I'm a fan of Minka Kent, so I was thrilled when I got an ARC of this one to review. I loved the dual timelines featuring the main character, Camille. Her backstory is so dark and intricately woven into present events for maximum impact as the events of the story unravel. I was so gripped by the storyline that I read this in a single sitting. I can't recommend this book enough to fans of psychological and domestic thrillers.

Did you have an imaginary friend when you were growing up?

Camille’s daughter, Georgie, has two. Bestie isn’t too much of an issue. Her other one, Imaginary? Now, that one’s an issue, because it quickly becomes clear that Imaginary isn’t an imagined friend at all, but rather a teacher’s aide at Georgie’s school who somehow knows things about Camille’s past that she’s never told anyone involved in her life about and has taught them to her daughter. Camille has kept her past buried for a reason, and now she’s afraid it’s caught up to her.

The first and third acts of this book are fast-paced and smartly-written. The beginning of the book really hooks you, with an attention-grabbing opening sequence before slinging you into the present day and the frightening start of the main story. The third act is well-written as well, with an even faster pace than the first act as it careens to a really engaging and captivating ending.

It’s the second act where this book suffers a little. It’s not much, mind you. It’s just the pacing that suffers from some stuttering and a little meandering that feels like it could’ve been tightened up a little.

The timeline on this book is non-linear as it switches between the present and back to Camille’s therapy sessions a few years prior to the events of the book. Normally this might feel like a manner of expositional dump and I’d deride it as such, but in this case it really mutually informs and is informed by the plot, so it fits perfectly without feeling plopped so Kent doesn’t have to explain things.

Kent apparently got the idea for this book after reading something about how 1 in 25 people are sociopaths, and that might be true, but it’s important to remember sociopathy is a spectrum of antisocial behaviors and disorders. Camille is a made sociopath, and that’s part of the reason why she resonated with me so much as a character and why this book works so well. Camille still remembers a time when she wasn’t a sociopath. There is an echo of those years in her, a memory of those days and what she wanted and what she went through. She remembers what it was like to want to be loved and seen. This book works because she doesn’t want that life for her kids and will do anything to protect them from it. She’s beyond a mama bear: she’s a mama bear without restraints.

The ending of this book is fantastic, with a great twist. I saw it coming but not until late in the book. I thought I had the whodunit called two other times before I finally called it correct. I always like when I can be surprised by a book these days. I enjoyed it a good deal.

I was provided a copy of this title by Netgalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Kidnapping/Psychological Fiction/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller/Women’s Fiction

Another great twisty read from Minka Kent!! 🙌 I found myself trying to figure out whether I should believe our sociopathic FMC or not!! Is she right in her assumptions? Or is she just becoming more and more unhinged? 👀 And I did not see the big twist coming!! 🫨

Excellent twisty read for thriller lovers!! 👏👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Minka Kent for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

Thank you @minkakentauthor @amazonpublishing #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC!

Yeeeeesssss! This is how psychological thrillers are done my friends! When I need to peek in my closet and under my bed for before bed you’ve done well! I am quickly discovering one of my favorite aspects in a thriller that scares the beejezus out of me is creepy children. I don’t know why but I love this! Is it a trope? I don’t know…I want to make it one! I could NOT stop reading this one because I NEEDED to know more about what was happening. I popped some blood pressure meds and anxiously read this one in one sitting. From start to finish I think I was sweating through this brilliantly shocking book. The tension and distressing feeling this book gave me is exactly what I look for in books. (Don’t ask me what’s wrong with me, I don’t know!) 🤣 The only question I had at the end of this one was where has Minka been my whole life?! Absolutely without a doubt you need to read this one if you are a psychological thriller fan!

📖What it’s about:

Camille is a very damaged character who had grown up putting on a brave face she thinks others want her to be. She is actually a sociopath caused by the trauma her terrible sad excuse of a mother has inflicted upon her. 😭 She narrowly escaped and has been in hiding ever since. Happily married, all is well in her world until one day her daughter starts talking about her imaginary friend. Kids sometimes have imaginary friends right? Well hers seems to know a little too much about the past darkness and demon she tried to escape. Only things her mother or her would know. 👀😬

I really liked this!!! Definitely suspenseful and a page turner. Did not know how this was going to resolve and I am not disappointed !!!!

Thank you netgalley for a copy!

Nothing can be so horrifying as seeing beyond the polite societal lies and into the minds of the imaginary. Because is the imaginary just that? Or is something else hidden behind the reality that is shown. For Camille, her perfect life now is not how her past could or should have turned out. And secrets have a way of being exposed.

4.5 Stars

I loved both The Stillwater Girls and When I Was You by this author so it was a no-brainer to request this on NetGalley and am I ever glad I did. This is a well-done psychological thriller. Not a lot happens but Minka Kent's writing style is easy to read and it sucked me in right away. The best part? She totally caught me by surprise and that doesn't happen very often.

Using a two-timeline format (or is it three?) we get Camille in the present raising her two kids in California with her adoring doctor husband. We also get Camille in the past (six years ago), when she lived in Chicago, via therapy sessions and in those sessions she speaks about her past, especially her childhood. This was a hard book to read at times because Camille did not have the best childhood. It was mega disturbing to me and I have a rough background myself.

This book was so intense with short punchy chapters. I held my breath without realizing it and flipped through the pages like a maniac. We readers know all about Camille's secrets as she takes us on a journey of trying to discover who is trying to reveal her past while protecting her family from the perpetrator, in a word...gripping. This one starts out with a bang and never lets up. The super fast pacing and wonderful writing were such a joy to read.

I took half a star off because some of the happenings at the end were a little too convenient for my liking, which is typical of thrillers nowadays. I did love the ambiguous ending though. This one is a part of a series and I didn't know that when I requested it, it happens. I am not a series reader but I cannot wait to see what happens with Camille next.

This is my 3rd book by this author and probably my 2nd fave!

This story follows a sociopath mother who lived a nightmare childhood (that she keeps hidden) and now wants a better childhood for her daughter..

Now her daughter has an imaginary friend… then a second one named “Imaginary” but is Imaginary actually imaginary? The mother wants to find out so she volunteers at the daughter’s school because the daughter is saying things that lead her believe maybe Imaginary is a real person from her past.


Thoughts-
Pretty straightforward plot line, we are essentially told what to believe and not much is left to the imagination. That’s fine, truly. I didn’t dislike or love anything about this book. It was entertaining and engaging but long term it’s one I feel will fade into the background considering I read at least a book a day.

Solid

I always enjoy Minka Kent's books. They are fast paced and have great twist endings!

This book was no different, my only qualm was that the FMC was supposed to be a sociopath but at times it seemed like she wasn't acting how a sociopath would act.

Also (and this is minor, but still), I didn't like how Will (the husband) seemed to have "the final say" about whether their daughter got to take a day off school or not, or how Camille (FMC) had to "explain to him" as if he was her superior, why she pulled her daughter out of school for the afternoon. Like F off, she is the mother, she can decide to pull her kid out of school for the afternoon/day if she wants to - especially if Grandma from out of town is visiting! Ugh!

Anyway! Overall a great read, and there are a lot of interesting discussion topics that could be talked about in book clubs, etc for sure!

This book was definitely interesting. I could not imagine having a childhood or a mother like that. I would have lost my mind if someone was messing with my kids. This book had some good twists. I did not see the ending coming.

This novel was unsettling in the best way.

Camille grew up in a horribly abusive home and thinks she has left behind her trauma (and its danger) for happily ever after until her past comes creeping back. So much suspense and captivating characters with a few twists along the way. I loved the writing style with intermittent flashbacks.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel. I loved it and can't wait to read the next installment of Camille's story. No spoilers, but the end has a nice setup for a sequel.

BRILLIANT!!! Thank you NetGalley, Minka Kent and Thomas & Mercer for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

MIND BLOWING!!! INCREDIBLE!! FANTASTIC!! ADDICTIVE!! Everything I was hoping for and MORE!! This really creepy, darkly twisted, and utterly gripping psychological thriller kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end!! Imaginary Strangers is full of twists and turns and just when I thought I had it figured out, NOPE! The tension and suspense had me flipping the pages so fast!! With a shocking ending that left me totally flabbergasted, and a narrative that evoked compassion and had me rooting for a sociopath, you know you're in for a wild ride! I absolutely loved it so much!! This being my first read by Minka Kent, and I am already a HUGE fan! I cannot wait to read more of her books. Another thriller to add to my favorites for 2024!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

How far would you go to keep your family and terrifying secrets safe??

Synopsis:
Camille Prescott has it all: a doting husband, two children, a charming home in a seaside enclave, and a beautiful, fixed smile that exudes normalcy. But behind her polished mask lurks a much different Camille-one with a padlocked vault of secrets. Raised by a vindictive and psychotic mother, Camille has gone to great lengths to bury her past, and for good reason: if her mother ever finds her, she will kill her.
Nothing, however, can prepare Camille for the day her six-year-old daughter, Georgie, starts showing signs of unsettlingly familiar behavior, including an imaginary new friend who casts a disturbing influence on everything the little girl says and does. Worse still, Georgie's imaginary friend knows things about Camille's childhood-things Camille has never told a soul. Is it a coincidence, or is George's imaginary friend not so fictional after all? Is Camille's past coming for her and everyone she loves or is it already here?

Conclusion:
In summary, I was completely captivated from start to finish! I wholeheartedly recommend this unputdownable, impressive masterpiece and it deserves all the stars!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: A woman begins to receive cryptic messages from her estranged mother through her 6 year old daughter. She will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it.
Pros/cos: Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy due out July 23. Wow! This thriller was fast paced, exciting and nerve wracking- everything you could hope for in a good thriller. It lost some suspense for me at the end but was still one of the best I’ve read in this genre. I highly recommend!

Psychological thrillers aren't usually my go-to reads but I do enjoy the writings of this author. Minka Kent has a way of making you root for the sociopath in the story.

From the outside, Camille Prescott has the perfect life: 2 kids, anesthesiologist husband and a home in an enviable neighborhood. What she is hiding would terrify most people. When her past suddenly resurfaces in the form of anecdotes from her daughter/daughter's imaginary friend, she takes her overprotectiveness to another level. The question is...who is she protecting them from?

Minka Kent has woven a tale that will lure you in and have you wondering if the heroine's past has truly come back to get her or if there was some skullduggery happening. This is a voluntary review of an advance reader copy from NetGalley.

I've enjoyed Minka Kent's previous work, so I had to read this one!

Camille Prescott has everything a woman could want. She's married to a doting, hardworking anesthesiologist, Will, and has 2 beautiful children, Georgina and Jackson. She gets to be a stay-at-home mom to raise her children while her husband provides for her family.

Camille and Will live in a nice neighborhood, and they're the newer neighbors. Georgina has changed schools with their move from Chicago to San Diego and Camille notices Georgina is have some difficulty make friends and interacting with the children her age. Camillie goes to tuck Georgina in one night, and notices Georgina talking, to noone visible, but appears to be having a detailed conversation. Georgina tells Camillie about her imaginary friend Bestie. Camille encourages Georgina to attempt to make new friends at school.

Georgina comes home excited from school and tells Camille she has a new best friend at school. Camille is very excited for her daughter, until this new best friend starts to reveal secrets to Georgina about Camille's childhood. The biggest concern, why does this new friend know so much about Camille's past? Now Camille must work hard to continue to hide her past that her husband knows absolutely nothing about.

engaging, constant turn of events. I loved the back and forth between 4 years ago to today. definitely recommend this read. Thank you to Minka Kent and Thomas and Mercer for this advanced readers copy.

Tension stays high in this gripping suspense novel about a young mom who protects her family from a shocking source, an unwelcomed echo of an abusive past.

Camille Prescott becomes unsettled when her six-year-old daughter Georgie starts to spout oddly specific phrases and displays disturbing behavior that bizarrely reeks of the torment Camille endured in her hellish youth.

Camille dug deep in adulthood . . . to endure the hard work of therapy and reinvention, an ongoing process of growth and healing . . . to create a better life and a healthy family she could be proud of. Over the years, she has kept the horrific details of her childhood strictly confidential, even from those closest to her.

Fear, stress, and panic begin to rise to dangerous levels, seeping far into her psyche and threatening to dismantle those thick insulated walls Camille so carefully built around her new existence.

Is she strong enough now to face this evil alone?

Is she brave enough to ask for help? Find out July 22, 2024!

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Imaginary Strangers for my unbiased evaluation.  4 stars

A page turner about a woman who turned her back on her past but now, now it's come back with a vengeance. Camille had a horrible childhood with her mother Lucinda, she's a diagnosed sociopath and she struggles every day but she's built a life and a family. Moving across the country was meant to add additional security but her little daughter is coming home from school with information about her past she claims she was told by her (imaginary) friend. How? Why? This has good twists and a few surprises. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An unusual heroine and scenario made this a fast paced read.

When her six year old daughter Georgie comes home speaking about a new friend who seems to make references to Camille's past, Camille is shocked. Who knows her secrets?

Holy moly, this book was so fantastic - I just could not put it down. I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook as I read along with my ebook copy and highly recommend the audio if you get a chance to listen to it. With a huge twist I didn't see coming in the story, I was left utterly speechless. Minka Kent has outdone herself again. All the stars for this one.

Camille and Will seem to live a charmed life, but that certainly is not how Camille grew up. She will do anything it takes to protect her husband and two children. In order to do this she must keep hidden her previous life of neglect and abuse. When her past seems to come back to haunt her, she utilizes the lessons taught by surviving her childhood.

Although I pretty much figured out the twist in this book, it was still a fascinating read. I am enthralled by learning about sociopaths and how they function in society. A very solid read!

Imaginary Strangers by Minka Kent is a gripping psychological thriller that plunges readers into the dark undercurrents of Camille Prescott's seemingly idyllic life. Kent masterfully builds tension as Camille grapples with the haunting shadows of her traumatic past, carefully hidden beneath a facade of domestic bliss. When her daughter Georgie begins exhibiting unsettling behavior linked to an imaginary friend who seems to possess intimate knowledge of Camille's darkest secrets, the novel takes a chilling turn. Kent skillfully unravels the mystery with precision, keeping readers on edge until the shocking revelations unfold. Imaginary Strangers is a riveting exploration of family dynamics, buried secrets, and the eerie power of the past to disrupt even the most carefully curated lives.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.