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Paul McGrath #1
Invisible
An Army veteran and intelligence agent goes undercover as a janitor at a federal courthouse to pursue his own brand of justice.
As a young man, Paul McGrath rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a standout Army recruit and the star of his military intelligence unit. But lingering regrets about their relationship make him return home, only to find his father dead, seemingly murdered. When the case ends in a mistrial—after a key piece of evidence disappears—something doesn’t smell right to McGrath. So he puts his arsenal of skills to work to find out just how corrupt the legal system is. And to keep digging, he gets a job at the courthouse. But not as a lawyer or a clerk. . . .
Now McGrath is a janitor. The perfect cover, it gives him security clearance and access to the entire building. No one notices him, but he notices everyone. He notices when witnesses suddenly change their stories. When jury members reverse their votes during deliberation. When armies of corporate attorneys grind down their small-time adversaries with endless tactical shenanigans. While McGrath knows that nothing he discovers can undo his past wrongs or save his father, he finds his new calling brings him something else: the chance to right current wrongs and save others. And by doing so—just maybe—to redeem himself . . . if the powerful and corrupt don’t kill him first.
As a young man, Paul McGrath rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a standout Army recruit and the star of his military intelligence unit. But lingering regrets about their relationship make him return home, only to find his father dead, seemingly murdered. When the case ends in a mistrial—after a key piece of evidence disappears—something doesn’t smell right to McGrath. So he puts his arsenal of skills to work to find out just how corrupt the legal system is. And to keep digging, he gets a job at the courthouse. But not as a lawyer or a clerk. . . .
Now McGrath is a janitor. The perfect cover, it gives him security clearance and access to the entire building. No one notices him, but he notices everyone. He notices when witnesses suddenly change their stories. When jury members reverse their votes during deliberation. When armies of corporate attorneys grind down their small-time adversaries with endless tactical shenanigans. While McGrath knows that nothing he discovers can undo his past wrongs or save his father, he finds his new calling brings him something else: the chance to right current wrongs and save others. And by doing so—just maybe—to redeem himself . . . if the powerful and corrupt don’t kill him first.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2019
311 people are currently reading
3316 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Grant
13 books404 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Andrew Grant (born 1968, Birmingham, England) is the younger brother of bestselling thriller writer Lee Child. After graduating from the University of Sheffield, where he studied Drama and English Literature, Grant founded a theatre company that produced original material, culminating with a critically successful appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Grant remained in Sheffield after graduating from university but now lives with his wife, the novelist Tasha Alexander, on a nature preserve in Wyoming.
Series:
* David Trevellyan
Andrew Grant (born 1968, Birmingham, England) is the younger brother of bestselling thriller writer Lee Child. After graduating from the University of Sheffield, where he studied Drama and English Literature, Grant founded a theatre company that produced original material, culminating with a critically successful appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Grant remained in Sheffield after graduating from university but now lives with his wife, the novelist Tasha Alexander, on a nature preserve in Wyoming.
Series:
* David Trevellyan
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
October 1, 2019
I really loved the first 2/3 rds of this book. The hero is humble and likeable and goes out of his way to right wrongs. His flashbacks to military career are interesting and entertaining. But when this book gets to the last third, the hero disappears for a huge portion and it's just chapter after chapter of bad guys doing terrible things...I get that all the groundwork had to be set for the hero to pop in at the end and sew it all up (and kudos--it was very well done) but reading chapter after chapter of evil guys doing evil stuff was almost a deal breaker for me. Don't most authors try to alternate chapters with either another lighter plot or just what the hero is up to? It was a four and a half star/five star book except for that.
November 16, 2018
This review is my personal opinion and is a result of reading the book INVISIBLE, graciously provided by Ballantine/Random House publishers.
On first blush, INVISIBLE, is not the type of book that would pull me in with curiosity and cause me to read it. However, as a Goodreads Giveaway winner, I look forward to those opportunities when I can go on a “blind date” with a new book and be totally taken in by the story and the author.
Andrew Grant starts this story off by introducing us to Paul, a special forces asset performing his latest assignment overseas. We learn about Paul’s thought processes and personal motivations during this Operation and resulting conclusion. “The only thing constant is change.”
We discover that Paul is well-suited to his military training and laments his inability to make his dad’s life dream come true. When a letter arrives from Paul’s dad, after a two-year journey to find him, Paul immediately takes a trip home hoping for a loving reconciliation.
Once back home in New York, Paul is met with a big challenge which allows him to utilize his unique skills and techniques. Paul and the characters whose paths he intersects with are well written and thought out by Grant. The pacing of the story is sharp and to the point which I appreciate.
“How do you prove you didn’t do a thing if there’s no concrete evidence that someone else did?”
INVISIBLE was a fun fiction read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am very glad that I kept an open mind. 😎
On first blush, INVISIBLE, is not the type of book that would pull me in with curiosity and cause me to read it. However, as a Goodreads Giveaway winner, I look forward to those opportunities when I can go on a “blind date” with a new book and be totally taken in by the story and the author.
Andrew Grant starts this story off by introducing us to Paul, a special forces asset performing his latest assignment overseas. We learn about Paul’s thought processes and personal motivations during this Operation and resulting conclusion. “The only thing constant is change.”
We discover that Paul is well-suited to his military training and laments his inability to make his dad’s life dream come true. When a letter arrives from Paul’s dad, after a two-year journey to find him, Paul immediately takes a trip home hoping for a loving reconciliation.
Once back home in New York, Paul is met with a big challenge which allows him to utilize his unique skills and techniques. Paul and the characters whose paths he intersects with are well written and thought out by Grant. The pacing of the story is sharp and to the point which I appreciate.
“How do you prove you didn’t do a thing if there’s no concrete evidence that someone else did?”
INVISIBLE was a fun fiction read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am very glad that I kept an open mind. 😎
April 17, 2024
Did you know that Lee Child (Jack Reacher books) has a brother who is also an author? Yes, Andrew Grant is the brother of Jim Grant (Lee Child). Who knew?
Well, it was because I had once been a fan of Lee Child’s that I decided to read an Andrew Grant book.
Unfortunately, this book was a struggle for me.
It was entirely unrealistic and the characterizations definitely did not “fit” the characters – any of them.
I liked the beginning, but then, ended up doing what I hate most...skimming through several chapters quite fast, just to get to the end.
I don't know why I bothered, I was a bit disappointed in that too. I really wanted to like it though. Oh well.
Well, it was because I had once been a fan of Lee Child’s that I decided to read an Andrew Grant book.
Unfortunately, this book was a struggle for me.
It was entirely unrealistic and the characterizations definitely did not “fit” the characters – any of them.
I liked the beginning, but then, ended up doing what I hate most...skimming through several chapters quite fast, just to get to the end.
I don't know why I bothered, I was a bit disappointed in that too. I really wanted to like it though. Oh well.
October 22, 2018
This book will doubtless appeal to a wide range of readers, just not to this one. To me this was something like the Hardy Boys combined with Superman. It was clean, shallow and depended on the miraculous. It was the sort of thing that mothers of fifth grade boys would choose for their children to read.
It was entirely unrealistic and the characterizations definitely did not “fit” the characters – any of them. I made it through about 2/3 before calling it quits. I’m giving it 3 stars for a worthy effort.
NetGalley and the publisher made this available to me as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review will be published immediately on GoodReads and on Amazon after the publication date.
It was entirely unrealistic and the characterizations definitely did not “fit” the characters – any of them. I made it through about 2/3 before calling it quits. I’m giving it 3 stars for a worthy effort.
NetGalley and the publisher made this available to me as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review will be published immediately on GoodReads and on Amazon after the publication date.
April 2, 2019
A waste of time. Read something else
July 13, 2020
3.5 Stars
Invisible ended up on my radar after I found out the author would be taking over writing the Jack Reacher series and I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed in what I read.
Military intelligence officer Paul McGrath is good at what he does, but after an op goes wrong, he decides to take time off to reconcile with his father. But when he arrives home, he finds out his father is dead and the man responsible was freed after a key piece of evidence disappeared. McGrath knows something isn’t right with his father’s case and so he uses his skills to go undercover at the courthouse to find out how corrupt the system actually is. With a cover story as a janitor, McGrath has full access to the building and no one notices him while he notices everything. And when he discovers there’s more going on at the courthouse than he realizes, he knows he’s in the perfect position to put a stop to it.
Paul was an interesting character to read about. Raised by a pacifist, he rebelled by joining the military. With years spent in military intelligence, Paul has exceptional observational skills and has the ability to easily blend into his surroundings. These skills are what enable him to seamlessly blend in at the courthouse and I enjoyed watching him methodically carry out his search for the truth in his father’s case. Paul is also highly skilled in hand-to hand combat as well as with dealing with weapons. One thing about Paul that jammed him up a few times was that he has a very specific idea of what is right and wrong to the point he would try to fix the situation sometimes to his own detriment. While I liked that the guy had a clear moral compass, sometimes it got him in situations he could have easily avoided.
The plot of Paul looking into his father’s case actually ends up being a minor plotline in this book as once Paul takes the job as a janitor, he quickly uncovers several bad situations centered at the courthouse. I enjoyed the various plotlines in the book of Paul working to help those the system has failed. My main complaint with the story was that at roughly the two-thirds mark, the book shifts points of view to the bad guys and doesn’t go back to Paul’s point of view until the book is nearly over. While it was interesting to learn the backstory of how the various bad guys were connected, I didn’t love spending so many chapters following them. Once their storyline catches up to the present though it did lead to an action-packed finale with several twists I didn’t see coming. I thought the ending was well done overall and likely would have enjoyed the book a lot more had we not gotten the random section from the bad guys point of view.
Overall Invisible was a solid start to a thriller series and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, Too Close to Home, soon. And now I’m looking forward to seeing what the author does with the Jack Reacher series.
Invisible ended up on my radar after I found out the author would be taking over writing the Jack Reacher series and I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed in what I read.
Military intelligence officer Paul McGrath is good at what he does, but after an op goes wrong, he decides to take time off to reconcile with his father. But when he arrives home, he finds out his father is dead and the man responsible was freed after a key piece of evidence disappeared. McGrath knows something isn’t right with his father’s case and so he uses his skills to go undercover at the courthouse to find out how corrupt the system actually is. With a cover story as a janitor, McGrath has full access to the building and no one notices him while he notices everything. And when he discovers there’s more going on at the courthouse than he realizes, he knows he’s in the perfect position to put a stop to it.
Paul was an interesting character to read about. Raised by a pacifist, he rebelled by joining the military. With years spent in military intelligence, Paul has exceptional observational skills and has the ability to easily blend into his surroundings. These skills are what enable him to seamlessly blend in at the courthouse and I enjoyed watching him methodically carry out his search for the truth in his father’s case. Paul is also highly skilled in hand-to hand combat as well as with dealing with weapons. One thing about Paul that jammed him up a few times was that he has a very specific idea of what is right and wrong to the point he would try to fix the situation sometimes to his own detriment. While I liked that the guy had a clear moral compass, sometimes it got him in situations he could have easily avoided.
The plot of Paul looking into his father’s case actually ends up being a minor plotline in this book as once Paul takes the job as a janitor, he quickly uncovers several bad situations centered at the courthouse. I enjoyed the various plotlines in the book of Paul working to help those the system has failed. My main complaint with the story was that at roughly the two-thirds mark, the book shifts points of view to the bad guys and doesn’t go back to Paul’s point of view until the book is nearly over. While it was interesting to learn the backstory of how the various bad guys were connected, I didn’t love spending so many chapters following them. Once their storyline catches up to the present though it did lead to an action-packed finale with several twists I didn’t see coming. I thought the ending was well done overall and likely would have enjoyed the book a lot more had we not gotten the random section from the bad guys point of view.
Overall Invisible was a solid start to a thriller series and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, Too Close to Home, soon. And now I’m looking forward to seeing what the author does with the Jack Reacher series.
March 10, 2019
I have always enjoyed Andrew Grants book, but this one was a struggle for me. Very rarely do I give up on a book, so I kept going, hoping it would get better. I skimmed through several chapters quite fast, just to get to the end, and I was a bit disappointed in that too.
June 8, 2019
This book was on the lines of The Equalizer TV show that I loved. But the way this was written (current story, then jump backs for 30, 20, 10 etc years ago) didn’t work for me. Had to read the ending twice because I didn’t get it. Still don’t. But assume the author is writing another book that will pick up from here. But I won’t read it.
May 7, 2022
I have now read five volumes from Andrew Grant. The first in each of his series and the two he co-wrote with his brother, Lee Child, under the name Andrew Child. When I started reading his works I was not sure if I would read each series sequentially or in parallel. It has worked out that I am reading them in parallel. I enjoyed each of his books that I have read, but to date this is my favorite. I believe Grant has 9 books published under the name Andrew Grant, and two contributions to anthologies. He has also contributed to one anthology as Andrew Child. I picked a few of his books after reading Even. I have enjoyed both his offerings in the Reacher series, and greatly enjoy his solo works. And I believe Grant has three series and a standalone novel. He has not to my knowledge published any solo works since he began his collaboration on the Jack Reacher books with his brother.
The description of this book is:
“As a young man, Paul McGrath rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a standout Army recruit and the star of his military intelligence unit. But lingering regrets about their relationship make him return home, only to find his father dead, seemingly murdered. When the case ends in a mistrial—after a key piece of evidence disappears—something doesn’t smell right to McGrath. So he puts his arsenal of skills to work to find out just how corrupt the legal system is. And to keep digging, he gets a job at the courthouse. But not as a lawyer or a clerk. . . .
Now McGrath is a janitor. The perfect cover, it gives him security clearance and access to the entire building. No one notices him, but he notices everyone. He notices when witnesses suddenly change their stories. When jury members reverse their votes during deliberation. When armies of corporate attorneys grind down their small-time adversaries with endless tactical shenanigans. While McGrath knows that nothing he discovers can undo his past wrongs or save his father, he finds his new calling brings him something else: the chance to right current wrongs and save others. And by doing so—just maybe—to redeem himself . . . if the powerful and corrupt don’t kill him first.”
I had not read the description before starting the book. An author friend calls me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find authors I like I tend to read everything they publish. For example I read the first 23 Reacher novels in under a year, after reading the first. Grants writing is excellent and to date this is my favourite of his stand alone books. When I started this one I assumed it was going to be a spy novel. Boy was I wrong. In Some ways it feels like The Equalizer, and others like Jack Reacher if he settled down in one place.
The book begins with Paul on a mission, but we do not know that at the beginning. His mission goes well, but some stuff goes sideways afterwards. A letter has taken 2 years to get to him because of his extensive travel and undercover work. He goes home to visit his estranged dad, to found out he is dead and under suspicious circumstances. Paul can’t leave those questions unanswered. But while working as a janitor to get back the evidence on his father’s case he stumbles upon others that need his help. Soon there are strange reports of a janitor stopping crimes and cleaning up the streets of New York.
This book was a lot of fun to read. I mentioned it has a bit of an Equalizer feel to it, but also a Spencer for Hire. I loved the Spencer TV series when I was young, watching it with my dad, and reading several of the Robert B. Parker books when in university. Reading this was a like a trip back to those days, reading just for the pure joy in the story and the characters. Paul McGrath is an excellent character and the story. This was a great read.
I read this book over 4 sittings over two days it was very hard to put down. It is another excellent read from the pen of Andrew Grant. If you love a good crime, suspense, thriller with great action this is a book for you. I am certain fans of Reacher, Bourne, Jack Ryan could all appreciate McGrath and how he gets the job done. It is a great read from Grant’s pen! And I hope there will be more in this series.
The description of this book is:
“As a young man, Paul McGrath rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a standout Army recruit and the star of his military intelligence unit. But lingering regrets about their relationship make him return home, only to find his father dead, seemingly murdered. When the case ends in a mistrial—after a key piece of evidence disappears—something doesn’t smell right to McGrath. So he puts his arsenal of skills to work to find out just how corrupt the legal system is. And to keep digging, he gets a job at the courthouse. But not as a lawyer or a clerk. . . .
Now McGrath is a janitor. The perfect cover, it gives him security clearance and access to the entire building. No one notices him, but he notices everyone. He notices when witnesses suddenly change their stories. When jury members reverse their votes during deliberation. When armies of corporate attorneys grind down their small-time adversaries with endless tactical shenanigans. While McGrath knows that nothing he discovers can undo his past wrongs or save his father, he finds his new calling brings him something else: the chance to right current wrongs and save others. And by doing so—just maybe—to redeem himself . . . if the powerful and corrupt don’t kill him first.”
I had not read the description before starting the book. An author friend calls me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find authors I like I tend to read everything they publish. For example I read the first 23 Reacher novels in under a year, after reading the first. Grants writing is excellent and to date this is my favourite of his stand alone books. When I started this one I assumed it was going to be a spy novel. Boy was I wrong. In Some ways it feels like The Equalizer, and others like Jack Reacher if he settled down in one place.
The book begins with Paul on a mission, but we do not know that at the beginning. His mission goes well, but some stuff goes sideways afterwards. A letter has taken 2 years to get to him because of his extensive travel and undercover work. He goes home to visit his estranged dad, to found out he is dead and under suspicious circumstances. Paul can’t leave those questions unanswered. But while working as a janitor to get back the evidence on his father’s case he stumbles upon others that need his help. Soon there are strange reports of a janitor stopping crimes and cleaning up the streets of New York.
This book was a lot of fun to read. I mentioned it has a bit of an Equalizer feel to it, but also a Spencer for Hire. I loved the Spencer TV series when I was young, watching it with my dad, and reading several of the Robert B. Parker books when in university. Reading this was a like a trip back to those days, reading just for the pure joy in the story and the characters. Paul McGrath is an excellent character and the story. This was a great read.
I read this book over 4 sittings over two days it was very hard to put down. It is another excellent read from the pen of Andrew Grant. If you love a good crime, suspense, thriller with great action this is a book for you. I am certain fans of Reacher, Bourne, Jack Ryan could all appreciate McGrath and how he gets the job done. It is a great read from Grant’s pen! And I hope there will be more in this series.
May 7, 2019
Almost stopped reading after chapter 2 (I have a 2-3 chapter rule to stop if still not liking it) but read chapter 3 and thought, "OK, if you skip chapters 1 & 2, start chapter 3 and go back to read the 'letter' when he goes to reread it, then this is going to be good. Well, then the author goes away from a really interesting story line to start these 'Roman numeral' chapters that just totally ruined it for me. I think he wanted the reader to see how awful the bad guys really were but it wasn't necessary. And by the time I finished the book, I wasn't even caring anymore how it ended - too bad because I liked the 'janitor'.
January 17, 2019
Amateurish Storytelling
Sometimes i use one word to describe a book.
The word is 'Implausible': not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince.
Implausible
"Can you use it in a sentence?"
" As the plot unraveled i found it more and more implausible".
I'm sticking to my New Years resolution of not finishing bad books. 50% DNF!
A poorly written book. At times i thought i skipped pages. The plot would take giant leaps. How did we go from point A to point D? What happened to B and C? The main character Paul McGrath was poorly developed as were the others.
How can real fans of mystery/thrillers give this 4 and 5 stars?
"i'm not undercover. I'm just a janitor." Just so bad.
"Faster than a speeding street sweeper! More powerful than a pressure washer! Able to clean high rise windows!".
"It's Janitor Man!"
Sometimes i use one word to describe a book.
The word is 'Implausible': not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince.
Implausible
"Can you use it in a sentence?"
" As the plot unraveled i found it more and more implausible".
I'm sticking to my New Years resolution of not finishing bad books. 50% DNF!
A poorly written book. At times i thought i skipped pages. The plot would take giant leaps. How did we go from point A to point D? What happened to B and C? The main character Paul McGrath was poorly developed as were the others.
How can real fans of mystery/thrillers give this 4 and 5 stars?
"i'm not undercover. I'm just a janitor." Just so bad.
"Faster than a speeding street sweeper! More powerful than a pressure washer! Able to clean high rise windows!".
"It's Janitor Man!"
Read
December 24, 2018"I'm just a janitor."
Paul McGrath is anything but a lowly janitor at the courthouse. He's using the skills he honed as a military intelligence officer to track down one particular packet -- the missing evidence that could have put his father's killer in prison. Instead, his father's cheating, scamming partner, Alex Pardew, has disappeared without consequence. Paul knows he can find the paperwork and takes a job there giving him the means to search the premises. In addition, there's a much larger criminal network that needs seeing to and Paul has just the expertise needed to take them all down. NO SPOILERS.
What a great action-packed suspense novel that blends a certain level of investigatory detail along with organized crime and unusual punishment. Paul is a very intriguing character and I sure hope that there will be another adventure in his future with another book -- perhaps this is the beginning of a new series? I liked the plot and the complexity of the "cases" that Paul is managing in a bit of a maverick fashion especially now that he's left the military and is a civilian with few official resources. Excellent writing propels the narrative and I really felt I was on the streets of New York as the descriptions are quite well done. I've read other books by this author and enjoyed them as well. This one was hard to put down so I read it over the course of a couple of hours this evening.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. Enjoy!
Paul McGrath is anything but a lowly janitor at the courthouse. He's using the skills he honed as a military intelligence officer to track down one particular packet -- the missing evidence that could have put his father's killer in prison. Instead, his father's cheating, scamming partner, Alex Pardew, has disappeared without consequence. Paul knows he can find the paperwork and takes a job there giving him the means to search the premises. In addition, there's a much larger criminal network that needs seeing to and Paul has just the expertise needed to take them all down. NO SPOILERS.
What a great action-packed suspense novel that blends a certain level of investigatory detail along with organized crime and unusual punishment. Paul is a very intriguing character and I sure hope that there will be another adventure in his future with another book -- perhaps this is the beginning of a new series? I liked the plot and the complexity of the "cases" that Paul is managing in a bit of a maverick fashion especially now that he's left the military and is a civilian with few official resources. Excellent writing propels the narrative and I really felt I was on the streets of New York as the descriptions are quite well done. I've read other books by this author and enjoyed them as well. This one was hard to put down so I read it over the course of a couple of hours this evening.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. Enjoy!
February 24, 2019
Invisible: A Novel
A Son and Father Ideology Differences Is The Core of This Novel. As Father Wants to Handover His Business to Son but Son wants Something Different In His Life.
After Son Get What He Really Want in His Life And Slowly Moving Towards Ahead In Life And When He Wanted To Improve Relationship With His Father That Time He was a little late, as his father had passed away.
So Novel Is Interesting To Read And Mix of emotions,Thrill,Suspense And Lots of Drama Inside It To read. Author Actually Creating A sequences In The Novel To Excite The Audience And To Stick The Readers Until They Finish Reading of It.
Starting From First Chapter The Story Move Ahead And Start of Sequences in The Life of Real Character Inside Novel.
As a young man, Paul McGrath rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a standout Army recruit and the star of his military intelligence unit But Later Realize And Wants To Settle Things And Relations With His Father All Story Revolve And Takes Around Those Father And Son Movements And Shown How Paul Perform The Task In His Life But Finally Feel Guilty Towards Father.
So This Is A Good Novel To Entertain Yourself And Interesting To Read At once.
A Son and Father Ideology Differences Is The Core of This Novel. As Father Wants to Handover His Business to Son but Son wants Something Different In His Life.
After Son Get What He Really Want in His Life And Slowly Moving Towards Ahead In Life And When He Wanted To Improve Relationship With His Father That Time He was a little late, as his father had passed away.
So Novel Is Interesting To Read And Mix of emotions,Thrill,Suspense And Lots of Drama Inside It To read. Author Actually Creating A sequences In The Novel To Excite The Audience And To Stick The Readers Until They Finish Reading of It.
Starting From First Chapter The Story Move Ahead And Start of Sequences in The Life of Real Character Inside Novel.
As a young man, Paul McGrath rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a standout Army recruit and the star of his military intelligence unit But Later Realize And Wants To Settle Things And Relations With His Father All Story Revolve And Takes Around Those Father And Son Movements And Shown How Paul Perform The Task In His Life But Finally Feel Guilty Towards Father.
So This Is A Good Novel To Entertain Yourself And Interesting To Read At once.
January 28, 2020
Paul McGrath joined the Army to thumb his nose at his pacifist father. He was recruited into military intelligence and he travels the world helping solve issues before they become too big to handle. He receives a letter from his father that took two years to find him, seeking a reconciliation. McGrath separates from the Army and returns home only to discover his father is dead and has been for a while. The police story is that he died after an argument with his business partner. When a key piece of evidence goes missing, Pardew (the business partner) is acquitted of murder. McGrath goes undercover as a janitor at the courthouse to search for the missing file. Along the way, he meets some other people whose trials did not end well. McGrath ends up partnering up with a buddy from his military intelligence days and they launch a service, helping people who cannot help themselves. Recommended for adrenaline readers.
February 1, 2019
I really liked the premise of Invisible. It's like when people have servants and assume the servants are not listening. A janitor in a courthouse is certainly the perfect cover to become invisible. It's a story of good against evil, one man doing the right thing, justice. I enjoyed the story. I will read more from the author. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2020
4.5 stars. Good story and well written, though hardly realistic. Kept my interest - read in one sitting. Bad guys lose, good guys win. What more can one ask for in a book?
November 12, 2020
Lots of good action. When Paul finally decides to go home and reconcile with his father, he finds he is too late. In order to find his father's killer, he takes a job at the courthouse to find the evidence they need but, he finds a whole lot more. Paul is more like his dad than he thought, when he sees a wrong, he needs to make it right. Can he find the evidence he needs?
January 31, 2019
This book is dumb. I can't believe I wasted my snow day on it. 😕
January 25, 2020
This book was horrible! I can’t believe an author thought it would be a good idea to write this mess.
I should have known right from the beginning. The author took FOREVER to describe the scene at the Turkish market. But he redeemed himself with a fascinating insight into espionage, and that gave me some hope for the rest of the book.
His tendency to over-description came up repeatedly throughout the book, so I came to dread new chapters. The book is full of stereotypes that were predictable and at times racist and insensitive. Also, the author is like every New York author who’s ever lived. They LOVE New York, and they go to great lengths about the city, describing in great detail the name of every street. I don’t live in New York, and the street names mean nothing to me. It was self-important filler.
So we had this talented spy, and a police detective asked him to suddenly go undercover as a janitor. To look throughout a very large building for a missing file. That made no sense. There follows a couple of dead ends about broken glass doors and cameras that added nothing to the story.
Then the entire middle of the book was probably the most ridiculous. I think it was an attempt to tell a backstory, but it was shockingly bad and included a bunch of completely indistinguishable characters. I couldn’t keep them all straight, I really had no idea what this section was trying to say, and it was full of some really tastelessly bad treatment of some seriously violent topics. I think the entire middle section, if it was necessary at all, could have been told in just a few sentences.
For the ending, the protagonist was back (finally!), but I have no idea how the story ended as even more indistinguishable characters were added at the end.
I really wish the author had built on the protagonist espionage background. That was BY FAR the most interesting part of the book.
I should have known right from the beginning. The author took FOREVER to describe the scene at the Turkish market. But he redeemed himself with a fascinating insight into espionage, and that gave me some hope for the rest of the book.
His tendency to over-description came up repeatedly throughout the book, so I came to dread new chapters. The book is full of stereotypes that were predictable and at times racist and insensitive. Also, the author is like every New York author who’s ever lived. They LOVE New York, and they go to great lengths about the city, describing in great detail the name of every street. I don’t live in New York, and the street names mean nothing to me. It was self-important filler.
So we had this talented spy, and a police detective asked him to suddenly go undercover as a janitor. To look throughout a very large building for a missing file. That made no sense. There follows a couple of dead ends about broken glass doors and cameras that added nothing to the story.
Then the entire middle of the book was probably the most ridiculous. I think it was an attempt to tell a backstory, but it was shockingly bad and included a bunch of completely indistinguishable characters. I couldn’t keep them all straight, I really had no idea what this section was trying to say, and it was full of some really tastelessly bad treatment of some seriously violent topics. I think the entire middle section, if it was necessary at all, could have been told in just a few sentences.
For the ending, the protagonist was back (finally!), but I have no idea how the story ended as even more indistinguishable characters were added at the end.
I really wish the author had built on the protagonist espionage background. That was BY FAR the most interesting part of the book.
June 21, 2021
I agree with someone else who gave this 3.5 stars. I always used to give books ratings out of 10, before I started with Goodreads.
This book felt like a Jack Reacher book, and knowing (afterwards) that Andrew Grant is Lee Child's younger brother and heir to the Jack Reacher authorship adds up now. Paul McGrath, the hero, has a lot of Jack Reacher characteristics in a different package.
I really like the premise that, as a janitor, McGrath could access everything in a courtroom invisibly. I just felt that the story didn't carry it off fluently. It was an easy, engaging read, and probably worth seeing what the next instalment is like.
This book felt like a Jack Reacher book, and knowing (afterwards) that Andrew Grant is Lee Child's younger brother and heir to the Jack Reacher authorship adds up now. Paul McGrath, the hero, has a lot of Jack Reacher characteristics in a different package.
I really like the premise that, as a janitor, McGrath could access everything in a courtroom invisibly. I just felt that the story didn't carry it off fluently. It was an easy, engaging read, and probably worth seeing what the next instalment is like.
February 26, 2020
Just terrible. Couldn’t finish. Both implausible and horrifically written.
March 8, 2019
This was my first time reading Andrew Grant, and I thoroughly enjoyed "Invisible." I'm a fan of suspense thrillers/mysteries, but I'm not really into military/international type story lines. "Invisible" is not a military thriller, but it has some international military/covert ops type of stuff in it because of the protagonist's background. It didn't bother me; I felt it was necessary for the reader to understand the protagonist's background. The book was well written and moved along at a fast clip.
Paul McGrath is a retired Army intelligence soldier. After receiving a letter from his estranged father (two years late, due to the difficulties of getting mail to Paul when he is undercover), Paul returns home to reconcile, only to find that his father has died under suspicious circumstances. Determined to find out what happened to his father, he does his own undercover work by getting a job as a janitor at the courthouse to give himself access to all the rooms.
Paul is a bleeding heart good guy, despite everything that he went through in the Army, and that means that when he sees a wrong, he insists on making it right. He has a remarkable naivete regarding his belief that a detective he is working with would feel just as strongly as he does about righting every wrong. It doesn't occur to him that anyone would adopt a "that's not my job" attitude toward helping others. This means that Paul's stint as janitor leads him to personally investigate cases where someone has been wronged, and this investigative work results in his nosing into some complicated and very shady international goings-on.
The premise of the book -- Paul's investigating his father's death -- actually takes a back seat to the case that Paul decides to get involved in. This confused me a bit as I got further into the book, because I kept wondering when we'd get back to his father's case. Gradually I realized that the father situation was just Grant's way of getting Paul into the courthouse as a janitor, and the main story line actually has to do with the international crimes that Paul finds himself investigating. Once I realized that, I stopped waiting for more about Paul's father and was able to enjoy the book more.
At the end of the book Paul has found what he's been looking for regarding information about his father's death, but the information he finds is not revealed to the reader. I closed the book, wondering if this was intended as a series. I could guess what was probably in the packet of information that Paul found, and not revealing the contents to the reader was not necessarily a cliffhanger tactic, because if this plot line was not 100% resolved in a future book, I would be ok with it; it wasn't the main story line anyway. The main story line was resolved -- and in a satisfyingly all-things-coming-to-a-head way.
Grant writes well. Just as I was about to get frustrated at how Paul could be so naive about some things when he's an Army intelligence vet, Paul shows that he's not naive, using his undercover skills to great effect. The push and pull of Paul's character -- super good guy who wants to help everyone, hardened Army vet who knows how evil people can be -- kept him interesting and complex. It was nice to have a protagonist who, despite having seen great evils in the world in his former life, has managed to avoid becoming jaded about humanity.
Paul McGrath is a retired Army intelligence soldier. After receiving a letter from his estranged father (two years late, due to the difficulties of getting mail to Paul when he is undercover), Paul returns home to reconcile, only to find that his father has died under suspicious circumstances. Determined to find out what happened to his father, he does his own undercover work by getting a job as a janitor at the courthouse to give himself access to all the rooms.
Paul is a bleeding heart good guy, despite everything that he went through in the Army, and that means that when he sees a wrong, he insists on making it right. He has a remarkable naivete regarding his belief that a detective he is working with would feel just as strongly as he does about righting every wrong. It doesn't occur to him that anyone would adopt a "that's not my job" attitude toward helping others. This means that Paul's stint as janitor leads him to personally investigate cases where someone has been wronged, and this investigative work results in his nosing into some complicated and very shady international goings-on.
The premise of the book -- Paul's investigating his father's death -- actually takes a back seat to the case that Paul decides to get involved in. This confused me a bit as I got further into the book, because I kept wondering when we'd get back to his father's case. Gradually I realized that the father situation was just Grant's way of getting Paul into the courthouse as a janitor, and the main story line actually has to do with the international crimes that Paul finds himself investigating. Once I realized that, I stopped waiting for more about Paul's father and was able to enjoy the book more.
At the end of the book Paul has found what he's been looking for regarding information about his father's death, but the information he finds is not revealed to the reader. I closed the book, wondering if this was intended as a series. I could guess what was probably in the packet of information that Paul found, and not revealing the contents to the reader was not necessarily a cliffhanger tactic, because if this plot line was not 100% resolved in a future book, I would be ok with it; it wasn't the main story line anyway. The main story line was resolved -- and in a satisfyingly all-things-coming-to-a-head way.
Grant writes well. Just as I was about to get frustrated at how Paul could be so naive about some things when he's an Army intelligence vet, Paul shows that he's not naive, using his undercover skills to great effect. The push and pull of Paul's character -- super good guy who wants to help everyone, hardened Army vet who knows how evil people can be -- kept him interesting and complex. It was nice to have a protagonist who, despite having seen great evils in the world in his former life, has managed to avoid becoming jaded about humanity.
January 14, 2019
It is enjoyable to kick off 2019 with a suspense novel that features a main character who resorts to guile and cunning rather than superhuman feats resulting in large body counts to accomplish his mission. Andrew Grant introduces readers to Paul McGrath in INVISIBLE, the first installment of a new series that exhibits promising potential for future exploits.
As a young man, McGrath followed a life path common to many families. His father dreamed that one day McGrath would join and eventually take over the business he had created. But McGrath had no desire to do so, opting instead for a military career. As the book opens, McGrath is on a mission in Turkey involving the clandestine sale of military equipment to a foreign power. The mission almost goes belly-up, but with great skill, McGrath accomplishes the task he has been assigned. Unfortunately for him, his superiors read the situation differently, so he decides that it’s time to end his military career and go back home.
Returning to New York, McGrath learns that his father suffered a heart attack and died. This heartbreaking news had not reached McGrath because of his undercover status in the military. It turns out that McGrath's father acquired a partner, Alex Pardew, who was less than forthright in his business dealings. His father died under mysterious circumstances, resulting in criminal charges against Pardew. But the case ended in a mistrial when critical evidence disappeared from the New York City courthouse.
Deciding to investigate on his own, McGrath determines that the only place to look for missing evidence is where the trial was held. The best way to complete the investigation is to work in the courthouse. Only one job has the necessary anonymity and access to the entire building that McGrath needs, so he becomes a janitor. No one notices him, but he notices everyone and everything in the building. Throughout INVISIBLE, when people he meets marvel at his skill and knowledge, McGrath’s response is always the same: “I’m just a janitor,” he replies with a smile.
In the courthouse, McGrath learns quickly that justice is not easily and evenly dispensed. While seeking to locate the lost evidence from his father’s case, he encounters others in the courthouse who also have experienced judicial breakdowns. On his first day working as a spy/janitor, McGrath meets Bob Mason, whose wife was the victim of a brutal home invasion. Mason recounts details of a landlord-tenant dispute in a rent-controlled building, a common occurrence in New York. The story strikes a chord with McGrath, who promises to help Mason obtain justice. That effort is the core plot of the book, and it leads McGrath into an international criminal milieu populated as well by some traditional domestic criminals.
McGrath has a plan that he follows with precision, and he is often one or two steps ahead of his opponents and his readers. Certainly there are the occasional suspensions of belief common to all suspense novels. But this fast-paced thriller will hold readers’ interest and attention. Andrew Grant indicates that McGrath will be back for more adventures. I will look forward to his next appearance.
Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
As a young man, McGrath followed a life path common to many families. His father dreamed that one day McGrath would join and eventually take over the business he had created. But McGrath had no desire to do so, opting instead for a military career. As the book opens, McGrath is on a mission in Turkey involving the clandestine sale of military equipment to a foreign power. The mission almost goes belly-up, but with great skill, McGrath accomplishes the task he has been assigned. Unfortunately for him, his superiors read the situation differently, so he decides that it’s time to end his military career and go back home.
Returning to New York, McGrath learns that his father suffered a heart attack and died. This heartbreaking news had not reached McGrath because of his undercover status in the military. It turns out that McGrath's father acquired a partner, Alex Pardew, who was less than forthright in his business dealings. His father died under mysterious circumstances, resulting in criminal charges against Pardew. But the case ended in a mistrial when critical evidence disappeared from the New York City courthouse.
Deciding to investigate on his own, McGrath determines that the only place to look for missing evidence is where the trial was held. The best way to complete the investigation is to work in the courthouse. Only one job has the necessary anonymity and access to the entire building that McGrath needs, so he becomes a janitor. No one notices him, but he notices everyone and everything in the building. Throughout INVISIBLE, when people he meets marvel at his skill and knowledge, McGrath’s response is always the same: “I’m just a janitor,” he replies with a smile.
In the courthouse, McGrath learns quickly that justice is not easily and evenly dispensed. While seeking to locate the lost evidence from his father’s case, he encounters others in the courthouse who also have experienced judicial breakdowns. On his first day working as a spy/janitor, McGrath meets Bob Mason, whose wife was the victim of a brutal home invasion. Mason recounts details of a landlord-tenant dispute in a rent-controlled building, a common occurrence in New York. The story strikes a chord with McGrath, who promises to help Mason obtain justice. That effort is the core plot of the book, and it leads McGrath into an international criminal milieu populated as well by some traditional domestic criminals.
McGrath has a plan that he follows with precision, and he is often one or two steps ahead of his opponents and his readers. Certainly there are the occasional suspensions of belief common to all suspense novels. But this fast-paced thriller will hold readers’ interest and attention. Andrew Grant indicates that McGrath will be back for more adventures. I will look forward to his next appearance.
Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
January 25, 2019
We’re it possible, I would give a star rating of “Invisible” by Andrew Grant two and a half stars , meaning “fair -to -good”or “not bad”. In other words, just ok.
Hero of the book is Paul McGrath, formerly an Army Intelligence agent who has since left the service. His last duty undercover operation involved acting as an engineer selling a secret device to the Iranian nuclear forces in return for $15 million. The device is rigged to explode when inserted into nuclear bomb making apparatus, which it does. Excellent. The problem was that after McGrath deposited the cash into U.S. Government hands, it disappeared. Grant left the service, even though he was not accused of anything. Sounds like a good basis for an action thriller, with the Iranians hunting for him and McGrath trying to survive and clear himself. Nope. After this promising good start the novel takes a big change of direction.
The hectic plot of “ Invisible” has him returning home to find that his father has recently died. The father had been heard having a loud argument with a business partner who Mr. McGrath senior accused of scamming the business out of millions. Paul , looking into the matter with police authorities, finds that information relevant to a court case disappeared. No evidence, no case. Paul decides to go undercover to investigate. He gets a job as a janitor in the NYC court house.
Second problem ( after abandoning the Iranian scenario) is that McGrath has no trouble getting a nice, fat union job with the city where this kind of lifetime employment is jealously parceled out to political friends. The author writes as if it was done in an instant without any influneced peddled or questions asked.
McGrath snooping around as he mops, ferrets out lax security and payoffs. A developing new plot line that seems promising. Nope, again.
Instead we go off on other thangents as in the course of the book,we are introduced to nasty landlords who abuse elderly tenants in an attempt to move them out of rent- controlled apartments, next to The Russian Mob. That gets a bit of headway only to have another diversion ,sex trafficking , added to the mix. The original reason for McGraths investigation recede. Worse we are spirited back in time and location to see this bad guy or that one skulk and connive, in an attempt to add some context. Too many bad guys, too many threads.
The author’s primary character is never more than shallow, and the story a jumble of plotting and suddenly appearing players. The author struggled to knit all the threads into a recognizable pattern. I felt that he abandoned a promising beginning. Moreover, he never , as far as I could tell with all the other things going on, had McGrath fimd the missing evidence to confront the crooked business partner. Maybe in the next book, but I will not be reading it.
.
Hero of the book is Paul McGrath, formerly an Army Intelligence agent who has since left the service. His last duty undercover operation involved acting as an engineer selling a secret device to the Iranian nuclear forces in return for $15 million. The device is rigged to explode when inserted into nuclear bomb making apparatus, which it does. Excellent. The problem was that after McGrath deposited the cash into U.S. Government hands, it disappeared. Grant left the service, even though he was not accused of anything. Sounds like a good basis for an action thriller, with the Iranians hunting for him and McGrath trying to survive and clear himself. Nope. After this promising good start the novel takes a big change of direction.
The hectic plot of “ Invisible” has him returning home to find that his father has recently died. The father had been heard having a loud argument with a business partner who Mr. McGrath senior accused of scamming the business out of millions. Paul , looking into the matter with police authorities, finds that information relevant to a court case disappeared. No evidence, no case. Paul decides to go undercover to investigate. He gets a job as a janitor in the NYC court house.
Second problem ( after abandoning the Iranian scenario) is that McGrath has no trouble getting a nice, fat union job with the city where this kind of lifetime employment is jealously parceled out to political friends. The author writes as if it was done in an instant without any influneced peddled or questions asked.
McGrath snooping around as he mops, ferrets out lax security and payoffs. A developing new plot line that seems promising. Nope, again.
Instead we go off on other thangents as in the course of the book,we are introduced to nasty landlords who abuse elderly tenants in an attempt to move them out of rent- controlled apartments, next to The Russian Mob. That gets a bit of headway only to have another diversion ,sex trafficking , added to the mix. The original reason for McGraths investigation recede. Worse we are spirited back in time and location to see this bad guy or that one skulk and connive, in an attempt to add some context. Too many bad guys, too many threads.
The author’s primary character is never more than shallow, and the story a jumble of plotting and suddenly appearing players. The author struggled to knit all the threads into a recognizable pattern. I felt that he abandoned a promising beginning. Moreover, he never , as far as I could tell with all the other things going on, had McGrath fimd the missing evidence to confront the crooked business partner. Maybe in the next book, but I will not be reading it.
.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2021
I came across this book by way of Grant's rather more famous brother, pen name Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series. I am a serious fan of Reacher, and although the latest entry to the series (The Sentinel), co-written by Child and Grant, was not Quite as good as the rest, I was nevertheless motivated to look up Grant's solo work.
Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.
The best way I can describe the book is "clunky."
It started out fairly strong with a high stakes spy game in Istanbul. Once our hero mustered out and returned to New York, though, my credulity got stretched, fast. Not that Paul would wish to bring his father's presumed killer to justice or anything, but the fact that one of the policemen, who had just met him and knew nothing about his background, would immediately suggest that he go undercover into the courthouse to look for the missing docs strained belief. The officer's continued demand for quick results from Paul was also hard to swallow, but not as hard to swallow as the amount of time it took for Paul to figure out that the cops were not going to be super excited about pursuing the myriad small-time corruption he was coming across in the meantime.
Once Paul gave up and went vigilante it should have gotten better, and it did - I mean, I finished it! - but there really wasn't much to keep me interested. Characters were undeveloped to an extreme, dialog was strained, and the final climactic take-down of the biggest and baddest of the guys he'd ended up pursuing fell pretty flat.
Finally, Grant has his brother's trick of punctuating the prose with frequent incomplete sentences, but he over-uses it, making everything seem choppy.
To top it all off, he had to go and end it on a cliff-hanger. Paul's dad remains unavenged, and we're supposed to go pick up the next book.
Honestly, I Might read the next one some day. Some day when I am entirely out of Reacher novels to re-read, and can't get interested in another genre.
Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.
The best way I can describe the book is "clunky."
It started out fairly strong with a high stakes spy game in Istanbul. Once our hero mustered out and returned to New York, though, my credulity got stretched, fast. Not that Paul would wish to bring his father's presumed killer to justice or anything, but the fact that one of the policemen, who had just met him and knew nothing about his background, would immediately suggest that he go undercover into the courthouse to look for the missing docs strained belief. The officer's continued demand for quick results from Paul was also hard to swallow, but not as hard to swallow as the amount of time it took for Paul to figure out that the cops were not going to be super excited about pursuing the myriad small-time corruption he was coming across in the meantime.
Once Paul gave up and went vigilante it should have gotten better, and it did - I mean, I finished it! - but there really wasn't much to keep me interested. Characters were undeveloped to an extreme, dialog was strained, and the final climactic take-down of the biggest and baddest of the guys he'd ended up pursuing fell pretty flat.
Finally, Grant has his brother's trick of punctuating the prose with frequent incomplete sentences, but he over-uses it, making everything seem choppy.
To top it all off, he had to go and end it on a cliff-hanger. Paul's dad remains unavenged, and we're supposed to go pick up the next book.
Honestly, I Might read the next one some day. Some day when I am entirely out of Reacher novels to re-read, and can't get interested in another genre.
January 8, 2019
First, there was Superman to help mankind. Then, Batman arrived to fight crime. Now, it’s The Janitor because everyone knows they’re Invisible but have access to everything. The Janitor, playing soon at your local multiplex starring Ben Affleck.
Paul decides not to reenlist as an Army Special Forces Military Intelligence Officer (aka spy) because he wants to return home to reconcile with his father. However, when he arrives his father is dead.
The police arrested his father’s business partner for fraud and manslaughter. However, crucial physical evidence is lost in the courthouse forcing a mistrial. The partner vanishes two days later. The detective on the case not so subtly tells Paul that if the evidence is found, the case will be retried.
Paul uses his spy craft to acquire a job as a janitor in the courthouse so he can find the evidence files. While working there, he hears various tales of woe and becomes a vigilante. He calls himself, The Janitor.
Okay, it sounds pretty campy. You can almost see the big red Pow! and Zonk! in your mind as you are reading Invisible. It begins completely differently with Paul’s last job for the Army. I would have preferred more of that story. However, the janitor story was entertaining. It seemed very cinematic. You do root for Paul though his side trips to fix everyone’s problem before resolving his own are distracting.
The author, Andrew Grant, is the younger brother of Lee Child. He has written two series, both are trilogies, so I expect to see a couple more books in The Janitor series too.
If you like superhero movies and thrillers, this novel will be perfect for you. If you like thrillers, Invisible is recommended as a breakneck read with a likeable lead. 4 stars!
Thanks to Ballantine Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Paul decides not to reenlist as an Army Special Forces Military Intelligence Officer (aka spy) because he wants to return home to reconcile with his father. However, when he arrives his father is dead.
The police arrested his father’s business partner for fraud and manslaughter. However, crucial physical evidence is lost in the courthouse forcing a mistrial. The partner vanishes two days later. The detective on the case not so subtly tells Paul that if the evidence is found, the case will be retried.
Paul uses his spy craft to acquire a job as a janitor in the courthouse so he can find the evidence files. While working there, he hears various tales of woe and becomes a vigilante. He calls himself, The Janitor.
Okay, it sounds pretty campy. You can almost see the big red Pow! and Zonk! in your mind as you are reading Invisible. It begins completely differently with Paul’s last job for the Army. I would have preferred more of that story. However, the janitor story was entertaining. It seemed very cinematic. You do root for Paul though his side trips to fix everyone’s problem before resolving his own are distracting.
The author, Andrew Grant, is the younger brother of Lee Child. He has written two series, both are trilogies, so I expect to see a couple more books in The Janitor series too.
If you like superhero movies and thrillers, this novel will be perfect for you. If you like thrillers, Invisible is recommended as a breakneck read with a likeable lead. 4 stars!
Thanks to Ballantine Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2019
This was another excellent book by Andrew Grant. The story took a bizarre change late in the book when the author switched narrators and told the backstory of the events of the first part of the book. The ending is complicated and takes thought to see the big picture and a little unsatisfying, maybe a sequel is in the works?
An Army veteran and intelligence agent goes undercover as a janitor at a federal courthouse to pursue his own brand of justice in a thriller that's part John Grisham, part Robert Crais.
When Paul McGrath was a young man, he rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a stand-out Army recruit, the star of his military intelligence unit. But lingering regrets about their relationship made him return home, only to find his father dead, seemingly murdered. And when the murder trial ended in a hung jury--with just one hold-out among the jurors--something didn't smell right to McGrath. So he put his arsenal of skills to work to find out just how corrupt the legal system was. And to keep digging, he got himself a job at the courthouse. But not as a lawyer or a clerk.
Now, McGrath is a janitor. The perfect cover, it gives him security clearance and access to the entire building. No one notices him, but he notices everyone. He notices when witnesses suddenly change their stories. When jury members reverse their votes during deliberation. When armies of corporate attorneys grind down their small-time adversaries with endless tactical shenanigans. And while McGrath knows that nothing he discovers can undo his past wrongs or save his father, he finds his new position brings him something else: the chance to right current wrongs and save others. And by doing so--just maybe--to find redemption for himself.
An Army veteran and intelligence agent goes undercover as a janitor at a federal courthouse to pursue his own brand of justice in a thriller that's part John Grisham, part Robert Crais.
When Paul McGrath was a young man, he rebelled against his pacifist father by becoming a stand-out Army recruit, the star of his military intelligence unit. But lingering regrets about their relationship made him return home, only to find his father dead, seemingly murdered. And when the murder trial ended in a hung jury--with just one hold-out among the jurors--something didn't smell right to McGrath. So he put his arsenal of skills to work to find out just how corrupt the legal system was. And to keep digging, he got himself a job at the courthouse. But not as a lawyer or a clerk.
Now, McGrath is a janitor. The perfect cover, it gives him security clearance and access to the entire building. No one notices him, but he notices everyone. He notices when witnesses suddenly change their stories. When jury members reverse their votes during deliberation. When armies of corporate attorneys grind down their small-time adversaries with endless tactical shenanigans. And while McGrath knows that nothing he discovers can undo his past wrongs or save his father, he finds his new position brings him something else: the chance to right current wrongs and save others. And by doing so--just maybe--to find redemption for himself.
May 13, 2019
Ballantine Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Invisible. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
When a letter from his father reaches Paul McGrath two years after it has been written, the military intelligence agent decides to return home and patch up his relationship with the man. Finding out that his father was murdered months before, with key evidence against the suspect going missing at the courthouse, Paul makes it his mission to solve his father's case. Going undercover as a janitor in the very house of law in which the evidence disappeared, can Paul navigate the path of corruption to its source?
Invisible has all of the hallmarks of a great suspense thriller. Paul McGrath is an interesting, determined, and well-meaning man with the potential for many possible future plot lines. The story of corruption in the law enforcement world is nothing new, but the author crafted a great story of those who champion the causes for the downtrodden. I really liked the balance between the character development and the fast moving plot, as this propelled the book forward to the well laid conclusion. Invisible is a novel that I would highly recommend to readers who like suspense thrillers and I look forward to reading more by author Andrew Grant in the future.
When a letter from his father reaches Paul McGrath two years after it has been written, the military intelligence agent decides to return home and patch up his relationship with the man. Finding out that his father was murdered months before, with key evidence against the suspect going missing at the courthouse, Paul makes it his mission to solve his father's case. Going undercover as a janitor in the very house of law in which the evidence disappeared, can Paul navigate the path of corruption to its source?
Invisible has all of the hallmarks of a great suspense thriller. Paul McGrath is an interesting, determined, and well-meaning man with the potential for many possible future plot lines. The story of corruption in the law enforcement world is nothing new, but the author crafted a great story of those who champion the causes for the downtrodden. I really liked the balance between the character development and the fast moving plot, as this propelled the book forward to the well laid conclusion. Invisible is a novel that I would highly recommend to readers who like suspense thrillers and I look forward to reading more by author Andrew Grant in the future.
March 1, 2019
As former elite military intelligence, Paul McGrath has a litany of skills useful in hand-to-hand combat and espionage. While figuring out how he'll acclimate back to civilian life, Paul stumbles on to several injustices that hit a little too close to home. And so a vigilante is born.
I really like the idea of Paul fighting the big baddies in favor of the smaller guys, but I found the execution of this story line confusing. The story is chugging along, Paul has taken a job as a janitor in order to gain access to the courthouse so he can find hidden records that will help his cause - then a group of seemingly random new characters are introduced, and I start having trouble keeping track of everyone and how they relate. And, towards the end of the book there are several chapters of background on these characters that span the past 30 years of their rise as criminals that seems like it could have been broken up better and previously dispersed throughout the book in order to give these people more depth and history.
The book wrapped up with a nice introduction to what seems like will be a series with the janitor vigilante character. I'll give this series another chance before writing it off. I won this book from LibraryThing.
I really like the idea of Paul fighting the big baddies in favor of the smaller guys, but I found the execution of this story line confusing. The story is chugging along, Paul has taken a job as a janitor in order to gain access to the courthouse so he can find hidden records that will help his cause - then a group of seemingly random new characters are introduced, and I start having trouble keeping track of everyone and how they relate. And, towards the end of the book there are several chapters of background on these characters that span the past 30 years of their rise as criminals that seems like it could have been broken up better and previously dispersed throughout the book in order to give these people more depth and history.
The book wrapped up with a nice introduction to what seems like will be a series with the janitor vigilante character. I'll give this series another chance before writing it off. I won this book from LibraryThing.
May 31, 2019
I debated whether to give this just three stars -maybe 3.5?
An entertaining read, Invisible puts a creative spin on the typical thriller/spy novel.
While many have found this shallow and not worth reading. I respectfully disagree. This book is good for its intended purpose-brain candy, pulp fiction, harmless entertainment, distraction. It is better than many from bigger name authors (E.g. see several other books I’ve reviewed). Face it, this genre seldom provides great literature or deep, mentally challenging fare.
Paul McGrath is a former black op military man who becomes “Invisible” by taking a job as a janitor in order to search for evidence gone missing.
Frankly, I was struck by the fact that sometimes I, along with most people, fail to see those that toil in support roles after hours. It might have been useful to develop more characters and the unique culture of the cleaning crew-but they are not central to the story.
I found myself turning pages long after I should have turned out the light and gone to sleep.
There is a section of about 85 pages 2/3rds of the way through that initially seemed like a cheap throw back -but upon finishing the book I appreciated how Mr. Grant set the context then rapidly filled in the history with this device.
An entertaining read, Invisible puts a creative spin on the typical thriller/spy novel.
While many have found this shallow and not worth reading. I respectfully disagree. This book is good for its intended purpose-brain candy, pulp fiction, harmless entertainment, distraction. It is better than many from bigger name authors (E.g. see several other books I’ve reviewed). Face it, this genre seldom provides great literature or deep, mentally challenging fare.
Paul McGrath is a former black op military man who becomes “Invisible” by taking a job as a janitor in order to search for evidence gone missing.
Frankly, I was struck by the fact that sometimes I, along with most people, fail to see those that toil in support roles after hours. It might have been useful to develop more characters and the unique culture of the cleaning crew-but they are not central to the story.
I found myself turning pages long after I should have turned out the light and gone to sleep.
There is a section of about 85 pages 2/3rds of the way through that initially seemed like a cheap throw back -but upon finishing the book I appreciated how Mr. Grant set the context then rapidly filled in the history with this device.
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