Review: Impostor by Susanne Winnacker

Impostor
by Susanne Winnacker
Published by Razorbill
Publication Date: May 28, 2013
Pages: 274
Source: Razorbill and Media Masters Publicity










Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

My Thoughts

I love when a book takes me by surprise and makes me rethink my opinion of a genre that I don't typically read. Impostor has done just that. I'm not particularly drawn to science fiction but the synopsis of Impostor really piqued my interest and I decided that it was a book that I must read. The opening scene grabbed my attention showing exactly how Tessa could use her ability to get out of a deathly situation and it was completely believable that I just knew that I would be able to lose myself in this story.  

Once Tessa begins impersonating Madison, the intensity of the story is immediately elevated because she doesn't waste any time trying to discover who has murdered these people in the small town. She doesn't try to ease into this new role because she must find the killer before he finds her. And the scariest part - EVERYONE is a suspect. Just as Tessa was searching for clues, I found that I was trying to figure out who the killer could be. But it isn't so easy because Tessa as Madison discovers that Madison had a lot of secrets of her own and she may not be as innocent as everyone thought.

As much as I was invested in the mystery of the story, I was also interested in the familial aspect of Tessa as Madison and how she was going to fit into this family who was going through a traumatic situation without giving herself away. Tessa knew what really happened to Madison and had to deal with the guilt that she felt while she was actively lying to them. They showed her (as Madison) love and compassion that she never really received from her own family. Reading these passages of the story took me out of the science fiction realm which I think contributed to why I liked reading this book so much.  

There are many layers to Impostor that are clearly a set up for the continuation of a series. Usually I find this somewhat distracting because I will try to figure out where that will lead the plot line. Yet even with all of the foreshadowing, this story feels complete on its own and doesn't end with a cliffhanger. 

Impostor is a thrilling read - full of danger, suspense, horror, and a little bit of romance (because you can't leave that out). If this is science fiction, then give me more please. I can't wait for the next book!!
 
Disclaimer: I received this book from Media Masters Publicity in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way other than the book provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.