Wow, great book! Interesting and suspenseful… I definitely recommend. Actually, I recommend all of Minka Kent’s novels, definitely an auto read author for me.

A fast and engaging read, Minka Kent does not disappoint with Imaginary Strangers.

Camille lives a quintessential life. Her husband Will is a surgeon and she has two adoring children. From the outside looking in, others may say they have a perfect life. But, we all know nothing is ever perfect.

Camille had a traumatic childhood, raised by a mother who hated her, abused her and did horrific things to her. Camille does not share these details with her husband and claims she has no family. One person who does know about her past is her therapist. The sessions with her therapist are detailed in the book and it as the reader, I was so angry to think anyone could be so cruel to a child. We learn early on in the book (not a spoiler) Camille is a sociopath, unable to feel the emotions most people can.

When Camille's daughter, Georgiana starts coming home from school with stories, songs and phrases from Camille's past no one could know about, Camille begins to panic. Has her mother come looking for her? How could she have found her? Camille calls upon Will's mother to come visit so she can help with the children while she searches to find out answers.

Overall, a gripping well written story. Camille may be a sociopath but I could not help but root for her and feel emotion towards her character and what she was going through. The ending I did not necessarily see coming but I found the ending happened so fast and wrapped up even faster.

The epilogue left the door open to follow up with a book two and if it happens, I am there for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced digital copy to read and review!

Holy Mother Of Pearl , this book was fast and twisted and kept me guessing ! I loved it so much ! I’ve yet to read a Minka Kent book I’m not in love with ! Alllll the stars !

Another excellent thriller by Minka Kent! It's not often you root for a sociopath, but Camille was a great character and I liked her a lot. The chapters detailing her therapy sessions were interesting even though it was heartbreaking what her mother did to her. The main story was more of a slow burn than usual for a Minka Kent book. A lot of the middle was just Camille worrying about the safety of her children. It seemed like there could have been more action to go along with it. However, it really picked up towards the end and the twist was completely unexpected. The ending was satisfying, and it seems as though Camille's story might continue as part of the Dangerous Strangers series. Hopefully it does because I'd love to see what happens next. 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

Imaginary Strangers is a fast-paced, if somewhat formulaic read. I don't want to spoil any plot details, but aside from a twist early on, the story felt a bit repetitive. I would have loved for there to be more conflict to supplement Camille's inner monologue. That said, I still found Camille to be an interesting, nuanced protagonist.

Minka Kent is an automatic read for me, but I’m sad to say I didn’t enjoy Imaginary Strangers as much as I’d hoped. It’s a fast paced, easy read with a flawed and complex main character, but some of it just felt flat to me.

Camille leads a privileged life. Her husband is thoughtful and their two young children. Georgina and Jack live in a gorgeous house in a fantastic school district. But Camille is hiding quite a few things. She grew up with an abusive mother, and Camille is a sociopath. She wants the best for her family, but the face she wears is mostly a disguise. She just does not feel things the way other people do. But it’s a small price to pay for living this life. One that is 180° different than her childhood.
Until Georgina makes a new friend at school. She calls her Imaginary, and at first Georgina thinks that’s what she is, just an imaginary friend. Soon though the things Georgina shares with her throw Camille into full-blown panic mode. They are things only two people know, and besides Camille the other person is her mother. Has she found the daughter she swore she would kill if she ever saw her again? How can Camille keep her family safe without exposing her past. A past that her husband knows nothing about.
Mostly told in the present by Camille, we also have chapters from her past detailing her horrendous childhood. Trying to figure out if Lucinda, (Camille’s mother) had found her or if Camille has just becoming completely unhinged kept me page flipping. Did I enjoy how it wrapped up? Yes, and no. The who was sort of a surprise, especially for the reasons why. However, the ending made me go, “what”.
I have nothing to make me believe this, but this seems like the kind of book that might lead to a sequel.

When Camille was seventeen she tried to kill her mother Lucinda in the bathtub. Lucinda was a terrible mother and Camille thought her life would be better without her in it except she woke up. Lucinda threatened Camille stating if she found her she’d kill her. Since then Camille has lived looking over her shoulder for her to strike.
…
Thirteen years later Camille has her own family, but her life is a lie. Her husband can never know about what she tried to do to Lucinda. When she enrolls her six year old daughter into kindergarten she comes home with an
imaginary friend who sounds eerily like Lucinda. Camille is freaking out that Lucinda is coming after her and her children. She spent years in therapy just to reach this point where she can function even if it’s to pretend to be the picture perfect wife and mother. This friend isn’t going to take her family from her.
…
Minka Kent writes a slow burn thriller about a mother who becomes paranoid and unhinged when her daughter starts bringing home reminders of her traumatic childhood. Imaginary Strangers was about motherhood and how parents have a responsibility to their children to create a healthy environment. When that environment is toxic it Carrie’s on into adulthood. The meaning behind the story is an important one, yet the journey into Camille’s life wasn’t an enjoyable one for me. This one is formulaic in its writing style offering the typical unhinged wife and mother who becomes paranoid about her safety and her children’s safety while her husband questions her madness. I’m power reading this one. Knowing the message behind the concept I wish I liked it better.

📖Imaginary Strangers
✍️Minka Kent
🗓️23 Jul 2024
📝 Thomas & Mercer

Minks Kent is one of my auto read authors. I don’t think there is a single book of hers I didn’t like. So when this ARC popped up, I had to start reading right away.

The cover is unusual for Minka Kent, I think. I almost overlooked it. It’s not bad, but I would not have connected it with her.

I have to say that I love the evil parents/evil child trope. It’s so deliciously wrong and evil.

“Psychopaths are born, sociopaths are made.” That line got me. I love the concept of this book.
Camille is the result of a traumatic childhood. What she has gone through, no child should ever experience, so she has vowed. Now she herself is a mother of two. What nobody knows, she was diagnosed with sociopathy. She wears a mask all the time, has learned how to be normal, or rather, appear normal. She is aware that she will never be able to feel the way other people do.
Now her six-year-old daughter shows signs that something is not right. Was she born that way or is someone setting them up? Who knows about Camille’s secret?

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the concept. I don’t remember reading anything like this (lately). I enjoyed the protagonist Camille a lot. I never thought much about the difference between sociopaths and psychopaths. Camille definitely has values. She can’t feel love, but she feels strong loyalty and the urge to protect what’s hers. She herself is a skilful manipulator in her own ways. I enjoyed this so much, actually. The writing was excellent and I think this is one of Minka’s best works up to date.

⭐️Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own, I was under no obligation to review.

Not sure how I feel about this book. It was definitely good, well written and heart wrenching at times but I felt there was too much “talking “ and drawn out a bit Maybe if it was a little shorter I would have enjoyed it more. Would definitely read more from this author.

Imaginary Strangers by M.Kent, published by Thomas & Mercer is book one in A Dangerous Strangers Series.
I was highly anticipating this book, couldn't wait to get my hands on Camille's story and today is the day.
An unputdownable, breathtaking, heartwrenchingly beautiful read that shows the depths a human is willing to go to protect her family and her secrets at all costs.
The story jumps between past and present and while I'm not a fan of this style, here it's very very fitting and I loved getting glimpses of Camille's past.
Reading the book was like coming home to a safe enviroment after witnessing a carwreck. I finished the book a few days ago and can't get story and characters out of my head.
Camille is a flawed hero and I chapeau to the author for writing my fav read in 24. I highly, highly recommend the book.

After recently reading The Stillwater Girls, I jumped at another Minka Kent novel. While it wasn’t quite what I expected, I did really enjoy the view into a mother doing the best she can as a sociopath. A good read!

Wow this novel keeps you on the edge of your seat, I couldn't put it down and stayed up late to read it.
Camille and her Dr. Husband will have two young children, Georgiana and Jack. After moving from Chicago to San Diego they start attending their new school. After being there a short time Georgiana starts talking about her new friend "imaginary" who is a teacher's aid named Imogen.
Camille grew up with a horribly abuse mother named lucinda. After Georgiana starts talking about things lucinda used to say Camille is very concerned and begins tracking the kids with apple tags.
Everything moves quickly as Camille wonders if her mother is still alive , why Imogen is saying things to Georgiana that lucinda used to say, and why her husband is not as concerned as she is about the children's safety things come to a head leading to some twists in the plot and finally coming to a satisfactory ending.

This was a very fast read! Such a page turner! Imaginary friends real friends? A friend named imaginary.. so much to unpack! Fun fast read. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this early!