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Zero Trust
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26307 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Rania Stone
19 books49 followersRania Stone is a psychological thriller author and co-founder of Imagine Greece Retreats.
Specializing in atmospheric suspense, Rania crafts stay-up-all-night mysteries inspired by the rugged, sun-drenched landscapes of the Mediterranean. Her work explores the tension between beauty and danger, drawing on the hidden corners of the Greek islands she calls home. She is the author of seven novels and twelve children's books, with work translated into German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Turkish, and Portuguese.
When she isn't plotting her next twist, Rania hosts immersive creative retreats through Imagine Greece Retreats — from the white-washed cliffs of Santorini to the lush valleys of France — where writers find their voice through the transformative power of travel.
She is also the founder of two reader communities, Travel in Greece and The Thriller Book Retreat, where she connects with mystery enthusiasts from around the globe.
Official Website: www.imaginepress.org
The Retreats: www.imaginegreeceretreats.com
Communities: Join Travel in Greece and The Thriller Book Retreat on Facebook for exclusive updates.
Specializing in atmospheric suspense, Rania crafts stay-up-all-night mysteries inspired by the rugged, sun-drenched landscapes of the Mediterranean. Her work explores the tension between beauty and danger, drawing on the hidden corners of the Greek islands she calls home. She is the author of seven novels and twelve children's books, with work translated into German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Turkish, and Portuguese.
When she isn't plotting her next twist, Rania hosts immersive creative retreats through Imagine Greece Retreats — from the white-washed cliffs of Santorini to the lush valleys of France — where writers find their voice through the transformative power of travel.
She is also the founder of two reader communities, Travel in Greece and The Thriller Book Retreat, where she connects with mystery enthusiasts from around the globe.
Official Website: www.imaginepress.org
The Retreats: www.imaginegreeceretreats.com
Communities: Join Travel in Greece and The Thriller Book Retreat on Facebook for exclusive updates.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Zero Trust by Rania Stone
Expected: September 22, 2026
First—Rania, thank you for trusting me with this. Bold move, considering how emotionally unstable I become when a story decides to play chess with my sanity. Also, thanks for dropping me on a Greek island where the views are stunning and literally everyone feels like a potential problem.
Alright, let’s get one thing straight—trust is already a questionable life choice, and this book just took that idea, lit it on fire, and handed me the ashes like, “Here. Cope.”
Now, honesty—because I don’t do sugarcoating. The first two chapters? I was a little… detached. Like standing at a party holding a drink you didn’t ask for, wondering if you should stay or fake a phone call and leave. But yeah—turns out that feeling? Intentional. A setup. A quiet little “just wait” moment before everything starts tightening like a noose.
And then it clicks.
Rania doesn’t just write stories—she builds them. Carefully. Thoughtfully. Like she knows exactly when to let you breathe and when to emotionally sucker punch you. The atmosphere? Ridiculous. I wasn’t reading—I was there. I could feel the heat, the tension, the way the air gets heavy when something’s about to go very wrong.
The characters? A mess. Not badly written—oh no, beautifully written—but emotionally confusing in the best way. I wanted to protect them… and slap them… sometimes in the same sentence. The kind of people that make you question your own judgment like, “Why am I rooting for you? What is wrong with me?”
And then that moment.
Yeah. That one. The one I’m absolutely not telling you about because I refuse to rob you of that emotional whiplash. Just know—it hurt. It shifted everything. It took whatever expectations I had and quietly drowned them. After that, nothing felt safe anymore, and honestly? I loved that for me.
The twists? Enough to keep me hooked without feeling like cheap tricks. The details? Sharp. Real places, real weight, real consequences. The kind of storytelling where even the smallest thing might matter—and you still won’t catch it until it’s too late. Which, let’s be honest, is both impressive and mildly offensive.
So yeah—five stars.
Because if a book can mess with my head, drag my emotions through a storm, and still have me sitting there like “wow, ruin me again,” it earns it.
If you’re in the mood for betrayal, murder, emotional damage, and just enough island vibes to make you forget you’re being psychologically dismantled—this one’s for you.
Bring sunscreen. And trust issues. You’re going to need both.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Zero Trust by Rania Stone
Expected: September 22, 2026
First—Rania, thank you for trusting me with this. Bold move, considering how emotionally unstable I become when a story decides to play chess with my sanity. Also, thanks for dropping me on a Greek island where the views are stunning and literally everyone feels like a potential problem.
Alright, let’s get one thing straight—trust is already a questionable life choice, and this book just took that idea, lit it on fire, and handed me the ashes like, “Here. Cope.”
Now, honesty—because I don’t do sugarcoating. The first two chapters? I was a little… detached. Like standing at a party holding a drink you didn’t ask for, wondering if you should stay or fake a phone call and leave. But yeah—turns out that feeling? Intentional. A setup. A quiet little “just wait” moment before everything starts tightening like a noose.
And then it clicks.
Rania doesn’t just write stories—she builds them. Carefully. Thoughtfully. Like she knows exactly when to let you breathe and when to emotionally sucker punch you. The atmosphere? Ridiculous. I wasn’t reading—I was there. I could feel the heat, the tension, the way the air gets heavy when something’s about to go very wrong.
The characters? A mess. Not badly written—oh no, beautifully written—but emotionally confusing in the best way. I wanted to protect them… and slap them… sometimes in the same sentence. The kind of people that make you question your own judgment like, “Why am I rooting for you? What is wrong with me?”
And then that moment.
Yeah. That one. The one I’m absolutely not telling you about because I refuse to rob you of that emotional whiplash. Just know—it hurt. It shifted everything. It took whatever expectations I had and quietly drowned them. After that, nothing felt safe anymore, and honestly? I loved that for me.
The twists? Enough to keep me hooked without feeling like cheap tricks. The details? Sharp. Real places, real weight, real consequences. The kind of storytelling where even the smallest thing might matter—and you still won’t catch it until it’s too late. Which, let’s be honest, is both impressive and mildly offensive.
So yeah—five stars.
Because if a book can mess with my head, drag my emotions through a storm, and still have me sitting there like “wow, ruin me again,” it earns it.
If you’re in the mood for betrayal, murder, emotional damage, and just enough island vibes to make you forget you’re being psychologically dismantled—this one’s for you.
Bring sunscreen. And trust issues. You’re going to need both.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Imagine Press Inc., and the author, Rania Stone for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of Zero Trust. This novel will be published on September 22, 2026.
This was a fast-paced thriller based on a small island in Greece. The story is told from the perspective of three characters: Melina, a hotel receptionist; Andreas, a public servant with the government; and Daphne, an intern for the public servant. They’re people who have either taken money or want money that doesn’t belong to them.
For the most part, the main characters do come across as likable. I can understand the intentions to their actions. A main-theme through the novel relates to robbing the rich to give to the poor. And if they’re the poor person robbing the rich person, don’t they deserve that money? If you can get away with it, a resounding yes from this reviewer and I do condone that sort of behavior.
That’s all a part of the social-political commentary in the story. The rich politician will do everything they can to line their pockets at the expense of the poor so when it happens to them…sorry, zero sympathy from me!
Melina is the most mysterious of the characters. As a main character, we don’t learn much about her past and it does take a significant amount of time before her story intertwines with that of Andreas and Daphne. As you read, you wonder why certain characters aren’t afforded a perspective into the story. In the end, it does make sense why that is.
The book was well-written and was a surprisingly quick read with its short chapters. The plot did progress steadily and the way the story pivoted between the three POVs, it seemed that each chapter ended with a cliffhanger that kept you reading.
The ending left me wanting more and it was left in a manner that the author has more story to tell. It’s not that it’s incomplete, but maybe the beginning of a trilogy. The end, or maybe conclusion, for so many characters has not fully been played out.
Regardless of Daphne’s actions, I still want to see her dad get his comeuppance. And what about Andreas’ wife? I have unresolved questions that want answers.
This was a fast-paced thriller based on a small island in Greece. The story is told from the perspective of three characters: Melina, a hotel receptionist; Andreas, a public servant with the government; and Daphne, an intern for the public servant. They’re people who have either taken money or want money that doesn’t belong to them.
For the most part, the main characters do come across as likable. I can understand the intentions to their actions. A main-theme through the novel relates to robbing the rich to give to the poor. And if they’re the poor person robbing the rich person, don’t they deserve that money? If you can get away with it, a resounding yes from this reviewer and I do condone that sort of behavior.
That’s all a part of the social-political commentary in the story. The rich politician will do everything they can to line their pockets at the expense of the poor so when it happens to them…sorry, zero sympathy from me!
Melina is the most mysterious of the characters. As a main character, we don’t learn much about her past and it does take a significant amount of time before her story intertwines with that of Andreas and Daphne. As you read, you wonder why certain characters aren’t afforded a perspective into the story. In the end, it does make sense why that is.
The book was well-written and was a surprisingly quick read with its short chapters. The plot did progress steadily and the way the story pivoted between the three POVs, it seemed that each chapter ended with a cliffhanger that kept you reading.
The ending left me wanting more and it was left in a manner that the author has more story to tell. It’s not that it’s incomplete, but maybe the beginning of a trilogy. The end, or maybe conclusion, for so many characters has not fully been played out.
Regardless of Daphne’s actions, I still want to see her dad get his comeuppance. And what about Andreas’ wife? I have unresolved questions that want answers.
July 10, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Zero Trust is one of those thrillers that hooks you with an intriguing premise and keeps you questioning who can actually be trusted. Blending cybercrime, corporate secrets and plenty of twists, it creates a tense atmosphere that had me wanting to keep reading to find out what was really going on… and that turned out to be an awful lot!
I enjoyed the pace and the way new information was revealed throughout the story. There were several moments that genuinely surprised me, and I liked that the mystery unfolded in a way that kept me engaged without giving too much away too early. The book is written from 3 different povs and I knew they’d connect somehow, I just didn’t quite know how.
The characters were interesting, although I would have liked a little more depth from a couple of them to make the emotional stakes hit even harder. Even so, the suspense carried the story well, and the final act delivered a satisfying conclusion. I feel a series coming on.
Overall, Zero Trust is an enjoyable, modern thriller/crime with plenty of tension, clever plotting and enough twists to keep you turning the pages. I'd happily recommend it to readers who enjoy suspense, twists and a final act that brings everything together.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Rania Stone for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Zero Trust is one of those thrillers that hooks you with an intriguing premise and keeps you questioning who can actually be trusted. Blending cybercrime, corporate secrets and plenty of twists, it creates a tense atmosphere that had me wanting to keep reading to find out what was really going on… and that turned out to be an awful lot!
I enjoyed the pace and the way new information was revealed throughout the story. There were several moments that genuinely surprised me, and I liked that the mystery unfolded in a way that kept me engaged without giving too much away too early. The book is written from 3 different povs and I knew they’d connect somehow, I just didn’t quite know how.
The characters were interesting, although I would have liked a little more depth from a couple of them to make the emotional stakes hit even harder. Even so, the suspense carried the story well, and the final act delivered a satisfying conclusion. I feel a series coming on.
Overall, Zero Trust is an enjoyable, modern thriller/crime with plenty of tension, clever plotting and enough twists to keep you turning the pages. I'd happily recommend it to readers who enjoy suspense, twists and a final act that brings everything together.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Rania Stone for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
A fast paced thriller, set between Athens and a small Greek island, this story is propelled forward via 3 main characters. Each of the characters has vastly different personas and motives, and creates a dynamic read.
Due to how fast paced the story was I felt that more time should have been spent describing the setting. It felt like the location was unimportant in the story, and that it could have been located anywhere, which is a shame considering how beautiful the Greek islands are.
I enjoyed the twist, which I did not see coming, and thought this was very clever. An enjoyable read which I would recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Due to how fast paced the story was I felt that more time should have been spent describing the setting. It felt like the location was unimportant in the story, and that it could have been located anywhere, which is a shame considering how beautiful the Greek islands are.
I enjoyed the twist, which I did not see coming, and thought this was very clever. An enjoyable read which I would recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC of Zero Trust!
This was such a fun thriller to read. The plot kept me guessing the entire time, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story went in a completely different direction. I really enjoyed how unpredictable it was without feeling overdone.
It was a fast, easy read that kept my attention from start to finish. If you enjoy thrillers with twists that genuinely surprise you, I would definitely recommend picking this one up!
This was such a fun thriller to read. The plot kept me guessing the entire time, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story went in a completely different direction. I really enjoyed how unpredictable it was without feeling overdone.
It was a fast, easy read that kept my attention from start to finish. If you enjoy thrillers with twists that genuinely surprise you, I would definitely recommend picking this one up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Modern day fiction, well written and properly paced, filled with true to life characters.
And that's about all the good it offers.
Throughout I kept wondering what the heck I was reading. Multiple stories run parallel, not coming together until the very end and even then did not make sense.
The book being an easy read with ultrashort chapters was what kept me going.
And then it was over. With an Afterword added to explain the story. Yep...uhm...
Not for me this one.
Thank you Netgalley and Imagine Press for the ARC.
And that's about all the good it offers.
Throughout I kept wondering what the heck I was reading. Multiple stories run parallel, not coming together until the very end and even then did not make sense.
The book being an easy read with ultrashort chapters was what kept me going.
And then it was over. With an Afterword added to explain the story. Yep...uhm...
Not for me this one.
Thank you Netgalley and Imagine Press for the ARC.
March 30, 2026
“Zero Trust” by Rania Stone was a dark, intense thriller that hooked me right away. Set on a quiet Greek island, the story follows Melina, a con artist trying to outrun her past by becoming someone new. But as she slips into another identity, it quickly becomes clear she’s not as invisible as she thought.
This one is packed with twists, deception, and constant suspense. If you like dark thrillers with complex characters and high stakes, this is a great pick.
This one is packed with twists, deception, and constant suspense. If you like dark thrillers with complex characters and high stakes, this is a great pick.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Imagine Press for the eARC.
The setting of this book and the premise appealed to me.
Unfortunately, after several chapters, my brain got confused and, even delving further into the story, still made me feel mixed up and at that point I decided I couldn't care less about the rest of the story and DNF.
The setting of this book and the premise appealed to me.
Unfortunately, after several chapters, my brain got confused and, even delving further into the story, still made me feel mixed up and at that point I decided I couldn't care less about the rest of the story and DNF.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy from the author. Rania Stone is one of my favorite authors, so I’ll read anything she writes. Zero Trust didn’t disappoint. I loved snarky Melina and the fact that she isn’t the standard beauty, nor does she fit a typical character mold. The twists were incredible—so many, and I didn’t see them coming at all. I totally recommend it.
June 5, 2026
This book had me so confused, I almost stopped reading it, but there’s only been one book I DNF. I’m so glad that I read on because once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. I really enjoyed the twists and turns and had no idea how it would end. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be the last.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This book has two different stories that end up converging in the end. Both of the women in this story have a background they need to heal from and they each are trying to turn a profit, in different ways. A lot of twists in this book, and you must keep up! Good story, but not my favorite. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a page turner that I literally couldn't put my phone down. I absolutely HAD TO KNOW what was happening! It took a second for things to click but when they did, it did! This was a really good read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews