The Imposter

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What to expect

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 Whartons 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

Critics Review

  • Masterful characterisation and a compelling narrative makes this a must-read debut

    Clare Mackintosh
  • A slick, clever book that delivers the most chilling and claustrophobic setting: moving the narrator into the home of the character you fear the most. You won’t be able to stop page turning until you finally find out what the hell is going on

    Caroline Corcoran, author of Through the Wall and The Baby Group
  • Keeps you guessing about the characters until the last page

    Good Housekeeping
  • Evocative and compelling

    Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend and The Last Wife
  • An intricate plot stuffed with surprises and underpinned with a huge helping of heart

    Holly Seddon, author of Try Not To Breathe and The Hit List
  • A darkly compelling and original story exploring loneliness and obsession and the desire to belong

    Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl and The Hiding Place

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