Woman in the Water

I've read all the books in this series so far, so was looking forward to this latest story of police officers Imogen Grey and Adrian Miles. I have to say that I was really shocked by a very graphic description of a male rape. Plus the 'villain' in this book has to be one of the most vile, even by Katerina Diamond's standards. Having said that, it is still a very good story with a great twist, and a shocking decision at the end leaves you on tenterhooks for the next instalment. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

This is the first book I have read in the Miles/Grey series, but after reading “Woman in the Water” I want to rush out and get the others. This novel was extremely well written and even as it tackled subjects that left me speechless, it had me needing to turn to the next page to find out how the story ends.

Katerina Diamond has well and truly SMASHED it with this one! Tackling issues we don’t necessarily think about. In my opinion it’s the best in the series.
I won’t give anything away but everyone should read it. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!

definitely one of the best detective thrillers I have read in a long time!

Katerina really kept me hooked throughout this, leaving plenty of little breadcrumbs to keep you interested in the story, but then completely surprised me with the ending! I really like observing Adrian and Imogen's relationship throughout this, seeing how the story impacted them and also how it linked it the past.

There are some quite graphic assault scenes in this so trigger warning, but I do think they were handled quite well.

Will deffo be picking more up from Katerina in the future.

Wow!! I don't even know what to say about this book. I really enjoyed it but holy triggers. I didn't know about the dark matter and triggers in this story. FAIR WARNING... There are a lot of them. They didn't bother me because it made the story that much more enjoyable but it may not be for everyone. Great book if you love dark and somewhat violent thrillers.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

The DS Miles and DS Grey series have always featured the dark side of humanity and The Woman in the Water is Katerina Diamond's darkest yet. At times it's a difficult read and not for the squeamish. DS Adrian Miles pulls a woman from the river, she's in a very bad way and says she can remember nothing, not even her name. Not long after another person is pulled from the river. To say too much would be to spoil the book because it has a lot of twists and one shocking scene in particular which I never saw coming. Thank you to Netgalley for my advance copy for an honest review.

Another amazing instalment in this dark and very violent crime series.

I really enjoyed this book. It was incredibly fast paced, well written and had lots of twists and turns.

It is incredibly dark and violent. This book series really isn't for the faint hearted because of the potentially triggering subject matter. They are definitely not thrillers that I recommend to everyone but if you can handle a dark messed up book, this series is a great read.

I really liked how this book dealt with mental health particularly PTSD. I think it did so in a very thoughtful and respectful way. Its nice to see mental health rep in thrillers.

This is the 6th book in this series and I'm now desperate for the next book. I don't know if or when the next book in the series will be released but the ending, omg, I need more.

Overall, if you can handle dark violent crime thrillers, I would really recommend this book and the rest of the series.

TW: graphic rape, graphic domestic abuse, violent, graphic suicide and incest

I was unaware when I began this book that it was actually the fifth book in an ongoing series but thankfully for me it reads just fine as a standalone novel, but saying that I really want to go and read the first four books now just to check and because this one was so good!

A young woman is found beaten and left for dead on the banks of the river, with no memory of what had happened to her and even worse, no memory of who she even is leads Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey into an investigation they will never forget.

Set in Exeter in Devon which is where I live really helped connect with this book and it isn’t somewhere that comes up very often so for that reason alone it will stand out in my memory but as well as that some of the subject matter in this will also make it stand out form the crowd for its own reasons. To say it made for some uncomfortable reading would be putting it politely but it was done with compassion and understanding without being sensationalised. You will understand once you read it but I don’t want to say for fear of taking away the twist and shock from future readers!

It is one of those books that is quite tricky to review without spoilers, there is not a huge amount of dead bodies or gore but there is a huge amount of intrigue and depth to the story. It is fast paced and will keep you glued from the first page to the very last as well as you crying out for the next book in the series, I know I certainly am!

Shocks and a twist that will spin your head, this is one book you really must read to believe!

Woman in the Water will be published on 11 November 2019 and is available for preorder now.
A big thank you to the author Katerina Diamond, publishers Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.

I’d only read The Teacher by this author before, and even though they are were part of a series, this still worked well as a stand-alone novel. For the first half of this book I kind of thought it was a “predictable” police/crime thriller - then we hit the middle of the book and ... wow. This is probably one of the darker crime novels I’ve read, if not the darkest (and I’ve read Val McDermid!!). I actually felt scared when reading certain parts! Despite the fact it was probably a bit too dark for my taste, I still found myself completely gripped by the story, and wanted to read at every opportunity to find out what happens next!

Crime thriller/partly police procedural and apparently the 6th in the series. Obviously you don't need to read the previous ones if I wasn't even aware it was a series.

First, this book should have a TW/CW in front as it is one of the darkest, grimmest, most brutal books I've read in quite some time. There's rape, extreme physical abuse, the aftermath and emotions stemming from those attacks and ultimately another that I can't list as it would give away the whole plot.

With that said, this book was excellent. The characters are raw and so unique in their dialogue and traits that it was easy to keep one from the others. The plot, while grim and dark, is fast paced, wildly well written, and fascinating to the end. I highly recommend this book, unless the above topics are sensitive for you, as this author pulls absolutely NO punches. Great book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher and of course the author. I have read the whole series of Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey books and this one did not disappoint. Please write No. 7

Thanks to the publishers, Netgalley and the author for the ARC of this book.

I am a huge fan of Katerina Diamond. Tnere are some authors' books which make me stop whatever I'm reading and immediately devour them. Katerina Diamond's books definitely falls in that category.

This was a really really good book. It started off quite tame for a Katerina Diamond book. The body count was surprisingly low and there wasn't a lot of blood and gore. Do not let this fool you, this book will totally shock you to your core. This is especially true if you have been following this series from the first book. I do not want to say anything further for fear of giving too much away. Please just read this book!

Hats off to Katerina for shining a spotlight on something which is not often spoken about in society but which we need to be made more aware of. It was difficult to read at times, but I think the author did an amazing job with how it was portrayed and written.

I highly reccommend this book as well as the rest of the books in the series.

Another great instalment of Miles and Grey! I was a bit nervous about reading this one because it’s only been a couple of months since Truth Or Die was released, however I loved it just as much as the other books. I really love Adrian and Imogen and think they are fantastic characters. I love reading about their next case together, however this book was definitely more emotional than the others. I was very close to crying when reading this one - I think it’s the first crime/thriller book to ever have me close to tears. I was completely shocked by the ending of this one, and was not expecting that twist. A definite page turner and impossible to put down. Katerina Diamond really is a fantastic author and queen of shocking twists!

This instalment was my favourite of the dark crime series with Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey. It contains as many twists and turns as a crime thriller should, but the central subject is truly unique. Following Angela Corrigan's rescue from the water, what followed was a tale of corruption, violence and crime. This isn't for the faint hearted! Hugely captivating story.

Woman in the Water by Katerina Diamond is the latest installation in the DS Grey/DS Miles series, and only the second that I've read, but I am adding all of the previous books to my TBR list immediately. This novel is fast-paced, uncomfortably graphic, and utterly addictive. The subject matter, including domestic abuse and sexual assault, are difficult to read, but the end result is a solid juggernaut that you will not want to put down.

A woman is found in the water, barely clinging to life. DS Adrian Miles makes the discovery, but before the woman's identity can be confirmed she flees the hospital. While tracking a lead, Miles and his partner, DS Imogen Grey, find their way to the Corrigan household where the case becomes not only multi-faceted, but perhaps one of the most dangerous that either has ever faced to date.

The author strikes a perfect balance between a compelling police procedural, and the complex personal relationship between Miles and Grey, which becomes tested by unimaginable and, possibly, insurmountable challenges. As difficult as much of the subject matter is to read, I appreciated the author's efforts to confront the issues head on, rather than to gloss them over. This is a powerful read that will linger long after you have turned the final page. I cannot wait to see what comes next for Miles and Grey.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

I love Katerina Diamond novels. The relationship between Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey is great and I was so pleased to continue reading their story.

When Adrian Miles pulls a woman out the water, he has to work with Imogen to figure out who she is, whey she was there and who hurt her.

This novel had me hooked from the start. It's a great fast-paced read that will want keep you gripped until the dramatic conclusion.

Emotionally charged novel. Well written. Disturbingly twisted. Never read this author before but definitely look forward to her next offering in the series. Felt the ending was a bit rushed and could have done with more substance hence the 4 stars . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This book was thrilling and addictive from start to finish. The characters are wonderful, including the regulars Imogen and Adrian (love them). There were so many twists and turns, and for once the ending left me absolutely gobsmacked. Incredible book!

I love this series and was so excited to see the next instalment of DS Grey and DS Miles was out…. In this book, Adrian discovers a woman in the water, he thought she was dead until he felt something grab his leg, she was still alive… rushed to hospital and she will be ok but she can’t remember her name or anything…. A body of a male is found soon after downstream from where the woman was found, surely this is related, however, the woman denies knowing the deceased and soon after runs away from the hospital. What or who is she running from?

Miles & Grey are still keeping their relationship quiet, things are going very well for them which I am delighted to read, however, something happens (which I can’t divulge) to Miles and it leaves him reeling, changes his life and his outlook….. can he survive this to save his relationship?

This book is full of twists and turns, although you know from the outset who the killer is, there is just not enough evidence, heavily featuring domestic and mental abuse, this book is not for the faint hearted. Highly recommend this series, its one of my favs!

I have read all 6 books so far in this series and Katerina Diamond doesn’t disappoint. This one was a little tough emotionally reading it. I had a mixture of anger, sadness, and frustration. The things Angela went through were nightmarish and Adrian’s anguish had me in tears. Definitely a good twist at the end has me definitely wanting more. I cannot wait for the next book.

Katerina Diamond Really hit a winner with this one ! One of the year's best books.

Suspense, thrills and mystery surround DS Grey and DS Miles. Adrian Miles had been pointed at by a few onlookers to a woman by the river. The woman is still alive but needs serious medical attention.

Still remaining anonymous after a couple of days in the hospital, the woman flees the hospital to her home. Then, she makes dinner. What?

There are too many spoilers to take you through - anything more will lessen the surprises and twists in this fantastic read!

I recommend to ALL!!!

Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a spectacular read!

This is the sixth book in the series.
This is a great series and this book didn’t disappoint
This is a fast paced thriller with many twists and turns

So I have been reading this book and since about 45 percent in I:
A) have not been able to stop reading it
B) am just in shock with my mouth hanging open and
C) realize that although I have said this about the past three or four books in this series I can truthfully say again that Katerina Diamond’s writing just gets better and better with each book!

I love a series because I like to be invested with the main characters and I find it intriguing to follow their personal lives and how they go. So when reading this book and taking in al of the events that unfold with one of the main detectives i feel like a good friend has been dealt some horrible circumstances that they will live with forever. My heart broke in this book over and over again. Diamond’s creativity and attention to detail when describing each scene is perfection. Her creativity to write this story and the heartbreak that it brings to the reader is nothing short of brilliant!

Bravo Ms. Diamond on one of the best detective series
Books I have ever read!

Over the past few years Katerina Diamond has established herself a fantastic crime writer and as one of my favourite authors ever. I couldn't believe my luck to see we're getting 2 books in one year and 'Woman in the Water' did not disappoint.

Detectives Miles and Grey find themselves at the heart of another mystery when Adrian finds the body of a woman in a river. Despite initially thinking she is dead it soon transpires that she has survived a brutal attack and has no recollection of what has happened to her. The mystery then deepens when the dead body of a man is also found in the same river with no ID or anyone coming forward to claim him. Miles and Grey are in a race against time to find out what happened to both of these people. With one claiming she has no memory and the other dead how will they get to the truth? As usual, this book is full of twists, turns and extremely dark moments.

I'll admit that if you have read the entire series your heart will break around the midway point. Without giving anything away all I can say is that Katerina Diamond has really done justice to a taboo subject and the aftermath of such events. I could literally feel the emotions leaking from the character in question and I wanted to reach in and just offer my support. I'm looking forward to see how this develops in the next book.

As I got to the end of the book and it looked like this particular story was resolving I was shocked to the core by a revelation. Well played Ms Diamond! You just keep those surprises coming. You've spoiled us with two books in one year and now I'm on the countdown to the next one.

This is my first book by Katerina Diamond, but apparently book #6 in the series. It appears that you do not have to read them all and this did read as a stand alone. I enjoyed it however there were a lot of gruesome parts that created a lot of mental images. Probably a good quality in a book! I would have liked to start with the first in the series.

After reading ‘The Teacher’ recently I was thrilled to download the new novel featuring the two down to earth and rather flawed, detectives, Imogen and Adrian (I feel like I’m on first name basis here) who attempt to solve another twisty, morbid, and gruesome crime. Los of twists kept me speeding through.

An excellent story that keeps you hooked from the beginning right through to the end. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this type of book.

Now I wholeheartedly adore this series of books & have read all of Katerina Diamond's books and this one did not disappoint.

I must admit it's not the strongest of the series but it sort of took on a life of it's own.

This one tackled one hell of a serious issue of male rape, something that is so rarely covered and Katerina wrote about it with real compassion and you could feel how sympathetic she was in her style of writing.

Once again we see the relationship between Imogen Grey and Adrian Miles take another step forward but at times you feel such heart wrenching emotion for the both of them as the scenes unfold.

This is one book that will stay with me for a long time.

Massive thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Having followed this series from the start I've enjoyed all of Katerina Diamond's Grey and Miles series. I did ,however,find "Truth or Die" a bit weak and being,to my mind at least,a bit of a rehash of her first book, The Teacher, it seemed as if she'd run out of ideas.
Thankfully the latest episode, Woman In The Water, is a return to form. DS Miles sees a crowd looking in a river on his way to work and discovers a woman in the water. Saving her kicks off a series of events that he'd never have foreseen and has a life-changing effect on his life. His relationship with Imogen Grey progresses in this book,which possibly dwells on it a bit too much and as ever in one of Ms Diamond's books there are gory descriptions and an ultra-nasty villain.
Much of the book centres on one of society's more taboo subjects that in careless hands could have been sensationalist and exploitative. Ms Diamond handles this sensitively and uses her fiction to explore and advise on an issue that currently is rarely acknowledged,let alone discussed openly. This is a very brave move in a popular fiction series and she should be applauded for shedding some light on a difficult subject while risking offending some of her readership with a very raw and shocking act of brutality.making up a big part of the story.
Not an easy read by way of some of its subject matter, Woman In The Water is a great read that ends with a change of direction for one of the main characters and leaving readers in mouth-watering anticipation of things to come.

Big thanks to Katerina Diamond, Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

When I started reading this I didn’t know it was part of a series. I am really looking forward to the other books. This one was super good. The villain was super icky so it was satisfying to hear the end. The only thing that was hard to listen to was a pretty graphic rape scene but this book is definitely worth the read and I’m soo.n starting the others in this series. Thanks NetGalley.

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey find themselves drawn into one of their most complex cases when Adrian discovers what he thinks is the dead body of a woman in the river.
As he tries to untangle her from the weeds along the bank he suddenly feels her grip his ankle.
Once stable and in hospital Adrian tries to establish who had beaten her and left her for dead.
She claims she has no recollection of what happened her.
Stranger still the dead body of a man is discovered in the water just a little up river.
No comes forward to claim him or know her.
As Adrian and Imogen set out to discover the truth they find themselves drawn into one of their most dangerous investigations.
Certainly in Adrians case one that will have far reaching effects on his whole life.
The subjects of domestic abuse and rape are sensatively handled with great insight and understanding.
I literally could not put this one down, it is a well written, dark and engrossing tale that I wont forget in a hurry.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for the chance to read this as an ARC, I cant wait for the next in the series.

A fantastic story again from one of the best authors out there. Definitely not for the faint hearted. The story continues with Imogen and Adirian. Highly recommend xx

I read this book quickly. It’s one of those books you need to find out what happens NOW! It also wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Very raw and true I thought it was written really well, without going into too much or spoiling it. Shocking, but definitely something that bring the brutality home.

When a woman is found partially submerged and seemingly dead, a very tangled story is painfully and slowly unwoven. The detective who found her is brutally thrown into solving the case of who the woman is that he found and why she went to such great lengths to hide her identity. As the story unfolds, you are thrown for plenty more twists and turns.

Woman in the Water is a very well-written and thrilling read. In fact, the book is incredibly hard to put down! I found myself completely caught up in the story. Although, there were a few parts that I had a hard time reading. I did not realize how dark and violent this book would be.

As you slowly learn more about the detectives past as well as the mystery woman, you learn that the web is more tangled than you originally thought. Every time you think there may be a light at the end of the tunnel it is quickly extinguished. The amount of power that one person can have over others is scary. Not to mention the lengths they will go to keep their secrets.

The author does an amazing job with the characters and keeping the story moving at a quick pace. Each character was eerily believable and full of understandable flaws. All in all, I will definitely be reading more books by Katerina Diamond.

This story kept me gripped all the way through. I love the two character they really work together in this story. I couldn’t wait to read the next chapter to see what happen next. Will definitely be reading the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adrian, a detective happens upon a woman in a river. At first he assumes she is dead but then realizes she is alive. When they get her to the hospital, she claims she doesn’t know who she is and then escapes. Then a man is found dead in another part of the river and while investigating that death, Adrian and his partner, Imogene, come across the woman from the river who had returned to her previous life.

3.5 stars. This book was up and so down for me. There were times when I was really engaged and thought I would breeze through it and then I would hit a road block and sort of lose interest. Adrian became a victim of a crime midway through and his failed attempts to cope and the fact that he was pushing Imogene away were boring to me. I have not read the other books in the series so I was not that invested in his personal relationship with Imogene and maybe that is why I lost interest in this part. It that felt like filler because there wasn’t that much to the actual mystery of what was going on with the woman in the water and I didn’t think that storyline was resolved that well. As far as the mystery of the woman in the water goes, there was a twist but by then I was a little too checked out to get that excited about it.

Katarina Diamond does it again!!! Dark, shocking, devastating and emotionally charged, we revisit Miles and Grey in their latest and most dangerous investigation.

A woman is pulled from a river by Detective Adrian Miles, barely alive, and unable to remember how she ended up there. What seems to be a routine domestic abuse case becomes anything but. They know the perpetrator, they just can't prove it.


This is a case that has triggers for Adrian, tracing back to his own childhood. Very soon it becomes apparent that Adrian is too heavily invested in this case to have objective judgement, and this turns out to have devastating consequences for him personally.

This book starts off slowly reintroducing us to the newly evolved relationship of Adrian and Imogen, building to a heartbreaking crescendo and the resulting fall out. The emotions portrayed, in an incredibly difficult subject, are absolutely gut wrenching and really, really well written and sensitively dealt with by the author, while contemporaneously being a compelling and riveting read.

I lost count of the amount of times I said OMG in the second half of this book as it hurtled towards its hugely dramatic conclusion. Is this the end of the Grey and Miles series? Let's hope not!

***WARNING: This book deals with issues of domestic and sexual violence***

Brilliant. Fast paced with shocks. Had me gripped the whole way through. This is an incredible series that I would highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey, have a gas that seems unsolvable.
It's not that they don't know who done it. It's that they can't prove it. Everyone involved that can give them information, won't. They are all too scared. One person they question goes so far as to stab himself in the heart.
It all started with the body of a woman floating in the water. DI Miles goes into the river to retrieve the body when a hand grabs his leg. The woman is alive!
A twisted story full of all kinds of dark happenings. Murder, sex, rape, delusions of grandeur. Makes a superb story!

This is my first book by this author and I am happy to have found her. The story was well written, not giving anything away till the end. I would have liked to have the perpetrators punished, but maybe the author plans it for the future. Also if the protagonist comes out with the crime and shares it in his relationship or the authorities rather than being shamefaced and suicidal it would have been more welcoming. I will definitely be reading the other books by this author.

I always struggle to write reviews for books like this, they're so twisted and dark and sooo hard to read that I shouldn't love them but I seriously cannot stop reading them. This series has had me hooked from the start. I became obsessed with Katerina's writing from the very first book and I have not been able to shake them since. I'm dying to get my hands on the next one already. I NEED Imogen and Adrian's story to carry on, especially after this one, that is for sure. I am way too attached to these characters now, it cannot end.

The series as a whole has been pretty violent and very dark but this book was on a whole other level. I definitely struggled to get through some bits simply because it was so hard to read, especially after growing so connected to the characters throughout the series. But I won't mention what because I don't want to spoil anything, but I definitely don't recommend this series to everyone, and would really suggest looking into the series before starting them if you're a bit worried about it.

But aside from that, everything else about this book was incredible. The plot line seriously surprised me, it was super fast paced as always but it was so different to the other 5 books. It seems too straight forward for a Katerina Diamond book, but of course it's not. The twist is huge and I did not expect it at all. Perfectly sick and twisted for this series.
The characters were of course amazingly done. The progression for the main characters is brilliant throughout each book, but it delves much much deeper in this one. Again I can't say much more without giving anything away. But TRUST ME.
If this sounds like you're thing, READ IT.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC copy to review.

3.5 Stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I thought it started off really well, and the storyline grabbed my attention from the get go, but as it progressed, there were scenes that I felt didn’t add to the main plot or even took away from me enjoying the story.

As the title states, the woman in the water is the main focus of the book, and while the majority of the story and the investigation stayed pertinent to her, there were a lot of scenes that diverted away from her.

For one, Adrian and Imogen’s relationship. While they were integral characters, I felt that their relationship actually made me start to dislike the book. They were constantly arguing and criticizing how they handled their jobs, and it just got annoying after a while. I honestly couldn’t see any reason why they were together because there never really seemed to be any amorous feelings between them.

As far as what happened to Adrian, I actually got really invested in his part of the story, even more so than the woman he rescued in the water. I was disappointed that it was left so unresolved though. Even by the end, only one person knew about it, and I felt the book itself ended a bit abruptly too.

I think this book had a lot of potential, but because of certain aspects taking away from the story and so much being left up in the air at the end, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2989611219

When a woman’s body is found submerged in icy water, police are shocked to find she is alive. But she won’t disclose her name, or what happened to her – even when a second body is discovered. Then she disappears from her hospital bed. Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey follow their only lead to the home of the Corrigans, looking for answers. But the more they dig into the couple’s lives, the less they understand about them. What’s their connection to the body in the river? Why have other people they know been hurt, or vanished? Can they discover the dark truth of their marriage before it’s too late?

What a horrendous, roller-coaster of a read this was. Not horrendous in a terrible way, rather the subject matter that Diamond draws upon and some of the scenes made for horrendous reading. Diamond's books are always gruesome and I always state they are not for the feint hearted but this one really is not for the feint hearted! There is a scene in particular in this that will stay with me forever. Part of me wants to say Diamond went too far with it, the other part of me says it is an important subject and central to the plot. Either way, it makes for very dark, very disturbing reading so be warned.

This is a continuing theme for this book as well. This feels darker than Diamond's other books, again due to the subject matter. Do not get me wrong though, it is still incredibly gripping and I was still completely immersed in the plot and at its mercy. Another aspect that is different is this is not really a whodunnit, we have a good idea the whole way through as to the culprit, but even then there are twists and turns to fight through to get to the truth and it still makes for intense reading.

The characters are of course fantastic, I love Imogen and Adrian so could not wait to be back with them. Diamond ensures they never feel stale by constantly developing them and throwing in life twists for them which I absolutely loved. There are some great scenes in this for long-standing fans of the characters.

'Woman In the Water' is another incredible, thrilling read from Diamond but one that is extremely dark, darker than others and contains some very hard scenes. Despite this, I still loved reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy.

I enjoyed this book but also found it quiet disturbing, one particular event left me feeling traumatised and wasn't sure I could finish the book. Imogen and Adrian are investigating a man who appears untouchable, all those who cross him regret it, they're trying to save his wife but not all is at it seems!!
Adrian gets dragged into Angela's life but it brings back bad memories and leaves a rift between him and Imogen, can she reach him before it's too late.
I was shocked by the ending

This is the first book I have read by this author. I have mixed feelings. It has some very graphic scenes that I had trouble with. The villain in the book is one of the most truly psychotic I have ever seen. The ending took me off guard, I never guessed the direction it took. There is a cliff hanger at the end that I would have liked resolved. It will be interesting to see where the characters go in the next book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

*spoiler alert*

Jeez. I read these kind of books for the save haven those broken but ultimately incorruptible men and women fronting crime series usually provide. I expect their - frankly predictable - trauma of missing family members, childhood abuse or addiction to be firmly in the past,
Except drinking, gambling, aggressively trusting no one and sleeping around, of course. Can’t have popular crime fighters without any of those.
However, this one floundered me somewhat. I learned from reading this book that I do not enjoy graphic descriptions of the hero being raped for hours and even less his all too human response of covering it all up.
I’m not saying it’s not realistic - just that I don’t want any of it in my recreational reading.
In conclusion I’m not sure what I think - heads up to the author for bringing it into the mainstream mind, or thumbs down for damaging a main character in such a horrible way. Not for the rape - but for his response. But then the poor guy has zero chemistry with his partner and girlfriend so where should he actually turn?
The rest of the novel is great - pacing, plot, setting, atmosphere,... all perfect.
I think, I chicken out on a four star and declare future offerings as ‘probably not for me’

When a woman is found in the river, the police can’t quite believe she has managed to survive. Later, in hospital she claims not to remember the incident that led her to this fate or any of her personal information. But when a second body is found, she mysteriously vanishes from her bed.

Detectives Miles and Grey follow the only lead they have, taking them to the home of local construct5ion company owner Reece Corrigan. They are shocked to find that they instantly recognise his wife, Angela, as the woman from the water.

But the more they dig, the more frustrated and confused they become. Unsure whether this couple are exactly what they seem and the affects this case will have on them personally.

So happy to be back with Miley and Grey! I really love these Detectives and this series. I was a bit disappointed with he last book, as I felt Diamond and the characters had lost their mojo. Well I am disappointed no longer - this instalment is back to the familiar fast-paced and gritty subject matter we have come to expect from this author.

The chapters are once again short and snappy, making it extremely easy to keep turning the pages of this book. The I felt the main storyline was inevitable, and I did surmise the “twist” quite early on. But to was the secondary plot that really had me feeling a huge range of emotions. I was angry, shocked and so upset that I actually shed some tears. I’m not going to go into too much detail, but this is dark and could be quite difficult for some readers. Perhaps a warning for the graphic content wouldn’t go amiss here.

This is Katerina Diamond back at her best, and I’m so very glad. Cannot wait for part 7!!

This is the first book I have read by Katerina Diamond and I found that the subject matter was a very dark one. The story forced you to confront issues that you would not normally think about. The story did move at a pace and although the story was grim I did enjoy it.

This book was phenomenal! I have read all of Katerina Diamond's books and absolutely love her as an author - she is so engaging and I am always hooked. This book was no exception. I was hooked from the start and read this book in one sitting. I can't wait for it to come out so that I can recommend it to my friends and family!

Although this is the sixth book in the Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey series this is the first that I have read, although whilst reading the characters of Adrian and Imogen did feel somewhat familiar – or perhaps their relationship was a bit clichéd. Adrian is hailed as a hero when he discovers the body of a woman in the water, when he tries to pull her out of the water he discovers she is still alive, barely, she has been severely beaten. Emergency services are called and he accompanies her to the hospital. Meanwhile, the police searching the river discover the dead body of a man, also severely beaten. Adrian feels compelled to stay with the woman as though he is responsible for her life. Then she disappears. Adrian and Imogen are tasked with discovering who she is, and what happened.

This is a fascinating read but not without shocks. The subject matter includes domestic violence, abuse, incest, rape and PTSD and of course murder. I was thoroughly shocked when I read about the attack and the consequences of the attack which led me to tears on several occasions. What powerful and emotive writing and how sensitively handled was the subject matter – incredible. A well-written book with good characters and certainly good plot structure and surprising twists.

Any negatives? Well I did find Imogen a bit irritating. Clearly she is a good detective but just get on with it, stop pussy footing around about your career and Adrian’s mood. Actually is she a good detective? Just think of Adrian’s flu – I hope I would be a bit more perceptive than her – but then again, I’m not tracking down a murderer.

Would I recommend it? You bet your life on it, but be prepared for some very nasty episodes which I can imagine will offend many people. You have been warned – but it is an excellent book.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

She's done it again!! another amazing installment in the Imogen Grey series.

This novel blew me away!

Katrina highlighted a crime which is often unreported and not spoken about within society despite more awareness being needed around the subject. Its clear to see that she did her research on the topic by the way she has written about it and for that I'd give her five stars alone!

At times is was difficult and emotional to read.

This was a powerful read that kept me gripped till the end.

I’ve always enjoyed Katerina Diamond’s books but in my opinion, Woman in the Water is her best yet.

From the first chapter I was totally hooked. The plot line flows well and gradually builds as the story progresses. It covers some highly emotional subjects and these are dealt with sensitivity. Not only do you have the main storyline but there are also Imogen and Adrian facing their own battles.

The book has some fantastic twists and turns that will keep you entertained to the very end. One of my favourite books this year and a very worthy five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

I loved this book, it captured me from the very beginning and I didn’t want to put it down. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I definitely will be after this book. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

Take a dark subject and add some sadistic sexual violence and domestic abuse at its most brutal. Not to say it is not the life of many women and as such deserves a light being shone on it.

Not for the faint hearted but a worthwhile read nonetheless

Woman in the Water is the first book I have read in this series it is a good standalone .I found the story quite dark but very compelling .Detective Adrian Miles rescues a woman for the river who has been badly beaten and is barely alive and so begins a story of domestic abuse ,corruption and rape .The story is fast paced and definitely a page turner though at times it is a bit of a hard read and it is very dark .I loved the twists and turns and the ending was a surprise .I am now going to try and read all the books in this series that I have missed ! Many thanks to the Publishers the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

An excellent book if only for the sad, violent (well described) act involving DS Adrian Miles. The main story concerns Adrian and his fellow detective DS Imogen Grey trying to solve the mystery of a woman's body found in a river, and another body of a man found downstream.

It is difficult now to explain too much more as this will spoil the story. Suffice it to say the detectives chase the woman's control freak husband, with Adrian not functioning at 100%.

Superb twist at the end.

There are more in the series? Well I'm off to see what other delights there are in Devon from this author!

Thanks to Avon Books and Net Galley for the chance to read and review.

I enjoyed this book but did find it hard to get into in parts. The overall book is well written with some bits that maybe a trigger for some people so maybe a little warning would be a good idea.
I would like to read more of these as I'm interested to see how she moves the story on without dragging it too much.

A DS when driving to work one morning is alerted by people seeing something in the river. He stops and sees a body and when he goes to investigate he pulls out a young woman that is barely alive. Then later another body of a dead young man is also found in the river. It transpires that he was brutally tortured before being killed. The woman recovering in hospital is found to have been physically abused and won’t tell or reveal her name seemingly terrified of who did it. Later she manages to escape from the hospital leaving no clues. So begins a fascinating story of the police investigation of who were they and why they ended up where they were. Slowly the truth is pieced together and a monster is identified who is fire proof and how he gets his just deserts is a page turning and tense read with many twists before justice is done at a price. The DS involves is left traumatised brutally damaged both physically and mentally a shameful experience that he cannot face that causes him to resign as a policeman. What will happen next will he remain broken or will he recover?

The Woman in the Water held a lot of promise especially reading some of the praise for Katerina Diamond. The opening chapters of DS Adrian Miles rescuing the woman in the water were a good hook and enjoyable but it went drastically down hill from there. I doubt any decent copper would act like he did afterwards and the team around him too. So unprofessional and unbelievable. However, and there is a however, the plight of Adrian in the van and his subsequent feelings were well written and accurate. The revealing of the relationship between Reece and Angela at the finale went some way to explain the hold he had over her and smoothed over some of the cracks in the story. Sadly we were left not knowing how the broken Miles tried to rebuild his life and his relationship with Imogen. More novels to follow I’m sure.

On a technical note, a hand held Doppler radar device detects changes in velocity. How that can be used to detect buried objects is beyond me.

Again another thriller to strongly recommend. Great story, a page turner and spellbound until the end.

I discover another polar series with the character DS Imogen Grey and I love it. cannot wait to dive into the previous ones from the serie

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey are now in a relationship, though that’s not common knowledge at work. However, on this case things come too close to home and it has serious repercussions for both.
On his way into work Miles stops as some women think their children saw a body in the water. Upon investigation, it is a woman...and she’s alive. Someone wanted her dead, but there’s no signs of robbery or sexual assault. It becomes a matter of some urgency to work out what on earth happened when the beaten body of a young man is also found nearby.
Before we know it we’ve been pulled into a very dark place. This isn’t a ‘whodunnit’, but a trying to pull it together to prove they did it kind of story.
We focus on Angela Corrigan, the much younger wife of local businessman Reece. Nobody will speak out against him, and though we’ve strong reason to believe he’s been up to all sorts of things nobody will talk, and there’s no evidence.
It’s testimony to the bullishness of these two Detectives that we get anywhere. However, it comes at awful personal expense.
Adrian Miles suffers in the course of this investigation in a way that you cannot begin to imagine. It’s brutal, totally demeaning and the disgust I felt as we learn the extent of the wrongdoings against not just him but so many others was upsetting.
While it was a dark story that was not, in any way, enjoyable to read, I am intrigued at the potential for where this might go next.
Thanks to Diamond and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was an excellent read. There were some very unexpected parts of the book and some very uncomfortable parts and the book worked on a variety of levels rather than just a stand alone thriller. Can't say much more without giving things away.

I always enjoy British police procedurals! Although this had some unexpected graphic violence, it was a great story. I really like the detective characters and look forward to the next story!

This was an original storyline which became much more complicated as you read through the chapters. Without the horror that Adrian suffered this would have been a run of the mill, not quite so thriller. I thought the author handled that aspect of the book extremely well, I expect she had done extensive research which showed. Imogen just didn't come across as a real person even though she was present in most scenes. She seemed to be lacking any real personality apart from being somewhat irritating while Adrian was trying to recover from his ordeal. I felt that a partner would be a lot more caring than she was and she lacked the insight, even though she was a police officer, to know when she wasn't wanted instead of just turning up at Adrian's flat all the time. Everything tied up very well and there was a definite denouement which no one was expecting. More books with Adrian and Imogan would be good but both of them need to be much more rounded with fuller, deeper realistic personalities which they lacked at times, certainly Imogen.

This series gets better and better. Diamond is the Queen of the dark and twisted detective novel and in this one really lets her characterisation shine. Tough subject matter, sensitively handled. Highly recommended.

This was my first Katerina Diamond novel that ive read even though I have a few in my "to be read pile" so I didn't really know what to expect. The book twisted and turned like a normal police drama "who dunnit" but this is far from the norm. It tackles an uncomfortable subject and tells a really good story. Very will written and all consuming.

This is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be the last. It was a fast read with the storyline keeping your attention with a twist I did not see coming.

I really thought I knew how this would end about three-quarters of the way through, but I was so wrong!
The ending is a 5 star for me, but overall, I thought the story needed tightening up and a general edit, which is why it gets a 4.
For once this police procedural demonstrates just how long it can take to solve a murder. The intricacies of police procedures that must be followed and the fact that people don’t always work through the night, but go home at 5 and come in at 9 even when they are trying to solve a murder. Much more realistic.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books for an advance copy of Woman in the Water, the sixth novel to feature Exeter based DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles.

Adrian Miles is returning home when he is stopped by something in the water. Getting closer it is a woman’s body and she is barely alive. Recovering in hospital the woman doesn’t know who she is or what happened but Imogen isn’t so sure, especially when the woman disappears after hearing of another body found near her.

I enjoyed Woman in the Water which is not so much a whodunnit as a how can they get enough proof to convict him novel. It is a violent novel with much emphasis on the psychological damage of domestic violence. This is done by interspersing the investigative narrative with the first person thoughts of the victim. I’m not expert enough to know if these are authentic but they are interesting and convincing in terms of the plot. The plot is full of twists and turns but also full of Imogen and Adrian’s troubles with their new relationship. I don’t feel that the author got the balance quite right as this latter became a bit tedious over time and throughout the novel I was thinking 3* until the explosive ending and the final twists and they easily raised it up to 4*.

I’m not one for navel gazing so while Adrian’s introspection is necessary in terms of the plot Imogen’s efforts to reach him just got annoying and somehow seem out of place, not just in a crime novel but in terms of her strong personality. She even admits to being needy.

Woman in the Water is a solid read.

I loved this psychological domestic thriller! It had me hooked from the beginning and I just couldn’t put it down. Such great crazy characters. Some I loved and some made me so MAD!!! I was totally engrossed in this whole story. Great twists and turns throughout the book. Never ending surprises. Can’t recommend enough!!

I’m really excited to have been asked to be part of the blog tour for this book. The kindle version will be released on the 11th of November 2019. My blog will be published on the 8th of December 2019. My blog will be on www.pinkanddizzy.com.
I received a copy of the book in advance via NetGalley in return for an honest review as part of my blog.
This is a book full of intrigue, suspicion and truly shocking occurrences.
We are following DS Miles and DS Grey on the investigation into a woman found almost dead in a river. The discovery of the Jane Doe leads to the finding of a body, this time not as fortunate as the woman. The more the detectives investigate the complicated and more perilous the situation becomes.
DS Miles feels an affiliation to the woman, as he is the one to have found her, but will the need to protect her get himself into trouble?
There are a few scenes that were very difficult to read. It was very unexpected and very graphic. However, they were well executed and hard-hitting. I’m glad the author didn’t gloss over what was happening and went straight for the vivid depiction. It is this part of the storyline that really gripped me. I needed to know how and if they were able to overcome what had happened. The events were life-changing, and I felt that the aftermath was treated with care and perfect compassion.
I read a lot of crime books, and I’m more used to the detectives being thorough and confident. They usually work well as a team, and even though there is a personal element, a balance is found. I thought, however, that the detectives in this book were a little too insecure and needed too much reassurance. They also didn’t seem to be covering all basis when questioning suspects or witnesses. This isn’t just the case between DS Miles and DS Grey but with other relationships within their team. It was a little off-putting as I didn’t feel like the victims were in good hands. I thought it made the book into more of a drama rather than a crime and thriller fiction. If it hadn’t have been for the powerful and compelling storyline mentioned above, I would have felt as if this book was lacking something.
I didn’t realise when starting it that it was part of a series, as unfortunately, this isn’t mentioned on either NetGalley or Amazon. I did accept that I was missing out a lot on the detectives’ history. A lot of what has occurred prior to this investigation is acknowledged, including the relationship between DS Miles and DS Grey. So I would definitely recommend reading those before this instalment. I am tempted to go back and catch up as I would very much like to read the next in the series to see how the main characters are getting on.
Overall, a captivating and at some points a very distressing story; it was superbly written a solid four-star read.

"People warn you about strangers, but no one warns you about the people you love, the people who say they love you."

Fantastic character building enhanced this story for me. The characters were relatable and written with great depth that this book can easily be read as a standalone even though it is part of a series. I was so angry on behalf of a couple of the characters and I fast became engrossed in this story.

There are several topics covered that can be quite distressing, domestic violence, depression and PTSD following a trauma and rape. However Diamond has clearly researched these extensively. People who have never experienced domestic abuse do not understand the reasons why victims don't leave their abusers or the time it takes them to find the courage to leave. There are parts in this book that explain this expertly.

It was a hard story to read in places, but it was full of twists and it became very personal to me for several reasons. I've found another favourite author. Very very highly recommend Woman In The Water.

I am a big fan of the Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey series by Katerina Diamond and I think this might be the best one so far. The Woman In The Water is a dark and gritty police procedural with real characters and storylines. The twist at the end had me stunned, I really did not see it coming at all.

It is a hard book to talk about the plot without spoilers. I will say that there is a really tough scene to read in this book. I felt quite ill and upset reading it. But it is fantastic writing and makes you feel very emotional. DS Miles pulls a woman out of a icy cold lake and is stunned when she is alive. But she claims to have no memory and then disappears from the hospital. And then another man is pulled from the lake, this one is dead though. What is the connection?

This book should should really coming with a warning as there are some horrific events and they are quite graphic.

Imogen and Adrian are still trying to work out what their relationship is and where it is going. But he is keeping a really big secret from her and it threatens to destroy their friendship as well as their love. It is fantastic book and a great addition to the series.

Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

A woman in the water by Katerina Diamond is the 6th Book in the Detective Miles and Grey series and I must confess that I have only read one other in the series. This book is a shocker of a book. So, it is not for the faint hearted. This can be read as a standalone.
Detective Adrian Miles is called to a Woman’s body in the water to only find out that she is still alive. Adrian pulls her out of the water in front of onlookers and is filmed and the footage is later found online. Another body is found later, also in the river but unfortunately the man is brutally murdered.
Detective Miles with Grey visits the woman in the hospital. She can’t remember what happened to her. She has clearly been beaten up by someone and left for dead. But they can’t believe that no one has come forward to find out who she is or reported her missing. She then gives them both the slip and disappears from the hospital.
The only lead they have on the pair is Reece Corrigan. So, when they visit, they are surprised when they find the woman from the water Angela Corrigan is there. Now all dressed up like nothing has happened and she doesn’t want to go any further with the investigation. But something is not right and when they delve into Reece Corrigan’s past. They find out that people on his pay role seem to go missing helping Angela and Corrigan seems to be getting away with it.
This is quite a violent, graphic novel of corruption, abuse and rape which wasn’t easy to read but, as this was a hard-hitting subject, I thought the author wrote this well and true to form. This is a great read.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for a copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

This is the 2nd book I’ve read by this author. Whilst her books are in a series they can also be read as stand alone books. I really enjoyed reading this story, and felt the two main characters were likeable and worked well together. A woman is found in water beaten up and is too scared to help the Police and give evidence against the person who had done this to her. For one of the officers investigating this became a very personal case and a reminder of an unhappy childhood which led to horrifying repercussions where the author dealt with a very sensitive issue sympathetically and with care. The Police know who is behind all this, yet no-one is willing to come forward to make a statement or give evidence and the victim takes matters into her own hands. I felt this was a compelling read, and couldn’t put it down. There were unexpected twists and turns in the story and an ending I never saw coming!! Will be looking at authors other books in series and also to see how the next book goes and hope it sorts out unresolved storylines left over from this book 😀

Woman in the Water is the 6th book in this series by Katerina Diamond and the second one I have read.

It is fast paced and deals with some subject matter that some readers may not be comfortable with but overall it is still a page turner.

My main reservation is the ending which I was disappointed with

If you are a fan of the series then Woman in the Water is one for you

I have read all of this authors books and I have never been disappointed. I love the way this author writes. She piques your interest and then you are are hooked. In my own personal opinion this is her best book yet. In fact I never read a book like this before. Dealing with issues that are not highly publicised and abhorrent. The perpetrator is evil personified and in my opinion the most abhorrent character to have ever graced the pages of a book. Gripping, evil, distasteful, abhorrent and heartbraking all in equal measures. This is why this author has been given the name Queen of Crime. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow, I have no words after this one. This was really a well-written book, that kept me guessing from one page to another. There was one scene I did not like (no spoilers), but it was done well and sensitively (if that is even the right word here). The book was a thrilling ride until the end. Highly recommended.

I would give this ten stars if it was possible. Having a bad guy who you know is up to no good but can't catch makes this a nail biting thriller.

Katerina tackles a couple of difficult subject matters sensitively but in a raw manner that is both shocking but heart rending.

Excellent.

This is the sixth book in the DS Imogen Grey series, I do own a few of the previous books but hadn’t realised they were part of a series until I received this one. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone novel, sometimes it does help to have a back history of the characters.

This is a well crafted story, at times it is dark, shocking, emotionally charged and devastating. So much in one book, phew!

Detective Adrian Miles just happens to be in the right place at the right time, when he is told there is a body floating in the water, when he drags the female body out he finds she is still alive, just, she claims to not know how she got there, further investigation of the scene reveals the body of a male. But when the Detectives go to speak to the woman at the hospital she has gone. It is pretty obvious that the two are linked in some way. The detectives seem to know who committed the crime but without proof, or evidence their hands are tied.

This story is well written dealing with some very emotive subjects, sensitively, if you are reading this I will say there are some triggers as some of the things in the book include rape, extreme abuse, as well as the feelings and emotions that have to be dealt with after these events.

The pace is fast, characters are relatable, the dialogue and mannerisms are all easy to follow.

Thank you to #netgalley and #Avonpublishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

We do see Detective Miles struggle with the case, as there are triggers leading back to his childhood. He cannot be objective about and his judgement is affected.

My only slight gripe is that as a police procedural it did focus a lot on the personal relationship between DS Grey and Detective Miles, seeming riddled with insecurities and reassurance. Along with some of the other team members. When really they should be focused on the victims involved, putting aside any personal problems until the case is sorted. I realise that this is a story and characters are a big part of a series, and are important to readers, to see what’s happening to them as well, as officers how they deal with and cope with crimes of this nature.

I still feel the victims should be the big focus and then how the characters deal with it after the suspect has been caught and charged.

Some parts of this book were difficult for me to read personally, but I do like the more dark, gritty stories. With a good twist at the end, which I didn’t expect, I admit it was quite sick and twisted.

Being my second book by the author, I already knew what to expect to a point about this story and I wasn't disappointed at all, more so I was surprised by the turn that it took.
It starts with a few moments where Adrian is presented as a very self-aware male and being a detective helps more to make a better image of him as a reliable character.
When he rescues a woman from the river, his instincts kick in and he can't back away until he finds out who she is and what happened to her to be found almost dead.
We get two stories within the book, as in his personal love life with his partner Imogen and the case of Angela as she gets back to her life as if nothing happened after an ex-employee of her husband's company is found dead.
It's a very fast-paced story, with a mixture of characters that blend together perfectly in this gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes until the last page. There are so many twists and turns that I thought I had them figured out but I didn't know anything honestly and that's what makes for a perfect story in my books.
There's one major element of the book that brings so much more attention and awareness of our real-life events because we don't hear or pay attention as much as we should and I'm happy that the author has done this with this story.
This sentence pretty much resumes the story: "Add child abuse, neglect, murder, rape, incest and God only knows what else to Reece Corrigan’s list of crimes."
After reading this book, we probably need to pay more attention to small details that happen with our loved ones, especially the male part as they usually tend to suffer more and maybe never open up about it, but it's real and it's happening

Detective Adrian Mile's discovery of a woman in the water is just the start of a roller coaster of emotions that will test him to the limit and put an impossible strain on his burgeoning relationship with his colleague Imogen. His determination to understand what has happened to the woman and why takes over his life as he uncovers a web of cruelty, control and cover-ups. The characters are clearly defined and easy to relate to. This is a good, gripping crime story.

First off thank you Netgalley and Katerina Diamond for the opportunity to read this before it hits shelves next month. Now this book definitely threw me for a loop. There were some spots that were hard to read and I wish they would have been expanded on and dealt with. O sometimes wanted to slap Angela but at the same time I wanted to fold her into a big bear hug. I couldn't believe the twist at the end. Thanks again and grab this book when it hits shelves next month!

A great crime thriller. Certain parts of this I definitely didn't see coming! Quite confronting subject matter handled very sensitively. A great book by an insightful and talented author.

What a brave step to include such emotive subjects as a storyline. It was extremely well written and obviously well researched. I found myself feeling horrified by the suffering inflicted upon Adrian and the domestic abuse dealt out to Angela. Despite the subject matter being so horrific, it was expertly written so as to make the book unputdownable. A real thriller of a read.

This is the first book I have read from this author and was not aware that it is the 6th in a series (my bad, maybe should’ve done some research first), however I was told that the books can be read as standalones.
I did enjoy the book and it was an easy read, and compared to many thrillers there were no complex twists or turns, I was able to follow the plot without having to think too much.
That being said, even though this book can be read as a standalone I would recommend reading the others first, just to get a little of the backstory of the main characters, as I felt there were things going on that I should’ve known about and didn’t.

This book is number 6 in the series. Having said that you can still read this as a standalone. I quite enjoyed this and I havent read any of Katerina's other books so I will be definately doing that now having read this one.

At first I wasn't keen on the narrative from the victim's point of view as I thought it detracted from the tension, but, as the story progressed I realised how important it was. Hard hitting police procedural that is unafraid to tackle the problem of male rape. Great lead characters and such a twist at the end. Very, very clever.

I love this! Fast paced, twisting psychological thriller that doesn't hold back from exploring the darker side of the human psyche. This book continues the series featuring detectives Imogen Grey & Adrian Miles and follows their investigation into the woman found in the water. While it is part of the series, it can be read as a standalone novel.

NB: This book comes with a trigger warning, particularly for survivors of domestic abuse and male sexual assault. While it does go into detail about the attack, the aftermath is sensitively handled, believable and very well written.

5 solid stars. This book was one I found to be very riveting and hard to put down. Diamond did an amazing job at making sure that she used all the right mystery/thriller tools, which are sure to hook those who love that genre. Well written, fast paced, characters developed amazingly, and unputdownable!
Will make sure I buzz it up!

Until I finished the book, I did not realize this was part of a series. However, at no time did I feel like I was missing anything. Sure there were references to things that happened prior, but overall it felt very much like a stand alone book. In fact, I looked to see if maybe it were the first in a series! Ooops! Ms. Diamond definitely does not shy away from uncomfortable twists or topics. Abuse and rape play a large part of this story line. And while I am not a big fan of reading about rape, I was truly impressed by Ms. Diamond's approach to the subject and what the victim went through. The story line felt realistic and the characters and how they reacted to events did not feel forced or engineered to cause shock. I hope there is more coming in the series because I intend to read them. Well, after I finish my internal debate about going back and reading the previous books in the series.

Woman In The Water by Katerina Diamond
I was a good bit into this book when I realised it was the same 6th in the series and I already had the 1st book but haven't read it yet. Thankfully the book is a standalone. This book gripped me from the start and held my attention right through, with lots of shocking moments, and perhaps not for the faint hearted.
I will be going straight on to book one next and will do a catch up on this series. A great read.

**Review**
The Woman in the Water by Katrina Diamond
‘I’m alive, but I can’t be saved.’
Mystery surrounds the discovery of a woman in a river left for dead. How did she come to be there? And why? As the story unravels it becomes clear it is a much deeper and twisted tale than anyone could have imagined.
This was my first Miles and Grey crime thriller by Diamond, and it did not disappoint. It was dark and suspenseful, and kept me eagerly turning the pages.
I really enjoyed all the characters in this book, and although past events for Miles and Grey were mentioned, I felt it was fine to read as a stand alone novel.
Without giving too much away, this is very much a book of two halves for Miles’ character. I applaud Diamond for taking on such an intense subject in such a sensitive way. It really had an impact on me which, although meant it became hard to read at times, is a sign of great writing.
A real page turner, and has made me want to pick up her other books even more!
Publication date: 11/11/2019
Thank you @netgallery and @avon for this advanced copy for review.

Woman In The Water is the 6th book in the detective series Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey. This just gets better and better!!

A young woman is found badly beaten in a river, she has no memory of what has happened to her or her name. A man’s body is found nearby and the police duo try to work out if the two of them are connected in any way.

This is such a great riveting series, I have to say that there is an assault in this book that made me nearly give up reading it. I couldn’t see the words as tears streamed down my face. It was very upsetting but told in a sensitive and not overly dramatised way!!

Imogen and Adrian’s relationship is flourishing, but Adrian is hiding a big secret that could jeopardise their future.

As always this is a gripping, fast paced thriller that had plenty of twists and kept me on the edge of my seat.

The ending left me wanting more. Please don’t make me wait too long for the next book in this amazing series!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I could not put this book down! I was absolutely gripped from the start with this book, it starts fast and keeps the pace.

I’m not usually a fan of modern murder mystery books (I like to stay in the Victorian era!), and this is a very very adult book with some horrendous scenes so if you are easily shocked or upset then this book isn’t for you. I was ok with it but I think if I’d had a warning then I probably would have steered clear., but that’s just me.

However, this book is absolutely gripping and I could not wait to pick it up again every evening. A fantastic read.

Another great book by Katerina Diamond.
This is the 6th in the series but can still be read as a stand alone.
Fast paced and enjoyable.

DS Adrian Miles finds the body of a young women by the river Exe, while he is phoning in his discovery to the station he feels a hand grab his ankle and he is shocked to find she is alive. A dark and gritty book with some very hard to read chapters. It’s hard to talk about this book without giving to much away, it is very fast paced and has quite a few twists making it a good addition to the series. Publication date 11th Nov

Another stellar read from Kat Diamond!!
I literally read this book in one sitting for the first time in months, a totally gripping, unputdownable read!

*thank you to Netgalley, Katerina Diamond and Avon Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*


4 stars

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence and rape


Woman In The Water was an intriguing read. I really enjoyed Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey. I felt an almost instant connection with this and it felt easy and light to do so. I could easily read this whole series about them. They are one of the more interesting duos in books such as these, that I've read in a while. You never really know which way the story will turn next. It keeps you on your toes and the ending felt satisfactory. I would definitely read more books written by this author, Katerina Diamond.

This is the 6th book in the Grey and Miles detective series. It could be read as a stand-alone book but you would be missing out on some much of the background between the two main characters so, in my opinion, you should definitely read the whole series in order.

A woman’s badly beaten body is found in the river, she is barely alive and has no memory of how she ended up there or who she is. Further up the river a Man’s body is found, are the two connected ? Adrian Miles found the woman and due to his past he is heavily invested in the case but will this help or hinder ? And can Grey stop Miles from doing something he may regret ?

One part of the story is very hard to read, you will know it when you come to it, and I actually found myself shedding a tear or two. The writing in this section is fantastic, it is just right, enough detail for you to know what is happening and to feel for the character but not to dramatic that it’s over the top !!

A great read as always and looking forward to seeing what is next for Grey and Miles.

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

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey return in Katrina Diamond’s sixth book in her crime thriller series. Katerina immediately establishes an atmosphere of fear, mystery and danger when a Woman in the Water is found and pulled from a freezing river. Adrian Miles is the first on the scene of what he expects to be a corpse and he drags the body onto the bank. As he stands over the body of a badly beaten woman she reaches out and grabs his leg. Jane Doe is taken to the hospital where she starts to make a recovery while claiming amnesia regarding her name, assailant or reason for her attack. She also refuses to give any blood or DNA samples and the marks on her body are consistent with a woman in an abusive relationship.

A dead male was discovered close by, his body badly mutilated. While Adrian and Imogen start to investigate his murder, Jane Doe absconds from the hospital, and they have no means of tracking her down. Their investigation leads them to the man’s employer and it isn’t too long before they recognise the woman, still bruised but pretending she doesn’t know them. They play along, although this strikes a chord with Adrian’s family past and he takes the crime personally.

The main suspect is an imperious man who over the years has built a belief that he is untouchable and has no boundaries in what he would do to protect himself. The investigation reveals a number of people who have crossed him before but are terrified to speak out or provide any statement on what they have witnessed or his activities.

Katerina Diamond is certainly an author that doesn’t shirk from horrific details in her thrillers. She is bold with vivid images of violence drawn in many scenes. One scene, in particular, affects one of the detectives and is extremely disturbing. This incident with the physical and psychological repercussions define a significant theme for the majority of the novel. While the narrative was disturbing it was compelling reading and it was a brave call to introduce this aspect to a main character’s background as we will progress through the series. I found myself wishing the incident didn’t happen but recognising that Katerina had totally drawn me into her story and the empathy I’ve developed for her main characters.

The focus of the story moved from being described as a police crime investigation to a distressing psychological exploration of the mental turmoil and coming to terms with a violent life-changing assault. I felt the story lost its anchor and drifted in the core focus, unsure what elements were the background and what constituted the main thread. The relationship between Adrian and Imogen took centre stage and provided the context of an unsettling personal crime and the coming to terms within oneself and relationships with those around. The consequence, of course, is that the investigation plot lacked her previous depth and surprises.

I would recommend reading this book and I’d like to thank Katerina Diamond, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.

This was an excellent crime novel, that – apart from being a fast paced, riveting read – brings up some very disturbing subjects. You may forget the individual police characters (not that they are under-developed, or lacking in any way at all), but what happens in the book will remain with you a very long time.
A woman is found, severely beaten and nearly drowned in the water. Another body (not so lucky) is found nearby. She won’t tell the police who she is, who he is, or what occurred. She disappears from hospital – then pops up again, looking like nothing has happened.
You think you know what is going on – domestic abuse, bad husband, cop taking it all too personally – but that is not the half of it.
Throughout all the book is a pervading sense of fear. No-one will talk. The victims – and there are many – are broken by what they experienced (if they are still alive). They blame themselves: for not fighting back, for not taking warnings seriously, for not living up to expectations …. The horror of what the victims go through – not just the actual crime(s) which are thankfully not dwelt on so much, but the never-ending aftermath – is dealt with by the author with so much empathy, that you are forced to take part of it into your own being.
“Back then, I didn’t know the depths of R’s evil. I still had a rose-tinted view of him, as if somehow if I loved him enough that would change him, but it never did. All it did was change me into a person I can barely stand to look at. I am all but erased – changing a little each day to accommodate his demands but never being quite good enough”
The person behind the crime is one of the most evil people ever to appear in a crime novel. He believes himself to be invincible – and you feel that way too.
All though not everything is wrapped up at the end (could it ever be?), I could not have ever forgiven the author if she had not ended it the way she did.
An outstanding book – but a really distressing read.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a dark, gripping thriller that deals with some disturbing events. I like the way the story behind the woman in the water is told, and it unfolds at a good pace. I was hooked early on and found myself racing through the last few chapters. There was a bit of a twist near the end (that I did not see coming!) that made the whole story even more sinister.

It is a graphic story, and without giving too much away there are scenes of violence, domestic abuse and rape, so this may not be to everyone's taste. I felt it was well written and I liked the way it explored how the characters involved felt & reacted to these events.

This is the 6th book in a series following Detectives Adrian Miles & Imogen Grey, but if you haven't read any others in the series I don't think it would matter as I feel the story still works as a stand alone. It's the history of the relationship between the two detectives that's build up over the series, and I loved this latest installment.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is another great book in the series.
Adrian comes across a woman’s body in the river and goes to investigate, and is shocked when he realises she’s still alive. She’s been beaten badly and he wants to know what happened to her.
In the hospital she can’t remember her name or what happened and then disappears.
Another body is found in the river but this time, dead, and when Adrian and Imogen start investigating they come across the woman from the river.
It’s clear something’s not right with her relationship with the construction boss but can they prove it?
Reece is a nasty character and has a hold over many people and Adrian gets a warning he’ll never forget.
This is a gripping crime thriller that had me hooked throughout the book.
The relationship between Adrian and Imogen is tested in this book and I hope they come out of it ok as they make a great couple.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Woman in the Water is the 6th book featuring detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey. And follows them investigating follow Adrian’s discovery of a badly beaten woman in the river, followed by a body found further up stream. Who is the woman and who is responsible?
The twists and turns keep you reading, there is however a description of a sexual assault which takes place which some readers may find difficult, I do however think that Katerina Diamond wrote it in as sensitive a manner as such an assault could be written. It left me feeling shocked and wanting the victim to come through.
Cannot wait to read more from this author.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

Warning -- this is not a crime thriller for the sensitive and delicate as it deals with some extremely graphic material that I can't elucidate as to avoid big spoilers. This book was, at times, difficult to read.

"People warn you about strangers, but no one warns you about the people you love, the people who say they love you."

DS Adrian Miles is driving along Glasshouse Lane when he notices a crowd by the wall of the riverside. He pulls over only to discover a woman in the water -- she's alive. The beaten and bruised woman is taken to the hospital where she refuses to give her name and says that she doesn't remember what happened to her. Soon after, the body of a young male is pulled from the same river and the woman vanishes from her hospital bed. Miles and his partner and lover, DS Imogen Grey, are very concerned over the fate of the abused woman and the police investigation into the murdered man (once he's identified) takes them into a situation that will change their lives forever. Their first shock is when they arrive at the home of a man they want to question about the dead male and find that the woman Adrian rescued is no other than Reece Corrigan's wife. Adrian feels drawn to Angela Corrigan because of his own experience with domestic abuse growing up and his reactions and behavior indicate he's close to going off the rails with this case. Things escalate quickly as the detectives discover that people who cross Reece Corrigan end up broken or dead. Can they get the evidence they need if no one will speak up or testify against him?

Wow, this was quite the intense read and I was almost gasping aloud as I sat glued to this book reading it cover to cover in a single sitting. I had no idea going into this one that it was part of a series as it's not listed as such so I had no previous exposure to either Adrian or Imogen. I didn't know their history or how their romantic relationship developed so it was somewhat difficult to relate to them as a couple given all their worries and problems being work mates as well as lovers. They were actually kind of irritating as they danced around their issues and insecurities, but I just sort of let that go since there were other overwhelming events that occurred to take the focus off romance. I must say that I have never read a story that contained this particular...I wish I could actually talk about it here, but I won't. I don't think I'll ever quite look at some things in the same way again having really not considered them before. The bad guy is really evil and the climax and conclusion were spectacular even as the end left room for a follow-up that I definitely want to read. There's a lot of repair and healing that needs to happen and I hope for the best! If you like a gritty thriller that makes you squirm, this is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I definitely wish I'd started the series from the beginning rather to come in at book #6.

Woman in the Water is the 6th in the Imogen Grey detective series.

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.  Their boss, DCI Mira Kapoor is relatively new, but they have learned to trust her, but the jury is still out on DI Matt Walsh.



My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Adrian saves a woman who was half submerged in the icy river, but she is uncooperative, stating she doesn't know her name or know how she ended up in the water.  Her body shows signs of abuse, and she seems terrified.   The body of a dead man is found further down the river.

By identifying the man, they hope to identify the woman....who disappears from the hospital.  When they find the man's old boss, they discover that his wife is their missing woman.  They are sure that her husband is abusing her, but the woman still refuses to co-operate.  It is starting to look like the husband is a bully, in both his work and home life, and thinks he is above the law.

Adrian is having problems with this case.  All he wants to do is save this woman from any more harm.  Reminiscent of his own home, where his mother was the abused woman, this case quickly becomes personal, and Adrian starts taunting the husband, just as he had taunted his father in hopes that his mother would be spared.  This does not go exactly as planned.

Meanwhile, Adrian and Imogen have taken their relationship to the next level, but it is still secret.  However, this case may put an end to many things.  Secrets are never good.

 

My Opinions:  

First,  read these books in order, as the background of the characters is important.

Second, I think this is one of the police procedural series out there.  I love the writing, and the author's descriptions are graphic and leave little to the imagination.  I love the characters, who are gritty, and very "real".  I still don't like relationships between co-workers.  However, the author makes this work.

As I've noted before, the author has no problem dealing with difficult topics, but WOW.  She really stunned me in this one, she has made a gutsy move.  We went from spousal abuse, to bullying, to rape.  It's a somewhat dark tale.  Without giving anything away, to say that the twists surprised me is an understatement.  To say it made the book even more interesting, well, that goes without saying.  It was an emotional read.

I cannot wait to see where Katerina Diamond takes us next.

So far I have read all of the DS Imogen Grey series so was extremely excited to receive an ARC of this! As well as enjoying the investigations in each book I also enjoy the development of Imogen’s private life and after the ending of the previous book Truth or Die I was really looking forward to see what developed!
The plot gets going immediately with a woman being found in the water by Imogen’s partner Adrian. From there on out the plot of this novel thickens and thickens. You’re constantly wondering ‘why is everyone afraid?!’
Around half way through the book it takes a turn and if you have read all of this series you will really feel for the individual character.
The ending of this book shocked me to my core and I did not see that coming at all!
I already can’t wait for the next instalment!!

Detectives Miles and Grey #6

A young woman is found half submerged and badly beaten in an icy river. Shes still alive. She claims she has no memory of whom she is or what happened to her. But then a body is found close to where she was found. The difference in this case is that the police k ow who committed the crimes, they just can't prove it. No o e will speak out. They're too afraid.

This is a very dark and at times a disturbing read. The book covers domestic abuse, wape and violence so it wo t suit everybody. It's a difficult story to read in places. The story is full of twist and turns. There's not a lot more I can say about this book as I don't want to spoil it for potential readers. Katerina Diamond has truly did justice to the taboo subject matter. The final reveal shocked the socks off me. I do recommend this book but it's not for the faint hearted. Even if you are a fan.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Katerina Diamond for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sixth in the DS Imogen Grey series. It can be read as a stand-alone but, as always, it’s great to read the full series and this is a series that packs a few punches!

DS Adrian Miles pulls a body out of the water – a woman barely alive.

Then another body, a dead body is found just along the water from where the woman was found. She has disappeared from the hospital. She has told Grey and Miles very little – they don’t even know her name. The doctors say that she wasn’t only beaten and left for dead, she had old injuries too. Injuries that indicate long term abuse.

It’s difficult to investigate when there’s so little evidence but Miles and Grey are both determined to solve the murder and the mystery of the woman.

Their own relationship is moving on. At first I thought that there was too much about it and it seemed to be overtaking the investigative element of the storyline. However, Katerina Diamond isn’t about, or at least not just about, romance it’s necessary to the plot and the characters development.

As you read there is a lot of trauma, some quite graphic, to be had in this book. It twists and turns with the investigation and will leave you shocked and stunned. Katerina Diamond does not shirk from dealing with difficult circumstances, events but she does handled them very well.

This case gets to DS Miles because of his childhood experiences. Imogen has somewhat more perspective but is incredibly loyal to Adrian. What happens to them in this book will have far reaching consequences on their relationships. This storyline includes murder, abuse, rape and more which makes for tough reading at times but are a necessary part of what happens. The difficult scenes are handled sensitively.

The book also includes passages from the point of view of the woman who was found in the water which, in my opinion, are an important element of the story. We hear from both Imogen and Adrian with some very powerful scenes conveying just how evil the perpetrator is.

The characters are well drawn and the storyline is gripping. This book is a hard-hitting, dark and gritty story that highlights a number of situations which, whilst making this book a tough read, also makes it a compelling and worth-while read.

Thanks

With thanks to Sabah Khan Head of PR at Avon for the invite to join this astonishing BlogTour and to HarperCollins via NetGalley for an eCopy of the book.

Blog Tour

Do check out the rest of the Woman in the Water BlogTour…. (Details on my blog)

Woman in the Water is the 6th book in the DS Imogen Grey series but can be read as a standalone.. I have enjoyed all the books in this series so far and this latest installment didn't disappoint.

A woman is pulled from a river by Detective Adrian Miles, barely alive, and unable to remember how she ended up there. Before the woman's identity can be established she flees the hospital. What seems like a straight forward domestic abuse case becomes so much more.

This book will appeal to readers who like dark, shocking, detective/police procedural books. Be warned though there are quite graphic descriptions of violent acts and the aftermath.

This was yet another wonderful read from Katarina Diamond. Gripping from the start and kept me guessing theoughout. Look forward to reading more.

Woman in the Water is the sixth instalment in the riveting DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles series, based in Exeter. The long, exhausting working day has finally ended for Adrian Miles and he is on his way home for some rest and relaxation when he discovers something in the water. Eager to see what exactly it is he realises that it is a woman; she is in bad shape and barely hanging on but still very much alive. She is rushed to the hospital where she is questioned as to what happened to her and how she had gotten to the spot she was found in and she appears to have no recollection of any of it but more worryingly she can't remember her name or who she is but Imogen doesn't fully trust her word. When she is told that another body was found right next to her she suspiciously does a runner from her hospital bed. Has she herself got something to do with this or is she merely scared or in fear of someone? Only time will tell.

This is a riveting novel with a disturbing and unsettling subject matter which highlights the immense damage of domestic violence. As someone who has witnessed both the short-term and long-term effects of violence in the home, I can vouch for the authenticity of the portrayal; it is clear Ms Diamond has thoroughly researched the topic. It is an interesting and captivating story albeit an emotional, heart-wrenching one and the twists and turns are done superbly with a lot of surprises and reveals throughout. The ending was the very definition of explosive and one I certainly did not see coming. This series continues to go from strength to strength and this is up there with some of the most thrilling reads in the genre. If you enjoy dark, twisted and unputdownable crime thrillers then this is a must-read. I eagerly await book number six. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.

Another great thriller!! Imagine you are out and about and come across a body in the water and they're miraculously alive! You're a detective and have made it your mission to help woman in danger because of experiences in your past. So this case ends up being personal to you. But how personal is too personal when working as a detective? How can you help those who can't be helped?!

A really good read although I had no idea it was the 6th in a series when I started to read it. It can be read as a stand alone but I feel I lost some of the background of the characters

But a good twisty and turny plot and I will go back and read the others in the series

This book is crazy good! I didn't know it was the 6th book in a series but it is a standalone as well. Now however I want to read the previous books to get the back story.
There is a lot going on in this story and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. Lots of strong subject matter going on here! Murder, abuse, rape to name a few! The author really out done herself on this one it is so well written. I highly recommend this book. It does not disappoint.

This is the sixth book in the DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles series from Katerina Diamond which are proving to be in a psychological class of their own. The story is set in Exeter.

DS Miles is driving home early one morning when he sees some activity by the river. He stops to see if he can help. There is something in the water but they can’t quite see what it is without climbing over. He does this and carefully goes forwards. As he gets closer, he can see it’s a body. He gets his phone out to call for help when he feels something around his ankle, then their eyes flicker and he realises they are alive. He tries to get them to dry ground while they await further help.

When the woman has been taken to hospital, it appears she has been badly beaten and cannot remember her name or who done it. Later on, she disappears from the hospital. After mounting a search in the hospital and surrounding area, there is no sign of her. DS Miles and DS Grey follow their only lead which leads them to the construction firm where Simon Glover worked before dying. They reckoned they had fired him but the officers thought something was off so wanted to speak to the boss, Reece Corrigan, who was at home. So they went there.

Upon arrival, he answered the door, dressed ready to go out and basically repeated what they had already been told. They then heard movement from upstairs and saw the woman from the hospital coming down the stairs, although she has tried to mask her injuries and ignores them, like she has never seen them before. They realise they must play along and come back to see her alone, later when he has gone to work. When she does talk to them, they get the feeling that she is hiding something. Perhaps she fears for her life? Did her husband beat her? Is he behind the death of Simon Glover? How do they get the proof? Angela refuses to help them any further with their enquiries. There must be a way to make some progress on this case surely? Why does Angela not want to live?

This was a brilliant read from start to finish, an absolute roller coaster of a ride. The writing was absolutely superb, a very sensitive subject was handled very well in my view and must have taken a lot of research into an area that can be quite taboo. I am loving this series, especially the main characters DS Miles and DS Grey.

I've read all of the books in the series and I absolutely love the relationship between Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey. Really enjoyed this even though it was quite disturbing in parts. I fervently look forward to more from Katerina Diamond.

POssibly the most emotionally manipulative book in the series. Hard hitting and full of tension, this book contains some harrowing scenes but ones that are sensitively played out. I loved the way in which the author explored the characters emotions, particularly Adrian Miles and the eponymous woman in the water, playing on their fears in drawing out the readers reaction.

It is a testing case, involving themes of abuse and murder, with a vile and dangerous perpetrator at the heart of everything that happens, possibly the worst foe that the team have yet faced. With shocking scenes throughout, this book takes readers on a slow journey through a puzzling and difficult case, but one that reflects the vile truth of domestic abuse situations. in which one partner controls everything the other does.

Full review to follow

Woman in the Water is a really impactful novel that sees the return of much-loved detectives Adrial Miles and Imogen Grey. I feel like you can still enjoy this novel as a standalone read, though there are various references that you won’t get if you haven’t read the previous ones. I don’t think it would affect the enjoyment of this riveting read, though, as I haven’t read all the books before myself – including the first one – and I really enjoyed this book.

I love the characters in the police team – especially Imogen and Adrian. Although they’re very different, they’re both really interesting and likable, and the relationship between them as colleagues and people has really changed.

The plot is as gripping and well researched as previous novels in this series. It’s a little different to many other books in this genre, because you know who is to blame, but everyone is trying to prove it before someone else gets hurt – this takes a bit away from the usual suspense and mystery, but it’s a bit of a different twist!

There are some really dark parts to this novel – one scene in particular which you’ll know when you read it – and I found myself feeling really shocked, which doesn’t happen that often, but I feel like it was portrayed in a respectful, undramatised way by the author. It certainly draws attention to a type of assault that is perhaps not included as much in most books, including crime novels.

This series always appeals to me as it does a great job of blending police procedural elements with character-centred plots. It’s not just Imogen and Adrian (and the rest of the police team) that we follow and find out more about – we also delve into the lives of the characters involved in the case, and their backgrounds, and it all makes for hugely entertaining and addictive reading. I raced through this novel in no time and am already really looking forward to book number 7!

Adrian and In oven are Detective partners who are secretly dating. Adrian saves a girl that is found nearly dead. He gets attached to this woman because his mom was abused as well. It really hits home with him and he wants to help. He goes to the hospital to check on her but she disappeared. Who is after her? Why is she so scared ?

Following a few breads, they pray a visit to Reece Corrigan, Gifford questioning only to see their Jane Doe is his wife. She has covered her bruises and pretends she does not recognize Adrian or Imogen. They play along but return later. She tells them to walk away. Reece is dangerous. People who question him come up missing. Adrian refuses to walk away and will stop wait nothing.


Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of the Woman In the Water in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a good, well written story but I didn’t expect it to have the kind of content that it did. Without spoiling anything, there was a particular crime committed against one of the main characters which took up much of the latter part of the book. I found it difficult to read because of that content and I was left feeling unsettled and a bit disturbed. It was left as though there may be a follow up book, but I’m not sure I would read it. Although it was a good book, it just wasn’t for me.

Wowee, I think this is the best of the Grey and Miles books I have read so far. I also just need to say this: Ms Diamond, how could you?!

The story opens with DS Adrian Miles rescuing a woman from an icy river. It seems she must be dead but amazingly she has survived. He feels really strongly about the woman as it seems like she has been a victim of some kind of violence and having grown up in an abusive household he is determined not to watch it happen to someone else.

Along with his partner, DS Imogen Grey, they start trying to find out who the woman is and how she ended up in the river. Not easy to begin with but as they start digging a story unfolds. That story follows a fairly standard path but with some deviations that made this a really rather chilling story. I’d already gleaned from other reviews that maybe something quite shocking was going to happen and it certainly does but it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I was horrified by this turn of events, more so I think because I had followed these characters across several books, but I thought the author dealt with it very well and very sympathetically.

Anyway, enough of that because I am definitely not going to spoil it for future readers. I found Woman in the Water to be absolutely gripping. The plot itself is disturbing and dark and there’s also the evolving relationship between Imogen and Adrian running alongside it. I like them both so much and I do hope that we’ll see more from them in the future. Katerina Diamond is a brilliant writer, constructing twisty crime thrillers with characters you can’t help but care about. This is one of only a couple of police procedural series I look forward to reading and this instalment had me completely absorbed.

I have been a fan of Katerina's work ever since I had the good fortune to pick up a copy of her first book 'The Teacher' a couple of years ago. Ever since then, I have avidly read, reviewed and loved every book that she has released. 'Woman In The Water' in the sixth book in the series featuring DS Imogen Grey. The book was released in e-format on 11th November 2019, with the paperback to follow on 9th January 2020. 'Woman In The Water' is another cracking episode in a series that goes from strength to strength and I flipping well loved it, but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about the detective pair of Detective Inspector Adrian Miles and Detective Sergeant Imogen Grey? Both are damaged souls in the sense that incidents have happened in their pasts which have affected them greatly and which still affect them to this day. They have worked together for quite a significant amount of time and they get on really well. I did think that when the series started they shared a sibling sort of relationship but their relationship has changed and progressed to a romantic relationship. The start of this book sees them keeping their relationship hidden from those they work with. Relationships between serving officers are not necessarily frowned upon but if discovered, the powers that be will send one of them to another area, which is not something that they want to happen. Both officers are determined, stubborn, tenacious, hard working, dedicated, compassionate and underneath the hard shell they have built around themselves as a defence mechanism, both detectives are very sensitive.
Oh my word, it took me next to no time to get into this book at all. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first page, I felt as though I was going to be in for one hell of a read and I was dead right too. When I met up again with Grey and Miles, I felt as though I had been reunited with old friends and colleagues. 'Woman In The Water' proved to be seriously addictive reading. I found it extremely difficult to put this book to one side for any length of time. I made the fatal mistake of starting to read the book shortly before I went to bed. Let's just say that sleep is overrated and I was left feeling very tired due to lack of sleep. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking or dreaming about the book. As soon as I got up, the book was in my hands and I was not to be disturbed. 'Woman In The Water' is one of those books that you want to race to the finish to find out how the story concludes but you don't want to get to the end because you are enjoying the book far too much. For me, 'Woman In The Water' really is a fast paced, adrenaline rush, page turner of a read and I loved it.
'Woman In The Water' is superbly written but then I find that to be the case with all of Katerina's books. Katerina certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and the start of 'Woman In The Water' is a shocking start to a book, which will stay fresh in my mind for a long, long time to come. For me, 'Woman In Water' hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. Katerina uses such vivid and realistic descriptions that I felt myself going through all the emotions that the characters went through. I found myself jumping out of my skin as I read one particular passage - similar to how I jumped when I watched 'Jaws' and the head fell out of the boat. The author certainly knows how to twist a story and make you shiver. I just wonder how twisted her mind can get......
Reading 'Woman In The Water' was like being on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. Just when you thought that you could reclaim your stomach contents, catch your breath, relax for a little while and gather your thoughts then off the action would go again. 'Woman In The Water' is one of those reads that is guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping, send your blood pressure through the roof and make your heart race and I blinking loved it.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Woman In The Water' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. The series featuring DS Imogen Grey and Detective Inspector Adrian Miles goes from strength to strength and gets better and better. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I will definitely be reading more of Katerina's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Another brilliant book by this author. Please give it a go and her other books. She writes well. Characters are believable and the story is gripping. Not to spoil the ending but it’s BRILLIANT!!!
5/5 on goodreads

DS Adrian Miles is on his way home from work when he sees a crowd down by the river. He goes to investigate & as he goes to remove what he thought was a body from the water, she grabs him. She has been badly beaten & has lost her memory. When another person is removed from the river they are not so lucky & this becomes a murder inquiry. Maybe it's because he rescued the' Jane Doe', maybe because of a childhood racked by domestic violence Adrian becomes more involved than he maybe should & his partner & lover Imogen Grey is worried he is becoming too involved.

This is the sixth in the series & I have enjoyed watching the characters grow. This was a very dark take of violence, both domestic & otherwise. One assault is particularly hard to read & it is hard to get out of your mind. Well done to Katerina Diamond for dealing with subjects that are hard to acknowledge.

It was a very good if disturbing read & the end leaves the reader wondering what is going to happen next in the series. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

An excellent read that I couldn’t put down. It covered an extremely sensitive issue that isn’t really talked about and did it incredibly well. The book is part of a series but read very well as a stand alone. However I really want to see how the characters develop and hopefully see one character work their way through the traumatic experience they suffered (trying not to give too much away!) so I will be continuing to read any future books in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Wow, wow, wow. I absolutely love this author and this series of books. I started halfway through with the angel then realised there were more books with Adrian Miles and imogen grey so I went back to the start and read them 1 by 1. They are all fantastic but this one really stood out for me. It's a sensitive subject matter but it's written wonderfully. I really can't wait for the next instalment and I hope there are many more books to come. Absolutely fantastic.

Here comes my first review of a book by the kind and famous Katerina Diamond!

After a chilling prologue, my meeting Adrian Miles was wet and scary. There was an undercurrent in the novel that I spotted right away. This uneasiness never left me. Sometimes was wrong. In fact, many things were wrong, and I was pulled into Imogen and Adrian’s lives by an invisible hand probably called ‘insane curiosity.’

The title is a literal reference to what DS Miles goes through quite early in the novel and I had the feeling I was under water throughout the entire novel. I could barely see where I was going, where the characters were going. I had the feeling the case was heavy on my chest and whenever I thought I could catch a spark of light, the author threw me a good punch to pull me back under the water!!!

Adrian and Imogen’s relationship is new to me, but their bubbles of sweetness turning to something different as they were first learning to dance on a different rhythm and then faced with a crossroad was both engrossing and painful to read. I like it when an author created characters I root for, and those two didn’t leave me cold!

The plot did nothing to keep my head over water! I imagined myself found half dead, then disappearing… What would drive someone to leave a woman in such conditions? What happened? Why won’t she give her name? What can she remember? I couldn’t figure out if she was to be trusted. Being left in the dark is my favorite thing… At least in books!!!

When suspicions are strong, but evidence is invisible, it can be infuriating and frustrating! Oh, how I wanted to see the main suspect fall from his homemade stage and be trampled on by elephants.
Graphic and violent scenes burned my eyes but they were relevant and the author dealt with them in a realistic way, only to bring the readers closer to the team.

If you enjoy tricky investigations, bad guys you’d like to kill yourself, and a winding path between what’s private and what’s professional, take a look at Woman in the Water!

Guys I read this book I think 3 or 4 books ago and it has taken me til now (and a few re writes) to get my review down. If you haven't read the previous books in the series please do as 1. you are missing out on great books and 2. the back story and character(s) I think are more meaningful if you have been through the previous books with them.

Detective Adrian Miles comes across a body in the water, a crowd are gawking and he calls it in only to discover the body is actually still alive, barely. The woman is beaten, has no recollection of what happened or how she got there and Adrian is really affected by this woman's plight. He and his partner (in more sense than one) Imogen Grey are on the case investigating. With reluctant witnesses and leads drying up, folk would rather go to unthinkable extremes than cooperate with the police.

Oh guys this is a hard one to review without going into spoilers which I never do. The story has multi dimensions to it, Adrian and Imogen's relationship, the investigation such as it is, their mystery woman, what happened to her and everything that follows once they pull her from the river. We also hear from the woman herself, her thoughts, revealing snippets as the book goes on, adding to the mystery.

The case has a huge impact on Adrian, domestic violence is something he grew up with and survived so something about this case, this woman, gets under his skin. Adrian has been known to react on emotions, behaving recklessly but he is a good cop and until now has always came out on top, his hunches pay off. The problem with things like this, the more you play with fire the likelier you are to be burned.

The case proves to be their hardest yet and has ramifications for both Miles and Grey, will Adrian's past spill into the present and can his and Grey's relationship survive this case? There are quite a few harrowing scenes in the book, domestic abuse is a huge part of it, violence, sexual abuse, coercion, murder and it is really hard hitting. If you have ever been in a domestic abuse relationship or loved anyone who has, the book evokes raw emotions, hence still thinking about it X amount of books later. Manipulation, power, the darker side of humanity - it is hard going and I think the reason it packs such a powerful punch is because we all know just how real this kind of "power" and abuse is. I don't think there will be one reader who hasn't been touched by some of these issues, either personally or by someone close to them. Hearing from the victim, seeing the actions and consequences it really makes you think about what exactly people go through and the long reaching impact traumas/experiences can have on us. Compelling, dark, emotive are just a few of the words to describe this roller coaster of a book, 4.5/5 for me this time.

This is the first book by Katerina Diamond and it was amazing. The story is well written describing the emotions of two police officers and the woman in the water. I have never read a book that described so graphically male rape and the after effects from this event. The main character is a despotic evil man out of all thinking proportions and the story involves making him pay for all his past deeds and trying to help the woman in the water who DS Adrian Miles rescued finding her half dead and he became heavily involved with her case as he could relate to his mother being abused by his father.
The book has made me shudder feeling the pain for DS Miles. I thought the ending was totally unexpected and loved the final twists.
I can’t wait to read of this series.

Wow!! This novel really packs a punch. Hard hitting, gritty and sometimes brutal, the subject matter is not for the faint hearted.
When a woman is found in the water barely alive it is up to the investigative team of DS Adrian Miles and DS Imogen Grey to discover who put her there and why. What they can’t anticipate is how this particular case will test their partnership both in and outside of work. The question is can they survive the harrowing events that follow??
As the investigation gets underway, it is clear who is to blame for the woman being found in the water. Meet Reece Corrigan, head of Corrigan construction. Evil through and through, he is the one to catch, but he proves to be one slippery fish, somehow always managing to evade the law. There is a wall of silence that surrounds this man. Can Grey and Miles infiltrate these defences and bring him to justice or will their efforts continually stall??
The writing is powerful, sometimes graphic as the storyline encompasses all kinds of evil from murder, physical violence,sexual assault and domestic violence so be warned! Whilst some scenes are quite difficult and disturbing to read, the tone is full of empathy for the characters that are mostly affected by the perpetrator at the centre of this storyline. Primarily the focus is on the woman found in the water, but much attention is paid to the character of DS Miles. He is laid bare as dealings with the Corrigan family unfold, exposing his vulnerability, his weaknesses, and a difficult childhood so that I became totally engrossed in how events affected him. I found his partner to be quite distant and cold so I couldn’t really warm to her but her loyalty is unwavering especially as DS Miles becomes a liability, a loose cannon,with his life slowly falling apart. Obviously the two storylines are connected; if he hadn’t discovered the woman in the water then he wouldn’t find himself dissolving and unraveling until he no longer recognises the man he has become. Probably all sounds rather cryptic but don’t want to give away too many spoilers.
Despite the tough subject matter I found this gripping enough to carry on through the more graphic scenes and I would definitely recommend. I think the author tackles some difficult issues with much sensitivity. The ending is unexpected on two levels and I couldn’t help but feel there were no winners.
My thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

Mature Adult Read.

This is a compelling, emotional, twisty thriller. Part of a series of detective stories featuring DS Mills and DS Grey. It reads well as a standalone police procedural, as enough backstory on the detectives is given to illuminate their relationship and the dynamic of the police investigation team.

The story begins with a drama and a mystery to be solved, then a murder which focuses on a local business empire. The story is primarily told from the two detectives point of view, with the woman in the water’s point of view solving bits of the mystery as the story progresses.

The turning point for the thriller occurs half-way through and involves a graphically described act of violence, which is unexpected in its ferocity. It alters the tone of the investigation and introduces an intensity not previously evident.

This is a pivotal moment in the story, but the description is brutal and horrible to read. Since this is my first book by this author, I’m not sure if her regular readers expect to read such gratuitous violence, I didn’t.

I read the second half of the story reeling from the previous violence. The ending has a few more twists, which I guessed. It still leaves loose ends, which will alter the focus of any books that follow.

An excellent story, which keeps you engaged, but the levels of violence will not be for everyone.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I didn’t realise this was part of a series but in my opinion it read well as a stand-alone. I found there were only a few call backs to previous books and these weren’t big, nor important to the plot of this book.

Adrian is heading home when he sees a group gathered around the river bank. He heads over, always on duty, and sees a woman in the water. Amazingly she’s alive, but when they get her to the hospital she claims she doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up in the water.

This story is different as you know who the bad guy is so there isn’t the who is it element, there is however a when will they be caught!

There is an attack which is handled sensitively but may be a trigger for some readers.

I enjoyed the book and would look out for others by this author

Woman in the Water
Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey #6
by Katerina Diamond 

Kindle Edition, 432 pages
Published November 11th 2019 by Avon


Goodreads synopsis:
The Sunday Times bestselling author of The Teacher and Truth or Die is back with a new twisty crime thriller.

I’m alive. But I can’t be saved . . .

When a woman’s body is found submerged in icy water, police are shocked to find she is alive. But she won’t disclose her name, or what happened to her – even when a second body is discovered. And then she disappears from her hospital bed.

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey follow their only lead to the home of Reece Corrigan, and when his wife Angela walks in, they immediately recognisze her. She’s the woman from the river, with her injuries carefully masked.

The more they dig into the couple, the less they understand about them.

Why have people in their past been hurt, or vanished?

And why doesn’t Angela want to be saved?

Smart, shocking and twisty – perfect for fans of Cara Hunter and Karin Slaughter.

***

4.75 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey series by Katerina Diamond.

All I can say is WOW. What a pulsating thrill ride. This series will never be the same after this!

The book starts out with Adrian Miles saving a woman from drowning. She clings to him and seems so innocent. Don’t’ be fooled. This woman is mega complex and the more you get to know about her the more screwed up her life seems. I am marveling at how the plot twists and turns in this police procedural/thriller. I don’t want to give a lot away but WOW! This is scary stuff.

I am not sure the relationship between Adrian and Imogene will ever be the same after a huge twist in the storyline. When all is wrapped up with the case, Adrian is still at odds with his feeling about being a cop. I am worried. Will this mean the end for Imogene and Adrian? Will he ever find a way past his fears? Time will tell. The next book cannot come fast enough for me. I have so many questions.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Amazing! This made me want to read more by Katerine Diamond! My favourite part about mysteries and thrillers is when I'm caught completely off guard (in a good way), and this one did not disappoint!

This is book #6 in the Imogen Grey series. It can however be read as a standalone book without reading any of the previous books in the series. I have read some of the previous books, but to be honest I couldn’t remember Imogen Grey’s character. As soon as I started the book though, the previous storylines came back into my memory and I fell comfortably back into the characters and, of course, the story!

I really liked Imogen’s character and her relationship with Adrian Miles, both in work and as a couple, was really interesting and showed how difficult it is sometimes to work with someone who you are also seeing! This story does revolve a lot around DS Miles and how much he is affected by finding the woman in the water, Angela Corrigan. Finding her obviously brings to the surface feelings and emotions from his past which Miles had been keeping very deeply buried, and this then in turn causes problems in his relationship with Imogen.

This book is a tough, hard read and there are some subjects covered in the story which may cause upset to some, but it is all written and dealt with sensitively. It was obvious who the killer was early on in the story, but following all the characters through the story was interesting and emotional and held my interest right through to the very end. The story was fast paced and with quick chapters before I knew it I was half way through the book. This author has a definite knack of writing stories which twist and turn, make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and keep you on your toes following the story. The characters are great and many of them you can really relate to. Full of tension and suspense, this is definitely the book for you if you love a dark, twisted and shocking read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to continue with Imogen Grey’s story.

Woman In The Water is the first book I’ve read by Katerina Diamond and this definitely didn’t disappoint. I wasn’t aware for some reason that this was part of a series but having read it I think you can definitely read it as a stand-alone book.
Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey are the main characters and although there have been other books in this series I haven’t read I got the feeling I wasn’t left in the dark too much about there working relationship. The book starts with a bang really and from that point doesn’t really slow at any point. This is the first book for a while I actually wanted to pick up and finish which was refreshing. There is a horrific attack that happens and is quite upsetting to read but did make me think about others that have been in this situation and how time isn’t really the greatest healer.
I will be looking out for the next in the series as I can’t imagine it stopping at this one and will probably try and read previous ones as well.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited about this tour i have read previous works by Katerina and i forgot just how bloody brilliant they are.



Woman in the Water is a deeply dark horrific read that shocks the reader and that is what makes it so good.



Detective Adrian Miles pulls a woman from a river who is barely alive - she wont tell the police anything, her name, how she got there or what is going on. Struggling to locate her, when they find another body - it soon becomes a murder investigation. The police have very few leads but when they follow the one they have and come face to face with the woman from the hospital. Angela tries to warn the police off but its not something they are going to let go.



I forgot how dark Katerina can be and i did not expect this read to shock me, it was gripping, it was shocking and i didnt see it coming at all. Katerina writes characters that are evil, scary and just down right wrong but she also writes ones with good in their heart who only want to do right.



I was fascinated by the way she managed to write such dark things so well, and tackled them in a way that felt real but respected those who may have suffered themselves. She handled situations so well and as a reader you felt like it was a crime drama on the tv as you read through. If you want a thriller that doesnt give you answers until the very last page with shocking outcomes then this is the one for you.

I loved this police procedural. So well written despite the dark horror behind this story. A unique tale with a big strong wham of a twist. Strong characters and a wonderful side story of the two detectives on the case. A great read.

I dont have enough words to tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It had everything I want from a novel; fantastic characters, a baddy to hate, well written plot with twists and turns, an ending you would never guess and writing that ensures even the most difficult topics are covered with sensitivity. A 5* review for a 5* book. One of my top reads of the year!

I just finished reading Woman in the Water, by author Katerina Diamond -
From Avon Books UK

First of all I must state that I have not read anything from this author before, and it will not be my last!

A great writing style, which kept me engaged throughout the book. Quite a few shocking elements, and some brutally hard to handle crime, that is very descriptive.

Fear, danger and control with lots of evil. All together a very good book.

Thanks to the author, and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy.

#NetGalley

From the minute this book starts it really does not let up, I've been constantly surprised by the turns it has took and while this does deal with some uncomfortable issues I think the author has done a fantastic job of dealing with it in a very sensitive manner. About halfway through this book turns into a complete game changer of a read and it totally changes the tone of this book, it's dark and totally sinister and even though it is super hard and shocking to read it's done in a way that makes you feel so much for the characters.

I've loved getting to know Miles and Grey and seeing there relationship struggle while they're working this case I'm actually super intrigued about how they got together and think I will start this series from the beginning even though this can 100% be read as a standalone. Another thing I loved about this book was that it was a will they get enough evidence to put the killer away rather than a whodunit, which was a nice change.

I honestly think that first chapter will completely suck you in, and the rest is just such a read. I will say be prepared going in though It's a tough read.

Thank you so much to Sabah and the publishers at Avon for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

This was the best book by far! I loved the whole build up of the book. The characters of Adrian and Imogen and their new relationship as a couple and not just work colleagues was explored well including the difficulties that can bring. The attack on Adrian and the aftermath was so well written I felt my heart ache for the problems it caused him emotionally and physically, how it affected his self belief and his relationships with colleagues, friends and lover. I am looking forward to reading the next instalment

This is another fantastic thriller from Avon Books. I’m really impressed with the standard of books I’ve reviewed for them recently. There’s so much I loved about this book. There is intrigue created around Angela, the woman found in the water and her dark and creepy home life. It’s clear to the detectives that she’s been beaten by her husband. However, she refuses to speak out against him and there are no witnesses so it’s a hopeless situation. Just how did Angela end up in the water? Is the second body connected to Angela? Exactly what is Reece hiding and why does he have such power over the people around him? This is one of those books where so much happens and there are multiple possibilities due to misdirection and clues that may be false. There are some harrowing scenes when one of the detectives discovers the price for rattling Reece’s cage. I’ve never read something quite like this and it’s handled brilliantly. I thought I knew what the book was about until the rug is pulled out right from under me towards the end and Angela and Recce’s dark secret is revealed. I got a severe case of the creeps and I’m still shuddering. I cannot fault one single thing about this. It’s a corker.

Another interesting dark and twisted murder mystery by Katerina Diamond. When a young woman is discovered barely alive in a river after a brutal attack and immediate investigation is launched to find out who she is and what happened. When the body of a man is also then found in a river and the young woman goes missing it sets off a chain of events and introduces the police to a very dangerous man who is not scared of the law and keeping more secrets and lies than they ever believed possible.

I am a huge devotee of the Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey series by Katerina Diamond and I think this could possibly be the one I have most enjoyed so far. The Woman In The Water is a dark and gritty police procedural with real characters and a punchy story-line.

In this sixth instalment, Adrian Miles is travelling home when he spots a body submerged in icy water, and is shocked to find she is alive. The battered woman is taken to hospital where she refuses to give her name and says that she cannot remember what happened to her. When a second body, a young male, is found further down the river, the battered woman disappears from her hospital bed. Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey follow their only lead to Reece Corrigan's home looking for answers. They receive an unpleasant surprise when they arrive, to find that the woman Adrian rescued is no other than Corrigan's wife.

The author's writing was powerful, and often graphic as the story-line encompassed all kinds of evil from murder, domestic violence, sexual assault, and physical violence. Whilst some scenes were quite difficult and disturbing to read, the tone was full of empathy for the characters.

Primarily the focus is on the woman found in the water, but a great deal of attention is also centred on DS Miles. He is vulnerable as dealings with the Corrigan family transpire, revealing his weaknesses and a difficult childhood, so that I became totally engrossed in the way events were affecting him. I loved that Imogen's loyalty to him was unwavering, especially as Adrian became something of a liability. The two story-lines are interlinked; if Adrian hadn’t stumbled across the woman in the water then he wouldn’t have found himself falling to pieces until he is no longer able to recognise himself.

This was a remarkable and captivating story albeit an emotional, heartrending one and the twists and turns were brilliantly executed with heaps of surprises and reveals throughout. The ending was explosive and totally unexpected. This super series continues to go from strength to strength and is up there with some of the most thrilling reads in the genre. If attention-grabbing, dark, and twisted crime thrillers are your thing, then Woman in the Water must not be missed! I longingly await book number seven.

This review was written voluntarily and was not influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Avon Books via NetGalley.

This is a book that really made its mark on me this year and is a standout read in this genre. Honestly, I think the author has been so brave in this book in tackling the subjects she does, and does so so sensitively that I found it quite moving and affecting and I was left in awe at the skill and talent she exhibits.

It is going to be quite hard to write the review of this book that I’d like to without including any spoilers, so you’ll have to forgive me if I am a little vague, you really need to pick up the book and read it for yourselves.

The book is shocking and gripping from the opening as a woman is found, barely alive, in freezing water. DS Miles plucks her from the river and, immediately, he becomes closely involved in the investigation into who she is and how she got there. This is a case which stirs up issues from his past and causes tensions in his blossoming relationship with DS Grey, who is trying to understand the effect the case is having on him.

I really loved the closely woven storylines of the police investigation and the personal relationship between DS Miles and DS Grey. This book is as much about the police officers and the effect it has on them as it is about the crime, the victim and the perpetrator, and I think this is refreshing and important because it is very easy to forget that police officers are, first and foremost, human beings with the same problems, hangups and issues as the rest of us and that the things they see and the matters they have to deal with can have profound effects on them and their mental state and they deserve help, support and compassion.

This book is not always an easy read, and may be triggering for some because of its subject matter, but the author deals with the issues sensitively. There are some extremely shocking scenes in the book, even for someone who has not been directly affected by these issues, but they are never gratuitous and always necessary for the story and I applaud the way they are handled, but equally, she isn’t pulling any punches with this book and the reader needs to be ready to be shocked and appalled. This is how it should be, because some things in life are shocking and appalling.

This author is skilled at developing characters we acre about, and the relationship between the two main detectives is one in which her readers cannot help being invested, and I really can’t wait to see where this is going following the climax of this book. She has really upped the stakes for them here, and fans of the author’s books will not be at all disappointed with this latest instalment. If you haven’t read any of Katerina’s books before, what are you waiting for?

I’ll admit since the first moment that I love the stories of the detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey, so maybe my review will be a little biased. There are some detectives that stole your heart since the first moment and for me Katerina Diamond’s characters are one of those! 😉
Because this is a disturbing and twisted story, not an easy read, let’s be honest, but be prepared for a very addictive and surprising read.
A woman appears almost dead in the water, with no memory at all and not really eager to help the police to discover who she really is. What is she hiding? When a body appears near where she was found the police start investigating both cases; are they related?
We will know who the killer is quite early on the book, but this doesn’t make the book less interesting or without twists, because with Katerina Diamond books you will never miss the twists.
I’ll have to advise you that this is the sixth book of the series, you can read it as standalone, yes, but you’ll miss the connections between the characters and how they are influenced by the cases. So, I would really recommend you to start the series from the beginning, they are worth every page.
There were some difficult scenes to read on this book, but the author, as always, has done an amazing work relating the most difficult situations and you’ll feel an extensive range of feelings while you read this book, not all of them good. But that’s why I love Ds Imogen Grey books, they always surprise me and keep me waiting for more!
Ready to discover the Woman in the Water?

Thank you for letting me review this title. I have read and enjoyed all KD’s book, this one included.

When the blurb says it has a psychological twist that you will never see coming, I never believe it’s going to be a shock. This one however left me with my mouth hanging open!

I thought I knew what was going to happen but how wrong was I!!!

The scene halfway through the book is absolutely heartbreaking and made me so emotional!

A fantastic book, I can’t wait for the follow on

When a woman is discovered submerged in freezing water, the police are shocked to find that she is still alive. With her refusing to confirm her identity, even after the body of another person is found nearby, the police are at a loss as to how to proceed. This is made even more complicated when she disappears from her hospital bed. Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey pursue their only lead at the home of the Corrigans, but this only leads to more unanswered questions. Can their secrets be uncovered before time runs out for everyone involved?

I have been aware of Katerina Diamond’s books for some time, but for some reason, have never read any of them. I am now kicking myself as I have definitely been missing out! Woman in the Water is the sixth book in this series, but if, like me, you haven’t read the previous five, please don’t be put off as it can be read as a standalone – you don’t need any previous knowledge of the characters to enjoy this one!

Woman in the Water is, essentially, a book about abuse, power and the abuse of power. The detectives discover quite early on who is behind the death of the man and the near-death of the woman, but with people refusing to speak out, there is no case for him to answer. For Adrian Miles in particular, this became increasingly infuriating and I could understand his reluctance to take the advice he was given and why it became a personal mission to get this man behind bars.

This book does not shy away from controversy and deals with several taboo subjects. One scene, in particular, will remain with me for a long time as it is rare that I am close to tears when reading a crime novel. We realise what is about to happen at the same time as the character involved and this created a powerful, heart-wrenching moment which caused the need to gather my thoughts before reading on. I applaud the author for dealing with this issue and also the brave people who are acknowledged at the end of the book. This highly-charged, emotional scene was written with sensitivity, as were the consequences.

I raced through this book in three sittings as I became so invested in the plot and the need to see justice served. This may have been my first Katerina Diamond book, but it will definitely not be my last.

Woman in the Water by Katerina Diamond was a cracking read. This is the 6th book in the detective series of Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey and I have found these books within this brilliant series are just getting better and better.
I just loved it............before I knew it the birds were singing outside my window and it was time for me to get up! Katerina's books should come with warning signs - Don't start reading them before you go to bed. So glad It was the weekend!

This book also covers domestic abuse, violence and rape and I found it difficult to read in places, as Katerina has written very graphic scenes throughout. It's not for the faint hearted. It is full of great twists and turns that worked well within the story.

I would highly recommend you read these books in order to get the most of the main characters but you can read it as a stand alone book. All the characters are brilliant and become a great part of this book. I can't give too much away about Woman in the Water, bar its a brilliant read and comes highly recommended.

Big Thank You to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Woman in the Water is the sixth book in the DS Imogen Grey series. Grey’s partner DS Adrian Miles, is on his way home when he sees a group of women looking at something in the water, and on closer inspection it is the body of a young woman. Barely alive DS Miles pulls her from the river and she is rushed to hospital. She insists she doesn’t now who she is or how she got there, but Grey and Miles are not convinced and when another body is found their Jane Doe disappears from her hospital bed. No one has reported her missing, and their investigations into both attacks leads them to the owner of Corrigan Construction, and others connected who have disappeared or been hurt. Full of action, with plenty of surprises along the way, this fast. paced thriller had me gripped.

It has been quite a while since I picked up a Katerina Diamond book, I seem to have been busy reviewing and neglected her books that I have on my shelf. I was surprised to see that this was he sixth book in the DS Imogen Grey series, I have only read the first book, but found this really easy to read as a standalone and didn’t feel I missed anything. In this book DS Grey and DS Miles have become romantic partners as well as professional which adds a different dynamic to the book. As the investigation continues, and Grey and Miles feel their way through this new relationship, the lines become blurred and the two start to overlap. Adrain came from a background of domestic abuse and this case gets personal for him, wanting to save the victim like he tried to save his mother. His judgement becomes flawed and as Imogen tries to cover his back as his behaviour becomes erratic, tensions arise between them.

Katerina Diamond’s plot is wonderfully complex and very dark at points. She certainly doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, like domestic violence and rape which she delivers with brutal realism. The investigation is fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns as it built towards a conclusion I really didn’t see coming, which was shockingly brilliant.

Woman in the Water is deliciously dark, full of suspense and totally gripping. The developing romance of Grey and Miles adds a new dynamic to their professional relationship and tension to the plot as the two overlap. Out in January I encourage you to get clicking and pre order this gritty and gripping crime thriller.

I knew when I requested WOMAN IN THE WATER that was the sixth in the DS Imogen Grey series and, although I prefer to read a series in order and having only read the first book "The Teacher", it didn't deter me from reading it in this case. Why? Because Katerina Diamond always knows how to pack a punch! And I knew it would be worth the read regardless...and I wasn't wrong.

TRIGGER WARNING:
Domestic violence and rape.

DS Adrian Miles was on his way home one evening when he was sequestered by a group of women standing by a bridge. Upon investigating he discovered the body of a woman who had been badly beaten partially submerged in the icy water. What is even more surprising is that she is still alive! She is taken directly to hospital where she remains under police guard but when questioned they discover that she has no recollection of who she is, what happened or how she ended up in the river. But the bruises and marks on her body tell the tale of a woman in an abusive relationship. Having been the one to initially pull her to safety, Adrian feels somewhat responsible for the young woman and pledges to find out who she is and what happened to her.

When the badly mutilated body of a dead male is discovered in the river close by to where their "Jane Doe" was found, Adrian and Imogen are then tasked with the investigation into his murder. The similarities of their wounds and the close proximity in which they were both found leads the pair to believe they are related. After questioning Jane Doe in the hospital once again with the photo of the male, she claims no knowledge as to his identity or how he got there. A short time later, Jane Doe absconds from the hospital and, with no idea who she is or where she has run to (or from), Adrian and Imogen have no way of tracking her down.

When the male is soon identified as missing man Simon Glover, investigations lead them to Leon Quick with whom Simon had worked alongside at a construction company in Exeter some six months previously. But when Adrian and Imogen arrive to question Leon, he is so clearly terrified that instead of revealing why, he picks up a knife and stabs himself in the chest, bleeding out in Imogen's arms. What had Leon so terrified that he would much rather die than tell them?

Deeper digging lead them to Corrigan Construction, where both men were previously employed, and initial questioning at the company point them in the direction of their founder and managing director, Reece Corrigan. When Adrian and Imogen knock on his door they didn't expect to recognise the woman coming down the staircase as their Jane Doe. All traces of her battered body covered by expensive designer clothing, Angela Corrigan pretends to have never seen the two police detectives before. Her face is a mask of stony indifference. Picking up her silent pleas, Adrian and Imogen play along with her charade knowing she must have a very good reason for her pretense.

It is clear from the outset that Angela is a battered wife so the pair know to tread carefully in cases such as these. However, it also strikes somewhat closer to home for Adrian with his own family past and this causes him to take the case personally...especially when it comes to Angela's safety. He still feels responsible for her. So watching the house, they wait for Reece to leave before returning to question Angela alone. But they are up against years of conditioning to even come close to breaking down the walls Angela has built up around herself. And no matter how much they question her, or their promises to keep her safe, Angela refuses to help...knowing that there is nothing anyone can do. This is her life. This is her fate. Helping her will only cost other people dearly...just as it had cost Simon his life.

It is clear from this point on that Reece Corrigan is guilty as sin but the question is how do they get him without putting Angela in harm's way? His obvious methods of abuse have kept her in line for years, he knows she won't step out of it now. The man is a narcissistic piece of work who knows no boundaries when it comes to protecting his status, his life and his position. He really believes he is untouchable...and what's more important is that Angela also believes he is untouchable. When deeper investigations reveal that anyone who tried to befriend or help Angela came off second best...by losing a limb, through an accident on site, or even losing their life. Angela knew this and refused to help police for fear of what that would mean for them.

But Adrian refuses to back down. He will not let a bully like Corrigan intimidate him or get away with abusing his wife. He resolves to find a way to get Corrigan one way or another and sets about digging into his financials, his business and his past. But Adrian has underestimated Corrigan's power, just as Angela had feared he would, and one night when walking home from the pub he senses someone following him. Too late, he is beaten and bundled into a van. Who are these people? What do they want with him? When realisation dawns, Adrian knows he must accept his fate if is to get out of this alive.

In the midst of everything is the relationship between Adrian and Imogen. They are partners, they are best friends and now they are lovers. But it is still secret. Or is it? It seems more than one person has cottoned on to thei "not-so-secret" relationship, so what does this mean for their partnership? Even more so, what does this for their relationship? I did get a little irritated with Imogen constantly second guessing and questioning their relationship. It just seemed to go in circles and never go anywhere. It was a little annoying. But on the other hand, I wish Adrian would confide in Imogen. I really don't see why he doesn't. I know I'm not a man and don't think like they do, but doesn't it go without saying? Especially when they resolved to keep no secrets from each other.

One of my favourite aspects with this series, as well as Diamond's writing style, is that she gives us all aspects of the story while still keeping just enough hidden from full view. I love how we get not only the police procedural side of the investigation but also the various other players in the story. I feel it gives the whole story more depth rather than just a wooden procedural that tells readers nothing else but the investigation. And I especially loved the "alternate" chapters from Angela's perspective as we got to catch a glimpse into her world and just how confining it really is.

While I haven't read any of the books in between I still found WOMAN IN THE WATER easy to follow and completely addictive. I may not have all the backstory of each of the characters and I honestly don't remember DS Adrian Miles had he featured in "the Teacher", but even so, this did not deter my enjoyment of this compelling thriller at all. It has prompted me to try to find time to catch up on them.

A hard-hitting police procedural that pulls no punches, WOMAN IN THE WATER is gripping from the very start. It is fast-paced with short snappy chapters that leave you wanting more as you continue to turn pages long into the night.

It is incredibly difficult to review this book without giving away any spoilers and even though we know who the bad guy is throughout much of the story, we are still treated to a massive twist at the end with a surprise revelation most will not see coming! Admittedly, I had begun to piece it together...but only towards the end...and only through some weird coincidence in thinking that there had to be something else - something so shocking under normal circumstances that would seem right at home in a Katerina Diamond thriller. And she did not disappoint. That was a twist and it was shocking...but it was brilliant!

If you love your thrillers or police procedurals dark, disturbing and twisted, then you will love WOMAN IN THE WATER! It's Katerina Diamond at her best...even though I've only read one other. I loved this book, aside from the few flaws, as I think the rest of the book far outweighs them anyway. I look forward to seeing where her next book in this series takes us.

Highly recommend!!

I would like to thank #KaterinaDiamond, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for an ARC of #WomanInTheWater in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been aware of this author for a while, mainly from seeing their book covers, but not read any of their books until now, something that is going to have to change after reading this book. I loved the sound of the book, the blurb had that intriguing quality that tells you a lot but barely gives anything away. Clearly it worked as I read the book in a day, and I don’t mean 24 hours in total, I mean I started it on Sunday afternoon and was finished by the time I went to bed, so literally one day.

This book is definitely twisty. I’m not going to describe it as action packed or fast paced or anything so dramatic because there are scenes where the police are questioning people and retracing their steps because they hope they’ve missed something, nothing action packed about that. However, there is an underlying tension throughout the book, from the first page I was hooked and wanted to know more. The story starts with the woman being found in the water and instantly that raised so many questions. The writing pulls you in in a way that means you don’t even notice you’re hooked until you are and by then it’s too late to stop or get out, you have to see this through to the end whether you want to or not.

There is something about this book, it’s dark and twisty and when I’d read it I wanted to read something different, something to soothe my troubled brain. Although what I chose was more crime fiction, this time historical, I picked it because it is part of a series I know well and is something I can rely on to not leave me feeling slightly traumatised at the end. I’m not being naive, I’m well aware that the events in this book happen to people everyday, I’ve had experience of some of them myself. However, there’s a difference between being aware of them and reading about them, especially when the events and the characters reactions to them are written as well as they have been in the book.

I’m not sure I’m explaining this very well so I’ll try again. What this book does is draw you in stealthily so you don’t realise it’s happening till it’s too late. It also puts you in the shoes of the characters and makes you view their experiences from their perspectives so you get a deeper understanding of how they feel and why they are reacting the way they are to what is happening/has happened. It then throws out everything you thought was the truth and presents you with a new, unexpected one and then leaves you reeling from what you’ve experienced and with no support as the characters are getting on with their lives and don’t even know you exist. Hence why I went for something familiar and comforting (for me) for my next read. I think that’s a better explanation, if you’re not sure then maybe you should read the book for yourself and see if you can write something more coherent than this……..