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Invisible Girl
What is a fourteen year old to do when her mama’s best friend is found guilty of murdering his wife and said mama swirls into madness from the sheer weight of her grief? When Briley Beckwith comes face to face with this heartbreaking reality, she does the only thing she can think to do: she becomes invisible.Armed with her new-found Power of Invisibility and the comfort of Miss Delphine, her eccentric, opera loving, Yoo-hoo-chugging neighbor, Briley copes by tiptoeing, undetected, around the chaos that has engulfed her family—until the real culprit is exposed.Though the author has embellished the facts with humor, Invisible Girl is a fictional account of a tragically true story.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2019
11 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Padgett Gerler
9 books36 followersBorn on the coast of South Carolina and raised in the mountains of Virginia, I relocated to the Piedmont area of North Carolina in the 80's to attend college. After graduating with a BA in accounting, I became a CPA and practiced accounting in the public and corporate sector. In 2010, when my passion for writing leapt ahead of my passion for accounting, I quit my career to write full time. I love the southern voice and the southern experience, so I write about the south, from the mountains to the coast.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 3, 2020
Young Briley Beckwith is a Yoo-hoo swilling, Pop-Tart scarfing teen who lives in the small town of Bynum Georgia. After the murder of her mother's best friend's wife, Briley is pretty much left to fend for herself. Her parents are so distracted by the event, each for their own reasons, Briley is certain she has become invisible to them.
Good thing she has Miss Delphine, the opera loving neighbor, who does see her. Miss Delphine not only supplies Briley with as many Yoo-hoos as she can drink, but a good dose of much needed attention and the occasional nugget of adult wisdom.
Padgett Gerler writes a story filled with the sort of people we all know in a small town USA. This is a highly entertaining read with lots of laughs, heartfelt moments and a hefty dose of pure southern charm.
Good thing she has Miss Delphine, the opera loving neighbor, who does see her. Miss Delphine not only supplies Briley with as many Yoo-hoos as she can drink, but a good dose of much needed attention and the occasional nugget of adult wisdom.
Padgett Gerler writes a story filled with the sort of people we all know in a small town USA. This is a highly entertaining read with lots of laughs, heartfelt moments and a hefty dose of pure southern charm.
March 27, 2020
A small Southern town, a murder, and a town leader accused of the crime. It all conspires to create enough turmoil that 14-year-old Briley slowly disappears into invisibility. Her mother is convinced the accused is innocent, and as Briley’s family disintegrates, only her eccentric next-door-neighbor sees her pain. Told with humor, empathy, and plenty of Southern charm. INVISIBLE GIRL deftly captures the pain of growing up against the backdrop of a mystery that tears the community apart.
February 17, 2021
I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
An absolutely beautifully written book. The author info at the end of the book revealed this is a well known and very accomplished writer but I wasn't aware of her until now. The write up is a little misleading as I expected more in the way of "detection" going on, but I'm not in the least disappointed. This is exactly the kind of writing I love and lose myself in. Writing from the perspective of a child/teen is such a skill and it's done brilliantly here. I have no experience of the American "south", but have seen and read plenty set there and this is so evocative of what I think of as the culture and habits of southern "folk" and small town way of life. Your heart is immediately onside with young teen Briley, but all the characters are so vivid, even those who play the briefest walk on parts, that you feel you somehow know these people and this place.
The storyline is touching and poignant but for me is almost secondary to the characters themselves. I could happily read about the comings and goings of the inhabitants of Bynum ad infinitum. There are moments of humour that I could picture vividly and which made me laugh out loud which is rare with books (for me).
In fact the whole story is so easy to visualise thanks to the wonderful skill of the writer and in my opinion is just crying out to be made into a movie.
Read it, you'll love it. I'm off to check out the authors other work!
An absolutely beautifully written book. The author info at the end of the book revealed this is a well known and very accomplished writer but I wasn't aware of her until now. The write up is a little misleading as I expected more in the way of "detection" going on, but I'm not in the least disappointed. This is exactly the kind of writing I love and lose myself in. Writing from the perspective of a child/teen is such a skill and it's done brilliantly here. I have no experience of the American "south", but have seen and read plenty set there and this is so evocative of what I think of as the culture and habits of southern "folk" and small town way of life. Your heart is immediately onside with young teen Briley, but all the characters are so vivid, even those who play the briefest walk on parts, that you feel you somehow know these people and this place.
The storyline is touching and poignant but for me is almost secondary to the characters themselves. I could happily read about the comings and goings of the inhabitants of Bynum ad infinitum. There are moments of humour that I could picture vividly and which made me laugh out loud which is rare with books (for me).
In fact the whole story is so easy to visualise thanks to the wonderful skill of the writer and in my opinion is just crying out to be made into a movie.
Read it, you'll love it. I'm off to check out the authors other work!
February 13, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book opens with a death and an investigation. Dr Joe Bobby's wife dies by apparent suicide. Then Briley's mother, Dr Joe Bobby's best friend, throws herself into the story. Briley must now deal with the aftermath of Libby Beth's death as well as her mother's lifelong friendship. She is a typical antisocial teenager who doesn't have friends but she's not exactly unpopular. She just exists outside of all social circles. As the book progresses, she is noticed less and less until she believes no one can see her. She decides to embrace this and becomes a true invisible girl.
This was a great book! Well written and very well paced. I felt for Briley and her dad. I loved Miss Delphine. I know what it is like to want to be invisible. I know what it is like to be put last by everyone in your life. Briley became an invisible girl to deal with her own situation and the neglect that was suddenly her life. I refuse to give spoilers so all I can say is that this is a fantastic read and I am very happy to have found it
This book opens with a death and an investigation. Dr Joe Bobby's wife dies by apparent suicide. Then Briley's mother, Dr Joe Bobby's best friend, throws herself into the story. Briley must now deal with the aftermath of Libby Beth's death as well as her mother's lifelong friendship. She is a typical antisocial teenager who doesn't have friends but she's not exactly unpopular. She just exists outside of all social circles. As the book progresses, she is noticed less and less until she believes no one can see her. She decides to embrace this and becomes a true invisible girl.
This was a great book! Well written and very well paced. I felt for Briley and her dad. I loved Miss Delphine. I know what it is like to want to be invisible. I know what it is like to be put last by everyone in your life. Briley became an invisible girl to deal with her own situation and the neglect that was suddenly her life. I refuse to give spoilers so all I can say is that this is a fantastic read and I am very happy to have found it
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August 11, 2019
Padgett Gerler’s novel Invisible Girl is a Southern tale told by a young girl named Briley who learns what it means to lose a mother’s love while trying to understand her place in the world.
The author states that Invisible Girl is “a fictional account of a tragically true story,” and this tidbit is what initially piqued my interest.
Mixing fact with fiction, a man named Joe Bobby, Briley’s Mama’s best friend, goes to jail for the cold-blooded murder of his wife. He claims he is innocent. But is he? As Mama’s mind slowly spirals out of control, she aims to support her best friend. How far will Mama go to prove Joe Bobby’s innocence, and what will be sacrificed in order to do so?
This story at its heart is a sad one, obviously because a man is accused of murder, but also because Briley’s family is torn apart by the incident. While Briley stands by and helplessly watches her mother’s descent into madness, others try to help Briley make sense of things: Miss Delphine, an eccentric neighbor who smokes too much while listening to radio operas; and Daddy, who is trying just as hard as Briley to make it from day to day. Mostly, however, it will be Briley herself to ultimately come to terms with things.
My only quibble is that there were, at times, places where “show not tell” would have added to the story’s emotional quality, and the reader never intimately gets to know the convicted killer until the book’s end.
Even so, Invisible Girl is filled with unique Southern vernacular, and the author’s ability to capture the essence of the South is spot-on. Odds are you will see the Spanish moss, taste the Yoo-hoo, and laugh at the witty expressions, while serious undertones seep through the simplicity of this tiny southern town. Part sad, part funny, an adult book with a spunky YA narrator, Invisible Girl is a coming-of-age story with a strong narrative told in near-perfect southern style. Fans of Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes will not be disappointed.
The author states that Invisible Girl is “a fictional account of a tragically true story,” and this tidbit is what initially piqued my interest.
Mixing fact with fiction, a man named Joe Bobby, Briley’s Mama’s best friend, goes to jail for the cold-blooded murder of his wife. He claims he is innocent. But is he? As Mama’s mind slowly spirals out of control, she aims to support her best friend. How far will Mama go to prove Joe Bobby’s innocence, and what will be sacrificed in order to do so?
This story at its heart is a sad one, obviously because a man is accused of murder, but also because Briley’s family is torn apart by the incident. While Briley stands by and helplessly watches her mother’s descent into madness, others try to help Briley make sense of things: Miss Delphine, an eccentric neighbor who smokes too much while listening to radio operas; and Daddy, who is trying just as hard as Briley to make it from day to day. Mostly, however, it will be Briley herself to ultimately come to terms with things.
My only quibble is that there were, at times, places where “show not tell” would have added to the story’s emotional quality, and the reader never intimately gets to know the convicted killer until the book’s end.
Even so, Invisible Girl is filled with unique Southern vernacular, and the author’s ability to capture the essence of the South is spot-on. Odds are you will see the Spanish moss, taste the Yoo-hoo, and laugh at the witty expressions, while serious undertones seep through the simplicity of this tiny southern town. Part sad, part funny, an adult book with a spunky YA narrator, Invisible Girl is a coming-of-age story with a strong narrative told in near-perfect southern style. Fans of Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes will not be disappointed.
August 13, 2019
Once again, award-winning author Padget Gerler has delivered a story that tugs at the very depths of personal emotion. Her latest novel, INVISIBLE GIRL, tells the story of fourteen year old Briley Beckwith who, until October 2015, has lead the life of the average insecure teenage girl. Then tragedy strikes.
The wife of her mother’s best friend since childhood has been murdered. Soon, authorities charge the husband with the crime setting Briley’s mother into a psychological tailspin. As she obsesses with trying to prove her friend’s innocence, Briley is neglected and forced to live her life without the loving support structure that her mother had previously provided. Fortunately, Briley finds a parental form of love and security through Miss Delphine, Briley’s eccentric spinster neighbor. But things in the Beckwith house go from bad to worse until the stunning true nature of the crime finally comes to light.
Besides delving into the personal trauma of grief, divorce, teenage insecurity, and mental illness, Ms. Gerler included some real-life, well-timed humor that added to the enjoyment. I was hooked from the very beginning. The plot was interesting with characters that were well developed with unique and interesting but believable personalities. The story was well organized, well written, and professionally edited. I highly recommend this novel.
The wife of her mother’s best friend since childhood has been murdered. Soon, authorities charge the husband with the crime setting Briley’s mother into a psychological tailspin. As she obsesses with trying to prove her friend’s innocence, Briley is neglected and forced to live her life without the loving support structure that her mother had previously provided. Fortunately, Briley finds a parental form of love and security through Miss Delphine, Briley’s eccentric spinster neighbor. But things in the Beckwith house go from bad to worse until the stunning true nature of the crime finally comes to light.
Besides delving into the personal trauma of grief, divorce, teenage insecurity, and mental illness, Ms. Gerler included some real-life, well-timed humor that added to the enjoyment. I was hooked from the very beginning. The plot was interesting with characters that were well developed with unique and interesting but believable personalities. The story was well organized, well written, and professionally edited. I highly recommend this novel.
May 9, 2020
Padgett Gerler immediately pulls you into THE INVISIBLE GIRL with the drama of a murder, the charm of a small southern town and the honest, likable protagonist, Briley Beckwith. While her mother is consumed with getting her best friend pardoned for murder and her father withdraws into his insurance business, Briley feels invisible. She harnesses this coping skill to manage social pressures at school and avoid confrontation with her parents. But she's not invisible to everyone, and her neighbor, Miss Delphine, steps in with banana bread, cold Yoo Hoo's and a sincere interest in Briley. We all need a Miss Delphine in our life, someone who sees our pure potential. With the help of Miss Delphine, Briley finds strength in being authentic and visible, and realizes this is her superpower, not invisibility. You will love INVISIBLE GIRL, full of humor, poignant emotions and mystery. It's also is a great reminder that we serve the world with our presence, not our invisibility. Thank you for this wonderful read!!
November 2, 2019
Who has not wanted to be invisible? But what would be the costs and the distance this transformation imposes in your life?
Briley, the hero of Padgett Gerler’s new novel, Invisible Girl, adventures into this path when her world starts to fall apart. Equal parts coming-of-age story and crime mystery, the novel takes us all over a quiet town with some truly good people, but also dark stories hidden out of sight. This town—Bynum, Georgia—and the people living intertwined stories there for generations become more real with each passing chapter. Uncertain about the chaos surrounding his family, Briley would have to decide between drinking the cup of invisibility and going back to the real world as a full person.
This is a heartfelt, hopeful story that portraits a child’s drive to overcome the insanity and desperation befallen in her family.The tight writing and that the suspense about the actual crime and its aftermath will keep readers engaged to the end.
Briley, the hero of Padgett Gerler’s new novel, Invisible Girl, adventures into this path when her world starts to fall apart. Equal parts coming-of-age story and crime mystery, the novel takes us all over a quiet town with some truly good people, but also dark stories hidden out of sight. This town—Bynum, Georgia—and the people living intertwined stories there for generations become more real with each passing chapter. Uncertain about the chaos surrounding his family, Briley would have to decide between drinking the cup of invisibility and going back to the real world as a full person.
This is a heartfelt, hopeful story that portraits a child’s drive to overcome the insanity and desperation befallen in her family.The tight writing and that the suspense about the actual crime and its aftermath will keep readers engaged to the end.
December 22, 2019
This is the fourth book I've read of Ms. Gerler's, and in my opinion it is her best work yet. I have been a high-school English teacher and she gets inside the head of the teenage Briley absolutely perfectly. It's as if the author has channeled this child, that's how spot-on her writing is. The way Briley speaks, her reactions to fellow students, her parents, and other adults is very realistic and believable. There is a surprise midway through the book, and I found I couldn't put it down, wanting to know what was going to happen next. A delightful, thought-provoking book that I highly recommend.
March 14, 2021
Invisible Girl is a coming-of-age story wrapped within a greater story of a crime.
Briley is a 14-year-old girl from the south. It stays true to its southern heritage in the vocabulary used.
Briley becomes invisible to her family when her family start taking sides in the criminal event that has happened.
I won't go into details since I hate spoilers.
This book is a slow but steady read.
Character creation is wonderful and Briley is an interesting young girl.
And the setting is so clear you can picture yourself there.
The crime itself lacks a bit of umph, but the story around it is well structured.
All in all a 3.5 star read.
Briley is a 14-year-old girl from the south. It stays true to its southern heritage in the vocabulary used.
Briley becomes invisible to her family when her family start taking sides in the criminal event that has happened.
I won't go into details since I hate spoilers.
This book is a slow but steady read.
Character creation is wonderful and Briley is an interesting young girl.
And the setting is so clear you can picture yourself there.
The crime itself lacks a bit of umph, but the story around it is well structured.
All in all a 3.5 star read.
December 14, 2020
Mesmerizing!
Loved everything about this book. The setting, the characters, the beautiful writing. Gerler has a wonderful talent for capturing the voice of her characters and telling a story that will keep you mesmerized from the first word to the last. Be prepared for laughter and tears, sometimes at the same time!
Loved everything about this book. The setting, the characters, the beautiful writing. Gerler has a wonderful talent for capturing the voice of her characters and telling a story that will keep you mesmerized from the first word to the last. Be prepared for laughter and tears, sometimes at the same time!
November 5, 2024
Padgett Gerler never disappoints
Invisible Girl is a great read and sucked me right in. A young girls mother goes off the deep end, so she is left to her own devices. She manages to get through that time without drawing attention to herself. This book breaks my heart, but the ending makes up for it. I enjoyed Invisible Girl very much!
Invisible Girl is a great read and sucked me right in. A young girls mother goes off the deep end, so she is left to her own devices. She manages to get through that time without drawing attention to herself. This book breaks my heart, but the ending makes up for it. I enjoyed Invisible Girl very much!
September 24, 2025
I read this back in May 2021 and I remember parts of it. However, I need to read it again. I know I loved it, that's on my reading list, before I joined Goodreads. (Yes, I have always kept a reading list, how silly of me.)
October 20, 2020
We are proud to announce that INVISIBLE GIRL by Padgett Gerler is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
March 13, 2021
Beautifully written story told from 14 year old Briley's perspective.
November 15, 2022
Beautifully written with excellent character development. The southern drawls were perfect and made me miss living in North Carolina.
March 4, 2024
3.5 stars. Easy read. Good story with a little surprise. This book had the potential to be deep and explore some interesting topics. The author chose to stay in the shallow end.
September 5, 2019
Ms. Padgett Gerler's latest novel, INVISIBLE GIRL, depicts the journey of Briley, a girl who observes the swirl of chaos created in the wake after her mother experiences the death of her best friend's wife. The psychological descent of her mother exacerbates Briley's already wavering sense of security and belonging, two essential human needs that Briley fulfills in her own way.
Gerler's beautifully crafted descriptions place you right in the middle of the action, which ironically, is told from a girl who feels quite separated from it. INVISIBLE GIRL invites you to read it more than once to fully immerse yourself in life at Bynum, Georgia and will have you reliving the book's unfolding events long after you put the book down. Highly recommend!
--Tracie Barton-Barrett, author of BURIED DEEP IN OUR HEARTS
Gerler's beautifully crafted descriptions place you right in the middle of the action, which ironically, is told from a girl who feels quite separated from it. INVISIBLE GIRL invites you to read it more than once to fully immerse yourself in life at Bynum, Georgia and will have you reliving the book's unfolding events long after you put the book down. Highly recommend!
--Tracie Barton-Barrett, author of BURIED DEEP IN OUR HEARTS
December 8, 2019
Padgett Gerler’s novel Invisible Girl features fourteen-year-old Briley who wishes somebody would notice her. Research trying to prove her best friend innocent of murder completely engrosses Briley’s mother. Worry about his wife’s obsession preoccupies Briley’s father. At school Briley avoids the popular girls, the spirits, and they avoid her. Until her next-door-neighbor Miss Delphine befriends her, Briley thinks she has become invisible to everyone. Gerler gets Briley’s voice perfectly right: the youth, the Southern sensibility, the Yoo-hoo drinks, and the hyphenated adjectives like the Holier-than-thou Episcopal Church and the First-and-only-one-that-matters Southern Baptist Church. Give yourself a treat and read this touching, funny, charming story of Briley and her desire to be acknowledged by the people who matter most.
August 31, 2019
Author Padgett Gerler has topped herself and hit a new high. This book is really wonderful, full of heart, intrigue and emotion. Written in an authentic Southern voice, you will become immersed in the issues presented to Briley Beckworth related to a murder close to her and her family. I came to truly care for the protagonist throughout her journey. The characters became real for me and I felt I knew them. Gerler just keeps getting better and better and I look forward to her next work!
January 17, 2026
i couldn’t fully get into it (sadly), i really did try but i couldn’t
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