Circle of Strangers

Dangerous Strangers Thrillers, Book 2

By: Minka Kent

Narrated by: Renata Friedman, Chris Ciulla

The lengths neighbors will go to protect their secrets become downright frightening in a gripping novel of suspense by Minka Kent, the Edgar-nominated author of Unmissing.

Camille and Will Prescott have relocated from San Diego to Phoenix for a fresh start in a quiet gated community. After the traumas Camille’s marriage survived, it’s just the sanctuary she needs. As for her new neighbors, there’s Sozi, seemingly well intentioned if not for her invasive meddling and her desperate overtures to make a friend. And Mara and Oscar, an unstable couple around whom troubling rumors swirl.

Patiently listening to Sozi’s gossip and watching Mara and Oscar ever so closely has become something of a hobby for Camille. But while she obsesses about the cracks in everyone else’s lives, she begins to see the cracks in her own. And when a monster from her past reaches out to reconnect, it’s all Camille can do not to snap. Then one day she finds a dead body in her garage lying in a pool of blood.

Camille is about to discover what’s really going on behind the closed doors of this cozy cul-de-sac. And the worst is yet to come.

©2025 Nom de Plume, LLC. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Another Great book!

I love Minka Kent, I have read all but 2 of her books so far and love them all. This was a second book in the Imaginary Strangers series, I loved the second one and was excited to get into this one. I did like it, I love neighborhood/friendship drama, that’s my favorite kind of book so this was right up my alley. It was good! It picked up right away and kept me interested throughout! I did not guess what was going to happen, it kept me intrigued. I did feel like it jumped around at times like I felt like I missed something to go back and see I hadn’t, kind of choppy I guess? It ends on a cliffhanger alluding to there being probably a third and final book where they come head to head. I don’t know that I loved how this turned into her and Will against each other but we will see how it ends. It reminds me of The Arrangement trilogy by Kiersten Modglin in that they are both lying to the other and essentially living a fake life and now will go head to head, against each other. Can’t wait for the third book!

Suspense and unexpected turns

Loved it. Can’t wait for the next book!!! Unexpected twists and turns!!! Great listen—-couldn’t stop!!!

Messed up cliff hanger but good read

So good story line until it wasn’t. The ending left too much to wonder about. Good read though

Part 2

Very good indeed! Suspenseful and you never gain traction for long! Until you read on!

Not buying it

Claire/Gabrielle is a poor excuse for a true sociopath. All she does throughout both books - but especially this one, is talk about how she's not the one to be messed with. Yet, she's constantly fooled by literally everyone while she whines on about how she has no feelings. Puhlease!

There's so many different things the author could have done instead of making Claire and Will enemies. While it's understandable that Will is a psychopath (inherited from his mom), but it felt out of left field for him to be villainous towards Claire
Why? Because there weren't any even subtle hints of his psychopathy in the 1st book. That part read like tyler perry script - which is Not a compliment.

Biggest nonsense is how in 1st book, when Will's mom, Jaclyn finds Claire's mom and she tells Jaclyn how awful Claire is and that she tried to kill her.
Now only 6+ months later, Claire's mom is sending love letters apologizing? Did the author space on that or am I missing something?

Hopefully the 3rd book will be better and less nonsensical.