I’d like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Fine Art of Invisible Detection’ written by Robert Goddard in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Umiko Wada is the secretary to Tokyo-based private detective Kazuto Kodaka. When a job comes up that seems more suited to a woman investigator Wada is sent to London but during her absence Kodaka is knocked down by a car and dies. Wada decides to continue with the investigation despite the possible risk to her own life.

‘The Fine Art of Invisible Detection’ is a story of mystery and intrigue that begins in Tokyo and moves to London. I’ve read Robert Goddard’s ‘Past Caring’ which I enjoyed and although I found this latest novel interesting I found it hard to get into, but I did like reading about Wada who reminded me a bit of Mma Makuti in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. This novel was well-written but for some reason it didn’t grab me and I couldn’t get involved in the plot.

This is a very readable, twisty-turny detective/thriller story - perfect for when you just want to get lost in a book.
I really liked the premise, of a Japanese detective's secretary/assistant having to suddenly take on an extremely confusing, and dangerous case. Wada is a great character, who you slowly find yourself loving, and I would be very happy to read more about her in the future. I'd hoped for more of the action to happen in Japan, but the book travels to a number of different places, and there's a lot going on so I wasn't too disappointed. It's twisty-turny, and whilst I'd stabbed a guess in some places, there were still plenty of unexpected moments.

I did feel that the cover gives the impression that it's more of a light-hearted than it actually is - this is no Ladies Detective Agency story! But it's a good, enjoyable read.

The fine art of invisible detection

I really enjoyed this book . The characters were well drawn and I loved the character of Wada. The story drew me in right from the start and the plot was nicely complicated and although I tried to guess what would happen as I was reading I was often incorrect. I would like to read more about Wada and hope there will be more to follow
Hi T

An extremely enjoyable book. Wada, PA to a Japanese private detective, is sent to London on a case to meet Martin Caldwell. When her boss is murdered she carries on the investigation. Caldwell also contacts Nick Miller to tell him who his real father is. When Caldwell disappears they both follow him to Iceland. The first couple of chapters are slow while the reader gets used to Japanese names and several characters. After that the story moves at a good pace. It was one of those books where as I finished I felt that I had really enjoyed it. I will definitely look out for Goddard's books in future. The story would make a great TV miniseries.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.

Robert Goddard’s reputation for detailed and intricate plots in his work is justified by the many twists and turns in his latest novel. The choice of an unassuming assistant, who carries on the detective work of her murdered employer across three continents is unexpectedly effective. The plot is internally consistent and only occasionally asks perhaps too much of the reader’s credulity. The current vogue for inserting climate change themes into modern fiction is accomplished in a rather more creative and credible way than many current offerings, whilst the way the reader is forced to wait quite some time for the reasonably satisfying denouement to arrive means that there is always a strong temptation to read a few more pages before putting the light out......again and again. The Fine Art of Invisible Detection is strongly recommended, particularly for readers who want to immerse themselves in a complex plot, rather than zip through a book in short order.

Umiko Wada lives in Tokyo, she wants to live an unassuming life, she doesn’t want excitement she just wants to get through the day without any hassle. She works for a private detective and as exciting as this may sound her days are anything but. However all this changes one day when a client comes in to the office, their case needs someone to go to London, someone who wont ring alarm bells and that someone is Wada.

Wada is happy to go, her husband tragically lost his life after the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, she has nobody to go home to and prepares herself for travel making sure to pack her copy of The Makioka Sisters. She is to meet a man in London who has information their client requires, if she can pass herself off as the client it will be an nice easy job for her except we know things never go to plan. The man doesn’t turn up.

Nick Miller lives in London, brought up by his mother and her partner, he never knew his father or really wanted to but an old acquaintance of his parents says he has information for him about his father and he will be coming to London so he can tell him in person. Except he doesn’t turn up.

Could it be the same man?! Well yes and this is where the book starts putting on the mileage as separately Wada and Nick travel to Devon to see if they can find their mysterious contact, missing each other they then end up in Iceland. The tale then takes a violent turn as people start turning up dead, a mysterious company is buying tracts of land in the country, a sinister Japanese businessman is part of it and it turns out Nick’s father may been embroiled in the midst of all of this along with the case Wada was working on.

It is a great mix of energy, with Wada’s Japanese sensibilities against the craziness of what is going on plus her and Nick always seem to miss one another. The story twists and turns and twists again. You need to keep up with it and I really enjoyed doing so.

It is a great thriller that doesn’t always take it self too seriously but entertains and thrills at the same time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the classic Goddard of old and I blooming loved it. Not that I haven't enjoyed his more recent stuff I just haven't found them as much to really get my teeth as his early books - the likes of Past Caring which is my favourite of his.
Umiko Wada is a secretary to a private detective. She keeps her head down and just wants to get on with her life post the murder of her husband. She revels in her organisational skills, looking after her boss. Until that is she is asked to pose as a client to take a meeting which she needs to travel from Tokyo to London for. But before this meeting takes place, her boss is killed in a hit and run "accident". Wada has a decision to make. Abandon her task or carry it out.
Meanwhile Nick Miller is intrigued when someone gets in touch with information about his father. Nick has always wanted to know more about him, his mother being reluctant to share prior to her death. He is soon shocked when he finds that things are not as they have been told to him.
And so begins a rather intriguing and thrilling story that held me rapt the entire time I was reading it. So many secrets and lies to uncover, so much duplicitous behaviour to follow. So much history to witness.
The action takes place right across the world - Japan, London, Iceland (of all places) culminating in a bit of a wild showdown on a Cornish beach. Scenes are set perfectly and it's obvious that either the author has personal knowledge of these places or he has definitely done his research. As he has with the sarin attacks he describes.
In Wada the author has created one of the most unique and interesting main characters I have met in a while. She's an unlikely hero and has warmth and empathy as well as being one smart cookie. I really enjoyed getting to know her along the way and was quite sad to have left her at the end of the book. Maybe just maybe she'll pop up in another thrilling adventure in the future - I hope so.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Umiko Wada, a middle-aged assistant to a private Investigator ends up a long way from home in what will be her last case for him. Since her husband died after twelve years in a coma following the 1995 sarin attack on the Tokyo subway, Umiko has led a lonely life. By the time her husband died she was too old to have children so instead of looking to remarry she decided to dedicate her life to her career, assisting her boss Kazuto Kodaka. So, when he asks if she would travel to London to attend a meeting on behalf of a client, she packs her bag and gets on a plane.

Once in London she is to meet with a man who has information regarding someone who worked as a translator for her client’s father before he was killed in 1977. However, when the man she is to meet doesn’t show up, instead of going back to Japan Wada (as she likes to be called) resolutely follows the case to wherever it takes her – Devon, New York, Iceland and finally to Cornwall.

The case turns out to be more complex and much more dangerous than Wada and Kodaka could ever have imagined when they took it on. Unknown to her, someone else is on the same trail, Nick Miller, looking for information about the father he has never known. Missing since the 70s and presumed dead, the man Nick thinks might be his father was last seen on a beach in Cornwall, where one of his housemates was found drowned. Nick and Wada’s paths eventually collide in Iceland where the stakes will be raised for both of them as they uncover a plot of corruption, fraud and pure greed.

This fast moving, smart and complex thriller is full of intrigue and suspense with twists at every turn. There are many pieces to keep track of, which eventually all slot together and culminate in a truly explosive ending.

Wada is a delightful character. For someone used to an ordered and uneventful existence in Tokyo, she handles everything thrown her way with aplomb as she uses her clever brain and tenacity to evade danger. Quiet and resilient, Umiko Wada is the perfect invisible undercover detective who should never be underestimated.

Robert Goddard has written another intelligent and stylish thriller with a smart and complex plot and a unique character you can’t fail to cheer for.

The central character is the small unobtrusive, non suspicious looking Umiko Wada who with a terrier like insistence follows the clues and dodges death.
As with previous books I have read by Robert Goggard, this one took a while to capture my full attention. Goddard focusses initially on the characters, bringing them to life, before moving onto the actual plot.
Once the body count started to rise, so did the tempo of the novel moving locations from Japan to England, New York and Iceland. As usual, this is a well crafted, twisting complex novel from this gifted author and is highly recommended.

I received an e-arc of this book thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this one but I know Robert Goddard is a brilliant author. I found this a fun mystery book. It was fast paced, constantly on the go. It flicks between 2 characters perspectives which initially don’t make sense, until the story is unravelled and then it’s the case of how will they be merged. I loved the cliffhanger at the end of the book - makes me wonder if there’s plans for a sequel.

Umiko Wada has recently had enough excitment in her life. With her husband recently murdered and a mother who seemed to want her married again before his body was cold, she just wants to keep her head down. As a secretary to a private detective, her is pleasingly uncomplicated. That is, until her boss takes on a new case. A case which is dangerous enough to get him killed. Now Wada will have to leave Japan for the forst time and travel; to London.

A series of events sees Nick Miller, a teacher living in London and Umiko Wada paths cross. The story takes us around the country and Iceland. The book pulls you in from the beginning. A story of dirty deeds and gangsters. It's so descriptively written that it makes you feel that you had been there. The oace was a bit on the slow side. The plotline has been cleverly crafted.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #RandomHouseUk #TransworldPublishers and the author #RobertGoddard for my ARC #TheFineArtOfInvisibleDetection in exchange for an honest review.

This book sounds so interesting but it just didn't grab me and I gave up. I will definitely try it again sometime as I think it's more my reading mood than anything to do with the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was quite captivating and interesting read. It was the first book by Robert Goddard I have ever read, but I can definitely say that I am in love with his writing. Descriptions of different countries make you feel part of the scenery and really see it around you.
Also I really liked the main character Wada, who is strong and resolute middle-aged Japanese woman (while reading the book I would never say that she is more than 40 years old. In my imagination she is maximum 30-35).
At the same time, the book seemed quite slow-paced to me and the ending leaves me in need of the second part. Besides, at the beginning the switch between two POVs - Wada's and Nick Miller's (middle-aged British man, whose path will be crossed with Wada's one under mysterious circumstances) was quite confusing. I felt like "why are we talking about Britain now if we were just talking about Tokyo?"
Overall, I can say that I enjoyed the book and I would give it 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
Thank you very much NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book was well written and quite exciting,I liked the descriptions of Japan and liked the characters,I did struggle with the names but dont let that put you off as a quick stop and think and was back on track again
A quick read and enjoyable

Thank you very much to the publishers Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book for an honest opinion.

I haven't read any other books by Robert Goddard but have seen the covers and The Fine Art of Invisible Detection looked a very different style to what I remember seeing in bookshops. I'll be honest I didn't know what to expect as didn't look it up prior to reading. My first impression was maybe it was a book for a younger audience but that was based solely on the front cover. Now I've read the book I know its not and feel the cover design doesn't really match the book, so it was a bit misleading. It was however a really good page turner any very exciting. I loved the different locations the book took us to, from Tokyo to London, New York, Cornwall, Devon, Cornwall and Rekyjavik. It was very fast paced and had plot twists all over the place.

Umiko Wada is a secretary to a private detective, based in Tokyo and has a fairly uninteresting life, that is, until her boss takes on a new case. A case which turns out to be dangerous enough to get him killed. A case which means Wada will have to leave Japan for and travel to London. Following the only lead she has, Wada quickly realises that being a detective isn't as easy as the television makes out. And that there's a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they're prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way...

I loved the characters, Wada, was great. I was initially reminded of the Cormoran Strike books, for the first chapter or two, then it took on a life of its own. I enjoyed this a lot more due to the faster pace and the regular curveballs thrown in. I will definitely be looking to read other books by Robert Goddard.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this one

sorry to say this one wasnt for me..i gave it a good go but i just couldnt get into it sorry

This twisty and fast-paced thriller brings new meaning to the phrase ‘invisible detection’. Being an average woman in her forties, Umika Wada is fortunate enough to be frequently overlooked and not considered to be worth worthy of anyone’s time. Her invisibility, is her superpower so to speak and allows her to participate in an investigation for her boss, Kazuro Kodaka who owns a detective agency in Tokyo. While completing her investigation in London, Wada learns of Kodaka’s sudden death and decides to undertake a deeper investigation, leading her into the front line against known criminals and dangerous businessmen.
Wada is a very calm and collected individual, skills which stand to her during her investigation and her ability to sift between the myriad of information thrown at her and decipher the clues is undoubtably impressive. Despite having little experience as a detective, she was previously Kodaka’s PA, she has adapted impressively to her new role and is clearly influenced by the death of her husband in the sarin attacks in Japan some years previously.
Meanwhile, we have the storyline of Nick Miller, who at the age of 41, has been presented with the opportunity of finally meeting his unknown father. The two storylines are running in parallel for the initial ¾ of the novel and it is when their storylines combine, that events truly implode. The story is fast-paced and does require your attention, but this is not a difficulty when a storyline is so exciting. There are plenty of twists and turns and I loved how this story is not at all predictable but keeps the reading guessing until the final page.
I particularly enjoyed the elements where Wada was leading the tale and consider that she is the hero that we need in 2021 and I certainly hope to read more of her adventures in the future.

Actual rating 4.5 stars

Meet Umiko Wada, personal assistant to Kazuto Kodaka a one man detective agency in the heart of Tokyo. Widowed when her husband was killed in a sarin gas subway attack, this woman’s life is about to change irrevocably when her boss takes on client Mimori Takenaga wishing to uncover the truth behind the alleged suicide of her father in London many years ago. Requiring Wada to fly to London, impersonating his client, Kodaka sets Wada off on an investigation that places all those involved, of which there are quite a few, in immeasurable danger. Some will survive, others will fall by the wayside so prepare to bring your A game to the table if you want to join Wada in solving this most complex of mysteries as she travels to various destinations around the globe in a race to unearth deeply buried secrets and ultimately expose the truth.

Before you can begin to grapple with the Tokyo London connection you need to meet another main player in this storyline, Englishman and art teacher Nick Miller who is inadvertently embroiled in this mystery, starting with a phone call from an acquaintance of his recently deceased mother. Martin Caldwell is in possession of information regarding the true identity of Nick’s father previously assumed to be that of Geoff Nolan and requests that they meet. Nick’s interest is piqued by this strange, out of the blue request from a man whose connection to his mother lies in the past and their student days in Exeter. As Nick discovers more about his mother, the young Caro Miller and her partner April and the identity of his absent father, links between him, the events of the past and the dealings of a well known Japanese businessman are tentatively forged. As Martin Caldwell gives both Nick and Wada the runaround, expect violence and death to accompany our unassuming detective as she endeavours to crack the case.

I can’t believe this is my first introduction to this author’s writing but better late than never.
Taking the reader from Tokyo, to London, to Reykjavik and Cornwall and Devon this is most definitely a thriller to exercise the grey matter. You can’t afford to let your mind drift for one moment otherwise you’ll be in danger of losing the thread and wonder what on earth is going on! With Japanese and Icelandic character names, of which there are plenty and place names that I had no idea how to pronounce it’s easy to get a trifle confused but don’t let that put you off. Whilst this type of thriller is not my usual kind of go to read, tending to choose psychological ones over the more action packed ones I’m glad I persevered. Goddard has crafted an intelligent, complex and pacy thriller that keeps your brain cells ticking over and is difficult to put down. If you can keep your wits about you and untangle the knottiest of knots then you’ll realise that greed, treachery and fraud foster the majority of the ruthless behaviour displayed by some of these characters. Evidence of double crossings and dubious shady dealings abound. The more entrenched I became in Wada’s investigation the more I enjoyed trying to anticipate everyone’s next moves, patience and fortitude requisite attributes in this cat and mouse game in which the opponents are elusive and powerful.

This thriller wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable without the presence of such an unlikely detective as Umiko Wada. Small in stature she’s a formidable opponent against the prime targets in her investigation reminding me of a female Bond type figure when the occasion demands. Although she’s thrown in at the deep end, Wada exhibits a natural flair for her undercover role applying stealth and cunning to every situation. Invisible to so many she manages to slip under the radar time and time again despite numerous and rigorous attempts to thwart her progress. The fact this woman is in possession of a death defying invincibility, like a cat with nine lives makes her a refreshingly unusual but wonderful heroine. Her sharp brain and her personal interest in unravelling the almost impenetrable connections between a Japanese businessman and the historic events that take place in Cornwall London and in the present day Reykjavik suggests she’s the ideal ( albeit only!) candidate to carry out this investigation. I had every confidence she would come up smelling of roses!

My mind permanently in overdrive I can honestly say I loved this thriller and oh my goodness what an ending! Out of nowhere Goddard surprises you with a most spectacular twist to wrap up this pacy thriller. Think fireworks, it’s that explosive! My jaw literally dropped to the floor, leaving me in no doubt of this author’s ability to weave a highly credible, lively and compelling piece of thrilling fiction. I’m in total agreement that Robert Goddard is a master of labyrinthine plotting; he keeps you on the edge of your seat, awaiting each new dramatic development with fascination and trepidation. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this thriller and hope that isn’t the last we’ll see of this pocket sized detective but fear this may be her one and only chance to shine! I highly recommend. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

The Fine Art of Invisible Detection is the latest novel from master storyteller Robert Goddard, and it's well up to his usual high standards.
Umiko Wada is secretary to a private investigator in Tokyo who takes on a case looking into the affairs of a ruthless businessman suspected of having underworld connections. Umiko is a middle-aged widow happy in her undemanding job and with her simple life. All that changes when her boss asks her to go to London to meet someone with information in connection with the case. Very quickly it becomes apparent how dangerous the people being investigated are and Umiko finds herself alone,abroad and with sharks circling.
Meanwhile in London ,Nick Miller is given some news of a personal nature and has also arranged to meet the same person,totally unaware that he's also being sucked into a dangerous situation.

From there an entertaining plot unfolds that has Nick and Wada,as she prefers to be called, following the same trail independently, a trail that links both their pasts to conspiracies, fraud and murder in the present day. Robert Goddard keeps up the tension to the end of the book and only in the last couple of chapters do the readers and the main characters learn the whole truth,and even then.....................

This is a very enjoyable read with some great characters, not least Wada who refreshingly is just a normal middle-aged lady who rises to the challenge and proves that she's more than capable of handling dangerous situations and thinking on her feet. I hope she will feature in future books, there's certainly scope for a series.

The book begins slowly but very soon things get very dramatic ,very suddenly, the various threads start to knit together and from then on the drama,twists ,turns and action just keep on coming until the end. .

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an advance copy of The Fine Art of Invisible Detection, a stand-alone thriller set in Japan, Iceland and England.

Umiko Wada is sent from Tokyo to London on behalf of her boss, a private detective, and a client but nothing goes to plan and she ends up in more trouble than she bargained for. At the same time Nick Miller discovers that his father isn’t who he thought he was and starts trying to find him.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Fine Art of Detection which is a fun read with an incredible, twisty plot. The narrative alternates between Wada’s and Nick’s points of view, but as both are on separate journeys this is not an issue, in fact it’s really interesting as they both have the same objective but are coming at it from different angles and with different information. I wouldn’t call it compare and contrast, more parallel experiences.

The plot is fun and not to be taken too seriously, involving as it does, murders, accidental deaths, kidnapping, cons, treachery, double crossing and alleged Japanese gangsters among other things. It is slowish to start but once it gets going it’s non stop action and the twists. The final one is the most mind blowing and well worth the read for that alone. The plot is fairly convoluted and the reader doesn’t really know what is at the root of it all until late in the novel. Quite often I find that kind of secrecy frustrating but in this case it’s intriguing and my desire to know and understand kept me turning the pages.

I loved Wada, as she likes to be known. She’s an unassuming, forty-something widow who is far more capable than she gives herself credit for. Her quiet tenacity and logic drive the novel and somehow give it a warmth and gentility that are unusual in thrillers.

The Fine Art of Invisible Detection is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.