This. Was. So. Distressing.

I felt like I was actually on the edge of my seat screaming for about half of this book. Pieces kept clicking together and then falling apart almost as quickly as I had thought I’d figured them out. Twists! And! Turns!

The ending was so dissatisfying but in a good way. There was so much still up in the air, much like real life, and some answers that only helped a little. I don’t think it could have ended any other way.

I love a good sister story. Fold in fascinating medical facts, dark psychological elements and continually shocking twists and turns? 🤩 Winning combo.

Early background info on the sisters’ upbringing, along with the inclusion of Rosie’s injury led to me question the reliability of each character and kept me guessing straight up to the end. I would think I had it figured out, and then get sent into a bunch of different directions.

Back to school has me in a major reading slump, and this book was just what I needed. Totally successful solo debut from the author - definitely looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

Thank you so, so much to @bradeighgodfrey @berittalksbooks @letstalkbookspromo and @blackstonepublishing for my gifted e-copy of this debut thriller! (Swipe to the next slide for the synopsis).

Wow, wow, wow!! What an incredible debut from doctor and fellow Bookstagrammer, Bradeigh Godfrey! Fast-paced, gripping, and immersive, this one hooked me with the prologue and didn't let go until the very last page!

I'm a huge fan of books that explore sister relationships, psychological thrillers, and lots of twists and turns, and Imposter had all of that, and more! I think I was especially intrigued by all of the medical science and neurology Godfrey included in this book. A doctor who specializes in rehabilitation after severe neurologic injuries herself, she shines when explaining and addressing all of the complications that can occur after head trauma, and I was fascinated by the idea of Capgras Syndome, which involves a delusional belief that a loved one has been replaced by an imposter. Learning new things when I read is one of my very favorite things, and Bradeigh allows readers to do so in such a riveting and engaging way through her characters.

I loved the twisty, rollercoaster ride-esque nature of Imposter, too. Each time I thought I knew where things were going, I ended up back at square one (until nearly 75 percent into the book, when things started clicking for me). Packed with red herrings, a narrator I wasn't quite sure I trusted, and a creepy, atmospheric feel that kept me alert and literally on the edge of my seat, this book was perfect for the beginning of fall and spooky season!

I also learned that Bradeigh has another pen name and is one half of the duo who wrote Beach Trap, so you know I'm picking that up ASAP!

Congratulations on an incredible solo debut, Bradeigh!! I absolutely cannot wait to read more from you!

My first from this author. Was quite surprised this turned into a medical thriller. Not mad about it. However there was a lot of family drama, and things that could have been solved by more communication (oh hope I despise people not talking to each other), But I did like that this had a darker and twisted ending - not sure how believable it is, but I'll take it.

Rosie tells her sister Lilian that she has something imperative to share with her: it’s been a rough go since they lost their parents, and this sounds like a chance to reconnect.

A terrible car accident interrupts the sibling reunion before we get a chance to learn what Rosie had in mind. That’s just the tip of the suspenseful iceberg in this one. A sinister build turns into a page-turning frenzy as Rosie awakens from the accident convinced Lilian has been replaced by an imposter.

It’s a heartbreaking manifestation of brain damage and the start of a superb medical thriller. Lilian isn’t so sure that accident could have been avoided—but who would want to hurt her and her sister?

Secrets, secrets, deadly secrets. And one must-read book.

I’ve been looking forward to Bradeigh Godfrey’s Imposter since finishing The Beach Trap. For those of you that aren’t aware, she and Alison Hammer are the dynamic duo behind that little gem, but Imposter is her solo debut. and what a debut it is! The characters are solid and believable, and the fact that Bradeigh is an MD gives the medical aspects a realistic clarity that I found fascinating. With a riveting, can’t-look-away-from plot, this one is page-flippingly good! (I took a little license with this use of the word “flippingly”, but, hey, I like it!

I love curling up with a thriller when the weather gets cooler but if I'm being honest, not many of the ones I've read lately have, well, thrilled me. I'm happy to report that 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 by Bradeigh Godfrey, bucked that trend. It's suspenseful, original and fast-paced, with twists I didn't see coming.

The book centers on Lilian and Rosie, estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by a terrible car accident which leaves Rosie with a traumatic brain injury. Right before the crash, she revealed that she had a secret that was life or death, leaving her sister convinced someone intentionally hit their car. Desperate for answers while trying to deal with problems of her own, Lilian uncovers more than she bargained for, putting them both in danger.

I could not put this book down. It definitely delivers on the chills and thrills, but it also has heart. I loved the medical aspects of the story (the author is a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation after severe neurologic injuries) and how rooted in reality it was, which I find isn't always the case in this genre. Oh, and you'll never look at a baby monitor the same way again...

After enjoying this summer's 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽 (Bradeigh is half of the writing duo behind it, Ali Brady) and loving her solo debut, I cannot wait to see what she does next!

4.5 stars

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the copy to review.

In this psychological suspense/thriller, main character Lilian hasn’t spoken to her sister Rosie in several years when Rosie reaches out to her get together. But just as Rosie tells her she has something that’s a matter of life and death to tell her, they’re in a car accident that leaves Rosie with a traumatic brain injury. Lillian then is left to figure out what is going on while dealing with a severe concussion and other issues of her own.

It’s a can’t put it down kind of book which manages to be totally suspenseful while remaining grounded in reality, definitely a rarity these days.

I have to say, I’m kind of in awe of Bradeigh Godfrey, who somehow finds time to be a practicing doctor, a sweet bookstagrammer, and in the span of the last few months, to publish both an adorable rom com as one half of writing duo Ali Brady, and this debut thriller which is one of my favorite thrillers of the year, maybe even *the* favorite!

Thrillers have been falling flat for me lately. Imposter by Bradeigh Godfrey was a much needed and welcomed change, proving that thrillers can be shocking, dark but also smart and thoughtful. Two estranged sisters are on their way to dinner after years apart when they are involved in a car crash. Lilian walks away with a concussion, however Rosie suffers a traumatic brain injury. When Rosie’s fiance and Lilian try to take care of her, Rosie is convinced they are imposters, pretending to be those closest to her…. The seeds of doubt planted throughout the entirety of the novel kept me constantly rethinking what was actually happening. Lilian’s struggles as a first time mother were so relatable and played into the constant uncertainty. I have read other medical thrillers that felt too clinical, here the use of a hospital setting and the protagonist as a pediatrician truly strengthened the story telling.

Wow!!! Just Wow! What a brilliant firecracker of a debut.

Sisters, once close, now estranged after the death of their parents, organise to finally meet up and have a talk. Driving in the same car to the restaurant, there is a serious road accident, leaving Rosie with traumatic brain injury. Just prior to the crash, Rosie told Lillian she had a matter of huge importance to tell her. While Rosie is recovering, Lillian begins her journey to uncover the truth behind the sinister message.

The story is told from both sisters POV, offering a wonderful insight into both characters. Godfrey does a wonderful job of humanising her characters. I was totally invested in both, especially having sisters myself, I asked myself many times - what I would/could do for my sisters in the same situation? It’s a novel steeped in complicated family dynamics and sisterhood, while also exploring devastation of abusive relationships. I felt it was thoroughly researched on the effects of traumatic brain injury not only to the patient, but also the families involved.

It was the perfect type of psychological thriller for me, brilliant writing, amazing and relatable characters, suspenseful, chilling, twisty and fast paced. I’m very excited to see what Bradeigh comes out with next. Highly recommended

Many thanks to @netgalley @blackstone and the author for my advanced reading copy. It's out now.

IMPOSTER was a solid binge read debut by Bradeigh Godfrey that I couldn’t put down 👏🏻

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
-can def tell the author has a medical background. everything was thoroughly explained but made sense & wasn’t overkill
-twists were guessable if you read a lot of thrillers 🙋🏼‍♀️
-MC got on my nerves a lot with her decision making
-enjoyed past/present timeline with journal entries interspersed

I found the ending to be lackluster as I wanted one more twist to end the story with a bang 💥 but I’d still highly recommend this psychological popcorn thriller that can easily be devoured in a day 🤓

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the arc.

—Book Review—

Title: Imposter
Author: Bradeigh Godfrey
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
@blackstonepublishing
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Suspense

Thank you @letstalkbookspromo for sending me the @netgalley widget and having me on this book tour! Imposter by @bradeighgodfrey is out now! This is her debut novel, but she may look familiar because she also co-wrote The Beach Trap that came out over the summer under the pen-name Ali Brady.

I was just griping recently how overdone the unreliable narrator is in thrillers and really needs to go away, but then when it’s done right, I’m reminded just how good and effective it is. And thriller fans . . . Ms. Godfrey has done it right!

First, she uses her medical background all throughout this book. It’s sprinkled everywhere, but done in such a smart way that does not all bog the reader down with facts or terminology.

The premise of this story centers around two sister’s, Lilian and Rosie who used to be close. In fact, Lilian is quite a bit older and used to take care of Rosie; that's how close they were. But somehow they drifted apart, until Rosie decides to reach out to Lilian. They are headed out to dinner with a chance to reconcile, when suddenly they crash on an icy road leaving Lilian with a concussion and Rosie unfortunately a traumatic brain injury. Just before the crash, Rosie was about to tell a big secret. “A matter of lie or death” ...

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Burnt out on thrillers? Give this one a try. It was really good! And really, really well written. While I did pick up on one thing, this will likely leave you guessing until the end. Lots of red herrings. I liked that the author used a journal the second half of the story as another narrator to give us Rosie’s POV. Highly, highly recommend!

Imposter by Bradeigh Godfrey was one of my most anticipated reads for this year and let me tell you, what a wild ride!

Bradeigh is a a fellow #bookstagrammer that I’ve followed ever since I joined and I’ve always enjoyed her content. When I heard her debut novel was coming out, I knew I wanted to read it.

The novel begins with the reunion of two estranged sisters, Lilian and Rosie. On their way to dinner, Rosie tells Lilian that she has something to tell her and it’s a matter of life and death. But before they make it to the restaurant, they are in a car accident that changed everything. Lilian manages to scrape by with only a concussion, but Rosie’s condition is much more serious. Soon, Lilian begins to wonder, could the accident have been intentional? Is there someone out there trying to harm her and/or her sister? Or is it just her postpartum depression and anxiety about losing a patient that has her on edge?

Overall, this was a super engaging and captivating novel that was hard to put down. I really liked the complexities and twists throughout the story, some I saw coming, while others were a complete surprise. As I said before, this book really was a wild ride!

Diving into another thriller with IMPOSTER by @bradeighgodfrey another bookstagrammer that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the past couple years. I am SO excited she’s releasing this thriller into the wild after her hard work getting it published!

This is a story of what you see is not necessarily reality, along with a dose of reality. So, hear me out: Godfrey had me questioning WHODUNIT to EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in the book!

Lillian and Rosie are two sister that were thick as thieves during their childhood, but have since become estranged and are recently working on reconciliation when a terrible car accident happens with the two of them. The accident leaves Rosie with some traumatic brain injuries and Lillian works to get her proper care.

Lillian is also a doctor who has recently had a difficult few months, along with the fact she’s a new mother- all of which combined can make us feel a little crazy (and those around us questioning our sanity at times!).

Lillian believes that the accident she and her sister had was not an accident at all- there are a few characters that believe her, and a few that do not (I don’t want to give all that away).

I really liked that Rosie’s side of the story was told through an online journaling application that her psychology asked her to start. So we get a deeper glimpse into her, even in the midst of her injury, and we can see a different perspective than the one Lillian is sharing.

Last I will say the baby monitor scene TOTALLY CREEPED ME OUT!!

Well done with this one, and congratulations Bradeigh, you deserve the BEST BOOK BIRTHDAY EVER!!

Tread lightly for topics of postpartum, capgras syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, car accident, stalker behaviors, childhood trauma.

Thank you @blackstonepublishing @bradeighgodfrey for my copy of Imposter and thank you @berittalksbooks for a GREAT discussion, as always!

Imposter is an unputdownable thriller with fantastic twists along the way, and the absolute perfect book to curl up with under a cozy blanket!

Despite a decade age difference, sisters Lilian and Rosie grew up with an inseparable bond. Lilian was always more like a mom to Rosie, but once she left for college/ medical school, the pair drifted apart. They’ve had sporadic meetings over the past several years, but the last was more than three years ago, right after their parents’ funeral. Now, Rosie shows back up in Lilian’s life, saying she has a secret–a matter of life and death. Before Rosie can elaborate, a car clips their back end, setting a multi-car collision into motion.

Lilian wakes up with a concussion, but Rosie suffered a traumatic brain injury and can’t communicate effectively yet. Lilian is determined to make up for lost time, searching Rosie’s recent past for answers that just lead to more questions. We get snippets of Rosie’s online therapy journal that start to give us a better picture of her life. Lilian is bombarded with anxiety-inducing situations. She’s recovering from postpartum anxiety, and also the concussion. She’s grieving the loss of a pediatric patient who changed the course of her career, and facing huge backlash in her community. Lilian is sure of one thing–the accident was anything but.

I was nervous that Lilian’s postpartum anxiety would hit too close to home (It presented similarly to my postpartum harm ocd) but it was definitely written with nuance and care. You can tell how well-researched and thought out every single plot point was. Imposter is the real thriller deal! I have felt very whelmed by some recent thrillers, but this particular story only set the bar even higher for spooky season!

Thanks to Blackstone and NetGalley for a review copy!

What a great debut!

Two estranged sisters are involved in a car accident one snowy Chicago night. When Lillian wakes up in the hospital, she learns her little sister Rosie is in serious condition and may never recover. Will Lillian ever discover the important news Rosie hinted at prior to the accident?

This had a lot of great twists and after the halfway point I had a hard time putting this down. I appreciated fresh takes on old tropes and can't wait to read more from Godfrey.

What a debut! I really enjoyed this. Godfrey’s voice started off strong immediately and kept me hooked the entire story. Twisty, suspenseful, and unpredictable, this book took me for a ride. I will absolutely read her future work! Amazing!

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My head was spinning the entire time I was reading this book! Imposter was so twisty, full of suspense, had unreliable narrators, and basically I couldn’t stop reading until I figured out what was going on! I didn’t trust what any of the characters were saying!
I’m left speechless after reading this debut! Can’t recommend this one enough!!

Add it to your TBR NOW!

This is my second book by Godfrey (The Beach Trap being the first) and she has quickly become an autobuy author for me. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and really delivered the spooky vibes I was looking for! An author who can do thriller as well as romance/fiction well is incredibly impressive to me. This book follows two sisters who were incredibly close until their parents unexpectantly passed away. Since then they have not really had much communication, until Rosie calls her little sister Lillian and says that she has something important to tell her. Before she gets the chance, a car hits theirs and Rosie is left with a brain injury. This book follows Lillian who is trying to solve this mystery. What i loved most about this book is the fact that Godfrey does a great job of giving you the thrilling ride you're looking for, while also giving you so many other meaningful themes focuses around family and sisterhood. Definitely one to add to your TBR.

A fantastic debut.

Rosie and Lilian, once very close are now estranged sisters following their parents' accidental death two years ago.

One day Rosie pops back into Lilian's life desperate to share a secret. Before she can share this secret, she is an accident that leaves her with a traumatic brain injury.

As Lilian desperately tries to reconnect with her sister, she also starts to dig into the past to uncover the secrets.

Full of some great twists I didn't see coming. I especially loved the Chicago setting. Although I'm a suburban Chicago girl, I do love that city, and loved the familiarity reading about it in the book.