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2012-books-read,
kindled-ebook
I'm glad I didn't pay for this book. It was a free Kindle read. Widow and senior citizen Ivy Malone has just lost her best friend and confidante, and as she goes about her daily life she discovers that to most of the world she's "invisible." Nobody pays attention to LOL's (little old ladies). She decides to use this to advantage however, as she tries to find out who's responsible for the vandalism at a historic cemetery and investigate the mysterious disappearance of a former neighbor. I rather...more
May 19, 2011
PaulineMRoss
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
genre-mystery,
3-star
I got this free download in a fit of guilt for buying too many books for my Kindle. I love Miss Marple stories, and this is superficially a similar concept - little old lady, mild-mannered and almost ignored by the world at large (hence the 'invisible' of the title), investigating the disappearance of a neighbour and single-handedly solving the crime.
The plot is fairly basic and unimaginative, but the author spins it out nicely into a very readable yarn, stringing the reader along with great ski...more
The plot is fairly basic and unimaginative, but the author spins it out nicely into a very readable yarn, stringing the reader along with great ski...more
This was another Kindle Freebie that I'd read. I read the description of the book and wasn't that interested in taking the time to read it. Then a couple of weeks later I got another 'Kindle Freebie' alert, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did. It was a good little read and all but one part towards the end seemed realistic to me, which is always good. I'm not one for books that are so far fetched all you can do is think 'oh brother' as you're reading the plot.
Some of the reviews that...more
Some of the reviews that...more
Goodreads Description- 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 s...more
I had never read a novel by this author before so when I had the chance to read it for free, along with being intrigued by the title, I said to myself "Why not give it a read?" And I'm glad I did!
More authors, in my opinion, should offer one of their books for free so a reader can get a taste of hopefully something great and therefore BUY more of their other novels!
******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******
Supercharged Golden Ager "Ivy Malone" is an unforgettable main chara...more
More authors, in my opinion, should offer one of their books for free so a reader can get a taste of hopefully something great and therefore BUY more of their other novels!
******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******
Supercharged Golden Ager "Ivy Malone" is an unforgettable main chara...more
I'm not rating this because I've discovered that I don't really like strong Christian based fiction. Let me clarify, where all the bad guys don't go to Church and all the good guys do, don't like that. That's me, not the writer.
However, HOWEVER, the idea behind this is great. McCourtney can write. It's great that her lead is a mature, older woman. Love the invisiblity idea. Inventive.
However, HOWEVER, the idea behind this is great. McCourtney can write. It's great that her lead is a mature, older woman. Love the invisiblity idea. Inventive.
I love this book! It is a sweet, interesting story. I have read reviews complaining about the book's mention of Jesus and Christianity. My response to that is a little Jesus never hurt anyone. This is not a "religious" book, but the main character, Ivy Malone, is a Christian and as such this plays an important role in her life. This book is in no way a sermon and in no way hits you with a Jesus-stick, but does mention in passing the love, forgiveness and comfort that Jesus provides to those who...more
Christian mystery writer, litters the work with biblical references so the reader never forgets Ivy is a Christian, thank the lord. While I find this feature of the work tiresome, (yes I said that) the character of Ivy Malone is a hoot and so is the story. Miss Marple she is not, nor is she Jessica Fletcher. She is a Missourian, a LOL as she says, and a being who copes with widowhood, retirement, limited income, nosy but well meaning neighbors and the invisibility that befalls American women of...more
The only mystery here is how this got published. The story was predictable, formulaic, and lacking in depth or style. At the start of the book, the main character, Ivy Malone, an elderly childless widow loses her best friend. Afraid that she may be at risk of losing her faculties (she starts seeing images in her tomatoes)she throws herself into investigating a young neighbor's murder. The course of the investigation is painfully predictable and clues are divulged in a clunky (hit you over the he...more
This book had a cute premise and a cute protagonist and a fairly interesting
Mystery. However, it dragged a lot and I could never really get that into it. It took me awhile to read. I will agree with other reviewers that it was weird how the first part of the book she went to church and briefly talked about God, but then the second half of the book had a much larger focus on it. I am a Christian and a friend had recommended and told me about the book, so it didn't bother me and I knew it was comi...more
Mystery. However, it dragged a lot and I could never really get that into it. It took me awhile to read. I will agree with other reviewers that it was weird how the first part of the book she went to church and briefly talked about God, but then the second half of the book had a much larger focus on it. I am a Christian and a friend had recommended and told me about the book, so it didn't bother me and I knew it was comi...more
Jul 22, 2011
Mercedes Cordero
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
christian-fiction,
ebook-freebies
I wasn't expecting much, so I was pleasantly surprised to a point.
Ivy is a nice character, the mystery, actually the investigation behind the mystery is rather intriguing and had me guessing for quite a while. However, the mystery's resolution was, sigh, not much. How can I put this without spoiling anything... I was expecting a BIG revelation, I was expecting a great white whale in the end but only got a goldfish... a really big crime, but all I got was an infraction and a misdemeanor. There ar...more
Ivy is a nice character, the mystery, actually the investigation behind the mystery is rather intriguing and had me guessing for quite a while. However, the mystery's resolution was, sigh, not much. How can I put this without spoiling anything... I was expecting a BIG revelation, I was expecting a great white whale in the end but only got a goldfish... a really big crime, but all I got was an infraction and a misdemeanor. There ar...more
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“I wrapped my hands around the familiar cup and tried to draw strength from it. It was from Thea's old Moss Rose set, remnant of careful scrimping and saving in her first year of marriage. Yet the mellow old cup now brought me no comfort, only a feeling of helplessness, of time slipping away. Sunday-best dishes gone to everyday and now to mismatched pieces. Like Thea and me”
—
2 people liked it
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Jul 08, 2011 02:10pm