Camille is a sociopath and a mother, working very hard to appear as a normal loving mother and person. One day when Camille’s daughter comes home from school and says she has an imaginary friend. Camille’s mom thinks that the friend isn’t really imaginary. Opting to volunteer to investigate what’s going on with her daughter. Camille works throughout the book to find out about what’s going on with her daughter. Though this book is good, there are parts throughout it that seem redundant and it takes away from the storyline in my opinion. If you love a good psych thriller and or stories about creepy children this is a great choice for you.

I am however a huge fan of Minka Kent and think she doesn’t get enough hype for her books. I’m constantly recommending her books. The Memory Watcher is the book that made me fall in love with her writing.

I was so excited to get this book! Minka Kent has never disappointed me. This was a great novel of domestic suspense. Camille’s upbringing was enough to pull me in. She’s running away from her past while trying to maintain this facade with the perfect husband and two great kids. Her daughter Georgie gave me the creeps which was great because it’s a thriller! I couldn’t wait to find out how Georgina’s imaginary friend knew things about Camille’s past. And to see if her mother caught up with her.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 7/23/24!

I went into this book completely blind and suggest that future readers do the same. Told from 1 POV with dual timelines, the author crafted a story that not only was gripping from the first page but also hard to put down. There was also beautiful imagery here with a Venus flytrap, which I found to be a unique plot structure that I haven’t seen often in contemporary thrillers. This book also has a creepy element to it for a thriller which I enjoyed. I didn’t realize this was the first book in a series according to Goodreads and although I am not typically a series reader, I will for sure be picking the second one up when/if it releases. Definitely recommend giving this one a read but please check trigger warnings before picking this one up, as some discussion topics are intense.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the early read of Imaginary Strangers. Okay, I don’t think I can find the right words to describe this book. I love psychological thrillers and when it’s heavy on the psychological it’s just WOW! We get to be inside the head of an actual sociopath and how she got there. Camille had a terrible and traumatic childhood, to say the least and she wants to be the Mom her mother wasn’t. But when Georgie comes home and starts talking about her new friend “Imaginary” things get weird. How does this “friend” know things about Camille? I was so creeped out by certain scenes in this book that I had to catch my breath. The best news of all is that it’s going to be a series so the creepy can continue!!

This was such a great read! Captivating, addictive and most definitely INTENSE 😳. I love psychological thrillers and this one did not disappoint! It’s fast paced and you will NOT be able to put it down.

Camille was such an intriguing character, and the sudden secret information about her past coming from her own daughter was such an entertaining and unique (to me) plot.

And prepare yourself for a very unexpected WTF ending that is SO well-done! I’m still not over it 🫣 There’s no doubt that this book will keep you guessing from start to finish! I cannot wait to read more from this author!


Thank you to the publisher for providing me with eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was an easy, and entertaining read that was fast-paced from start to finish.

Camille is a woman who suffered an immense amount of child abuse at the hands of her mother, and as a result is doing her best to be a good protective mom for her children despite being clinically diagnosed with sociopathy.

At first, I was pretty skeptical of the fact that the FMC is a sociopath but I thought that was handled tastefully and it’s clear Minka Kent put in thorough research (also appreciate the acknowledgment of such)

I found the reveal satisfying, and my only qualm is that Camille’s mother ended up playing less of a role than I thought. Overall, this was entertaining and I’ll be sure to read more from Minka Kent when I’m in the mood for a very fast-paced thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

This book is a page-turner that kept me on edge from start to finish. The trauma that Camille went through in her childhood comes full circle and is threatening her children. She can’t reveal the danger to her husband Will without exposing her past. She will do everything possible to protect her children but who must she protect them from? It was a great thriller and had me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book.

Format:📱 Ebook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really liked it!

This excerpt says it all about what sort of suspense unfolds in the pages of Imaginary Strangers:

"Thirteen years ago, I attempted to murder my mother— only to have her wake up and promise to kill me if she ever saw me again. If she knew I was living a happy, comfortable life with two precious children and an adoring husband who treats me like a literal queen, she’d do everything in her power to take it all away."

✴️ What I liked:

~ Holy sh#$! The first chapter is 🔥🔥🔥 What an incredible start!

~ Meat jelly sandwich 🤮

~ The twist! 😱 I did not see that coming! The plot went in a completely different direction than the premise of the book.

✴️ What didn't work for me:

~ Some of the flashbacks were difficult to get back to things happening currently, such as reminiscing about meeting her husband while she was about to read a bedtime story to her son.

✴️ Final thoughts:

I love that Will is such a supportive husband, so I question why Camille can't just be honest about everything. It's apparent that her struggle with taking off the mask she wears is complex, but I found myself wanting to scream at her to just tell him!

Wow, what a wildly unexpected ride! I'm glad that in the end everything came together, and I would be excited to read a sequel! 👀

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me the opportunity to review. All opinions are my own.

Kent never disappoints!
Imaginary Strangers by Minka Kent was an engrossing read that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
Kent’s writing skills are truly remarkable. The author's gripping plot that immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged throughout.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was my first book by this author and it wont be my last. The writing had me hooked from the beginning. I liked the timelines as well.

This was a well-researched novel and you could tell how much the author was into the psychology of Camille Prescott, the protagonist.

Camille was the perfect wife and mother. She was determined to give her children the childhood that she never had. However, her perfect facade hid a personality that she found almost exhausting to maintain, but she did it to perpetuate her perfect life. When someone insinuates their way into her family's life and threatens to destroy everything she's worked hard to build, she'll stop at nothing to bring them down.

In some ways, this was a difficult read. Camille's psychology was hard to empathise with and relate to, in spite of what we learn about her childhood. We can sympathise with her for her traumas, but I found her quite unrelatable. The building of tension and Camille's mania was tense and kept you guessing. When the culprit was uncovered, I must say I was surprised and glad it wasn't who I initially suspected! I loved that Will, her husband, supported her and wanted what was best, although the poor guy was flying blind, but it was good to see him step up for her.

Overall, a well-written story with a great plot. I'd like to read the next book and would love to see Camille's psychology evolve into something more (gah! It's hard to really say what I mean without giving spoilers!).

Thank you so much to the publisher and the author for this wonderful arc. What is so wonderfully jarring about this cover is that it captures the essence of the book and the twist that is within this book so beautifully. Camille has a perfect life, a wonderful husband, two healthy and perfect children, and one secret that starts to haunt her the moment her daughter comes up with the knowledge that she has a new friend named "Imaginary". Though it would be mostly harmless for a child her age, this "friend" seems to have sayings that align with Camille's mother, Lucinda, a figure she hasn't seen in quite some time and is trying to keep buried in the past. The descension down from grace as she tries to unravel just how Lucinda is orchestrating her way back is deliciously taunting and when the twist finally comes in? I couldn't believe it and desperately need more. For lovers of thrillers and high intensity lifetime movies, this book is definitely for you.

The first chapter of Imaginary Strangers was absolutely mind blowing. This story was intriguing from just the description of a mother with a haunted and terrible past trying to figure out why her daughter is saying things from her childhood that were traumatic. I felt the first half of the book was really good as you are trying to figure out if this little girl is a psychopath or is someone setting the mother up or is the mother even crazy? About halfway I felt it wasn’t as intriguing and got a bit repetitive and I just wanted to finish. The ending was a bit unbelievable as the whole book you are thinking that it is a certain someone and it flips and it’s not who you think it is. But it also sets up for another book. I have to admit I was hoping for a showdown. I guess that should be happening in Book 2. All in all I was invested in the story and even though the ending was a bit not what I wanted it to be I still liked how it wrapped up. This mother is really struggling and it also has some mental health issues that I don’t think is talked about enough.

My review can be found on:
Instagram- @hedwigsandhopes
Goodreads- Nikki- Hedwigs and Hopes

Every Minka Kent book continues to get better and better. This book was a page turner from the first page until the end. I was loving every character and how the storyline played out. A must read for any book lover.

Camille left her emotionally abusive mother, Lucinda, at age seventeen and never looked back. She now lives with her husband and two children, doing her best to be nothing like her mother. She’s worried about her daughter Georgie when she begins talking to imaginary friends. Georgie starts saying and acting in ways that only Lucinda would know about. She discovers this imaginary “friend” works at the school and is convinced her mother has returned to harm her and her family.

Talk about psychological thrillers cause WHEW! I would’ve lost my mind if I was in Camille’s shoes. This was emotional warfare. I did have a few theories, despite trying to just enjoy the ride, and I can honestly say I had no idea what the twist was. You got me, Minka! Finally a thriller that stumped me; it’s been a minute. And finding out this will have a sequel? 😙🤌🏼 count me in.

Camille has a great life and has put her traumatic childhood behind her. When her six year old makes a new friend at school, she begins repeating odd things; things from Camille’s childhood that no one should know.

I loved this one! It reminded me of a Frieda McFadden read; totally bingeable with a fast paced, exciting story. This is the perfect beach read when you want a fast page turner with exciting suspense. I did figure out one of the twists early on, but it did not do anything to diminish my enjoyment. I loved the main character and how the author wrote her with her disorder. While it had a definitive ending, it left space for a sequel!

“They say the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. I used to agree. Now I’m not so sure.”

Imaginary Strangers comes out 7/23.

When I tell you I loved this book, I aint lying! Imaginary Strangers is the perfect example of psychological thriller. Our main character Camille is incredibly complicated. She is delicately balancing motherhood, being a doting wife, hiding from her past and hiding from her husband that she’s been diagnosed as a sociopath who can feel no love, empathy, sympathy, etc. Her daughter comes home from school, saying things that only one person in the world could possibly know, someone she has traveled across the country to get away from. Camille completely spirals, and I found myself wondering is she paranoid and unhinged or does she have a real reason to be scared and protective of her children? I loved the end twist, and did not see that coming. I did notice that this is listed as #1 in a series, so I am super excited to see what’s next. This was my first read by Minka Kent, but obviously its not my last. Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for my eARC. Imaginary Strangers will be published 7/23.

Don’t you just love a book where the line between reality and fantasy is so blurry that you can hardly see it. In IMAGINARY STRANGERS Minka Kent takes paranoia to new levels. Or does she?

Camille Prescott is living the dream life. Married to a doting doctor, mom to two perfect children, living in a beautiful home - she seems to have it all. But what happens when the dream becomes a nightmare she can’t outrun?

I was hooked from the very first page. Ms. Kent gives us a book that made me question everything I thought I knew and reminds us that sometimes the biggest threat is closer than you think. You’ll want to sink your teeth into this taut psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Camille is a fantastic mom- or at least she’s trying not to be the mom her mom was. The opening chapter lays it all out, pulling you in immediately. Then her daughter comes home from school to talk about her new friend “imaginary” which has the intent to bring Camille’s whole world down and her past back to the present.

The story is told with a couple of different timelines: past situations with her mother Lucinda, conversations with a psychologist, and present time. The author creates empathy from the reader in her flashbacks. But I kept waiting to see what was so bad that Camille did to be so terrified of her secrets coming out. In her flashbacks with the therapist, we find her being diagnosed with being a sociopath and how it affects her present day. The way this played out, was a lot more telling than showing and I think I would have preferred it the
opposite. I did like the character of Camille, her journey and background when we could get past some of the repeating patterns.

Some of my Camille’s reactions felt contradicting, like people judging their parenting style if they put their daughter in therapy, when she herself had been in therapy. And wouldn’t it be the opposite? The therapy flashbacks grew pretty tiresome and repetitive to the point of being able to skim them and still get the gist of them.

Not a bad tale, I just can’t fully decide if the ending was worth the journey. And not to give the ending away, but the whole thing panned out pretty ridiculously.

I absolutely loved this book.

Camille escaped an abusive mother and left home at 17. Now, a mother herself, her past has come back to haunt her in the form of a friend that her daughter calls "imaginary." Camille was diagnosed as a sociopath but has learned to fake her feelings and present in a completely normal way.

What drew me into this book first and foremost was the creepy child aspect. It opens with Camille's daughter having an imaginary friend she calls "bestie" and moves on to the girl making a new friend she calls "imaginary." But imaginary seems to know things about Camille's past that no one else does. Camille discovers that "imaginary" is really a teacher's aide at the school named Imogen and is determined to get to the bottom of Imogen poisoning her daughter's mind.

The other thing I loved about this book was that you really couldn't tell until the end whether Camille was a reliable narrator or not. Her diagnosis made you question it initially, but her behavior became more and more unhinged as the book went on. She became obsessed with stalking Imogen to get to the bottom of what was going on. She was convinced someone was trying to make her feel crazy. The reader really didn't know how much, if any was all in Camille's head.

Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author.