Synopsis
They say you can't choose your family . . . But what if they're wrong?
Chloe lives a quiet life. Working as a newspaper archivist in the day and taking care of her nan in the evening, she's happy simply to read about the lives of others as she files the news clippings from the safety of her desk.
But there's one story that she can't stop thinking about. The case of Angie Kyle – a girl, Chloe's age, who went missing as a child. A girl whose parents never gave up hope.
When Chloe's nan is moved into care, leaving Chloe on the brink of homelessness, she takes a desperate step: answering an ad to be a lodger in the missing girl's family home. It could be the perfect opportunity to get closer to the story she's read so much about. But it's not long until she realizes this couple isn't all they seem. In a house where everyone has something to hide, is it possible to get too close?
Anna Wharton’s debut, The Imposter, is a thought-provoking story of obsession, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves in order to live with ourselves.
'Evocative and compelling' – Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend and The Last Wife
Publisher information
- Publisher: Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781529037418
- Number of pages: 416
- Dimensions: 196 x 130 x 27 mm
- Weight: 292g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Dark and deep, with a jaw-dropping ending!
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..... READ MORE
Mysterious tale of a disappearing child
This is a great book, full of mystery, intrigue, and at times - sadness.
Chloe is living with her Nan who is battling Dementia when she becomes absorbed i... READ MORE
Not what I expected
Definitely not the crime thriller I was expecting. More a tale about Chloe's life and obsession.
It really wasn't for me which I think was made worse by t... READ MORE
Engrossing & Evocative
This is a chilling début featuring newspaper archivist Chloe whose Gran has dementia. Troubled Chloe becomes fascinated by the case of four-year-old Angela... READ MORE
A great read-if not fairly confusing
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... READ MORE
Full of suspense
Ooooooh!!
Truthfully, at first it was quite slow and at one point I wasn’t quite sure where it was going but then it really picked up!
Chloe is determi... READ MORE
I couldn’t put it down
At first I felt I couldn’t quite get into the story, it felt a little long and drawn out, but am I glad I stuck with it!
A child goes missing at a park, t... READ MORE
Very tense!
Obsession, loneliness and lies. What a hand-rubbing trio of themes they are!
Newspaper archivist Chloe is the sole carer of her grandmother who has demen... READ MORE
Chilling!
The Imposter gave me the chills! I started reading and quickly started feeling sorry for Chloe.. She's losing her Nan to dementia, having to sell Nan's hou... READ MORE
Fantastic Debut
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... READ MORE
Creepy, atmospheric, haunting, chilling and intriguing
Wow just wow. This took my breath away in its intensity and just how creepy and so sad a person can be to try and fit in and replace or impersonate someone... READ MORE
Loneliness and obsession
The Imposter is that rare item, a debut novel that doesn't feel like a debut. It's very well written and self assured and managed to give me the shivers on... READ MORE
Evocative and quietly chilling
I loved this book – my favourite thing about it is the overwhelming atmosphere of creeping dread which grows the further into the story you read. Chloe is ... READ MORE
Is anyone telling the truth?
Anna Wharton has created a sympathetic character in Chloe. Unappreciated at work and often mistaken by Nan for her dead daughter, she feels alone, bothered... READ MORE
Frustrating
I don’t usually give out half star ratings for books but I think The Imposter fell squarely within a 3.5* for me. I had spent the majority time whilst read... READ MORE
Every Parents Worst Nightmare
The lives of others has always fascinated newspaper archivist Chloe. and when she comes across a cutting of a little girl who went missing twenty five year... READ MORE
Enjoyable but flawed
Chloe is a 29-year-old newspaper archivist who becomes fascinated by the story of a 4-year-old girl who disappeared in a local park in the 1970s and was ne... READ MORE
Recommended
This is Anne Wharton’s debut novel and is a chilling novel about obsession and lies.
Chloe, the main character, is a news archivist and holds a deep fasc... READ MORE
Great read
I am lucky enough to read so many good books and give them 5 stars and they all genuinely deserve them but every so often a book comes along that is just t... READ MORE
Intriguing plot
I read this book courtesy of NetGalley. An interesting read with many twists and turns. A little slow at times but intriguing plot although I found the m... READ MORE
Emotional and touching story
Chloe is desperately juggling her job as a newspaper archivist with looking after her Nan who has dementia. Whilst digitalising old newspaper reports she b... READ MORE
Fairly Good
My thanks to NetGalley and PanMacmillan - Mantle, for the ARC.
This book's storyline is rather unusual and intriguing, one has to keep reading just to see... READ MORE
A fabulous debut, tense at times
There was something about the premise of The Imposter that immediately grabbed my attention. The thought of this woman, Chloe, living a quiet life working ... READ MORE
Gripping mystery
Chloe lives a quiet life with her Nan. She enjoys her job working as an archivist at a local newspaper and occasionally meets up withe her only friend, Hol... READ MORE
Sluggish
This book had an interesting premise but was overlong and dragged in parts. I ploughed on although I was losing faith in the main character, Chloe.
Thanks... READ MORE
Creepy Page Turner
This is one of those books you just KNOW is going to be a bestseller.
The narrative follows the MC Chloe who we find being the only fully time carer for ... READ MORE
A brilliant debut novel
When a book makes your skin crawl and you hold your breath you know it is going to be a good one. I loved the sound of this thriller and couldn't wait to s... READ MORE
A twist that doesn't disappoint
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 rea... READ MORE
Slow Start, Gets Good
This was a really slow start about a girl with a really slow lifestyle! Chloe works in the archive department of her local newspaper and lives with her nan... READ MORE