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Imprint: A Psychological Thriller
Reality is fragile. Alex Carter is about to break it.
Alex Carter used to be a journalist sharp, skeptical, and barely holding himself together after losing everything that mattered. When he's assigned a routine obituary, he expects tedium. Instead, he finds a man with no past. No real birth records. No family. Just a name, and a history that doesn't hold.
Driven by a need to understand, Alex follows the trail and discovers others just like him. People who shouldn't exist. Faces that never age. Lives that appear out of nowhere.
But the deeper he digs, the more the world around him begins to fracture. Friends turn cold. Strangers know his name. And even his memories start to slip.
Is Alex exposing a hidden truth, or falling into madness?
Alex Carter used to be a journalist sharp, skeptical, and barely holding himself together after losing everything that mattered. When he's assigned a routine obituary, he expects tedium. Instead, he finds a man with no past. No real birth records. No family. Just a name, and a history that doesn't hold.
Driven by a need to understand, Alex follows the trail and discovers others just like him. People who shouldn't exist. Faces that never age. Lives that appear out of nowhere.
But the deeper he digs, the more the world around him begins to fracture. Friends turn cold. Strangers know his name. And even his memories start to slip.
Is Alex exposing a hidden truth, or falling into madness?
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2025
25 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 12, 2025
3.5 🌟
Firstly, thank you to the author for asking me to read this!
This book was very interesting and had me hooked instantly, I loved the unreliable narrator vibe aspect of the book and also enjoy the monologuing of the MC.
I do feel like there was a lot of repetitive scenes/dialogue that could be cut to make this a more enjoyable reading experience.
The ending was definitely my favourite because, WHAT HAPPENED?!?
Firstly, thank you to the author for asking me to read this!
This book was very interesting and had me hooked instantly, I loved the unreliable narrator vibe aspect of the book and also enjoy the monologuing of the MC.
I do feel like there was a lot of repetitive scenes/dialogue that could be cut to make this a more enjoyable reading experience.
The ending was definitely my favourite because, WHAT HAPPENED?!?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2025
4/5⭐️
Okay, I liked this one!!! It had me thinking that whatever was happening in the story to be true, but it isn’t until you near the end that it begins to mess with your mind, making you question every little thing you have just read and has you thinking whether or not that any of it was real or if it was all inside the main characters head.
Okay, I liked this one!!! It had me thinking that whatever was happening in the story to be true, but it isn’t until you near the end that it begins to mess with your mind, making you question every little thing you have just read and has you thinking whether or not that any of it was real or if it was all inside the main characters head.
September 1, 2025
I found this book very hard to follow. I didn’t understand why the main character was so invested in figuring out this story, so I wasn’t invested in figuring it out.
I also hated how it only had 3 chapters. I think more chapters would have broken up the story and made it more clear. It was also extremely repetitive. I’m not sure if this was to encourage the idea that he was truly insane or just poor writing.
I also hated how it only had 3 chapters. I think more chapters would have broken up the story and made it more clear. It was also extremely repetitive. I’m not sure if this was to encourage the idea that he was truly insane or just poor writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2025
This book’s story grabbed my attention on the first page. It’s a mind-bending concept that raises enough questions about what’s going on to keep me reading. The story is rooted in questions surrounding memory, identity, and reality. It’s an ambitious idea, and the unfolding mystery around Alex Carter’s discoveries keeps the tension building well. It held me in the plot, and the themes are intriguing, posing philosophical conundrums that feel timely.
The prose has a certain style and repetition, but the core story is good. I lost myself in what was happening. It’s a thriller that encourages the reader to think ahead and work out what the previous page might mean, and what will be uncovered next. I liked Alex. Sci-fi readers who enjoy books edging into psychological suspense will find something different in Imprint if they engage with the deeper, existential questions it raises.
The prose has a certain style and repetition, but the core story is good. I lost myself in what was happening. It’s a thriller that encourages the reader to think ahead and work out what the previous page might mean, and what will be uncovered next. I liked Alex. Sci-fi readers who enjoy books edging into psychological suspense will find something different in Imprint if they engage with the deeper, existential questions it raises.
June 12, 2025
Imprint is a gripping psychological thriller that leaves you reeling. Alex, a journalist torn apart inside, begins to investigate a strange obituary... and ends up losing control of his reality. Conspiracy or madness? You won't know either.
It gets better and better, but once it starts... you can't stop. It's tense, unsettling, and makes you question everything. Perfect if you like Black Mirror-style stories or unreliable narrators.
It gets better and better, but once it starts... you can't stop. It's tense, unsettling, and makes you question everything. Perfect if you like Black Mirror-style stories or unreliable narrators.
August 11, 2025
Imprint is a story that messes with your mind. You can't understand what is real or not, until the end of the book. I recommend this book if you like psychological thrillers that messes with your head. You'll want to know if Alex is right or if he is suffering from paranoia. Or both.
July 31, 2025
Intriguing storyline had me gripped and I read in one sitting. Had me guessing even at the ending.
I gave this 3 stars mainly because there was very repetitive dialogue throughout and even though I was gripped on the storyline, the length of the chapters can be very off-putting, I feel it could’ve been broken down into shorter chapters to make for easier reading.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author!
I gave this 3 stars mainly because there was very repetitive dialogue throughout and even though I was gripped on the storyline, the length of the chapters can be very off-putting, I feel it could’ve been broken down into shorter chapters to make for easier reading.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author!
July 28, 2025
Thank you Abel Icas, the author for reaching out to me about your book!! I was hooked the entire time and couldn’t put it down. There were a few descriptions that could have been cut out but other than that this book was amazing!! The ending was also so good!! Can’t wait for you to write more books!!
July 29, 2025
First, thank you to the author for reaching out to me about hi book.
Imprint is a masterfully crafted thriller, and it messed with my head, in the best way. Its such a well written thriller, and I was surprised by every twist and turn.
Can't wait for you to write more books!
Imprint is a masterfully crafted thriller, and it messed with my head, in the best way. Its such a well written thriller, and I was surprised by every twist and turn.
Can't wait for you to write more books!
July 29, 2025
Unsettling, nerve wracking, conspiracy? Madness? Had my heart racing at times
October 3, 2025
I don't wish to be rude, however the only reason my review has any stars is because I felt like the plot was good.
This book is so repetitive I ended up taking a break from reading because I was struggling to get into the book. The fact it has 3 chapters makes it even more difficult to read as they're quite long chapters with multiple things happening in them, this makes it confusing to follow as the main character Alex visits many places per chapter, and the transitions between scenes (like a cafe and warehouse) are not smooth so you start reading the next paragraph thinking he is still at home but suddenly he's reviewing CCTV footage?
There was absolutely no reasoning for why Alex wanted to investigate the situation the book is about, which made it hard for me to want to understand more. The idea of the plot itself was good, but without these little bits of information it makes it hard for a reader to get into a book.
There was A LOT of repetition in this book, whether it was repeated dialogue, repeated scenes or even repeated bits of text. I appreciate that psychological thrillers may have repetition in, especially if the focus is on a character who may or may not be crazy. But having the same line "Her tone was light, teasing, yet it held an undercurrent of something more, something that suggested she saw right through his flimsy facade" within a matter of a couple of paragraphs of each other seems a bit extreme to me.
Alongside the repetition, that different scenes don't flow smoothly, and that most sentences have several , in them. Everything is very much over described. Again, the book is implying that the main character may be crazy and paranoid but every time this character hides in an alley or warehouse it's described in far too much detail for my personal preference. Every light is anemic, the dark is always oppressive. I believe that I may have been able to accept how descriptive this entire book was, if different words had been used.
There were also capitalisation of Alex's name and Mike's name in the last chapter which hadn't appeared at all in the book prior to the last 10%.
I really do hate to give such a negative review, but this plot could've been written better and likely over in half the amount of pages. But we need to know that "she could see through his flimsy facade" more than once, and that the light is anemic and the flashlight beam is weak.
This book is so repetitive I ended up taking a break from reading because I was struggling to get into the book. The fact it has 3 chapters makes it even more difficult to read as they're quite long chapters with multiple things happening in them, this makes it confusing to follow as the main character Alex visits many places per chapter, and the transitions between scenes (like a cafe and warehouse) are not smooth so you start reading the next paragraph thinking he is still at home but suddenly he's reviewing CCTV footage?
There was absolutely no reasoning for why Alex wanted to investigate the situation the book is about, which made it hard for me to want to understand more. The idea of the plot itself was good, but without these little bits of information it makes it hard for a reader to get into a book.
There was A LOT of repetition in this book, whether it was repeated dialogue, repeated scenes or even repeated bits of text. I appreciate that psychological thrillers may have repetition in, especially if the focus is on a character who may or may not be crazy. But having the same line "Her tone was light, teasing, yet it held an undercurrent of something more, something that suggested she saw right through his flimsy facade" within a matter of a couple of paragraphs of each other seems a bit extreme to me.
Alongside the repetition, that different scenes don't flow smoothly, and that most sentences have several , in them. Everything is very much over described. Again, the book is implying that the main character may be crazy and paranoid but every time this character hides in an alley or warehouse it's described in far too much detail for my personal preference. Every light is anemic, the dark is always oppressive. I believe that I may have been able to accept how descriptive this entire book was, if different words had been used.
There were also capitalisation of Alex's name and Mike's name in the last chapter which hadn't appeared at all in the book prior to the last 10%.
I really do hate to give such a negative review, but this plot could've been written better and likely over in half the amount of pages. But we need to know that "she could see through his flimsy facade" more than once, and that the light is anemic and the flashlight beam is weak.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2025
"Unsettling in the best way possible"
IMPRINT grabbed me from the first page and never let go. It’s not your typical thriller—it’s quieter, more cerebral, and deeply psychological. The story follows journalist Alex Carter as he investigates a man who seems to have no past… and as the mystery deepens, so does Alex’s own unraveling.
What I loved most is how the book messes with your perception of reality. You're constantly asking: is this really happening, or is it all in his head? The tension builds slowly but steadily, and by the end, I was completely floored.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers that lean into paranoia, ambiguity, and obsession—with a slow-burn intensity—IMPRINT is a must-read.
IMPRINT grabbed me from the first page and never let go. It’s not your typical thriller—it’s quieter, more cerebral, and deeply psychological. The story follows journalist Alex Carter as he investigates a man who seems to have no past… and as the mystery deepens, so does Alex’s own unraveling.
What I loved most is how the book messes with your perception of reality. You're constantly asking: is this really happening, or is it all in his head? The tension builds slowly but steadily, and by the end, I was completely floored.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers that lean into paranoia, ambiguity, and obsession—with a slow-burn intensity—IMPRINT is a must-read.
July 5, 2025
Imprint by Abel Icas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Imprint is an emotionally charged story that left a lasting impression. Icas has a gift for creating atmosphere; the mood throughout is thick with suspense, grief, and a creeping sense of dread that makes it hard to put down.
The characters are well-developed, particularly the protagonist, whose psychological unraveling felt raw and authentic. The way trauma and memory are explored gave the story real depth, and I appreciated how it didn’t shy away from emotional complexity.
If you’re looking for a fast paced psychological thriller that will keep you guessing even after the last page, this is the book for you!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Imprint is an emotionally charged story that left a lasting impression. Icas has a gift for creating atmosphere; the mood throughout is thick with suspense, grief, and a creeping sense of dread that makes it hard to put down.
The characters are well-developed, particularly the protagonist, whose psychological unraveling felt raw and authentic. The way trauma and memory are explored gave the story real depth, and I appreciated how it didn’t shy away from emotional complexity.
If you’re looking for a fast paced psychological thriller that will keep you guessing even after the last page, this is the book for you!
October 6, 2025
Super interesting book with a really cool premise! I enjoyed the twists and turns. At the end I felt like everything was making sense and then the very end left me in the same state as Alex, our protagonist.
I was excited when I started this book because it very much gave me Alan Wake vibes and I really enjoyed that, but it is very different and sets itself up as it's own thing.
My personal rating was 3.5 stars as there was some repetition and grammar that I didn't enjoy, but the overall story was worth it and made me feel super good with rounding up to 4 stars on goodreads.
Give this book a try!!!
I was excited when I started this book because it very much gave me Alan Wake vibes and I really enjoyed that, but it is very different and sets itself up as it's own thing.
My personal rating was 3.5 stars as there was some repetition and grammar that I didn't enjoy, but the overall story was worth it and made me feel super good with rounding up to 4 stars on goodreads.
Give this book a try!!!
December 5, 2025
So…it was good. Very mind boggling. Uhm, the end was wild. The only thing that was hard for me was formatting. With it being three main chapters I couldn’t really figure out where was who etc, but it could be part of the whole story. It definitely a good psychological thriller, it did take me a good three or so months to get through, as this isn’t my normal genre. Though, if you’re a big fan of this genre definitely give it a shot.
August 15, 2025
Gripping
Found this book on Tik ToK by the author. Very interesting story which had me interested from the get go. It reminded me a bit of Shutter Island but on a different scale. The chapters were long but it was a quick read. Very much looking forward to more books from this author!
Found this book on Tik ToK by the author. Very interesting story which had me interested from the get go. It reminded me a bit of Shutter Island but on a different scale. The chapters were long but it was a quick read. Very much looking forward to more books from this author!
August 31, 2025
Imprint: A Psychological Thriller by Abel Icas leaves you questioning what is actually going on till the very end. There are 188 pages in this book but only 3 chapters but I really feel like there could be more chapters. Some parts of the story are confusing like why the main character Alex is so driven to uncover this story. All in all I did enjoy this book and it had my brain working over time to figure out what was actually going on. Near the end of the book it actually makes you feel like you are going crazy.
July 1, 2025
was not expecting this!
Such a well-written thriller. I was surprised by every twist and turn and just when you think you have it figured out there’s a new twist!!
Such a well-written thriller. I was surprised by every twist and turn and just when you think you have it figured out there’s a new twist!!
September 2, 2025
This book grabbed me from the very first page. Imprint is a mind-bending psychological thriller that raises big questions about memory, identity, and reality, all while pulling you deeper into Alex Carter’s unravelling world. The tension builds brilliantly, and I found myself constantly second-guessing what was real and what wasn’t. It’s unsettling in the best way, perfect for fans of Black Mirror, Mr. Robot, or Blake Crouch.
Alex is a fascinating protagonist, and the unfolding mystery around him kept me hooked. I loved how the story makes you think ahead, questioning every detail, while also posing deeper, timely themes that stay with you long after you finish.
Thank you to Abel for reaching out to me on ig about this book, I’m so glad he did. I can’t wait to read more of his work!
Alex is a fascinating protagonist, and the unfolding mystery around him kept me hooked. I loved how the story makes you think ahead, questioning every detail, while also posing deeper, timely themes that stay with you long after you finish.
Thank you to Abel for reaching out to me on ig about this book, I’m so glad he did. I can’t wait to read more of his work!
December 19, 2025
ARC Review: Finished Imprint by Abel Icas with 2 ⭐
This book was a gift. It was a genuinely enjoyable reading experience. There are some room for improvement. Thanks to Abel Icas for sharing this little gem.
This book was a gift. It was a genuinely enjoyable reading experience. There are some room for improvement. Thanks to Abel Icas for sharing this little gem.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews