Andrew Diamond does a fantastic job in writing this book, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters were well written and worked in the genre. I was engaged with what was happening and thought the overall feel was so well done.

When the USA finds itself with a massive power outage, it brings out the best and worst of humanity. The temperature is soaring, food and water is running low and there are signs of a civil war beginning. Sean Riggs, a programmer/hacker, has lost his job with the energy provider, so some are reluctant to believe him when he claims to have discovered a virus in their software. The tension between Sean and Anya, a Homeland Security agent, brings a human aspect to the plot, amongst an awful lot of technical information and jargon. Sean's sort-of-girlfriend, Danielle, is a great character; feisty and determined, I liked her a lot.

In some ways, this book felt dystopian, and in others, such as the way that Ray Cooper, a vile man, treats his wife and his beliefs about women's place in society, it felt like going back in time to the 1950s! I was pleased when the story moved past the technical talk and the pace of the plot sped up.

This is the kind of book that you read and then think to yourself that it actually could happen - well it has! In Spain earlier this year, when there was a three-day blackout. Makes you think!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Andrew Diamond and Stolen Time Press for an ARC of this book.

This Story Will Grab You And Not Let Go

Andrew Diamond has written a story that begins by introducing you to the characters in such a way that you feel an instant connection with them. Sean the hero, Danielle the naive and bubbly love interest, Del the congenial and hard working tech, and Ray the obnoxious manager are well developed and form the core of the story. As I got to know them I found myself drawn into the entire plot as it developed around the mysterious code found in the computers running the power grid. No one seems to know where the code came from, what it’s supposed to do, or why it keeps showing up. Sean instinctively knows it portends problems and it has continued to haunt him even though he no longer works for the company.

If you like a well written story that draws you into the plot as it builds toward the conclusion you’re going to love reading Grid Zero as much as I did.

Thank you, NetGalley and Andrew Diamond for an advance copy of Grid Zero. This is my honest review.

I have read every book written by Andrew Diamond, So I am happy for this opportunity to read the ARC. Thanks to the Author, NetGalley and the Publisher. The book starts with a apocalypse-like scenario due to power outage. It is scary as people are deprived of basic amenities that we take for granted. The power is restored, meanwhile a determined hacker Sean Riggs uncovers a code which shouldnt have been there in the software that runs the power grid. His curious mind already has put him in trouble, twice. The author gives an authentic view of the working of power grids. However, I don't think the printed software manual of a power grid would be available to anyone.
I found the pacing and narration inconsistent. Recommended to fans of techno-thrillers

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting me an ARC of Grid Zero. My first book by this author and I really enjoyed it!

I liked the writing style and the story flowed well. Absolutely loved Danielle, I think we would get on well 🤣

Ray was possibly the most repulsive character I’ve ever met in a book, and I read a lot of books with murderers in!

I gave this 4 stars as I did sometimes get a bit lost in the technical jargon. I would also liked to have had a final update on Donna and her son, I hope they had a happy ending after all that time putting up with Ray and his violence and attitude.

An enjoyable read.

This is a complex and frightening plot. It really makes you think about how the world is now. Characters are well written b

Blackouts, sweltering heat and a threat to the power grid

Grid Zero starts with a power outage affecting North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, DC, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and parts of New Jersey. Two hurricanes caused flooding and damaged trees, which took down the grid. Nine days after the second storm, Empire Energy is working nonstop to restore the power. They still don’t know the extent of the damage. Thirty million people are running out of food and water. The temperature is soaring to the high 90s. Empire discovers a virus in their power systems. Now the FBI and Homeland Security are on the hunt for the hacker.

Sean Riggs is a young computer engineer with an endless curiosity. Anya Lakhani is a persistent Homeland Security investigator following up on minor leads in Empire’s security breach. Both are urgently working to discover what is going on at Empire before a worse disaster strikes.

Andrew Diamond has created compelling characters and a plausible threat to the power grid. It is easy to imagine the desperation of people trapped in this scenario. He ratchets up the tension to keep you racing to the finale. For those who like their apocalyptic thrillers with a touch of “Oh no, that could happen!”. Guaranteed to keep you thinking long after you finish.

Thank you to Stolen Time Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC.

I found this book to be a very interesting read with many intriguing facets to it — power blackouts, computer viruses, budding romance and one of the most despicable characters in literature (Ray Cooper.) The character's are well defined and the reader actually feels as if he/she knows them. I can easily recommend this book and thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 STARS!!

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley & Stolen Time Press for this advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.

Back-to-back hurricanes knocks out the power along the Eastern Coast, leaving thousands in the dark & dying. A breach in the system is discovered. We have Ray Cooper - a software engineer manager & Sean Riggs - a software engineer who is reckless & gone rogue by hacking with a federal agent hunting him down. Who is the real bad guy?

I absolutely loved Danielle's bubbly personality & some of the things she said had me laughing out loud! I also loved her dynamic with Sean.

It went a little slow at the start, but became a page turner around 46% in! The cyber/tech terms & explanations did take a minute to getting used to, but Andrew did a great job at explaining the complexity of it so non-tech people will also be able to understand it & also keeping the reader intrigued. The characters were well developed & lovable.

I was satisfied by the ending, though some may want to know what happened with Donna?

I can easily see this book becoming a Grade 12 book to read in schools. Very well written! I would definitely recommend this book to those who are into cyber thillers/disaster books. Quick, easy read. Well done Mr. Diamond!

I love a good disaster/thriller book so I picked this one up. Basically, in this book, the power grid in part of the United States has gone out due to two hurricanes back to back. People are dying, and things are getting a bit dire. You meet the main characters as they are trying to deal with this situation. There is some concern with a computer system breach at the power plant and trying to figure out if there is really something to worry about or not. This is a very thrilling book that makes you anxious to find out what’s happening. I enjoyed the main characters. They were well fleshed out. I was happy with the ending and I would recommend this book. I want to thank Net Galley and Stolen Times Press for giving me this advanced reader copy for an honest review.

After back-to-back hurricanes knock out the power along the Eastern Coast, U.S. federal agencies become involved in a potential breach of security at a company managing a regional power grid. Are the two events related?

As you read the book, you'll discover that the answer to that question is as complex as the plot twists and turns.

Fair warning: This book will draw you in and you'll have a difficult time letting go. Make sure you save it for a long weekend.

if you’re into quick witted cyber thrillers with morally messy characters, you’ll love this. It’s about a rogue hacker trying to stop a terrorist attack on the power grid while a federal agent is hunting him down—and it’s up to you to decide who the good guy is.

It’s giving The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Mr. Robot had a weirdly compelling baby. The tech stuff actually feels realistic, like the author actually knows how hacking works and SPOILER! It’s not the Hollywood drama version. It was a little slow at the beginning and the tech stuff was difficult to get into, but that’s par for the course. I would’ve loved to learn more about different side characters but the tension was nice and held very well.

If you like stories that make you question who’s really in control—and what “security” even means anymore—this one will hit

A clever and realistic techno thriller with an interesting premise. The story revolves around a sinister plot to cripple the northeast seaboard power lines. Well written characters and a fast paced satisfactory narrative.

Overall, a good read with very interesting, well-developed characters and an intriguing plot.

Andrew Diamond does a great job of creating characters who are relatable and relevant to the plot. In Grid Zero, protagonist Sean Riggs, an introverted intellectual is unwittingly partnered with Danielle Duval, a bubbly optimist. Placed in a setting of rural Virginia where an extended power outage is turning deadly, the initial storyline is one of basic survival. The plot quickly evolves to suspense and intrigue, as Sean uncovers a plot to cripple the Northeastern US power grid.

The story moved slowly through the first third of the book; substantial detail (too much in my opinion) was given on the workings of the electrical power system and the complexities of software code. However, the pace quickened considerably as the story moved along, eventually becoming a page turner.

I would like to have known what happened to Ray Cooper's wife, since there was much emphasis on her character early in the story. Bringing her back in at the end would have enhanced the close of the novel.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who enjoy realistic mystery-thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and Stolen Time Press for the advance reader copy, in exchange for this objective review. #NetGalleyARC #NetGalley #GridZero #StolenTimePress #IBPA

Riveting, edge of your seat action and suspense.
When a power outage plunges much of the East Coast into darkness, Sean knows there is more to
the story behind it than the local and govt officials want the public to know.
Besides being a very high performing tech worker, Sean is a hacker who discovers a nefarious
code embedded in the Empire Energy coding system that controls the output and stability of the
energy grid. He believes that the outage is a direct result of coding interference and that a larger, more deadly and prolonged outage will follow, engineered by the same people behind the current outage.
In a race against time, he is on the run, bring sought by the FBI and Homeland Security as a person of interest.
GREAT story.
Diamond did a terrific job of walking you through the technical and highly confusing coding descriptions which
added fabulous authenticity and believability to the story.