" Although I haven't gotten to Ghosts of India, I'm inclined to believe The Doctor Trap is the worst of the Donna-era Doctor Who novels, just because I'm generous like that. Although Simon Messingham tries for cleverness in his twisty adventure featuring a mysterious being who summons the Doctor down to his planet to hunt him, the whole doesn't hang particularly well and the exercise comes off more fake than interesting. Because here's the thing about the Doctor Who I enjoy: it may be goofy, it may change how time travel seems to work in every episode, it may require multiple deus ex machina to solve any given finale, but it has a fondness and respect for its characters and the universal themes shine through its quick sketched alien situations. The Doctor Trap doesn't really seem to show any relationship to that show. Instead the world and the plot is rendered mostly with no message or ideas in mind except for its convuluted game, and the Doctor and Donna act completely unrecognizably (and Donna suffers the undignified companion shuffle-off). Rating: 1.5 stars "
— Kaion, 2/15/2014