Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. I got this based on title and cover alone. Not knowing it was a part of a series. Thankfully it flowed as a single title and I didn’t feel I was missing much. I had a hard time connecting with the book. It wasn’t bad but wasn’t good. I seemed to get characters’ names confused except Imogene and Adrian. Seemed to drag a lot

One of my favourite police procedural series; the characters are great, there's always an interesting plot with lots of twists and it's set in Devon.
This is the probably the best one yet, there's a lot of tension and ongoing trauma from the previous books. There's a great main plot about a young child being kidnapped and there are some fascinating criminal elements.

This is the 7th book in the Imogen Grey detective series and once again it doesn`t disappoint!
Its Halloween and 6year old Marcus is playing in the front street on his bike.His mother only took her eyes off him for a few minutes but it was enough time for Marcus to be kidnapped.
The event was witnessed by Jason, though he cant admit seeing it as he shouldn`t be there.He calls it in anonymously to the police and quickly heads for home. He `doesn`t want to be involved.
The call is passed to Imogen, she quickly heads over to the childs house only to be told by Marcus parents everything is fine.
Not one to be brushed off Imogen eventually gets to the truth and she and her team begin investigating the kidnapping.
Who could have taken Marcus? Why have they taken him, could the family be involved? Is revenge a factor?
This is a race against time, can they find Marcus before its too late?
A cracking read that kept me guessing throughout, filled with twists and surprises.
I don`t want to give the plot away, read it for yourself it wont disappoint.
Thanks to Netgally and Avon Books.

Absolutely hooked from start to finish! This series is highly addictive and every twist, turn and reveal is a surprise.

When six-year-old Marcus is taken from outside his house on Halloween it shakes his quiet neighbourhood to the core.

Everyone was ready for a night of trick-or-treating. Now the unthinkable has happened.

TRUTH OR LIES?

As Detective Imogen Grey arrives to question Marcus’s parents, they tell her there has been a mistake. Their son is just fine.

But if that’s true, where is Marcus?

INNOCENT OR GUILTY?

Imogen becomes locked in a race against time to find the missing child and uncover the truth. Can she discover what’s happened to Marcus before it’s too late?

This was the first novel by Diamond I have ever read and I can safely say it won’t be my last.

Character driven by both the detectives investigating the case and their side stories, Diamond also created intriguing victims and perpetrators that kept me guessing right until the last moment.

Fast paced and full of emotion and suspense this was a great read that really had me invested in the outcome for Marcus and many of the characters in the story.

#bookreviewsbymrsc #trickortreat #katerinadiamond #suspensenovels #crimenovels

I have loved this series from the start and this book was no different. A fast paced page turner, I couldn’t put this book down. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to find out what happens next.

Trick or Treat  by Katerina Diamond is the 7th  in the Imogen Grey detective series.  These books are complex, gritty, incorporate people with real problems, and great plots.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Avon Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DS Imogen Grey, and her partner DS Adrian Miles don’t always play be the rules, but they are both top-notch detectives.  They have learned to trust one another.  Their relationship is complicated.  They are starting to trust their boss, DCI Kapoor.  Other members of the team include DI Matt Walsh and Forensic Specialist Gary Tunnney.  Two new members are Family Liaison Officer DC Gabriel Webb and DC Ben Jarvis.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Six-year old Marcus is kidnapped, right outside his house on Halloween.  A teenager, who isn't supposed to be there, witnesses the crime.   He anonymously calls the police, but quickly leaves before he is caught.  Jason doesn't really want to be part of this, but will become much more involved than he likes.

Imogen and Matt quickly get to the house, but Marcus's parents say everything is fine.  The police don't buy their story, and eventually learn of the kidnapping.  They decide to keep it quiet while they investigate, hoping for a quick resolution without media attention.

Meanwhile, Imogen and Adrian are trying to get more out of their relationship, but  Adrian is having issues.  After his brutal rape, he is trying to move forward, but can't seem to abide Imogen's touch.  His own self-loathing and shame are preventing him from having the loving relationship they both need.  Things are tense between them, especially since he has not yet told Imogen about the attack.

Adrian has left the police force and is working for a security company.  In his spare time he is trying to track down the man that raped him.  However, he may be the one that ends up in jail.


My Opinions:  
OMG, this was really good.  Each book in this series has been a 4 or 5 star book in my opinion.  The series is simply one of the best, most interesting police procedurals out there.  I would watch a tv series!  The author doesn't pull any punches, and although some scenes are a little graphic,   everything works.  Katerina Diamond's writing is phenomenal.

Remember to read the books in order, because the background is EVERYTHING.

The characters themselves are not perfect, and have real issues, but nothing seems phony.  They are complex, deep characters.   We learn more about the trauma that Adrian is still going through, and it felt real.

Again, the author gave us an emotional and heart-felt story-line, with tension throughout.

Basically, I will read whatever Katerina Diamond decides to write!

Ooh this book was a good un! I've read a couple of the previous books in the series so I was familiar with some of the characters but it can easily be read as a standalone. The storyline was fantastic, it pulls you in right from the start and once I had started I couldn't put it down. The twists included were really excellent and I didn't see them coming so I was genuinely shocked when they did. Despite the title the book really doesn't have much to do with Halloween, just the incident with Marcus being taken happened on Halloween so I think I was expecting more of a creepy thriller based on that but I wasn't disappointed when it turned out I was wrong.
I would definitely recommend this book and I now want to go back and read the others in the series!

Katerina Diamond takes you on a wild ride in this book. The book opens on a parent's worse nightmare: their child abducted while riding their bike in front of the house. Who has him? What do they want with him? Is it revenge? How does it tie into the family? An amazing book full of twists and turns and every time you think you have all the characters figured out, your perspective shifts again. Great fast read! Thanks to Avon and netgalley for the ARC. Can't wait to read another one from this author!

Trick or Treat

This book was a wild ride! A lot of characters and a lot of shenanigans
A parent’s worst nightmare, their child abducted on Halloween night in plain sight.
That’s the scene for Sara and Carlyle when their six year old son, Marcus is kidnapped. Jason, a scorned teen is the only witness to the kidnapping. He was somewhere he shouldn’t be and wants to remain anonymous.

Detective Imogene Grey is sent to Marcus’s house to follow up on the tip. Sara and Carlyle claim everything is fine because if they want to see their son they are not supposed to involve the police. Detective Grey senses otherwise and continues to investigate.

Sara and Carlyle are ready to do everything the kidnappers ask of them to get their son back. Who do they trust?

It’s hard to tell much of a summary because it’s better if you go in blind with this book. It has many plot twists and surprises to keep you on your toes. Add this to your spooky TBR!

I was so excited to read this book and I loved it. A little six year old boy called Marcus is taken away from his home at Halloween, but who has taken him and what do they want with him? Will he ever be found? A teenager witnesses the abduction while he is committing a crime, but will he hand himself in and tell the police what happened to the child? Detective Imogen Grey and her boyfriend Adrian are the main characters in this story and I really liked them both. Adrian has gone through a major trauma, which he keeps to himself for as long as possible. I was upset to read about what he went through, but it is good that the book has highlighted this male trauma. Imogen and Adrian make a good team, but they are going through a rough time. Will they resolve this and get back to being close again? Will Imogen find the missing child? Read the book to find out! I just loved this story and I found it so interesting, fast paced and exciting!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Katerina Diamond once again delivers an explosive storyline, an immersive plot with a great mix of characters for you to love and loathe in equal measure.
Not afraid to tackle sensitive content, but done so with thoughtfulness.
Wonderful narration and great diction.
Great story that has so many twists and turns that you simply cannot stop until you know exactly what happens

An absolutely fantastic series and this latest addition is no exception. DS Imogen Grey is brilliant as always !!

Jason Hitchin breaks into his ex-girlfriends house but whilst there he witnesses a young boy being bundled into a white van. He anonymously calls the police and quickly makes his exit.

The boy is Marcus Carlyle and his mum soon receives a phone call asking for a ransom to be paid. DS Imogen Grey is called in to investigate and soon she is racing against time to find the missing boy and the people responsible for his kidnap.

Meanwhile at home, DS Grey is finding her relationship with Adrian Miles is falling apart but she doesn’t understand why. Will Adrian finally have the courage to tell her the truth. Soon DS Grey is not only looking for a missing boy but also trying to find evidence to prove that Adrian isn’t a criminal !!

The DS Imogen Grey series is absolutely brilliant and if you haven’t read any of the previous books then you definitely need to start from the beginning. This could be read as a stand-alone but you will miss so much that it wouldn’t be the same. I truly love this series and can’t wait for the next instalment!!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

This was my first exposure to this author and it won't be the last. Yes it might have been better to have read the entire series before hand but it didn't really matter. The cover grabbed my attention straight away as well as the synopsis.

I just really devoured this in one session.

I was given an advance copy by Avon books and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

What a tale Katerina Diamond weaves yet again! If there's one thing about Diamond, she's not scared of a dark storyline.

I found the title a little misleading for this one - sure the main event of it was set at Hallowe'en but it really was just a backdrop rather than a key component of the story.

That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Diamond just has a way of drawing you in. This is the first Imogen Grey book of hers I've read, although it's the 7th written. This didn't impact my enjoyment of the story at all. Events that I've since learned happened in the 6th book provide part of the storyline here but it's written in a way so that didn't really matter.

I really liked Imogen. She's a likeable protagonist and I can see how if people have read the series from the start will be a huge fan and feel quite invested in her. I'll definitely be going back and reading the others in the series.

Great book for thriller fans, but do go and check trigger and content warnings for it first.

Not a terrible thriller with interesting characters and lots of intrigue. Number 6 in the series, which I wasn’t aware of, but was given plenty of background throughout which made it doable as a stand alone.

My biggest issue with it was the sophomoric prose. Way too much foreshadowing as well. In all, just amateur in the writing style, which was disappointing because the story was solid.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

This book was so good! I’m a long time fan of the DS Imogen Grey series. The previous book in the series, however, was not my favorite, so I was a little hesitant going into this one. I shouldn’t have been, though, because Trick or Treat was everything I love about the series.

The mystery was intricate with multiple threads to connect and Diamond did it so well. There were definitely surprises I didn’t see coming and when I guessed the others, it was only right before they were revealed. Whenever I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it, trying to figure everything out.

My favorite part of the series, though, are the characters. I love Imogen and Adrian. In the previous book, Adrian went through a very traumatic experience. The story here picks up about a year later and he still hasn’t dealt with it, nor has he told Imogen, which has really put a strain on their relationship. I definitely appreciate the attention Diamond calls to the issue and think Adrian’s actions are probably pretty realistic, but I do have to say I was a little concerned we were going to get a whole second book with him being traumatized and not facing it. Thankfully, he does take the first steps towards healing and I was glad to see it.

Another thing I loved was that two previous characters made returns in this installment. Gabriel Webb, from The Angel, is back – as a cop this time. I really enjoyed his addition to the team and am happy to see him doing so well after everything he went through. I’m not going to reveal who the other character is, just because I loved the reveal so much. I will just say that I’m super excited to see them back.

Overall, I loved Trick or Treat. The mystery and the characters were great and I was really annoyed any time I had to put the book down for silly things like work or sleep. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series!

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

Another superb DS Imogen Grey novel. Whilst this is number 7 in a series, it can also be read as a stand-alone. DS Imogen Grey searches for missing child Marcus Carlisle, kidnapped for ransom. The elusive culprit evazes her through a chain of chameleon identities. Meanwhile her partner Miles struggles to deal with his experiences on the force 14month previously and is now working in security and privately hunting down those who wronged him. He finds himself in a dangerous predicament. The two storylines twist and merge. A suspenseful page-turner.

In a smart residential estate Jason helped Marcus disentangle his bike. Jason was furious that his rich girlfriend had finished with him & whilst she was away with her family he broke in to get back the expensive present her gave her & to mess the place up a bit. Whilst he was there he witnessed a white van snatching Marcus. He anonymously called the police. When Imogen arrives at the house the parents seem to brush it off- Sara having been told 'No Police'. Naturally Sara, Marcus's mother is frantic but Imogen is not sure of the father's reactions. There then follows a hunt to find Marcus before it is too late.

Adrian, Imogen's partner having left the police following his assault is working at a private security firm. Although he is struggling mentally, he is determined to find his assailant. When his quest overlaps with the kidnapping case he finds himself in more trouble than he could imagine.

I was delighted to see the return of Imogen Grey. The ending of the previous book left me reeling so I was really pleased to see that this book deals with the repercussions for Imogen & in particular for Adrian. The search for Marcus keeps up the momentum & Adrian's trials make for gripping reading. Although this could be read as a stand-alone I would recommend starting from the beginning of the series. Although there are explanations as to why Adrian is how he is now, knowing him from the earlier books makes a difference.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read & review this book. Please don't keep us waiting for the next one Katerina!