Invisible by Carla Buckley

When Dana's teenage niece, Peyton, calls and lets her know that her mom Julie, is seriously ill, Dana rushes back to Black Bear, Minnesota--even though she hasn't spoken to her sister, Julie, or been home in almost twenty years. By the time Dana gets there, Julie has passed away, leaving Peyton to live with her dad, Frank--an alcoholic who's fallen off the wagon. We learn that Dana is Peyton's real mother, a fact that Julie and Dana kept from Frank and, of course, Peyton. Dana also becomes focused on the fact that so many people in Black Bear have died from or have kidney disease, even though the number of people diagnosed is “within normal limits.” Dana wonders what in the town is making people sick? In her quest to uncover the truth, Dana isolates herself even more from the citizens of Black Bear. Told through the eyes of Dana and Peyton, Invisible is a story of lost chances, forgiveness, and healing. An OK read, but not up to the standards of Buckley's first book, The Things That Keep Us Here, which was superb. For readers of Jodi Picoult.