The Invisible Woman by James P Blaylock
I would like to thank PS Publishing for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
Publisher - PS publishing
Published - Out Now
Price - £14.99 paperback
The bright spring weather in Old Orange is deceptive, with dark undercurrents shifting beneath the surface of the busy lives of Jane and Jerry Larkin. Jerry is restoring an old boarding house, exposing its dark history, and Jane's busy Co-op is victimized by malicious mischief that grows more mailicious by the day. Their troubles roil together, sinister forces rising from the cheerful, root-cracked sidewalks of Old Orange, engulfing them in mystery and murder and the threatened collapse of long-held dreams.
Nb this story follows on from a previous novel Pennies From Heaven - it will fill you in on details but you can read this standalone
Crime we tend to think of as something happening in the dark, grimy cities and rain covered streets. But sometimes even a sweet English village can be prone to murder as Agatha Christie found many times. Even a warm welcoming small town has a darker side where people’s desire push them to extremes. In James P Blaylock’s entertaining mystery novel The Invisible Woman a middle aged couple find themselves thrown into murky business in a delightful southern Californian town.
Old Orange is in the up a beautiful small district of various buildings from many eras, a place that still has drugstores and now a Co-operative group trying to ensure the area doesn’t go the way of big business and the usual urban sprawl. A big part of that are Jerry and Jane a middle aged couple who a few years ago started working to improve things for the community. But strange things are once again happening. Mysterious people arrive while Jerry renovates, the Co-op’s bookmobile is stolen with its librarian inside and there is a sense that the couple are being watched and played with.
This is a relaxing read with a fine central mystery running through it. Very character focused as we meet both the decent Jerry and Jane and the less than decent people trying to unsettle their lives. Jerry and Jane are more kindhearted middle Class focused on resonating buildings and their community and throughout the pair’s banter and affection for each other really come across even as a mystery surrounds them to investigate. They’d just like to get on with making things better not now various political and criminal obstacles are in their way.
On the other side we watch the machinations of seedy lawyer Bob Holloway and his two underlings the brutish Chucky Figgins and the enigmatic Lydia Plaice. They are villains with a very odd dynamic but also trade in banter so even while doing bad things there is some entertainment to be had as each tries to get the upper hand in the other.
There is a juxtaposition of steely underhand business practises against a genteel backdrop of co-operatives, restored pubs and small town life which speaks to the theme of the book. Can decency outwit greedy capitalists who risk even murder?
What also makes the book stand out is the most enigmatic character one of the previous villains of their lives - Lettie Phibbs who was once a historian and librarian turned into their nemesis as she was struck by a need for gold and cash. Presumed dead there are signs she may still be alive and now wants to be a dark guardian angel to atone for her sins. She’s a fantastic weird character who can seem to do anything and makes her unpredictable in very interesting ways and gives the book energy whenever she appears or gets mentioned.
The Invisible Woman is a crime novel not too evil thanks to its setting and mild humour but the mix of light and dark means it’s not too cosy either. A lot of fun was had so great for Springtime read.
