The Invisible Hand: A Pareto Sisters Mystery by P.E. Klein

Welcome to the quaint neighborhood of Menlo Park, where nothing is as ordinary as it seems. Meet Charlie and Clarke Pareto, two sisters with an extraordinary knack for solving mysteries that baffle others.

Their father, Fenton Pareto, may be renowned as the Bay Area’s sharpest private investigator, but when a spate of peculiar happenings – vanishing jewels, distressed pets, and enigmatic cellphone malfunctions – start to disturb the peace, it’s up to the Pareto sisters to step in.

The sisters find themselves in a labyrinth of clues, matching wits with an unseen adversary pulling strings from the shadows. And just as the plot thickens, a twist: Charlie and Clarke are wrongfully accused of a crime, sending them on a thrilling race against time to clear their names.

Outsmarting booby traps and cryptic puzzles, they rely on their greatest asset: their brilliant minds, seasoned with courage and a touch of stubbornness. Their journey is not just about unmasking the villain but also discovering the strength within themselves.

The Invisible Hand is the first book in a captivating trilogy that blends the charm of a cozy mystery with the thrill of amateur sleuthing.

About P.E. Klein

The Invisible Hand has so much happening all of the time (in the best way!) I imagine planning the book looked a little bit like an evidence board… How long did writing the book take, from the very first ideas to the final draft?

Alfred Hitchcock and his writers used a “set piece” approach (creating impactful scenes, then linking them together to create a story) to plot many of his films. I loosely followed that same writing strategy. The book took five months to write. During that time, I researched or wrote for three hours each day. It took much longer (and was far more difficult) to navigate the many professional editorial cycles.

The Pareto girls are such memorable characters! How did you come up with the idea for them and how easy/difficult was it to get their character/personalities just right?

The characters are a product of my imagination. However, like many fictional characters, their actions and traits are inspired by real-life people.

Which was your favorite character to create, and why?

Charlie is my favorite. I wanted to create a brilliant but flawed character. She misjudges everything, but things turn out fine for her in the end.

Tell us about any plans you have for the next two books! Are they already plotted out?

The next two books of the trilogy are finished. Reader response to the first book will determine if they are published.

What three things do you think make a great story?

Relatable characters, a fast-moving plot, and plenty of surprises.

Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite book of all time?

Impossible to pick just one, but Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22” is a masterpiece.

What’s your favorite thing about being an author?

I write for my two (now adult) daughters who seem to enjoy my quirky humor. I love hearing what they have to say.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself spending even more time in Rome.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

International Latin ballroom dancing. I dance almost every day.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new authors?