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The Imposter
Anna Wharton's debut, The Imposter, is a spine-chilling suspense about obsession, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves in order to live with ourselves . . .
The lives of others have always fascinated newspaper archivist Chloe. And when she comes across a cutting of a little girl who went missing twenty-five years ago, she is moved by the unwavering devotion of the child’s parents and their belief that their daughter will one day return.
Meanwhile, news that her beloved Nan, the only family she has left, must move into a nursing home, leaves Chloe distraught and soon to be homeless. So when the missing girl’s parents advertise for a lodger, Chloe sees this as a sign – a new home and the perfect opportunity to investigate the case. But it’s not long until she realises the couple aren’t all they seem from the outside . . .
With everyone in the house hiding something, the question is – whose secrets are the most dangerous?
The lives of others have always fascinated newspaper archivist Chloe. And when she comes across a cutting of a little girl who went missing twenty-five years ago, she is moved by the unwavering devotion of the child’s parents and their belief that their daughter will one day return.
Meanwhile, news that her beloved Nan, the only family she has left, must move into a nursing home, leaves Chloe distraught and soon to be homeless. So when the missing girl’s parents advertise for a lodger, Chloe sees this as a sign – a new home and the perfect opportunity to investigate the case. But it’s not long until she realises the couple aren’t all they seem from the outside . . .
With everyone in the house hiding something, the question is – whose secrets are the most dangerous?
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
August 10, 2020
Chloe is desperately juggling her job as a newspaper archivist with looking after her Nan who has dementia. Whilst digitalising old newspaper reports she becomes interested in the case of Angela Kyle, a four year old, missing since 1980. She collates all the evidence and manages to track down the parents, Maureen and Patrick, and what develops is a very emotional storyline.
This is a very good novel on several levels. It depicts the sadness of the loss of a child extremely movingly- the not knowing the fate of your loved one and how this puts life on hold. The dementia of Chloe’s Nan is sad too as memories fade and this is well portrayed. Chloe’s loneliness, obsessions and actions are sad too and very touching, though you feel as if you are walking on eggshells with her at times. The characters are strong and there are some powerful scenes between them that are gripping. The mystery of what happens to Angela deepens and the suspense grows, the tension mounts to a well thought out and plausible conclusion. This is a well written novel, the plot and pacing are good, there are some atmospheric settings for part of the story in the Fens which adds an extra dimension.
Overall, an emotional and touching story.
With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC.
This is a very good novel on several levels. It depicts the sadness of the loss of a child extremely movingly- the not knowing the fate of your loved one and how this puts life on hold. The dementia of Chloe’s Nan is sad too as memories fade and this is well portrayed. Chloe’s loneliness, obsessions and actions are sad too and very touching, though you feel as if you are walking on eggshells with her at times. The characters are strong and there are some powerful scenes between them that are gripping. The mystery of what happens to Angela deepens and the suspense grows, the tension mounts to a well thought out and plausible conclusion. This is a well written novel, the plot and pacing are good, there are some atmospheric settings for part of the story in the Fens which adds an extra dimension.
Overall, an emotional and touching story.
With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC.
January 1, 2021
It seems I'm in the minority with not loving this book, though I did love the premise. Chloe is a 29 year old woman caring for her elderly grandmother who has dementia, juggling this with a job in the archive department of a local newspaper, where she becomes obsessed with the 25 year old cold case of a missing child. I think the problem for me was that I really disliked Chloe, in fact I loathed her, childish, self obsessed, possible personality disorder, I just couldn't empathise with her at all, she gave me the creeps - though on reflection, possibly she was meant to? However, the book was a fast read, hard as it was to put up with Chloe, I was intrigued and really wanted to know the outcome, and I have to say the ending was very good, kinda disturbing, I wasn't expecting it. 3 stars and I'd definitely read more by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
July 14, 2020
I really loved this and I can't quite work out what it was about it that really spoke to me- the main protagonist Chloe is probably key - a disconnected soul who ends up obsessed with a missing child case to the extent that she inserts herself into the lives of the grieving parents..
History, memory and the many layers of grief are a central theme here. Chloe floats through the novel, always a kind of ethereal presence. Of course there's a mystery element but that is really secondary to the people here- it is an addictive, cleverly crafted tale that really hits the sweet spot in atmosphere and emotional resonance.
Really excellent. Highly recommended. One to watch in 2021.
History, memory and the many layers of grief are a central theme here. Chloe floats through the novel, always a kind of ethereal presence. Of course there's a mystery element but that is really secondary to the people here- it is an addictive, cleverly crafted tale that really hits the sweet spot in atmosphere and emotional resonance.
Really excellent. Highly recommended. One to watch in 2021.
December 9, 2020
Chloe lives a quiet life. Working as a newspaper archivist and taking care of her Nan who has dementia, she's happy simply to read about the lives of others as she files away the news clippings from the safety of her desk.
But there's one story that she can't stop thinking about. The case of Angie Kyle - a girl, Chloe's age, who went missing as a child. A girl whose parents never gave up hope.
When Chloe's Nan gets moved into a nursing home, leaving Chloe on the brink of homelessness, she takes a desperate step: answering an ad to be a lodger in the missing girl's family home. It could be the perfect opportunity to get closer to the story she's read so much about.
But with everyone in the house hiding something, the question is – whose secrets are the most dangerous?
This started off as a slow-paced plot due to which it did take some time for me to actually get into the plot.
But it was filled with manipulation, lies and secrets so once I actually understood what was going, I really enjoyed it. The writing was fantastic and the main highlights were the characterization of Chloe and the twists towards the end.
The suspense and eeriness is gradually built up and you don’t even realize it since you get totally engrossed in the plot. The ending was definitely a surprise because it wasn’t what I was expecting.
Overall, an amazing debut novel. Looking forward to read more by this author.
Thank You to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC!
But there's one story that she can't stop thinking about. The case of Angie Kyle - a girl, Chloe's age, who went missing as a child. A girl whose parents never gave up hope.
When Chloe's Nan gets moved into a nursing home, leaving Chloe on the brink of homelessness, she takes a desperate step: answering an ad to be a lodger in the missing girl's family home. It could be the perfect opportunity to get closer to the story she's read so much about.
But with everyone in the house hiding something, the question is – whose secrets are the most dangerous?
This started off as a slow-paced plot due to which it did take some time for me to actually get into the plot.
But it was filled with manipulation, lies and secrets so once I actually understood what was going, I really enjoyed it. The writing was fantastic and the main highlights were the characterization of Chloe and the twists towards the end.
The suspense and eeriness is gradually built up and you don’t even realize it since you get totally engrossed in the plot. The ending was definitely a surprise because it wasn’t what I was expecting.
Overall, an amazing debut novel. Looking forward to read more by this author.
Thank You to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC!
September 30, 2020
I thought I had this book all figured out. The plot twist seemed SO obvious that I was just waiting for it to unfold as I flicked through the pages. It wasn't until 70% that something suddenly clicked. The twist suddenly seemed too easy and the clues that had been laid down finally slotted into place. Even though I did eventually figure it all out, it was done so well that I was actually swearing out loud when it all took place in the final chapters.
We first meet Chloe when she is working in the archive section of a local newspaper, living with her nan with dementia who she is struggling to look after. After her nan goes missing and is then located and taken to a nursing home, Chloe becomes obsessed with the disappearance of a 4 year old girl 25 years previously and finding her for her distraught parents. She loses her job at the newspaper and soon dives further into her obsession.
This is such a fantastic read and I really recommend it.
Also, the cover has just been released and it's fab and really reflects the story.
Thank you to Anna Wharton, Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
We first meet Chloe when she is working in the archive section of a local newspaper, living with her nan with dementia who she is struggling to look after. After her nan goes missing and is then located and taken to a nursing home, Chloe becomes obsessed with the disappearance of a 4 year old girl 25 years previously and finding her for her distraught parents. She loses her job at the newspaper and soon dives further into her obsession.
This is such a fantastic read and I really recommend it.
Also, the cover has just been released and it's fab and really reflects the story.
Thank you to Anna Wharton, Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2021
Twenty nine year old Chloe lives a quiet life working as a newspaper archivist whilst also living with her Nan, whose dementia is getting worse. Whilst at work she comes across a clipping of an unsolved mystery from twenty five years ago; when 4 year old Angie Kyle went missing from a local park, never to be seen again.
When Chloe’s Nan goes into care, Chloe makes a somewhat impulsive decision; responding to an ad from the missing girl’s parents, who are looking for a lodger. Before you know it, Chloe’s in their house with her feet under the table and determined to get to the bottom of a twenty five year old mystery.
What a brilliantly brooding novel this was! Right from the first chapter I was hooked. The author has done such an excellent job of creating an incredibly compelling plot, which chillingly unfurled as the chapters flowed. It was such an easy book to read; no moving around with timelines or characters and written in a third person linear narrative which I loved. I’m actually astonished that this is a debut novel; the plot, writing and character development are all so outstanding.
As I got deeper into the book I found myself suspicious of different characters and convinced I knew the way the story was headed, but actually was completely wrong (always good when that happens). Throw in a superb ending with a few shocks and there you have it, a five star humdinger of a book. I found myself slowing down towards the end of the novel, simply because I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t want to finish it.
Chilling, contemplative and very, very clever. Definitely one of my winners of 2021.
Thanks to Random House Tours and Mantle/Panmacmillan for my ARC. All views my own.
When Chloe’s Nan goes into care, Chloe makes a somewhat impulsive decision; responding to an ad from the missing girl’s parents, who are looking for a lodger. Before you know it, Chloe’s in their house with her feet under the table and determined to get to the bottom of a twenty five year old mystery.
What a brilliantly brooding novel this was! Right from the first chapter I was hooked. The author has done such an excellent job of creating an incredibly compelling plot, which chillingly unfurled as the chapters flowed. It was such an easy book to read; no moving around with timelines or characters and written in a third person linear narrative which I loved. I’m actually astonished that this is a debut novel; the plot, writing and character development are all so outstanding.
As I got deeper into the book I found myself suspicious of different characters and convinced I knew the way the story was headed, but actually was completely wrong (always good when that happens). Throw in a superb ending with a few shocks and there you have it, a five star humdinger of a book. I found myself slowing down towards the end of the novel, simply because I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t want to finish it.
Chilling, contemplative and very, very clever. Definitely one of my winners of 2021.
Thanks to Random House Tours and Mantle/Panmacmillan for my ARC. All views my own.
March 29, 2021
The lives of others has always fascinated newsaper archivist Chloe. and when she comes across a cutting of a little girl who went missing twenty five years ago, she is moved by the unwavering devotion of the childs parents and their belief that their daughter will one day return.
Chloe gets the news that her beloved Nan, her only remaining faamily member, has to go into a nursing home has made Chloe homeless. She sees the missing girls parents have advertised ofr a lodger and Chloe sees this as the perfect opportunity.
Chloe is obessed with the parents of a four year old girl who went missing over twenty five years ago. At times, this is a tense and chilling read. The pace is slow. Chloe starts investigating the people she is living with. Someparts are obvious but some of the twists put me off the scent. I wasn't a fan of Chloe, she didn't have a personality. The story is told from Chloe's perspective. It took a few chapters for me to get into this story but i did enjoy this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #PanMacMillan and the author #Anna Wharton for my ARC of #TheImposter in exchange for an honest review.
Chloe gets the news that her beloved Nan, her only remaining faamily member, has to go into a nursing home has made Chloe homeless. She sees the missing girls parents have advertised ofr a lodger and Chloe sees this as the perfect opportunity.
Chloe is obessed with the parents of a four year old girl who went missing over twenty five years ago. At times, this is a tense and chilling read. The pace is slow. Chloe starts investigating the people she is living with. Someparts are obvious but some of the twists put me off the scent. I wasn't a fan of Chloe, she didn't have a personality. The story is told from Chloe's perspective. It took a few chapters for me to get into this story but i did enjoy this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #PanMacMillan and the author #Anna Wharton for my ARC of #TheImposter in exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2021
This is a chilling début featuring newspaper archivist Chloe whose Gran has dementia. Troubled Chloe becomes fascinated by the case of four-year-old Angela Kyle who went missing in the 1980s. When the decision is made for Chloe's Gran to move to a care home, Chloe realises she will be effectively homeless. She spots an ad for a lodger which happens to be in the home of the missing girl's parents.
In The Imposter the author examines some seriously sensitive topics brilliantly and compassionately. Angela's mum, Maureen is characterised superbly, as is Chloe. The pace is perfect and the suspense is also artfully done along with the slowly accelerating tension. With its palpable unease, I was glued to the pages throughout. You need to read this evocative début from Anna Wharton.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
In The Imposter the author examines some seriously sensitive topics brilliantly and compassionately. Angela's mum, Maureen is characterised superbly, as is Chloe. The pace is perfect and the suspense is also artfully done along with the slowly accelerating tension. With its palpable unease, I was glued to the pages throughout. You need to read this evocative début from Anna Wharton.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 7, 2021
Many readers found this book interesting and gave a high rating. How I wish it gave the same impact on me had I read it when I was in the best health ( I could maybe give it 3.5-4.5 had I invest more time and focused🌟)😢. The book had potential, perhaps a very satisfactory read but sadly I read it at the wrong moment so I had to rush through and end up not able to keep long. I'm very sorry but I'm more towards DNF. I'll give the book a read if I were to come across it again or had a copy.
Anyways, thank you so much to Netgalley for the e-ARC. 🙏
Anyways, thank you so much to Netgalley for the e-ARC. 🙏
April 8, 2021
Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for this read.
The main character Chloe is twenty nine and works as an archivist at a Peterborough newspaper. She also looks after her elderly nan who has dementia.
Initially, as a psychological thriller this book was a slow burner, but I was enjoying reading about Chloe and her life. The more I read the more then tension built up. At 60% and 70% I was convinced I had it all worked out ... but I was so wrong! I was impressed with the twist and reveal at the end.
Highly recommended.
The main character Chloe is twenty nine and works as an archivist at a Peterborough newspaper. She also looks after her elderly nan who has dementia.
Initially, as a psychological thriller this book was a slow burner, but I was enjoying reading about Chloe and her life. The more I read the more then tension built up. At 60% and 70% I was convinced I had it all worked out ... but I was so wrong! I was impressed with the twist and reveal at the end.
Highly recommended.
October 5, 2020
Wow. This book was an absolutely brilliant!
Chloe Hudson, a archivist at a newspaper is struggling to juggle a full time and coping with her Nan, Grace, who suffers from Dementia when she comes across a file about a missing girl called Angela Kyle, a four year that's been missing since the late seventies. This file fills Chloe with intrigue and it is here where after she collates the evidence and begins to weave the information together in order to try and find Angela and return her to the Kyle's, Maureen and Patrick that we realise that Chloe is actually quite lonely and really just wants to be wanted and seen, I feel that she feels she is bobbing through life wanting to be noticed and wanting to be seen, by her friends or even her colleagues, her obsession in the Kyle case quickly became mine, I was suddenly wanting to
This book is such a good book for lots of reasons, from the title, it makes you think that you've read similar books about main characters posing as the returned child but they're actually imposters, but this one was different, you already know she's an imposter when you start reading but she also has this way of manipulating the people around her, including me, the reader. I liked Chloe, sure, she was lonely and she wanted a family, yes, she has Nan, but she wanted more, she wanted to be noticed by her colleagues as more than just a person who files files, she wanted to be noticed as the woman who brings back little Angie Kyle. But the author has more in store for you than meets the eye and I thought I'd know each time where it was going but no the Anna Wharton writes so powerfully and so well that this really does keep you guessing and shocked until the very end, leading you up false paths and bogus trails to you think you're on it, this one has to be it and then you realise, it's not.
The characters are so developed in this, Chloe and her Nan, Grace, Maureen and Patrick Kyle and then her best friend Hollie. You think that you know them all. But they are just as complex as you and I, they have their secrets, their flaws and their little personalities just as you and I do, and that type of complex charater building is the time I love.
The one that really stuck out to me and impressed me was how well Wharton writes of Dementia and how she displays the pain and grief people go through when they lose a child, she is well written and is knowledgeable but it's not just that it's powerful and emotional way of writing that sucks you in, she writes with mystery about Angie and the deeper in you go the more you can't believe the amount of nerve that Chloe has inserting herself into this broken and grieving family that are so lost, but she too is a lost soul, she too is broken, and she just wants to be wanted even if she knows she is not Angie, and that Maureen and Patrick aren't her parents. There are time when I thought the web she was weaving with lies was far to big but Chloe had confidence and she wasn't afraid, she had a frail, mentally ill grandparent, in her eyes she has nothing to lose and so she loves the warmth that Maureen has to give her and I just loved that.
The big reveal really is the BIG REVEAL in this book. I didn't see it coming at all and I'm guessing so many other readers will not and that is what makes this book sooo good, the emotional and touching story really is quite the cover for an exceptionally page turning read. I think this one will stay with me for a while, as it's not often I give 5 star reviews!
I will be definitely be buying this book on publication, it was sooo delicious! I am so going to be recommending to everyone I know, this is the book that everyone must read! I want to thank Anna Wharton for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book that kept me up late at night and unable to engage with family and friend desperately bumbling from chapter to chapter find out the ending to this great story!
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC!
Chloe Hudson, a archivist at a newspaper is struggling to juggle a full time and coping with her Nan, Grace, who suffers from Dementia when she comes across a file about a missing girl called Angela Kyle, a four year that's been missing since the late seventies. This file fills Chloe with intrigue and it is here where after she collates the evidence and begins to weave the information together in order to try and find Angela and return her to the Kyle's, Maureen and Patrick that we realise that Chloe is actually quite lonely and really just wants to be wanted and seen, I feel that she feels she is bobbing through life wanting to be noticed and wanting to be seen, by her friends or even her colleagues, her obsession in the Kyle case quickly became mine, I was suddenly wanting to
This book is such a good book for lots of reasons, from the title, it makes you think that you've read similar books about main characters posing as the returned child but they're actually imposters, but this one was different, you already know she's an imposter when you start reading but she also has this way of manipulating the people around her, including me, the reader. I liked Chloe, sure, she was lonely and she wanted a family, yes, she has Nan, but she wanted more, she wanted to be noticed by her colleagues as more than just a person who files files, she wanted to be noticed as the woman who brings back little Angie Kyle. But the author has more in store for you than meets the eye and I thought I'd know each time where it was going but no the Anna Wharton writes so powerfully and so well that this really does keep you guessing and shocked until the very end, leading you up false paths and bogus trails to you think you're on it, this one has to be it and then you realise, it's not.
The characters are so developed in this, Chloe and her Nan, Grace, Maureen and Patrick Kyle and then her best friend Hollie. You think that you know them all. But they are just as complex as you and I, they have their secrets, their flaws and their little personalities just as you and I do, and that type of complex charater building is the time I love.
The one that really stuck out to me and impressed me was how well Wharton writes of Dementia and how she displays the pain and grief people go through when they lose a child, she is well written and is knowledgeable but it's not just that it's powerful and emotional way of writing that sucks you in, she writes with mystery about Angie and the deeper in you go the more you can't believe the amount of nerve that Chloe has inserting herself into this broken and grieving family that are so lost, but she too is a lost soul, she too is broken, and she just wants to be wanted even if she knows she is not Angie, and that Maureen and Patrick aren't her parents. There are time when I thought the web she was weaving with lies was far to big but Chloe had confidence and she wasn't afraid, she had a frail, mentally ill grandparent, in her eyes she has nothing to lose and so she loves the warmth that Maureen has to give her and I just loved that.
The big reveal really is the BIG REVEAL in this book. I didn't see it coming at all and I'm guessing so many other readers will not and that is what makes this book sooo good, the emotional and touching story really is quite the cover for an exceptionally page turning read. I think this one will stay with me for a while, as it's not often I give 5 star reviews!
I will be definitely be buying this book on publication, it was sooo delicious! I am so going to be recommending to everyone I know, this is the book that everyone must read! I want to thank Anna Wharton for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book that kept me up late at night and unable to engage with family and friend desperately bumbling from chapter to chapter find out the ending to this great story!
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC!
June 23, 2020
There she is in the corner of the local newspaper office with her scalpel in her hand and cuttings on her desk, archivist Chloe Hudson. None of her journalist colleagues seem to notice her. Even her own grandmother who is suffering from dementia doesn’t recognise her from time to time. With the elderly lady about to go into an old people’s home, Chloe is dealing with huge heartache. When she comes across an old newspaper article about a young girl called Angie who went missing from a park twenty years ago, Chloe becomes fixated on the story, seemingly using it as a kind of emotional crutch. Chloe starts to read up on Angie’s case, determined to unearth a clue that might have been missed by the police all those years ago. Perhaps if Chloe can do this, she might just find a way to finally discover what befell the little girl.
As Chloe’s interest in the case starts to tip into obsession, she takes more and more risks that will keep you up reading late into the night, wondering just what will happen next in this highly flammable situation. All of it is horribly believable; there are no convenient yet ridiculous plot twists here. The suspense mounts so much, however, that I started walking around the house doing chores while I read - I was that eager to find out what was going to happen to everyone involved. Wharton wrings much emotion from the scenario. Chloe’s relationship with Nan is handled sensitively - small wonder when you learn that Wharton co-wrote the critically acclaimed Somebody I used to Know with Wendy Mitchell who has early onset Alzheimer’s.
I was so emotionally invested in all the characters in The Imposter that I cried at the outcome towards the end of the novel - this is catharsis at its very best. Evocative, beautifully written, wise, this pacy novel poses a good deal of questions - what is family when it is fractured? What lengths will we go to for love? A beguiling book which will stay with you for a long time after finishing the last page, it really is one of the best pieces of fiction I have read this year.
As Chloe’s interest in the case starts to tip into obsession, she takes more and more risks that will keep you up reading late into the night, wondering just what will happen next in this highly flammable situation. All of it is horribly believable; there are no convenient yet ridiculous plot twists here. The suspense mounts so much, however, that I started walking around the house doing chores while I read - I was that eager to find out what was going to happen to everyone involved. Wharton wrings much emotion from the scenario. Chloe’s relationship with Nan is handled sensitively - small wonder when you learn that Wharton co-wrote the critically acclaimed Somebody I used to Know with Wendy Mitchell who has early onset Alzheimer’s.
I was so emotionally invested in all the characters in The Imposter that I cried at the outcome towards the end of the novel - this is catharsis at its very best. Evocative, beautifully written, wise, this pacy novel poses a good deal of questions - what is family when it is fractured? What lengths will we go to for love? A beguiling book which will stay with you for a long time after finishing the last page, it really is one of the best pieces of fiction I have read this year.
September 19, 2020
Note: Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book for a fair and honest review.
Oh NetGalley, you promised so much and delivered so little. The Imposter is my fourth venture into the world of the as yet unpublished and regrettably, the second which had me scratching my head as to how it ever got picked up The writing is so simplistic as to be underwritten, a characteristic which extends to its rather underwhelming cast.
Our protagonist, Chloe is completely detached from reality, and whether by design or accident, this disconnect sweeps through the pages of the Imposter out to the reader. We never believe or feel anything for her plight simply because she doesn't. She is fired from her job in a page, a job we are told on numerous occasions she adores, and the matter is never mentioned again. It is simply an event that happened, landing without effect on plot or character.
You could omit the entirety of the first third, and not miss anything important.
Worse still is Chloe's internal logic, which is akin to a small child's. Various times throughout the book, she jumps to implausible conclusions, lacks any deductive or reasoning skills and is without emotional depth. Things happen around her, not because of her. What do we really learn about her, about her life, about her friends?
She's nothing, and nobody in her own story.
Oh NetGalley, you promised so much and delivered so little. The Imposter is my fourth venture into the world of the as yet unpublished and regrettably, the second which had me scratching my head as to how it ever got picked up The writing is so simplistic as to be underwritten, a characteristic which extends to its rather underwhelming cast.
Our protagonist, Chloe is completely detached from reality, and whether by design or accident, this disconnect sweeps through the pages of the Imposter out to the reader. We never believe or feel anything for her plight simply because she doesn't. She is fired from her job in a page, a job we are told on numerous occasions she adores, and the matter is never mentioned again. It is simply an event that happened, landing without effect on plot or character.
You could omit the entirety of the first third, and not miss anything important.
Worse still is Chloe's internal logic, which is akin to a small child's. Various times throughout the book, she jumps to implausible conclusions, lacks any deductive or reasoning skills and is without emotional depth. Things happen around her, not because of her. What do we really learn about her, about her life, about her friends?
She's nothing, and nobody in her own story.
August 30, 2021
An interesting premise that had hints of other thrillers, but this one seemed rather lacklustre.
It was definitely a slow-burn, and I've realised I soon lose interest if it doesn't grip me immediately.
The pace did pick up, but the ending felt anti-climactic and somewhat disappointing.
I liked the characters and was certainly intrigued enough to continue, but the pacing was too slow for me.
It was definitely a slow-burn, and I've realised I soon lose interest if it doesn't grip me immediately.
The pace did pick up, but the ending felt anti-climactic and somewhat disappointing.
I liked the characters and was certainly intrigued enough to continue, but the pacing was too slow for me.
April 4, 2021
When we first meet Chloe she is struggling to cope with the demands of looking after her grandmother. Though she has dementia, and caring for her while working is proving hard to manage, Chloe is reluctant to put her grandmother in a home. Her only family, we can see Chloe is desperate to belong and do whatever she can to keep them together.
Chloe’s work in the archives of a local newspaper means she has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of certain cases. The one that fascinates her is the disappearance of four year old Angie. Though years have passed, Angie’s parents have never given up hope that their daughter will be found alive.
The story unfolds quite slowly. We get little details about this case, Chloe’s home life and her fascination with what might have been. After her grandmother is forced into care, Chloe risks homelessness...and it seems like fate that Angie’s parents are looking for a lodger.
From quite early on we are led to believe in a couple of quite straightforward possibilities. I found myself thinking it was all too obvious, and it was good to see that we were given a bit of a shake-up. There were clues, but it all seemed to take such a long time to get going that it was a relief when we started to get answers.
Certainly an interesting exploration of loss, and the extent to which people’s need to belong will impact on their behaviour.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to publication.
Chloe’s work in the archives of a local newspaper means she has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of certain cases. The one that fascinates her is the disappearance of four year old Angie. Though years have passed, Angie’s parents have never given up hope that their daughter will be found alive.
The story unfolds quite slowly. We get little details about this case, Chloe’s home life and her fascination with what might have been. After her grandmother is forced into care, Chloe risks homelessness...and it seems like fate that Angie’s parents are looking for a lodger.
From quite early on we are led to believe in a couple of quite straightforward possibilities. I found myself thinking it was all too obvious, and it was good to see that we were given a bit of a shake-up. There were clues, but it all seemed to take such a long time to get going that it was a relief when we started to get answers.
Certainly an interesting exploration of loss, and the extent to which people’s need to belong will impact on their behaviour.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to publication.
April 3, 2021
My thanks to Pan Macmillan Mantle for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Imposter’ by Anna Wharton in exchange for an honest review.
Set in 2004, this character driven psychological thriller is Anna Wharton’s debut novel.
Twenty-nine year old Chloe lives a fairly quiet life. During the day she works as an archivist at a Peterborough newspaper and looks after her Nan at night. She loves her job and is not looking forward to everything being digitised in the near future. Among all the clippings one story haunts her: the disappearance of four-year-old Angie Kyle in 1979, twenty-five years previously. Chloe is struck by the fact that Angie’s parents have never given up hope.
As Grace, Chloe's nan, is becoming increasingly confused due to dementia, she is moved into a care home. Feeling adrift Chloe gets it into her head that she can investigate Angie’s case and bring her home to her loving parents. What is she thinking?
Naturally this kind of obsession can become dangerous, not only in stirring up the past but for Chloe’s mental health. Chloe then takes the desperate step of answering an ad placed by Angie’s parents to become their lodger and thus get closer to the story. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers.
While it was a slow burn, ‘The Imposter’ built up the tension well leading to a climax that had me on the edge of my seat.
With psychological thrillers twists are pretty much expected. Still, Anna Wharton impressed me with the reveal in this tale. As a result I will be on the lookout for her future projects.
Set in 2004, this character driven psychological thriller is Anna Wharton’s debut novel.
Twenty-nine year old Chloe lives a fairly quiet life. During the day she works as an archivist at a Peterborough newspaper and looks after her Nan at night. She loves her job and is not looking forward to everything being digitised in the near future. Among all the clippings one story haunts her: the disappearance of four-year-old Angie Kyle in 1979, twenty-five years previously. Chloe is struck by the fact that Angie’s parents have never given up hope.
As Grace, Chloe's nan, is becoming increasingly confused due to dementia, she is moved into a care home. Feeling adrift Chloe gets it into her head that she can investigate Angie’s case and bring her home to her loving parents. What is she thinking?
Naturally this kind of obsession can become dangerous, not only in stirring up the past but for Chloe’s mental health. Chloe then takes the desperate step of answering an ad placed by Angie’s parents to become their lodger and thus get closer to the story. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers.
While it was a slow burn, ‘The Imposter’ built up the tension well leading to a climax that had me on the edge of my seat.
With psychological thrillers twists are pretty much expected. Still, Anna Wharton impressed me with the reveal in this tale. As a result I will be on the lookout for her future projects.
April 5, 2021
Whilst working in a newspaper archive, Chloe comes across an old story about a little girl called Angie who went missing from a park in the 80’s. Angie was never found, she would have been the same age as Chloe and as Chloe keeps reading, she is drawn deeper and deeper into the story...
I really wanted to love this one but it just didn’t work for me.
The premise and the first 100 pages really hooked me in but we were left with so many questions and vague explanations that all of the tension leaked away and nothing was fully satisfying.
I did like some of the writing and would pick up another from this author but this didn’t deliver in the way I wanted it to.
Huge thanks to @bookbreakuk for this review copy, the book is released this month.
I really wanted to love this one but it just didn’t work for me.
The premise and the first 100 pages really hooked me in but we were left with so many questions and vague explanations that all of the tension leaked away and nothing was fully satisfying.
I did like some of the writing and would pick up another from this author but this didn’t deliver in the way I wanted it to.
Huge thanks to @bookbreakuk for this review copy, the book is released this month.
July 3, 2021
Compelling, tension filled & very cleverly written. For a debut novel it was first class & I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fantastic female characters that developed the deeper we went into the book.
Loved the twist & reveal at the end, totally not what I had thought out in my head.
Newspaper archivist Anna comes across a news clipping regarding a young girl that went missing 25 years ago.
Her beloved Grandmother's Alzheimers has reached the point where she is safer in a nursing home, leaving Chloe soon to be homeless. So when she sees the missing girls parents are advertising for a lodger, this is her chance to investigate the case.
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨?
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Loved the twist & reveal at the end, totally not what I had thought out in my head.
Newspaper archivist Anna comes across a news clipping regarding a young girl that went missing 25 years ago.
Her beloved Grandmother's Alzheimers has reached the point where she is safer in a nursing home, leaving Chloe soon to be homeless. So when she sees the missing girls parents are advertising for a lodger, this is her chance to investigate the case.
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨?
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
March 28, 2021
Chloe is a newspaper archivist when we first meet her at just 25 and struggling to come to terms with the fact that her Nan has recently been admitted to a local care home. Perhaps it is not so strange that with all that going on she's using the case of a missing child some twenty years before to distract her.
This is a story that grew on me but sadly it took a while to get into its stride. Chloe is strange and hard to warm to which sometimes doesn't bother me but I think a more sympathetic character would have had me buying into this quite sad tale earlier on. This maybe because the entire book is told from Chloe's perspective.
For all that the premise is inspired and the novel definitely didn't go in the direction I expected.
This is a story that grew on me but sadly it took a while to get into its stride. Chloe is strange and hard to warm to which sometimes doesn't bother me but I think a more sympathetic character would have had me buying into this quite sad tale earlier on. This maybe because the entire book is told from Chloe's perspective.
For all that the premise is inspired and the novel definitely didn't go in the direction I expected.
September 10, 2020
The Imposter wasn't quite what I expected. We follow Chloe as she screws up her job, faces unemployment and homelessness and sees her Nan moved to a care home. Along the way, she becomes increasingly obsessed with a girl who went missing in the 1970s and the girl's family.
I found the first 35% torturously slow. The rest might be slow too, but I wouldn't know. I couldn't bring myself to read any further. The book had the feeling of an author following the motions but not quite getting it right.
I had trouble getting into the story. Even though we were following Chloe, I didn't understand her decisions. I didn't understand why she had the thoughts she did. I especially didn't understand the obsession of the family of the missing girl.
Additionally, I found the scenes with Nan too repetitive. When you show Nan not remembering Chloe because of her dementia, we understand how sad that is. You don't need to explain why that makes Chloe sad. Especially not every time it happens.
It could just be that this book wasn't for me. Hopefully others have a better reading experience than I did. Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read it.
I found the first 35% torturously slow. The rest might be slow too, but I wouldn't know. I couldn't bring myself to read any further. The book had the feeling of an author following the motions but not quite getting it right.
I had trouble getting into the story. Even though we were following Chloe, I didn't understand her decisions. I didn't understand why she had the thoughts she did. I especially didn't understand the obsession of the family of the missing girl.
Additionally, I found the scenes with Nan too repetitive. When you show Nan not remembering Chloe because of her dementia, we understand how sad that is. You don't need to explain why that makes Chloe sad. Especially not every time it happens.
It could just be that this book wasn't for me. Hopefully others have a better reading experience than I did. Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read it.
October 30, 2021
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FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley, Pan Macmillan, and Mantle for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Imposter by Anna Wharton is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a young woman Chloe. Chloe works as a newspaper archivist and cares for her nan. Her life has become difficult with her nan starting to forget her present and seems to be stuck in her past. While things might be difficult at home, Chloe enjoys her work and loves reading about different people’s lives as she collects newspaper clippings. One story, in particular, catches her eye and she seems to have trouble letting go of the story. She starts to get obsessed over the story and goes on to make decisions to uncover the truth about the story. The story is of a young girl Angie who went missing as a child. After a few things change drastically in Chloe’s life, she decides to answer an ad put up by the couple. She starts living in their house and finds out that things are not at all like what they seem on the outside. The more she digs the more convoluted things get. Can Chloe figure out the real story behind the young girl’s disappearance?
This was such a pleasant surprise that I did not think I could have predicted how the story progressed. The plot progression was slow and I was following her thinking maybe things are going to go one way to only realize that I was completely wrong. The bafflement on my face was real and it changed my perspective of the book and everything made perfect sense.
Even with the slow progression, I wanted to know what was going on with Chloe. Chloe’s overall presence feels at times was like a ghost who was untethered and disconnected from this world and floating on by. There was this eerie, creepy feeling that was shrouding this story and captivates you and pulls you in wanting to know the mystery behind the young child’s disappearance. Things are more sinister than what they seem on the surface.
Overall, be ready to be surprised and don’t be put off by the slow crawl Chloe does through the story. You will be rewarded in the end and it’s going to be so worth it for sticking it with the story. If you love psychological stories with a well-crafted character and a mystery plot, you need to check this one out. I gave the book 4.5 stars and highly recommend checking this one out. If you enjoyed The Silent Patient you will love this.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley, Pan Macmillan, and Mantle for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Imposter by Anna Wharton is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a young woman Chloe. Chloe works as a newspaper archivist and cares for her nan. Her life has become difficult with her nan starting to forget her present and seems to be stuck in her past. While things might be difficult at home, Chloe enjoys her work and loves reading about different people’s lives as she collects newspaper clippings. One story, in particular, catches her eye and she seems to have trouble letting go of the story. She starts to get obsessed over the story and goes on to make decisions to uncover the truth about the story. The story is of a young girl Angie who went missing as a child. After a few things change drastically in Chloe’s life, she decides to answer an ad put up by the couple. She starts living in their house and finds out that things are not at all like what they seem on the outside. The more she digs the more convoluted things get. Can Chloe figure out the real story behind the young girl’s disappearance?
This was such a pleasant surprise that I did not think I could have predicted how the story progressed. The plot progression was slow and I was following her thinking maybe things are going to go one way to only realize that I was completely wrong. The bafflement on my face was real and it changed my perspective of the book and everything made perfect sense.
Even with the slow progression, I wanted to know what was going on with Chloe. Chloe’s overall presence feels at times was like a ghost who was untethered and disconnected from this world and floating on by. There was this eerie, creepy feeling that was shrouding this story and captivates you and pulls you in wanting to know the mystery behind the young child’s disappearance. Things are more sinister than what they seem on the surface.
Overall, be ready to be surprised and don’t be put off by the slow crawl Chloe does through the story. You will be rewarded in the end and it’s going to be so worth it for sticking it with the story. If you love psychological stories with a well-crafted character and a mystery plot, you need to check this one out. I gave the book 4.5 stars and highly recommend checking this one out. If you enjoyed The Silent Patient you will love this.
September 19, 2021
BOOK REVIEW of The Imposter by Anna Wharton
Rating: 3/5
#QOTD how do you deal with imposter syndrome at work/in life?
I usually chat to my solid group of friends and family who talk me out of any silly misconceptions I have about myself
Thoughts:
This book was not what I hoped it would be. The premise was good, and it was meant to carry a good punch but it fell a bit flat for me. It was a slow burn, too slow for my liking and I wish where it ended could have happened in the middle and carried on from there. For most of the book I felt a lot of suspense and when the twist emerged, I was disappointed?
I think what I hoped was going to be the twist didn’t happen and instead was exposed as a red herring a few chapters from the end of the book.
The book only picked up its pace in the last 10 chapters, and I really wish the other chapters had been as interesting as the final chapters.
Nonetheless, Chloe, the main character, a newspaper archivist did grow on me and she was a strange one, but an endearing character. Her growing obsession with a case she came across during her time at work does add to the suspense aspect of the book but also made me incredibly sad for her, it felt very similar to the emotions I felt for Eleanor Oliphant whose mundane life was quite lonely and uneventful.
The case of the missing 4-year-old girl that Chloe began to obsess over did feel reminiscent of Madeline McCann
All in all, the end was brilliant and very intriguing but it took too long to get there. By the time the shock came, it wasn’t a tsunami, it was a small splash in a paddling pool.
What I liked:
The cover was cool
The premise was epic
The shocking end - brilliant
What I didn’t like:
Took too long to get interesting
The pace of the book was just not where it needed to be
The supporting characters were not well-rounded
There needed to be more character development generally
Thank you @panmacmillansa for this review copy
#AnnaWharton #TheImposter #Suspense #PanMacmillan
Rating: 3/5
#QOTD how do you deal with imposter syndrome at work/in life?
I usually chat to my solid group of friends and family who talk me out of any silly misconceptions I have about myself
Thoughts:
This book was not what I hoped it would be. The premise was good, and it was meant to carry a good punch but it fell a bit flat for me. It was a slow burn, too slow for my liking and I wish where it ended could have happened in the middle and carried on from there. For most of the book I felt a lot of suspense and when the twist emerged, I was disappointed?
I think what I hoped was going to be the twist didn’t happen and instead was exposed as a red herring a few chapters from the end of the book.
The book only picked up its pace in the last 10 chapters, and I really wish the other chapters had been as interesting as the final chapters.
Nonetheless, Chloe, the main character, a newspaper archivist did grow on me and she was a strange one, but an endearing character. Her growing obsession with a case she came across during her time at work does add to the suspense aspect of the book but also made me incredibly sad for her, it felt very similar to the emotions I felt for Eleanor Oliphant whose mundane life was quite lonely and uneventful.
The case of the missing 4-year-old girl that Chloe began to obsess over did feel reminiscent of Madeline McCann
All in all, the end was brilliant and very intriguing but it took too long to get there. By the time the shock came, it wasn’t a tsunami, it was a small splash in a paddling pool.
What I liked:
The cover was cool
The premise was epic
The shocking end - brilliant
What I didn’t like:
Took too long to get interesting
The pace of the book was just not where it needed to be
The supporting characters were not well-rounded
There needed to be more character development generally
Thank you @panmacmillansa for this review copy
#AnnaWharton #TheImposter #Suspense #PanMacmillan
December 4, 2020
3.5 ⭐️
This was an enjoyable family centred mystery/drama, it seems from the outset that something obvious is at play but it delivers some decent twists and turns along the way to throw you off track.
This focuses on Chloe, whose work is centred around newspaper archives, the story of a missing girl from 25 years old and how families deal with grief when they can’t even properly grieve. This is a mystery, with thriller elements sprinkled throughout and also an emotional exploration of grief and what family means.
I’d read a few reviews on Goodreads for this and they all mention how they assumed they knew what the outcome was going to be but then were nicely surprised by the twists. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going to happen in the end and what the answers were to the many questions we have here, but of course as always I didn’t get everything right.
I liked how this had such a closed in and tense feel to it, especially the scenes where Chloe was with Moreen and Patrick, the way the author captured that feeling and just had me on edge I loved a lot!. Also I liked how it had such an emotional edge to it, I really felt for Moreen so much and she had some really powerful scenes where she was pouring her heart out and I thought they were so good!.
I thought this was an enjoyable debut, and one that keeps you guessing along the way until it’s end. I also love when a book has a really good last line and this one had me like Ohhhh! Really enjoyed that about it. I’d recommend if you are after a domestic family drama with thriller elements in it, and with a good slice of emotional themes too. Also i could really imagine this being made into a Tv drama or Netflix series, think it would work so well!.
I’d rate this a 3.5 ⭐️.
This book is out 1st April 2021.
Thank you to @bookbreak and @mantle for my copy.
This was an enjoyable family centred mystery/drama, it seems from the outset that something obvious is at play but it delivers some decent twists and turns along the way to throw you off track.
This focuses on Chloe, whose work is centred around newspaper archives, the story of a missing girl from 25 years old and how families deal with grief when they can’t even properly grieve. This is a mystery, with thriller elements sprinkled throughout and also an emotional exploration of grief and what family means.
I’d read a few reviews on Goodreads for this and they all mention how they assumed they knew what the outcome was going to be but then were nicely surprised by the twists. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going to happen in the end and what the answers were to the many questions we have here, but of course as always I didn’t get everything right.
I liked how this had such a closed in and tense feel to it, especially the scenes where Chloe was with Moreen and Patrick, the way the author captured that feeling and just had me on edge I loved a lot!. Also I liked how it had such an emotional edge to it, I really felt for Moreen so much and she had some really powerful scenes where she was pouring her heart out and I thought they were so good!.
I thought this was an enjoyable debut, and one that keeps you guessing along the way until it’s end. I also love when a book has a really good last line and this one had me like Ohhhh! Really enjoyed that about it. I’d recommend if you are after a domestic family drama with thriller elements in it, and with a good slice of emotional themes too. Also i could really imagine this being made into a Tv drama or Netflix series, think it would work so well!.
I’d rate this a 3.5 ⭐️.
This book is out 1st April 2021.
Thank you to @bookbreak and @mantle for my copy.
March 16, 2021
What an unusual book. The blurb sounded promising but after a few chapters I was not sure if I would like the book. But it grew on me because the deeper you get into it the weirder it gets.
Chloe lives with her grandmother in her house. But her Nan has dementia and her condition is declining rapidly. Chloe works in the archives of a newspaper. The year is 2004 and Chloe is still archiving paper cuttings. Chloe is an irritating character. There is something off about her. She gets obsessed with the case of a little girl who disappeared in a local park twenty-five years ago and was never found. She gets it into her head that she is the one to solve the case. When she loses her job and her Nan moves into a home for the elderly she makes it her priority to find the little girl. Fortunately it turns out that the parents of the girl are looking for a lodger. Chloe moves into the house of the poor parents but then things are getting weird and the story gets more interesting.
The book starts off very slow. And it stays slow for most of the time. The story takes it time as we descent deeper and deeper into Chloe’s world. I was wondering where the story was heading because for quite a while nothing happens. But somehow I was also hooked. I had a few ideas what was so off about Chloe and I guessed most of the twists. But that did not ruin the fun. What got me were the elaborated setup and the writing. I enjoyed the author’s style and her ability to keep me interested while she was telling me such a slow developing story. I could feel that there was more to it than meet the eyes and that kept me interested.
I enjoyed reading this unusual story with weird Chloe although it took me a while to get there. It is a sad book about loss and feeling lost. You have to have patience with this book but I think it is worth your time.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Chloe lives with her grandmother in her house. But her Nan has dementia and her condition is declining rapidly. Chloe works in the archives of a newspaper. The year is 2004 and Chloe is still archiving paper cuttings. Chloe is an irritating character. There is something off about her. She gets obsessed with the case of a little girl who disappeared in a local park twenty-five years ago and was never found. She gets it into her head that she is the one to solve the case. When she loses her job and her Nan moves into a home for the elderly she makes it her priority to find the little girl. Fortunately it turns out that the parents of the girl are looking for a lodger. Chloe moves into the house of the poor parents but then things are getting weird and the story gets more interesting.
The book starts off very slow. And it stays slow for most of the time. The story takes it time as we descent deeper and deeper into Chloe’s world. I was wondering where the story was heading because for quite a while nothing happens. But somehow I was also hooked. I had a few ideas what was so off about Chloe and I guessed most of the twists. But that did not ruin the fun. What got me were the elaborated setup and the writing. I enjoyed the author’s style and her ability to keep me interested while she was telling me such a slow developing story. I could feel that there was more to it than meet the eyes and that kept me interested.
I enjoyed reading this unusual story with weird Chloe although it took me a while to get there. It is a sad book about loss and feeling lost. You have to have patience with this book but I think it is worth your time.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
September 13, 2020
This was incredible.
Chloe is a newspaper archivist and a lonely soul. She’s someone who blends in, the wallflower you never notice. The only person she has at home, her nan, is succumbing to the potency of dementia. The stresses of life weigh on Chloe heavily, and when she finds cuttings detailing the disappearance of a child in 1979, she becomes enthralled with the emotion involved in such a case.
We follow Chloe through her obsessive journey in finding more information on the disappearance, watch her tracking down the parents, see her descend into a mist which will not allow her to see anything else. Small details of Chloe’s life are peppered throughout the pages, cleverly, subtly, and we begin to see she’s fraught with problematic thoughts.
Wharton deals with some seriously sensitive topics here, and she does so brilliantly. The emotions involved with a missing child are complex, horrifying, but mostly tragic. The way the child’s mother is characterised felt deeply realistic, her heartbreak was palpable, and her unwavering hope ran through her like a sickness. Wharton contrasts this immediate vanishing of a family member with a disappearance all the more subtle - a loss by dementia.
The pace is excellent, the suspense masterful, and I found myself entirely glued to Wharton’s words. She has a skill for setting and slowly increasing tension. There were some real terrifying moments where my heart was in my throat, but throughout the entire story I was on edge, as though I were on a tightrope. It was so wonderfully evocative, so original, and the twistiness was delicious.
It’s impossible to believe this is a debut novel, and equally as impossible to put into words how engaging and brilliant Wharton’s story is. Set your alarms for April 2021.
Chloe is a newspaper archivist and a lonely soul. She’s someone who blends in, the wallflower you never notice. The only person she has at home, her nan, is succumbing to the potency of dementia. The stresses of life weigh on Chloe heavily, and when she finds cuttings detailing the disappearance of a child in 1979, she becomes enthralled with the emotion involved in such a case.
We follow Chloe through her obsessive journey in finding more information on the disappearance, watch her tracking down the parents, see her descend into a mist which will not allow her to see anything else. Small details of Chloe’s life are peppered throughout the pages, cleverly, subtly, and we begin to see she’s fraught with problematic thoughts.
Wharton deals with some seriously sensitive topics here, and she does so brilliantly. The emotions involved with a missing child are complex, horrifying, but mostly tragic. The way the child’s mother is characterised felt deeply realistic, her heartbreak was palpable, and her unwavering hope ran through her like a sickness. Wharton contrasts this immediate vanishing of a family member with a disappearance all the more subtle - a loss by dementia.
The pace is excellent, the suspense masterful, and I found myself entirely glued to Wharton’s words. She has a skill for setting and slowly increasing tension. There were some real terrifying moments where my heart was in my throat, but throughout the entire story I was on edge, as though I were on a tightrope. It was so wonderfully evocative, so original, and the twistiness was delicious.
It’s impossible to believe this is a debut novel, and equally as impossible to put into words how engaging and brilliant Wharton’s story is. Set your alarms for April 2021.
April 6, 2021
This psychological thriller centres around protagonist Chloe, a peculiar and lonely individual who looks after her Nan who suffers with dementia, whilst trying to hold down her job as a newspaper archivist. While she works, she becomes fascinated with the mystery of a little girl who went missing 25 years ago. She is so intrigued by the unsolved case that she decides to make her own investigations, in the hope that she can reunite the girl with her parents.
Chloe herself is fascinating yet unlikeable, she comes across as vulnerable, deluded and slightly unhinged but because her back story doesn’t quite add up I found her to be an incredibly intriguing character.
As the story unravels the author explores loneliness, obsession, the pain of losing a child, and the cruel deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s disease, which was sensitively handled and very emotional to read.
With an expertly crafted plot the author creates such an oppressive atmosphere, it’s bleak and chilling and it made me suspicious of everyone in the end. Chloe’s investigative methods and lies made me feel so uncomfortable I found I was holding my breath at certain points. As the suspense slowly builds throughout the story, I thought I had it all figured out but there’s a huge twist in the tale! Brilliantly well written and a quality debut
Chloe herself is fascinating yet unlikeable, she comes across as vulnerable, deluded and slightly unhinged but because her back story doesn’t quite add up I found her to be an incredibly intriguing character.
As the story unravels the author explores loneliness, obsession, the pain of losing a child, and the cruel deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s disease, which was sensitively handled and very emotional to read.
With an expertly crafted plot the author creates such an oppressive atmosphere, it’s bleak and chilling and it made me suspicious of everyone in the end. Chloe’s investigative methods and lies made me feel so uncomfortable I found I was holding my breath at certain points. As the suspense slowly builds throughout the story, I thought I had it all figured out but there’s a huge twist in the tale! Brilliantly well written and a quality debut
February 20, 2021
Chloe is a 29 year old young woman struggling with managing both her job and looking after her grandmother who is suffering with dementia. As she works in the archive section of a local newspaper she becomes obsessed with the story of a young girl Angie who went missing over 20 years ago from a local playground when her father who had taken her there went to check he had locked the car door. Chloe then becomes totally embroiled in wanting to get to the bottom of the mystery putting her job at risk and not coping with her grandmother’s increasing deterioration.
This story turned out to be much more twisted than I expected, when I first started to read I found the book a little slow and wondered where it was going but as it progressed I found myself becoming more and more involved in the storyline and finished it in just over a day.
A book I enjoyed, the ending was a satisfying one, well crafted and unexpected and for me a good 3 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Mantle for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This story turned out to be much more twisted than I expected, when I first started to read I found the book a little slow and wondered where it was going but as it progressed I found myself becoming more and more involved in the storyline and finished it in just over a day.
A book I enjoyed, the ending was a satisfying one, well crafted and unexpected and for me a good 3 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Mantle for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 13, 2020
I love this literary genre which is becoming more and more popular at the moment - messy women who live vicariously through other people and their lives. This reminded me a lot of books like A Kind of Intimacy, Bitter and Looker, books I’ve really enjoyed over the last few years.
I’m really interested to see how this is marketed, as I can see it being marketer as a thriller as Looker was, instead of a character study, and that might leave people wanting a pacey thriller disappointed.
The Imposter is the story of Chloe, who becomes obsessed with the news story of a family whose daughter went missing 25 years ago.
I really enjoyed this but I almost wanted a bit more from it. I wanted more messiness and more of Chloe’s backstory and a bit more development of the characters.
This was great fun though for fans of the messy obsessive woman genre. 4 stars
I’m really interested to see how this is marketed, as I can see it being marketer as a thriller as Looker was, instead of a character study, and that might leave people wanting a pacey thriller disappointed.
The Imposter is the story of Chloe, who becomes obsessed with the news story of a family whose daughter went missing 25 years ago.
I really enjoyed this but I almost wanted a bit more from it. I wanted more messiness and more of Chloe’s backstory and a bit more development of the characters.
This was great fun though for fans of the messy obsessive woman genre. 4 stars
August 4, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc of The Imposter.
This follows newspaper archivist Chloe whom comes across a newspaper cutting of a little girl who went missing a whole mere quarter of a century ago (25 years) she is moved by the positiveness of the child’s parents and their belief that their daughter will one day come home. She is then distraught when her nan whom is suffering from dementia must moved into a nursing home, chloe is sad as she will then become homeless so she searcges out for some place to live until she find out the missing girls parents are actually looking for a lodger she takes up the oppurtunity to do so but all is not what it seems......
4 stars- amazing!! quick read, very enjoyable.
This follows newspaper archivist Chloe whom comes across a newspaper cutting of a little girl who went missing a whole mere quarter of a century ago (25 years) she is moved by the positiveness of the child’s parents and their belief that their daughter will one day come home. She is then distraught when her nan whom is suffering from dementia must moved into a nursing home, chloe is sad as she will then become homeless so she searcges out for some place to live until she find out the missing girls parents are actually looking for a lodger she takes up the oppurtunity to do so but all is not what it seems......
4 stars- amazing!! quick read, very enjoyable.
April 5, 2021
Chloe is a character who is struggling with life as The Imposter starts. Her nan is suffering from dementia and Chloe often has come in late to work or leave early to care for her, trying to keep social services at bay. While working in the newspaper archive one day she comes across the case of Angie Kyle, a 5 year old girl who went missing over 20 years ago. Chloe becomes obsessed with the case, reading all the articles she can find. Angie’s parents have regularly pleaded for more information over the years but no clues were ever found.
When Chloe’s nan goes missing, social services insist she go into a care home and that the house be sold to pay for it. Chloe looses her job and things are looking increasingly desperate and then by luck, she comes across the Kyle’s who now live in a remote countryside house and are looking for a lodger. Chloe moves in and soon becomes a good friend and confident to Maureen Kyle who confides in Chloe about how much she misses Angie and how she never has given up hope. Chloe is unsure about Patrick Kyle though – he isn’t keen on the idea of having a lodger and neither him or Chloe feel comfortable in each other’s company.
This is a really accomplished and exciting debut. Chloe is a vulnerable character who doesn’t have any family apart from her nan and has only one good friend. Her obsession with trying to solve the Kyle case is unhealthy and once she becomes personally involved with the family, things start to spiral out of control. The Kyle’s are also memorable and sympathetic characters – trying to carry on with their lives with the sadness that comes from loosing a child.
The Imposter took me in a completely different direction to what I expected and it was an exciting and tense read.
Thank you to Mantle Books for my gifted proof copy for review as part of the blog tour and to Anne for having me.
When Chloe’s nan goes missing, social services insist she go into a care home and that the house be sold to pay for it. Chloe looses her job and things are looking increasingly desperate and then by luck, she comes across the Kyle’s who now live in a remote countryside house and are looking for a lodger. Chloe moves in and soon becomes a good friend and confident to Maureen Kyle who confides in Chloe about how much she misses Angie and how she never has given up hope. Chloe is unsure about Patrick Kyle though – he isn’t keen on the idea of having a lodger and neither him or Chloe feel comfortable in each other’s company.
This is a really accomplished and exciting debut. Chloe is a vulnerable character who doesn’t have any family apart from her nan and has only one good friend. Her obsession with trying to solve the Kyle case is unhealthy and once she becomes personally involved with the family, things start to spiral out of control. The Kyle’s are also memorable and sympathetic characters – trying to carry on with their lives with the sadness that comes from loosing a child.
The Imposter took me in a completely different direction to what I expected and it was an exciting and tense read.
Thank you to Mantle Books for my gifted proof copy for review as part of the blog tour and to Anne for having me.
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