Imaginary Strangers by Minka Kent is a twisty thriller about a woman keeping her secrets from her family. When her daughter starts talking about things that happened in Camille's past, things that she's never talked about, Camille knows something is wrong. But is it the ghost of her mother, or is it something more real? This was a quick thriller that I enjoyed even though it was a little frustrating at times. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: July 23, 2024
A thrilling novel about familial sociopathy? Could Minka Kent actually be writing a novel just for me? Well, of course not, but “Imaginary Strangers” is a knock-me-down, blow-me-away, five-star page-turner and I couldn’t get enough.
Camille Prescott was diagnosed as a sociopath as a young child and after spending her formative years under the unloving and malicious care of her biological mother, Camille has severed all ties and is now living a full life of her own, as a wife and mother. Although she thought she put the past behind her, Camille’s daughter, Georgie, comes home from kindergarten telling stories and singing songs from Camille’s childhood, things that no one else knew except Camille and her mother. Then, Georgie starts talking about her new “friend” and Camille’s worst fear comes to life- has her biological mother returned and is she set on destroying Camille’s happiness once and for all?
The first section of the novel is a prologue, describing the formative event in Camille’s childhood that led her to leave her mother behind once and for all. From there, we get hints of Camille’s childhood through her chats with her psychologist and, occasionally, Camille’s own memories. Kent slowly teases readers by revealing one small detail at a time, and I was instantly hooked.
Could it be Camille’s mother, back to cause harm? Could it be something entirely innocuous? Could it be someone else, working for Camille’s mother? The possibilities for this novel were vast, but Kent seems to hone in on just the right plot points at just the right time, creating a taut, action-packed, well-flowing story. The ending made so much sense that it seemed to be the only way that Kent possibly would’ve went and, even though I did not figure it out as easily as I expected to, I was so excited when I discovered that this novel was the beginning in a series. More Camille? Um, yes please, where do I sign up?
Broken homes, mental illness, addiction, sociopathy, even Venus fly traps, “Imaginary Strangers” has all of this and more. This is a novel I plowed through in one day, because I just could not stop. I am anxiously awaiting more from Kent, and more from Camille! Bring on the second novel!

Camille Prescott has a wonderful husband, two children, and a beautiful home in San Diego. However, behind her smiling façade, Camille has secrets. She has worked hard to bury her past, including her malicious, abusive mother because if her mother finds her it will be the end of Camille. One day, Camille’s six-year-old daughter, Georgie, tells her about her new imaginary friend. The friend knows things about Camille’s childhood, disturbing things, that Camille has kept secret for years. Is Georgie’s friend imaginary or real? Camille will stop at nothing to find out and protect her family.

Wow! Minka Kent has done it again. She has another delivered a twisty, unputdownable thriller! I enjoyed the character of Camille and the unique ability to sit in on Camille’s therapy sessions as the story unfolded. The tie-in with the cover and the title is just perfect. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book. I could not put this book down! I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys thrillers! I cannot wait for the sequel! I give this one 4.5/5 stars.

Wow. Still processing this page turner. As a parent, this book was so hard to read in spots but it was so wonderfully written.
Camille is a sociopath who's mastered the art of appearing empathetic and stops at nothing to protect her children.
Is the ghost of her mother haunting them, or is it something more sinister?
The twists were twisting and the characters are perfection. The dual POV had me rushing through each chapter for more.
Imaginary Strangers may very well be my favorite book by Minka Kent. Absolutely devoured this one and can't wait for the next.

Imaginary Strangers is a slow burn thriller about a sociopath mother who is trying to keep her daughter safe from her traumatic childhood. I liked learning about her sociopathic behavior but it got a little repetitive. Although I did not see the end coming, I thought it all happened really fast. The ending was surprising but it wasn’t fulfilling.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6569237571

Now that I read the book, I love the cover even more! I really enjoyed the sociopathy diagnosis of the character, it was different/refreshing. I love the irony of the ending...the mother-child bond is very interesting when you have 3 mothers and they all act so different to each other.

Thanks NetGalley, Minka kent, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Imaginary Strangers by Minka Kent. This would be such a great beach read - fast, engrossing, well-written, and a shocker of a reveal. You might not like Camille, but you will still sympathize with her upbringing and appreciate her efforts to protect her children and her secrets. She was a great main character and I love that she is a sociopath, with all the challenges that entails.

I'm a big Minka Kent fan and I think Imaginary Strangers might just be my favourite book yet!

Camille's therapy sessions are interesting and a great way to give the reader access to her secrets. Camille is a fascinating lead character - even at her most unlikable, I was always on her side. Though I would not want to have her as an enemy…

Minka Kent has outdone herself with the plot twists in Imaginary Strangers. I love when a clever twists takes me by surprise and I had a few OMG moments while reading the book. What sets Kent apart is that she writes twists that shock you while still feeling natural to the story - not an easy task!

Highly recommend Imaginary Strangers to any thriller fan and I can’t wait for more in the series!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the e-arc to read and review.

This was fast-paced, but nothing really happened for the first 80-90% of the book. It's basically a very long setup for a sequel, which is frustrating considering how much could've been cut and the plot of the next book reworked into this one. Like how many scenes of Cam driving around, going to therapy, running errands, and cooking dinner did we need? There just wasn't enough resolution to any of the mysteries here.

This book was chef’s 💋. A psychological thriller about a sociopath? Yes, please! Camille had a harrowing childhood and it has permanently damaged her psyche. While she is trying to work through her issues, strange things start happening. Is the past re-visiting her? What is going on? I was glued to this book from start to finish. I highly recommend! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely. I devoured this book! I loved being able to sit in on Camille's therapy sessions. I loved knowing some of Camille's secrets that she had kept in the vault and never shared with her husband. I loved being a silent observer as things began to become uncomfortable for Camille. Speaking of Camille, she is such an interesting character. Very interesting, indeed. There are a nice number of twists and turns in this book. Holy Moly, I did not see a major twist/reveal coming at all! I was left with my mouth hanging open, thinking "did that just happen?" and "shut the front door!" Seriously, Minka Kent, I salute you. This is how you write a gripping and shocking psychological thriller, hands down five beautiful stars.

Camille Prescott has done a brilliant job of leaving her mom, Lucinda, and an abusive childhood behind. She's found a husband anyone would be lucky to have, has two perfect kids, and moved from Chicago to a picturesque suburb in Southern California. Camielle even has a doting mother-in-law who more than makes up for the time and effort Lucinda never gave her. Things are wonderful. Then, when Camielle's daughter starts coming home talking about an imaginary friend and providing specific references from Camielle's childhood, of course paranoia runs rampant. Running around chasing shadows while her busy husband & mother-in-law look after the kids, Camielle has to find out if Lucinda is back.

I really, really enjoyed this one. Coming off cold, Camielle should make an odd, unlikable narrator, but so many of the issues she runs into surrounding motherhood and trying to manage a household while maintaining a romantic relationship are so relatable that you can't help but love her and empathize with her. Right from the beginning, she talks about not having the mom gene but being steadfastly determined to do any and all research necessary to make sure that her kids have the best possible childhood in an increasingly concerning world. That's something I think a lot of people (at least in my elder millennial age bracket) struggle with. I also truly appreciated the way she talks about not wanting to be pregnant anymore at the end of her second pregnancy. It's such a taboo thing and it really shouldn't be. It's not a comfortable experience, and it's refreshing to hear people admit that it's a labor of love rather than some sort of ethereal privilege. The brutal honesty throughout really made Camielle's story one I couldn't put down.

As for the story, it was paced extremely well. For the first half, things build slowly but surely and you're with Camielle as her journey becomes crazier and crazier. For the second half you're on a runaway train unsure of who can be trusted. The ultimate resolution at the end was unexpected but not unbelievable and really pulled it all together. I am a big fan of this author but this might be my favorite yet!

Raised by a vindictive and psychotic woman, Camille has gone to great lengths to bury her past and for good reason: if her mother ever finds her, she will kill her.

Great tension and plot twists. Loved it!

What a twisted web Minka Kent weaves with this newest thriller!

"Psychopaths are born, but sociopaths are made..."

What would you do to protect your family? That's the premise of Camilla's story.

I admire the fact that Camilla knows of her mental health issues and is doing what she can to adapt and overcome them. To be able to have a "normal" life and family with the horrific upbringing she has.

Ms. Kent's exploration of this character and her internal struggle is fascinating and makes you question everything you think you know. 

Between flashbacks and the current time, you see Camilla's evolution and what she is willing to do to protect her children and the family she has created.

Hell has no fury like a woman on the edge, and that is what Camilla is.

When you dive into a world that Ms. Kent has created, you won't be the same when you come out.

Imaginary Strangers is a fast paced, easy bingeable popcorn thriller. The concept of this book was amazing, I really loved the sociopath aspect and learning more about it, exploring it in a real life setting. I thought that was truly well done.

The characters were complex although lacking a little more backstory for my liking, I would've liked more about Camille(Gabrielle). The side characters were just okay for me.

This book started off really strong for me, but then halfway I just felt like it was dragging and some things were said but just left hanging and never developed. The final twist is supposed to come as a major shock, but for me it came off as predictable, as the author tries to steer you in such an opposite direction which felt too obvious for me. The ending just left me feeling underwhelmed with the reasoning behind the actions.

I still enjoyed this book, it was definitely a fun and fast read that was very entertaining !
✨️Thank you to @netgalley, Thomas & Mercer & Minka Kent for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chilling and sinister, Minka Kent has once again created a captivating, dark mystery. Quick to read and at times heart-pounding, the book swirls with characters who are clearly unstable - or are they really the ones you think? A good thriller!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages, Imaginary Strangers is about a mother who will do anything for her children. The thing is, she doesn’t love them - not really. Not because she’s a bad mom, but because she’s clinically a sociopath who can’t feel any emotions whatsoever. Normally, you’d think that such a person would be impossible to relate to, but this book made me care. She is manipulative and cunning, and she’s not really making sacrifices out of love. Her one and only motivation is to be as different as her own mother as possible. So her own family doesn’t even know her. I really enjoyed the twists and I had no idea how it would end. That said, this is too much of a domestic thriller for me to fully enjoy, but only because it is not one of my favorite genres. There are a lot of details about mothering, chores and psychology. Readers of domestic thrillers will probably enjoy it more. As it is, even if I’m no fan of the genre, I enjoyed this book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer.

Have you ever started a book and thought “oh this is going to fuck me up?” Because it’s rare that it happens to me and that’s how I felt when I read the quote at the beginning of the book. What followed was a relentless, fast paced narrative that kept me on my toes until the very end. I am writing this review at 3:27AM - I literally could not put this book down. The time jumps were wielded brilliantly, slowly exposing more information as the story went on, slowly doling out what we learned and only allowing the reader to see what was immediately ahead. The twist was flawlessly executed and while I fairly easily predicted the how, I never guessed the who. The protagonist was utterly fascinating and incredibly well written. I absolutely loved being inside of her head. I already want to reread this book. Wow. Just…wow.

Imaginary Strangers was a twisty domestic thriller that was a quick read. Camille knows that her estranged mother has found her family and is doing everything she can to mess with her daughter, Georgie. Or is there something more sinister going on? I didn't guess the ending at all, so that was a nice surprise. There were some parts of the book that were a little slow, but overall a solid book!

The author did it well ! How much we are ready to keep our secrets away from those tho would ruin our lives ? I guess we are all ready for it when we love someone more than ourselves !