Caffeinated Reviewer

Imposter by L.J. Ross is the first novel in the Alexander Gregory thriller series and transports readers to a quiet town in western Ireland where a young wife and mother has been murdered. Dr. Alexander Gregory, a psychologist who has a tainted past with law enforcement, is called in to create a profile of the killer. A gripping first in series.

There’s a killer inside all of us…

In the remote hills of western Ireland, fear spreads as the locals struggle to make sense of a killer who is seemingly one of their own...

Dr. Alexander Gregory, a psychologist recovering from the collapse of a high-profile criminal profiling unit, wants nothing more than a quiet life to finally sit and think things through. But his rare ability to understand the minds of violent offenders makes him hard to ignore—especially when a small town is shaken by a brutal murder. Reluctantly pulled into the case, Gregory finds himself confronting not only a cunning predator, but the darker corners of his own mind.

From internationally bestselling author LJ Ross comes a tense, atmospheric thriller that explores how far we’ll go to understand—and survive—the darkness around us.

I enjoy police procedural novels and liked the idea of a consulting profiler. Dr. Alexander (Alex) Gregory works at an asylum treating the criminally insane. Gregory is a forensic psychologist who previously worked for an elite profiling unit. He is tapped by a friend to aid a small community in western Ireland and reluctantly agrees to do so.

The tale that unfolds takes us to the quiet town of Ballyfinny, where the mayor’s sons, Niall and Connor Byrne, are Garda officers working the case. They believe an outsider was involved, but as Gregory views the meticulously staged crime scene, he suspects it’s a local.

Told from the perspective of Dr. Gregory and the killer, I found myself pulled into the story as we learn about the victim, suspects, and key players in the investigation. Even the Garda themselves are not free from suspicion. We’ve got an ex-lover, a clergyman, and more. Each with a plausible reason. The case was interesting, and the suspense built as the point of view of the killer targeted their next victims.

The author sheds light on Dr. Gregory’s past as he creates the profile of the killer. He is tormented by nightmares, and while I guessed early on, his backstory proved to be both fascinating and terrifying. Imposter was a solid start to the Alexander Gregory series, and I look forward to his next case. Hysteria is due for release in June 2026.

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About L.J. Ross

LJ Ross is an international bestselling author, best known for creating atmospheric mystery and thriller novels, including the DCI Ryan series of Northumbrian murder mysteries which have sold over 12 million copies worldwide.Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full-time and lives with her family Northumberland, where she enjoys reading all manner of books, travelling and spending time with family and friends. Louise is a keen philanthropist, and is pleased to have supported numerous non-profit programmes in addition to founding several of her own, including the Lindisfarne Reading Challenge and the Lindisfarne Prize for Debut Crime Fiction.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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