The Imposter

by Krista Wagner

Someone is threatening Kyla’s life. The problem is, she can’t prove it.

Kyla's life seems to be falling into place as she embarks on her dream career and plans her wedding. However, a series of unsettling events force Kyla to question her own sanity. Is she losing her mind to her mother's tragic legacy, or is something far more sinister at play?

Pushed to the brink of paranoia, Kyla finds herself trapped in a twisted game of deception, full of threats and mysterious clues with no rules and no escape. The problem is, she can’t prove any of it is happening.

As the stakes escalate, Kyla must unravel dark secrets before everything she holds dear is destroyed. But who can Kyla turn to when the people she trusts the most seem to be hiding something? Will she uncover the truth in time, or will she lose her mind trying?

ebook

Published June 14, 2024

About the author

Amazon bestselling author Krista Wagner lives with her Marine Corp. veteran husband and an entertaining clan of pets. It takes a major sense of humor and a warm heart to fall in love, so those are the kinds of love stories she pens under Cristina Ryan.

Outside of her sweet romcoms, Krista explores themes of betrayal, deception, and hope in the psychological suspense and mystery genre, and writes YA psychological horror mystery under Jessica Blade.

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so full of suspense and mystery! Kept me on my toes and edge of my seat so much that I read it in one day. You will keep trying to figure out what’s happening and thinking you know, but trust me you don’t! Very easy read and well explained story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Myra McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this story had a real unexpected twist.

A great plot, leaving you guessing at times.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story with so many twists that it kept me turning the pages. Is Kyla going mad or is the same disease that took her mother manifesting in her? Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist had me reeling. I would recommend it. I received a free copy of this book via BookSprout and I am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me. Kyla's planning her wedding and starting new job, when strange things happen. Losing her memories, fainting, being attacked to just name the few. Her fiance Jack and her best friend Ivy don't really believe her as there is no proof.

Is Kyla losing her mind?
Why strange things happening to her?
Who can she trust?

Fast paced thriller with twists and revelations.I enjoyed this book,but to much happening at once ,and some things were weird(minor setback for me).

Thank you booksprout and author for free copy.

[Mrs S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written book. Good original storyline and characters.

I really enjoyed this book, which had lots of twists and turns and kept me wanting to keep reading to find out the ending.

However, there was so much happening that some of occurrences were a little bit unbelievable and sometimes repetitive, but it all added to the thought that maybe the main character, Kyla, was going insane and losing her mind!!

[Christine Choptovy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this unpredictable psychological thriller. Kayla is still grieving the death of her Mom, who passed away from early onset Lewy-Body Dementia. Her fiancée Jake can empathize with her situation because his parents were killed in a plane crash two years ago. She also has her best friend Ivy, who works as a RN and is up to her eyeballs in student loan debt. Kyla attended college to become a graphic designer but she’s not been able to start her chosen career. Ivy sends Kyla’s portfolio to the owner of Graphic Design and Kayla gets her opportunity to pursue her dreams. However, Kyla starts misplacing things or outright losing them. Even though it’s very rare for that type of dementia to be inherited, Kyla is convinced she’s going to suffer the same fate. Then other strange things start happening too. Is Kyla being gaslit by someone? Can she trust the people closest to her? Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, a few pages later you realize that you haven’t.
I received a copy of the book from Voracious Readers Only and this review is my personal opinion.

[Lyndsay Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great psychological thriller, had me turning pages and second guessing myself at each turn!
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Imposter pulled me in with its unsettling premise and refused to let go. From the very first chapter, I was right there with Kyla—excited about her future, feeling her joy and anticipation. And then, just like her, I started to feel that creeping unease. The missing mail, the watch in the freezer, the blackouts… It’s the kind of psychological suspense that makes you second-guess everything.

Krista Wagner nails the slow-burn tension, expertly weaving paranoia and reality together in a way that had me flipping pages way past bedtime. I felt Kyla’s frustration as the people around her dismissed her fears—her growing desperation, her struggle to hold onto her sense of self. The whole time, I kept asking myself: Is she imagining things? Or is there something much, much worse going on?

And let’s talk about the suspects! Every character had me raising an eyebrow—her charming but too interested boss, her stressed-out best friend, her suddenly distant fiancé. Someone had to be behind it all, but Wagner kept me guessing, twisting the narrative just when I thought I had it figured out.

What I loved most was the way this book played with reality. As Kyla questioned her own mind, I found myself questioning mine, too. The possibility of inherited dementia added another layer of dread—what if she wasn’t being manipulated? What if she really was unraveling? It made the stakes feel deeply personal, and that’s what truly set this thriller apart.

If you love psychological suspense that messes with your head while delivering a gripping mystery, The Imposter is a must-read. It’s unsettling, it’s twisty, and it’ll keep you holding your breath until the final reveal.

[Amanda Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book via voracious readers only in lieu of an honest review. It was good and had a lot of twists and turns. There was a bit too much drama for my liking, but I did enjoy the unraveling mystery. Just when you thought you had things figured out, something else happened. One thing is for sure, after reading this, I will always be thankful for my mundane life.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚The Imposter
✍🏻Krista Wagner
Blurb:
Someone is threatening Kyla’s life. The problem is, she can’t prove it.

Kyla's world seems to be falling into place as she embarks on her dream career and plans her wedding. It isn't long, however, until unsettling events occur. First, important mail goes missing, and she finds her late mother's watch in the freezer, then she passes out at work, believing she's been drugged.

But when someone runs her off the road and breaks into her home, everyone shows concern...and disbelief, because Kyla is always the only witness. . . And When Kyla's vast inheritance from her mother vanishes from her account, and the bank says Kyla herself withdrew the money, she is pushed to the brink of paranoia. Is she losing her mind to her mother's tragic legacy of dementia, or is something far more sinister at play?

Her new boss seems a bit too smitten with her, her best friend Ivy is stressing over money problems, and her fiancé Jake becomes distant. Ivy's new boyfriend and Kyla's boss also share a mysterious past. Worried she's following in her mother's footsteps yet convinced someone is after her, who can Kyla turn to when the people she trusts the most seem to be hiding something? Will she succumb to her mother's illness or find evidence to prove her life is at stake?

Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and Nicola Sanders
My Thoughts:
This was so full of suspense and mystery. Kyla going mad or is the same disease that took her mother manifesting in her. Her fiancée Jake can empathize with her situation because his parents were killed in a plane crash two years ago. She also has her best friend Ivy, works as a RN and is up to her eyeballs in student loan debt. But is her fiance' and her best friend for years a part of this, is she losing her mind, is someone else part of this.
Fast paced thriller with twists and revelations.
Thanks Booksprout, Krista Wagner for the advanced copy of "The Imposter" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#BookSprout
#KristaWagner
#TheImposter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Tina Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you tell if you are losing your mind...?
This was a very good story, one that touches on so many real truths about family history and if/when a person might actually 'get' what another had.
Kyla's Mother had dementia, and someone goes through alot of trouble at many different levels, to make Kyla think that she is all of a sudden showing the signs, too. Like forgetting where she put her keys, not knowing what was said, that she just 'drifts off' when sitting there with someone else. But is her fiance' and her best friend for years a part of this, is she losing her mind, is someone else part of this? Yes, that is how her mind goes, wondering what is real and what is not.
Thank you, Krista Wagner, for a great story that has real value in it!
I received a complimentary copy of this story and this is my honest review.

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

When disconcerting and dangerous things start to occur in Kyla's life she begins to question what is really going on around her. Is she experiencing the same problems her mom did in her life or is she the victim of a dangerous deception. She has to sort through the treacherous web of deceipt and figure out which of her friends and family she can actually trust to help her during this difficult time. This is a tension-filled, psychological thriller with plenty of suspense to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tami Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything is starting to fall back into place again. Her life has been a roller coaster full of changes. Dream job, great best friend, great fiance, and plans to make her mother's sacrifices last far into the future. Then unbelievable things start happening. Either someone is out to destroy everything she holds dear or she's losing her mind. Who can she trust? Will anyone believe her? What will it take to find the truth?.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Imposter by Krista Wagner is a quick, tense read about a woman whose “perfect” life starts to crack when someone seems to be out to get her, and nobody really believes her. It feels like a mix of clean romantic suspense and psychological drama, with plenty of doubt, paranoia, and second guessing who can be trusted. The story leans more on creeping unease than gore, and it keeps you turning pages to see who’s lying and how far the threat is going to go.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that I struggled to put down, but I was disappointed with the ending. The ending itself I did not see coming and that I was pleased with. However, I thought that the ending was written as the author just wanted to get the book quickly finished