The Invisible Spy

The Forgotten Five #2

by Lisa McMann

X-Men meets Spy Kids in the thrilling second installment in The Forgotten Five fantasy/adventure series that began with the instant New York Times bestseller Map of Flames.

The forgotten five have made it to Estero to search for their missing supernatural criminal parents. With the help of their new allies, Lada and The Librarian, they’ve managed to find Birdie and Brix’s mother, Elena, and free her from captivity in the presidential palace. Now the president’s henchmen are searching everywhere for the children who broke out Elena, driving the group into hiding in the ancient underground tunnels beneath the city.

Meanwhile, President Fuerte is making headlines for his nighttime flights to other countries accompanied by an invisible man. But why would the president who outlawed supernaturals be working with the people he supposedly hates? And could it be that some of the five’s own parents are helping him?

The fantasy adventure that began with the New York Times and Indie bestseller Map of Flames continues as the five join the fight against the oppression of supernaturals in Estero, face off against an unexpected enemy, and undertake a new mission that will put all of their abilities—and their loyalties—to the test.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Family, Science Fiction

Audible Audio

First published November 8, 2022

About the author

Lisa McMann lives and writes in the Phoenix area. Her newest middle grade fantasy series is called The Forgotten Five. Book one, Map of Flames, was an instant NYT bestseller. It's about five supernatural kids, raised in a deserted hideout, who enter civilization for the first time to search for a hidden stash left behind by their missing, criminal parents.

Book two, The Invisible Spy, is on sale now! Book three, Rebel Undercover, is coming summer 2023, and book 4 will be out in spring of 2024.

Also out now: CLARICE THE BRAVE. It's a story of hope against all odds, about sibling mice who get separated in a mutiny and vow to find one another again.

Lisa's other books include the NYT bestselling THE UNWANTEDS and UNWANTEDS QUESTS series, the GOING WILD trilogy, the YA paranormal WAKE trilogy, the VISIONS trilogy, CRYER'S CROSS, DEAD TO YOU, and INFINITY RING: The Trap Door.

See what's new and where Lisa will be at her
LinkTree.
You can find more info at Lisa'a website, lisamcmann.com, interact with her on Facebook or Twitter, or ask questions on her Instagram.

Reviews

[✞ Charlotte ✞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!! just as good as the first one, if not better :). it was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, but I'm glad of it; for it has another book after it that I cannot wait to read!!! very well written overall and I would definitely recommend for readers ages 9-13ish. would read again <3

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of slow and draggy.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding sequel to the opener of The Forgotten Five! Birdie, Brix, Seven, Tenner, and Cabot were successful in freeing Birdie and Brix’s mom from President Fuerte’s prison and, along way, have aligned themselves with fellow supernaturals The Librarian and Lada. Together, the eight of them are focused on unseating the bigoted president and securing a future of freedom to others with uncanny abilities. With The Librarian’s contacts all over the city and using each child’s unique skills, plans are made and some even work! But along with the successful gains in intelligence are discoveries that will change the status quo significantly and when the last page is turned, will leave readers on a cliff, clamoring for the next installment to Lisa McMann’s excellent fantasy series for readers 5th-8th grade. With the lack of profanity, sexual content and no extreme or bloody violence, gifted 4th grade readers will also enjoy The Forgotten Five.

Thanks for sharing a print arc with Twitter based arc-sharing group, Book Allies, and for acknowledging us in the author’s notes at the end!

[Kendra Argeropoulos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great book, would have been five stars but didn’t like how Cabot left in the end

[Suzanne Maley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s really nice to have a new series by Lisa McMann to look forward to reading. This one ended with a cliffhanger.

[Kiram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did

[Savannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Kinda slow

[Zuri Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best ones I’ve ever read! I really like the way the author developed the characters, and even shared some background info about Lada and The Librarian so that the reader can get to know them better. After saving Elena, Birdie and Brix’s mom, from captivity, the forgotten five and their new allies have all banded together with a common goal: stopping President Fuerte, the corrupt president of Estero City, from ruining the lives of supers. They need to figure out what he’s up to during his nighttime flights to other countries to recruit other supernatural people, and the only one who can do it is Seven Palacio, whose supernatural ability is camouflage. The plan is simple: Seven will sneak onto the plane, plant the listening bug, and get off. Unfortunately, just like any circumstance in which a character is completing a task, something goes wrong. Seven got stuck on the president’s plane, alone, completely vulnerable, and afraid. Luckily, the Forgotten Five and their allies are going to do everything in their power to get him back safe and sound. During a stakeout at the Cordobio Mansion, where Martim (Seven’s dad) lives, they discovered something: Troy, Tenner’s father, is alive the whole time. Out of everyone, Tenner was the most shocked, but Birdie assures him that he doesn’t know they’re in Estero, I gotta say, usually a book is meant to focus on one character, but in this case, it focuses on two: Seven and Cabot. In the previous book, Cabot learned something that flipped her world upside down: her parents are working with Fuerte, and for the past three years. She’s heartbroken, angry, sad, and confused about the whole thing. Her parents were really close with the others, especially Elena and Louis Golden. In the letter which Birdie found among his things, Louis said he moved the stash without telling anyone, and for good reason. He didn’t trust the Cordobas (Tenner’s parents) and the Palacios (Seven’s parents) to share it evenly. If that were the case, then Tenner doesn’t blame him. But that doesn’t explain why he didn’t tell the Stones that he moved the stash. They didn’t seem untrustworthy back then, according to Cabot. She wants to do something, anything to get Seven back. Then, she has an idea. She’ll sneak out and save him from the Cordobio Mansion. She put on her jumpsuit, grabbed some of the Librarian’s noisemakers, took a scooter, and she was on her way. Unfortunately, she also got caught during her rescue operation. She and Seven both got identified by Troy and Martim, who reacted very negatively to his son’s presence, and that was really awful. On the plane, Martim spoke very highly of himself, and thought camouflage is inferior to invisibility, like it’s disgusting. Seven was really hurt to learn that of his own father. He spoke back, and stood his ground against him, and I was so proud he did. Martim received a well-deserved ultimatum he didn’t see coming. During their time at the mansion, Seven and Cabot were speaking with Troy about some things, which everyone else back at the cottage heard. Troy, Martim, Lucy (Tenner’s mom) and Magdalia (Seven’s mom) were on a journey to Estero to try and find the stash. Unfortunately, Lucy died from falling off a cliff, and Magdalia blamed them for the whole mishap. The four of them, being the awful criminals they are, were really close. Magdalia abandoned the plan, and Martim and Troy got caught and arrested by the police. Fuerte went to get them out, but not out of kindness. In exchange for their freedom, Fuerte has them work for him, and wear tracking devices to keep them from escaping. Later, while Seven and Cabot were investigating the mansion, Fuerte sent two people to get them out: Jack and Greta Stone, Cabot’s parents. The reunion was just so tearful and heartwarming, but not for long. Cabot is furious at them both, and doesn’t understand why they would team up with Fuerte. The story ends with Cabot leaving with her parents, leaving the group feeling empty and blue. Seven got home safe and sound, and he shared the things he learned during his mission. He did an excellent job, but the team won’t be the same without Cabot. The Librarian really misses her number one campanion. While he was on the plane, Seven discovered Fuerte’s secret: he’s a super!!! He has telekinesis, and Seven recorded him using it on his phone. It’s official, the forgotten five and their allies are going to leak the video to the press and expose Fuerte as a super. That will make his popularity ratings hit rock bottom, it’s genius. On the next day, it’s all over the news, in addition to something else: Magdalia Palacio announced her presidential candidacy for the election. And it’s on the same day that the statute of limitations on her crimes, and the crimes of the other parents, has expired. The End. This story ended a bit sad, but with a sparkle of hope. Cabot’s departure was very unexpected, but maybe she needs to make up lost time with her parents…even though they’re allied with Fuerte.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The children are the main characters and they possess various super abilities. One boy’s skin shimmers and makes him appear invisible to others and a girl can communicate with animals. Another girl moves about in a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy but she’s able to transport herself short distances away. She can also use crutches to walk short distances and has secret compartments within them to hold gadgets and tools she might need. Unlike some other middle-grade novels, the kids’ powers don’t give them any advantages when it comes to fighting so learning stealth and surveillance are more useful skills.
The kids’ lives are complicated because their parents are master criminals with powers of their own. The parents were a gang of thieves that carried out major heists although the first book reveals there was dissension within their ranks. The kids aren’t sure what to think of having parental criminals and they feel some guilt for the damage their parents have done. A couple of the kids discover their parents are still alive but they’re not sure if they should feel joy, anger, or disgust. One father reappears with his powerful x-ray vision so the kids know they must now be extra careful and vigilant as they move about the city. The reconnection with parents answers some ongoing questions but then creates more complications for the future.
The plot is presented like an adventure mystery as the kids try to figure out what the president is up to. In the previous book, he convinced everyone that supers are bad and that they should be arrested or exiled from the country. However, the president is secretly using supers, including some parents, to commit crimes in other countries. The kids are surprised when the president announces a more welcoming attitude toward supers so they’re not sure what it all means. The kids go into hiding but realize they must make dangerous choices to investigate the president’s plans. Infiltrating the enemy’s hideout builds tension into the plot and unexpected incidents amp the anxiety level even higher.
What didn’t work as well:
There are many different characters but none of them stand out as the main characters. Main characters can center readers’ attention in the plot and give a focus to the story as new events pop up. The lack of a small group of main characters makes it more difficult to connect with them thus eliminating emotional attachments to the story. Some moments will evoke feelings but it’s more effective to develop bonds with main characters.
The final verdict:
Readers should expect to continue reading future books as the story leaves unanswered questions and unresolved problems. The kids’ super abilities give them advantages over other humans but they’re still presented as underdogs in the series. I suggest you read the first book before this one as it doesn’t provide clear information about prior happenings. Overall, this book continues the “super” story and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This suffered from the same problems as the first in the series. It starts so incredibly slowly, it is outrageously full of plot holes and seemingly nonsensical moments it is laughable.

However, it is for kids, and should be given some grace because of it.

The first 100 pages are a complete bore. We seem to go back to the beach and take forever to go nowhere. She starts having the kids read . . . Spy Books? So they can become . . . spies? They train with pushups and pullups . . .

The whole idea of the story, the charm, is the fish-out-of-water nature the kids bring. They solve their problems with their gifts and with each other. Here, the Librarian just does everything, and we spend far too long worried about how the kids don't understand how the world works.

The world doesn't really hold together. Is Estero a city-state of some kind? Like it's own sovereign nation where a quick plane trip brings us to a completely different city and nation? Is the president really able to be at an active crime scene, commit a crime, and somehow get away with it? Honestly, the US president can't fall off his bike without it being national news, the last guy couldn't misspell some stupid word on Twitter without it being on the news cycle for a month. This president gets on a plane in the middle of the night with either a bunch of known criminals (or a bunch of undocumented people), and then stands outside the museum while they rob it . . .

He then, actively knowing that being exposed as a super will bring his entire rule down around his head, uses his power instead of standing up to walk a foot and a half.

This is the dumbest criminal mastermind I've ever seen.

I think at one point it's said Fuerte's army includes like twenty people. Twenty people, the most powerful of which can . . . turn invisible and has X-Ray vision. We never even see the shapeshifter again, and honestly, that would be a pretty useful ability.

Forget tying up prisoners. They allow them to stay in their house, where they sleep, while they are asleep. Again, this has to be the dumbest set of bad guys I've ever seen.

Sadly, our characters really don't do much here. Once Seven is finally taken hostage, the story picks up a little bit, but not enough to warrant this length of book with so little honestly going on.

I was mostly bored by it, and didn't see a purpose in it.

Still, it's for kids, it still wasn't woke, and it was mindless enough. I guess it would catch a few kid's fancy. It just honestly makes no sense and is laughable

[Codyaxl · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read this book, I had a few thoughts running through my head: How is this possible? I am actually loving this book! After reading the first book, I didn't think the second would be fabulous. But the second one BLEW ME AWAY!!!
*SPOILER ALERT!*
After successfully getting Birdie's mother back from the evil hands of President Futre, the whole team of children (the forgotten five, Lada, Elena [Birdie and Brix's mom]and The Librarian) were feeling extremely satisfied. One day, when the team were hiding in a hotel, they found that the palace guards had found out their location an were hot on their tails.
They quickly abandoned the hotel and fled to the secret underground hideout that Luis (Birdie and Brix's dad / Elena's husband) had drawn on the map.
Using their own unique powers, the team managed to sneak away from the guards and met up at the park. With the map, they managed to locate the hideout and build a camp in one of the tunnels. Every day, The Librarian would go out and buy the children clothes and essentials like phones and high-tech gear for their next mission.
One day, they found out that when President Futre was going overseas to 'build better relationships with foreign countries', they saw that there was a sighting of an "Invisible Man" with him on his daily trips. That could only mean one person, Seven's dad...

Read the book to find out what happens next!


(thanks for reading!)


P.S. I only rated this book 4 stars because
*SPOILER ALERT* : Cabot left in the end

[emrel woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all Lisa books, I somehow end up yelling “NOOOOOOOO!!!” and slamming the book down in empathetic frustration. Which is a good thing lol.
This one was really good! I like how we got to see more of the adults playing a role. As an adult who reads, it’s nice to see adults in the adventures too, like Elena and The Librarian. Essentially characters older readers can relate to more. There really isn’t much to complain about other than THE ENDING! All I have to say without spoilers is… Cabot made the wrong decision at the end lol. But hey, she’s a kid so it’s fine. I also enjoyed Troy and Martim. They are HORRIBLE at their job, but I somehow like how horrible they are at it. Martim thinks he’s the coolest guy around and he’s too self focused to even suspect anything. Troy is just a big dumb dumb with a questionable soft heart? I liked their dynamic a lot. Two bros just living in a mansion, their rooms 6 feet apart cause they’re not gay lol. Without Cabot’s parents those two would have been screwed a long time ago, let’s be completely honest here.
I really want the third book now. I want to see what happens with Cabot and the super spy team. I want to see the parents fail. I’m rooting for these characters.
An amazing middle grade spy series. Seriously, as a bookseller, I’m trying to get these books in as many kids hands as possible.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdie, Brix, Seven, Cabot, and Tenner are hiding from President Fuertes' men with the Librarian, Elena, and Lada. They are continuing to look for the other parent beyond Elena, while also trying to help the Librarian figure out why the President who outlawed supers is now recruiting them. Can they use their abilities to spy on the President and figure out what he's up to? And maybe find the missing treasure too?

This book provides some interesting twists in what the kids thought was going on. They also do figure out where some of their other parents are and what they are doing, but the why of what they are doing is harder to figure out. The action is kept high and the mysteries keep the pages turning. Hand this to readers who like spy stories and characters with super powers.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are some run ins with unkind people and potential for danger but no one is physically hurt. One of the kids has a negative and emotionally hurtful interaction with a parent.

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up for book 2 in this super fun action packed series.

Warning! It is best to have book 1, Map of Flames recently read and or fresh in your memory. Book 2 takes off right where 1 finishes. That means the action takes off right from the beginning.

I obviously loved the awesome badass librarian; she gives librarians a good look.

I loved this quote about the library, and it is pretty accurate.

"One can meet a lot of interesting people when at the library."

[Raegan Rominski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible!!!! The story was truly amazing and can’t wait for book 3. The author had you really connect to the characters. I was literally feeling the emotions that the characters were experiencing. The plot alone was great too! I was at the edge of my seat the entire time! The only thing I’m upset about is that I have to wait for the next book to be released! Five out of five stars!!!!!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars but I'm not part of the intended audience of middle school readers and I think this is a great series for a young reader. There may be some plot holes and the kids make some bad choices, but they're kids, and they're likable characters. And I'm still very curious about how this series wraps up!

Thank you to Goodreads/the publisher/the author for providing me a free copy through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Li Via · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing
It's even better than the first book because the first is presenting the caracters and the second book have more action.
I love the forgetten five series and I'm recommeding for everyone who loves children with super powers, mysterys, a book that each caracter has a with a different personality and has a super smart history.

[Brynlie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book The Forgotten Five was a page-turning book filled with adventure!! When the the forgotten five are in the city they are pretty much alone so they have to take care of everything on their own and they are only 13 years old!! Imagine dealing with almost everything you need at the age of 13!!!

[Ian Hrabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun series that gets brownie points from me because one of the characters is a badass librarian spy with superpowers. There are some surprisingly complex emotions this book subjects it’s young characters to, particularly when it comes to their parents, that I really liked.

[Haillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the sequel more than the first book. While this one did start out a little slow it picked up really quick and had me on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for seven the entire time. Loved his character development in this.

[Cecily Rehner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good but I didn't like it as much as the first one. There is a lot of twists that make you very suprised. I thought that the book went a little of topic. I hope the y come out with another one.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is not to like about a series about kids with superpowers who are tyring to figure out if the parents who left them are good or bad? Plus, a librarian, only know as "The Librarian" who has superpowers who helps them.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, and when I saw it on the library shelves, I was so excited and I already couldn’t wait to read The Forgotten Five: The Invisible Spy. But now, I can’t wait to read the third book in the series and I know that I’ll be agonizing over the book until it comes out.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook via Libby. Thank you Herrick!

Loved book #2 as much as book 1. This series is a fabulous read. Highly recommend to everyone! Especially interesting middle school read that holds your attention the whole book.

[Gingy L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the first, but still boring in some parts. I didn’t expect myself to get through this quickly because I don’t have time to read much anymore, but it was fairly easy to get through in most parts. I’m excited to read the third in the series!

[Tim Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better paced and a better story all around then the first one. Good developments that have me excited for the next chapter.

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who is the librarian?

[Stephanie Cragun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sequel!. The Forgotten Five: Rebel Undercover come out in June 2023 I think.

[khashya♛ · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as the first one :|

I LOVE U LISA, THO

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ and rounding up