Ok so I’ve read all but one book by Joseph Knox and I’m afraid to say this was not my favourite, but only because I felt it dragged a bit.
Good storyline, good characters but I struggled - that is the only reason I’ve given 3 stars.
But I’d love to read more by Joseph please.

A con artist and an heiress, a rollercoaster of deception and twists and turns. Sometimes the plot seemed to drag a little.

I absolutely loved this. It’s a real rollercoaster set over a few days. You won’t see what is coming and the plot makes you want to keep reading. I really like this writer and look forward to more by him.

Was looking forward to Joseph Knox’s new thrill. His previous “True Crime Story” was very good and one that I recommend over and over.
Whilst I enjoyed the central mystery., I wasn’t rivetted. It isn’t a read-in-one-sitting novel, and I found it hard to reengage when I returned to it after a few days. Perhaps it was more to do with not finding Lynch, the protagonist, appealing.

Imposter Syndrome is a thrilling, high-stakes novel that blends psychological suspense with a tense exploration of identity and deceit. The story centers on Lynch, a burned-out con artist with a troubled past, who unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of impersonation when he crosses paths with Bobbie, a rehab-bound heiress. Mistaken for her missing brother, Heydon, Lynch sees an opportunity to exploit Bobbie’s grief—but soon realizes he may be walking into a much darker world than he anticipated.
Knox’s strength lies in his ability to craft complex characters and morally ambiguous situations. Lynch is a fascinating protagonist: a man who has spent his life running from his mistakes, yet is momentarily pulled into something far bigger and more personal than any con he’s ever attempted. His internal struggle, fueled by a rare attack of conscience, adds a layer of depth to what could have been a straightforward heist tale.
The plot takes a sharp turn when Bobbie’s formidable mother, Miranda, hires Lynch to impersonate her son in an effort to uncover the truth behind his mysterious disappearance five years prior. The novel takes on a tense, almost claustrophobic quality as Lynch steps into a life that isn’t his own, only to discover that the stakes are higher—and far more dangerous—than he ever imagined. Miranda’s manipulative and calculating nature only intensifies the unease, as Lynch finds himself deeper in a web of lies, deception, and ultimately, a deadly conspiracy.
Knox excels at building suspense through tight pacing and an ever-present sense of dread. The more Lynch tries to distance himself from the situation, the tighter the noose becomes, leading to a climactic, pulse-pounding conclusion. Imposter Syndrome is a masterclass in tension, keeping readers guessing not only about the true nature of the conspiracy but also about Lynch’s survival.
While the book is ultimately about the danger of living a lie, Knox also explores the nature of self-deception and the desperate need for connection—however flawed or dangerous that connection may be. It's a chilling reminder that, when you’re living in a world built on falsehoods, sometimes the truth can be the deadliest thing of all.
Imposter Syndrome is a gripping and unforgettable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

"Imposter Syndrome" is a thriller set in London, where a con artist named Lynch is hired by heiress Bobbie to impersonate her missing, presumed dead son, Heydon Pierce. Together, they find themselves caught up in a web of dangerous and twisted events.

Unfortunately, I struggled to finish the book and ended up skimming the last 20%. I found it hard to connect with the characters, as none had distinct traits that made them memorable or relatable. I also felt emotionally disconnected from the story, which was disappointing given how intrigued I was by the premise at the start.

Ultimately, it just wasn’t for me. I really tried to enjoy it, but it ended up being a mixed bag.

This one started with great promise. I loved the concept and felt happy to accompany the flawed main character on his journey. But there was a point when the plot twisted and turned just too many times making it a challenge to keep up with who was who and what was behind their motivations. It was a bit like the author was saying, 'you still with me?' Come on, keep up.' And my response, 'Sort of but as no one seems very likeable, I'm not sure I care any more.'

Some of the writing was fabulous - one of my favourite descriptive lines was describing a voice so gravelly it made the main character want to cough.

If this is the only book you've read by Joseph Knox and you didn't get on with this one, don't dismiss him. Try True Crime Story which I thought was brilliant. I've also read the first of his Aiden Waits series and that too was very good. I'll certainly be looking out for his next book and hope to see a return to his usual clever and brilliant storytelling.

This book had you all over the place! And to be honest, I still don’t know how it ended and it’s been a few days since I read it.

I loved the idea of the main character being a Con Artist and impersonating a presumed dead guy (although I wish he put a bit more effort in that giving up so easily every time he met someone that knew Hayden).

Bobbies character was intriguing- and I’m still not sure how I feel about her!

I didn’t expect to be so completely absorbed by this story. The suspense kept building, and I raced through the book not wanting to wait a minute longer to see how it ended.

Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox.is a thriller about Lynch, a conman who has left Paris and arrived in London luggage, Where he meets Bobbie who mistakes him for her brother who went missing 5 years ago.

This is one of those novels that tries to do two things at once and fails at them, leaving a mediocre novel which could have been so much better.

This is because Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox could have been a classic thriller with lots of action, that would have kept readers engrossed all the way through.

Or it could have gone the more literary way and developed into a well plotted novel which was more suspense than action.

There were times when the novel did both, however after reading the book while the premise was interesting. The actual execution was neither one or the other, meaning it felt a bit like what I have just read.

As the novel never gave me the action from a quick reading thriller or the cerebral enjoyment of a well crafted literary thriller.

In addition the setting of the novel was in London the week Queen Elizebet died again there seemed to be no reason for this that added to the story whatsoever.

As a reader if your going to give a book an Iconic moment in time then make it a significant part of the plot.

All this added to the general disappointment with Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox, a novel which offered so much but failed to deliver.

Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox reminded me a little of Isaka Kōtarō’s work (Bullet Train, The Mantis), with a con man as its main protagonist who gets entangled in an even bigger con; it is memorable for its fast pace and unreliable, eccentric characters, but doesn’t feel quite as clever as True Crime Story.

A first for me by Joseph Knox. I was really looking forward to this as the synopsis was really appealing. However, it became too convoluted and confusing about half way through and I found it quite a chore to keep up. In the end, I found it disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers, Random House for this ARC.

I was really excited to get stuck into this one as I really enjoyed True Crime Story.
Sadly, it didn’t quite work for me. I initially set it aside after a few chapters because it didn’t pull me in, but I recently decided to give it another try and push through. Overall, the writing was great as you’d expect from Knox but it just didn’t work for me.

The plot seemed to drag at times and felt overly complex, which didn’t help. I also struggled to connect with any of the characters, so I wasn’t particularly invested in what happened to them. I think I may have set the bar too high after the author’s previous book, which only added to my disappointment.

I won’t rule the author out because I’ve loved their other stuff but this one wasn’t a favourite.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for ARC.

Grifter Lynch is down on his luck when he returns to the UK from France. Searching for something, anything, to keep him moving, when he bumps into a woman called Bobbie and she seems to mistake him for her missing brother, he's got an eye for the main chance.
When he gets sucked into the wealthy family's web, he doesn't need too much persuasion to impersonate the missing Heydon in an attempt to find out his fate. Needless to say, all is not what it seems and the danger to Lynch is very real.
There is a lot going on, possibly too much for the reader as well as the protagonist, and Lynch's motivation for his disappearance from his own previous life is sketchy which may allow the reader to reserve empathy for him. There is an awful lot of shadowy money and paramilitary style security, but for all I know that's how the 0.01% live. However, Knox excels at keeping the twists going as the plot plunges forward at dizzying rates.

Apologies for late review - previous post seems to have been lost in the ether.

Joseph Knox has done it again I loved it - the shades of Ripley made it such an engrossing read. Tense, clever and dark, just what I wanted in a thriller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to love this as I really did love True Crime Story. Unfortunately this just didn't work for me. I started it weeks ago and gave up quite quickly as I just wasn't enjoying it. I picked it up again recently and forced my way through it but found it very much ok.. A bit gutted - maybe I just enjoyed his previous book TOO much so this eflt like a let down to me!

Have lived everything Jospeh Knox has written and this was no different. Great set up and premise, which leads you into a powerful pacy plot.

If you've read Joseph Knox before, you'll know one of the joys is that predicting his storylines is futile. Each path leads to unexpected places, connecting plot lines that take you in completely new directions, and revealing hidden layers where solid ground once seemed. It is also possibly the best opening chapter that I have ever read, bold statement I know!

I didn't get very far with this book. I do not like the style of writing and there are words missed out. It just didn't grab me.

This was quite a ‘busy’ book with a lot going on

I enjoyed the read but there was a lot of characters and what seems like different story lines
Quite complicated but I enjoyed it