Chloe is desperately juggling her job as a newspaper archivist with looking after her Nan who has dementia. Whilst digitalising old newspaper reports she becomes interested in the case of Angela Kyle, a four year old, missing since 1980. She collates all the evidence and manages to track down the parents, Maureen and Patrick, and what develops is a very emotional storyline.

This is a very good novel on several levels. It depicts the sadness of the loss of a child extremely movingly- the not knowing the fate of your loved one and how this puts life on hold. The dementia of Chloe’s Nan is sad too as memories fade and this is well portrayed. Chloe’s loneliness, obsessions and actions are sad too and very touching, though you feel as if you are walking on eggshells with her at times. The characters are strong and there are some powerful scenes between them that are gripping. The mystery of what happens to Angela deepens and the suspense grows, the tension mounts to a well thought out and plausible conclusion. This is a well written novel, the plot and pacing are good, there are some atmospheric settings for part of the story in the Fens which adds an extra dimension.

Overall, an emotional and touching story.

With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC.

I’ve struggled to write this review all day because I’m still trying to figure this book out in my head.

I’d actually give The Imposter 3.5 stars because it was a great read, and I did enjoy it. I feel though that I spent so long trying to figure the book out that I did myself a disservice.

The twist got me good. I just did not see it coming and that is the sign of a great book to me.

I will say you should read this book, but if you are expecting to like the characters, don’t. I feel that Chloe is an unlikeable protagonist and that is not a bad thing. Sometimes we put too much stock in falling for the characters that we read about. With The Imposter I just kept wondering whether I wanted things to go well for Chloe or whether I wanted her whole world to crumble around her.

Will definitely read other fiction books from Anna if she writes more.

Anna Wharton’s debut “The Imposter” will be one of the literary highlights of 2021. This deep, achingly touching novel is equally suspenseful and twisted...and what a jaw-dropping, gasp-out-loud ending! This thriller will have you turning the pages like reading is about to be banned...

Chloe is a quiet and unassuming archivist at a local newspaper. Her life revolves around her work and her elderly Nan, who is suffering with dementia. Chloe leads a simple life looking after Nan and diligently archiving the papers stories. When Nan goes missing whilst visiting her daughter Stella’s grave, Chloe is frantic. As the police search for Nan, Chloe comes across the story of Angie Kyle - a four year old who went missing in the early 1980s - in the archives and her interest soon becomes an obsession and determination to return Angie home. Feeling like she can relate to Angie’s parents, Maureen and Patrick, due to her missing Nan, Chloe delves deeper into the files to find more out about the case. When Nan is found alive and well, Chloe is forced to put her in a home by social services. As Chloe obsesses further and further over the Kyles, she seeks out their new address. When she finds them, she discovers they are looking for a lodger. What could be a more perfect way to get close to the Kyles and lessen the truth about Angie? As her relationship with the Kyles grows, Chloe begins to suspect that all is not as it seems? But having said that, is Chloe exactly who she says she?

“The Imposter” is an expertly crafted, slow burning thriller that takes its time to intricately weave webs of lies, deceit and breathtaking tension. Events unfold and characters blossom, leading to a crescendo of an ending that delivers shocks and emotions. It’s an affecting read that is going to stay with me for quite some time. Amongst the detailed character development, there are some genuinely taut and nerve-shredding moments. Little moments of tense action flitter through the narrative and there are certainly some breathtaking sequences that are exciting to read. However, as well as being a very well written thriller, “The Imposter” is very much a tale about family, loss and the impact this has on us. Wharton explores a number of different themes in the mental health space and I found her writing on the psyches of her characters to be very eloquent. I found that Wharton has a particular skill at taking the emotional state of a character and using it to generate both sympathy and understanding, but also a sense of mistrust and tension. I was simultaneously drawn into the mysteries of each character, whilst also feeling compassion for them. I think that this is a real skill and Wharton is bound to become a name to look out for in the genre.

Chloe is a complex character, who Wharton has beautifully created with multiple, shifting layers. There are moments where I felt for her and sympathised with her, then a matter of a couple of paragraphs later I found her unsettling and her actions questionable. This duplicity makes her a really interesting character and I spent much of the novel trying to work out whether she was the heroine or antagonist of the narrative. Of course, things aren’t that simple though! Ultimately, I found Chloe likeable and I was rooting for her to turn out to actually be Angie. Whilst she makes some very strange decisions and builds a large and seemingly unsustainable web of lies around her, the revelations in the closing moments of the plot provide clarity and understanding for readers and I was actually quite moved (as well as shocked!). The Kyles are also very well written characters, who are multi-dimensional and plausible. Maureen is trapped in the grief of Angie’s disappearance and Wharton really captures the sense of loss and pain that she suffers. The mental anguish and the affect it has on Maureen is very realistic and I felt the elation she does when she firmly believes that Chloe is Angie. The heartbreak that Maureen has endured is vast, but she remains a kind and friendly when she could have easily become bitter and reclusive. Patrick is equally as complex as Chloe and as her suspicions of him increase, I found myself fully believing that he may have had more to do with Angie’s disappearance than was first reported. Again, as events progress and the final revelations come to light, Patrick is not who he seemed and I found the scene where Chloe confronts him absolutely gripping. Wharton definitely has the knack for misdirection and keeping her readers guessing!

I highly recommend “The Imposter” and look forward to reading more from Wharton.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc of The Imposter.

This follows newspaper archivist Chloe whom comes across a newspaper cutting of a little girl who went missing a whole mere quarter of a century ago (25 years) she is moved by the positiveness of the child’s parents and their belief that their daughter will one day come home. She is then distraught when her nan whom is suffering from dementia must moved into a nursing home, chloe is sad as she will then become homeless so she searcges out for some place to live until she find out the missing girls parents are actually looking for a lodger she takes up the oppurtunity to do so but all is not what it seems......

4 stars- amazing!! quick read, very enjoyable.

It is interesting that the description of this well-crafted novel mentions 'secrets' and 'lies'. So many titles of this type do which, in this case, is a shame because it is more profound than its formulaic stablemates.
I think that it is a book about truth. Chloe works filing newspaper cuttings and is struck by the reports of a missing child. She becomes obsessed but each report tells a different 'truth', the truth changes with time.
Chloe's gran has dementia and she and her fellow residents have their own truths - accepted by the visitors and care staff.
Seeking out the parents of the missing child, Chloe encounters further truths, ones she believes and one's the parents believe of her.
So, what is the truth? The reality? Chloe thinks she finds it but she is misled.
The 'reveal' is clever but comes with a price - Chloe's truth is shown to be unreliable but she is not a bad person!
This is a refreshing read, a book and characters which stay in the reader's mind long after the final chapter - always a good sign.

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rating 5/5

Verdict: There are books you just know should be a bestseller - and The Imposter by Anna Wharton is definitely one! It has this eerie, bewitching tone akin to The Silent Patient or The Girl on the Train. If this is how Anna debuts, then I am willing to sign up for her next book already!

My Opinion: Go for it! It is certainly slow paced, but somehow that adds to its very bewitching quality. The book is written for readers who like to get into the head of the narrator, and experience the world as she sees it. I tore through this book at a rapid pace, and I really think that is how it should be read - to keep the momentum going.

The characters aren't fleshed out completely, and there is good reason for it. Since, you are seeing the world from the protagonist's POV you can grasp only so much.

I did, however, want to know more about Chloe. It surely closes more quickly than the entire pace of the book, but perhaps that is for effect.

Such a thought provoking noval with some heart wretching moments that will resonate with many.

Chloe the main character do the book is a complex misunderstood girl and the way that Anna develops her as the story unfolds is genius.

Look forward to seeing what this author writes next. 🤗

spoiler alert ** The main character in this,Chloe ,comes across as lonely and a little bit sad.
Caring for a nan with dementia and having one friend,her life isn't all that.
The story is very much a slow drip feed and piecing things together,Chloe becomes increasingly sinister and obsessive.
Right up till the last few pages when you realise you've read the whole situation wrong...
From someone who feels they've seen enough twists in this type of book... this was a good on

Although this book has an age old concept,there are also some twists and novel ideas running through it too,I certainly did not guess the true extent of how the main character lives her life,that was a complete surprise to me,which I found refreshing.
Chloe the main character definitely has some major flaws,but despite that,I did find myself warming to her and feeling sympathy and empathy for Chloe.
There were times when I thought I had worked out what had happened to Angie,the four year old little girl who had gone missing some years ago whilst at the park with her Dad,but then another character would be highlighted and I'd change my mind.
The idea of Maureen,(Angie's Mum), convincing herself that Chloe was her missing daughter and therefore treating her as she did Angie at the age of four was a good one and certainly gave the book more depth, which again I enjoyed.
Chloe had her own ideas of what had happened to Angie and without giving too much away those ideas took her down several different paths,which also gave the book more depth
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to family and friends to read.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it pre publication in exchange for an independent review.

Chloe is working as a newspaper archivist. One day, clipping stories from the paper, she spots a name that catches her eye. Drawn into the story of a missing girl and her parents, Chloe seems captivated by the circumstances surrounding the girls' disappearance. Or is she?

I really, really loved this book. From the start, there was something I couldn't quite put my finger on, an unease threading through the story. As we learn more about Chloe, the tension grows. I can't say I liked Chloe, but she is a fascinating character and I couldn't tear myself away from the pages. As soon as I put the book down, I had to pick it back up again - I was gripped!

The suspense built and built throughout. As Chloe's Nan is moved into a care home, suffering from dementia, Chloe's obsession with the missing girl and her family moves up a notch, but not in a shocking way - more of a slow, growing darkness that I hadn't realised had been creeping up all along. And the ending! I gasped out loud - completely out of the blue. I loved it.

Brilliant book, a massive 5 stars, definitely read it!

This Was a brilliant book. I really count read it quick enough and did not who to trust. Great. Highly recommended xx

Chloe is a woman with a challenging childhood behind her and all she has in her life is a job working in archives, an elderly nan with dementia and a friend called Hollie.

While working Chloe comes across a story of a child who went missing 25 years ago and gets involved in trying to solve the mystery. She becomes too involved with the child’s parents, she has pressure from her Nan’s illness and loses her sense of reality.

But who is Chloe? What are her real motives?!

I couldn’t put this down and got caught up in Chloe’s investigations. Would definitely recommend it!

Having already had the pleasure of experiencing this author’s talent through her non-fiction writing, I was very excited to get an early opportunity to read this, her fiction debut. I was not disappointed. Her impressive ability to capture emotion, vulnerability and the human condition generally has served her well in creating a psychological thriller that does what it says on the tin - keeping you on your toes throughout and delivering the requisite twist – although not necessarily the one you were expecting. Above all, it is all worryingly plausible. The pace is good throughout – the seemingly slow start is deceptive and I suspect many readers will be flicking back and cursing themselves as they check things they have missed. There are also some truly suspenseful scenes which will speed up your reading and your heart rate.
Set against the bleak and hauntingly-captured backdrop of the Fens and centring on the long-standing mystery surrounding a missing child, the story encompasses a range of topical issues, including the pain of caring for a loved one with dementia, loneliness, the short-comings of the care system, and the idea of deceit as a means of shielding those you love. As a character, the protagonist, Chloe, is a risk – she has unlikeable traits, and might be viewed as shallow and irritating. But what is extremely clever about her creation is that she is therefore easy to underestimate. At the heart of this story is a group of vulnerable people, the secrets they keep, willingly or unwillingly, to protect themselves and the impact upon others when those secrets are revealed. It is this aspect that keeps the characters alive well after the story is done and, after you have finished reading you may, like me, find yourself spending time thinking about them and questioning how you have judged them.

I am very grateful to both the author and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for which I have agreed to give an honest review.

I really loved this and I can't quite work out what it was about it that really spoke to me- the main protagonist Chloe is probably key - a disconnected soul who ends up obsessed with a missing child case to the extent that she inserts herself into the lives of the grieving parents..

History, memory and the many layers of grief are a central theme here. Chloe floats through the novel, always a kind of ethereal presence. Of course there's a mystery element but that is really secondary to the people here- it is an addictive, cleverly crafted tale that really hits the sweet spot in atmosphere and emotional resonance.

Really excellent. Highly recommended. One to watch in 2021.

If half stars are a thing then this is 4.5 stars!

Wow, this is one hell of a debut! It’s taken me a few days to get my head together to write this review, this book floored me.

The start was a little slow but having said that, there was a lot of character/plot building going on. Chloe is a complex character, we know just enough about her without knowing too much. As the story goes on and we learn more it becomes clearer as to why she does what she does, thinks as she thinks. I really liked that, the author has taken the time to give the characters back story and it influences their current thoughts and actions. By around 40% of the way through we really see a change in the pacing and the plot really starts to take off. This is where I got hooked.

Books like this one can so often end up predictable and the whole thing gets lost in layer upon layer of silly, unnecessary twists. I didn’t find The Imposter like that at all. I couldn’t tell which way we were headed and as for the end, I didn’t see that coming at all.!

If there are any flaws, they’re minor. There were a couple of plot points that didn’t feel believable and it did leave some questions unanswered which I would have like answers to. However, I feel this is personal preference.

Overall this is a dark, gripping read that will be enjoyed by fans of Gone Girl, The Silent Patient etc etc although, in my opinion, it is far superior to these. I wish the author every success with this, it is a book I will still be thinking about in a year or more. I would love to read more about Chloe. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity of reading this fantastic book.

The Imposter is a novel that has an original plot. It's quite slow to start with, but really get to know the protagonist, Chloe, because of how in-depth we know her we really feel it when the story begins to pick up the pace and hits its crescendo with the ending.

Newspaper archivist Chloe hasn’t had the best life, but she’s been loved by Nan - until she has to move into a nursing home - loves her job - until others feel she shouldn’t be there - and has a best friend who only wants life to treat her kindly. So when Chloe reads of a 25-year-old missing girl, her heart beats a little faster learning about the parents, desperate for knowledge of what happened and their belief that they’ll see their daughter again. When the parents advertise for a lodger, and Chloe’s life has taken a pretty downward spiral, she does what you know she’ll do (you’re almost shouting at the book at this stage) and moves in. But life with parents of a missing child is not easy and everyone’s got secrets to hide. I liked this throughout but the ending is just brilliant, fantastically clever.

Chloe works in the newspaper archives and lives with Nan, who is succumbing to dementia. As social workers move her into a home, Chloe becomes obsessed with the story she finds in the archives of a family who lost their 4 year old daughter - a child who would have been around the same age as Chloe. Chloe starts to try to investigate, and then the couple advertise for a lodger.

The premise of this novel is great, unfortunately Chloe is incredibly annoying - so much so that I couldn't bear to read any more after the lodger advert. The pace is slow, and I was so put off by Chloe that I gave up. Other reviewers have said there's a great twist to it but I didn't get far enough to find out what it was. A psychological suspense thriller will usually draw me in and this didn't quite make the grade.

An interesting read with many twists and turns. A little slow at times but intriguing plot although I found the main character somewhat irritating but also rather a sad person which all comes to the fore at the end. Keeps the reader gripped as one tries to work out all the missing pieces in the underlying plot. Well written, at times, chilling book set in the isolation of the Norfolk fens.

The Imposter has an intruiging premise that initially made for a tense, fast-paced and gripping plot. There were several edge-of-your-seat moments, full of suspense and tension. I figured out very early on what the main plot would involve but I was very shocked by the twist at the end.

Unfortunately, Chloe is an immensely irritating character. She is an unreliable narrator and not a very nice person. I found it hard to empathise with her which made the last half of the book a bit of a chore. Whilst I enjoyed the ending of the novel and found it surprising, I also felt there was a lot of potential within it and to reduce it to a few short pages was disappointing. That being said, if it was expanded into another book, I wouldn't read it as Chloe was so irritating.

Perhaps worth a read if you enjoy psychological suspense novels but not the best of the genre.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan, Mantle and NetGalley for the ARC.