In Red Queen, we first briefly meet Antonia Scott, who unaccountably thinks about suicide for three minutes each day. She obviously is not an ordinary person with an ordinary brain, as she quickly makes calculations related to the physics of jumping in a lake to accomplish her end. It's a brief, tantalizing introduction. And then, we turn to Jon. I laughed out loud (not just like an emoji: I mean for real laughed) during the first few pages of the first chapter as we meet Jon Gutierrez, He's a gay Basque rock lifter, presently suspended from the police force for an incident that itself would be funny and even sympathetic if it hadn't gone viral. As his captain tells him, Jon is in a "big stinking mess," and then a door opens. He is pulled into a challenge by a strange man he is to call, "Mentor" If Jon pulls off the challenge, this will rescue his career. All he has to do is convince a particular woman to get into a car.

Red Queen is a book that made me look early on into whether it is a series. (It is). It takes place in Spain and is translated from Spanish. The writing is totally engrossing and entertaining, though much less funny as the plot unfolds. Someone is after the children of very, very wealthy families but the kidnapper does not seem to want money. There is a highly confidential, deep background government organization that deals with highly unusual crimes. Similar organizations exist internationally and cooperate on solving these, each with a "Red Queen," whose intelligence, creativity and originality is honed to this purpose.

Quickly, we are pulled into a crime scene that is strange enough to warrant the Red Queen's involvement. The teenage son of a wealthy family has been murdered in a unique manner. Usually the organization cooperates with police but this case is tricky. Still, they have a cop on board: Jon. Then, there is an obviously related crime and another head of an obscenely wealthy family is faced with a demand and a deadline … and it is not for money. Gomez-Jurado's writing style is fast paced, exciting, entertaining, humorous at times, sad at others and this was an I could not put it down book. It is partly about ruthless, violent people and there are some dangerous scenes. The violence is expressed through the perceptions of those involved as they struggle to understand what is happening to them and to react to it. (As opposed to blow by blow descriptions of what the actor is doing to the victim). I will be counting the minutes till the next book is translated and published. (Kudos to the translator, Nick Caster) Highly recommend.

Antonia Scott—the daughter of a British diplomat and a Spanish mother—has a gifted forensic mind, whose ability to reconstruct crimes and solve baffling murders is legendary. But after a personal trauma, she's refused to continue her work or even leave her apartment.


This sounded wonderful and right up my alley, but....I only read by Audiobooks and didn't notice (sorry!) when I chose it that it was an ebook or Kindle copy.

I have to rate this book in order to leave my note, so I will fairly give it 4 * since that is the average. Good luck with this novel.

This was a decent thriller. I think things got lost in translation. The story beats hit weird. But overall, it was a decent read. Had to make sure my mind didn't wander.

*Red Queen* by Juan Gómez-Jurado is a gripping Spanish thriller about Antonia Scott, a brilliant but troubled woman, and Jon Gutiérrez, a disgraced cop assigned to bring her back. The novel combines suspense, action, and psychological depth, with well-developed characters and intense pacing. The story is filled with plot twists, making it a thrilling read for fans of action-packed, character-driven mysteries.

i really enjoy a thriller that sprinkles in some humor and that is just what this book did. Well paced with a great mystery, I enjoyed this one.

This book made me forget I was reading - it reads like a movie. The premise (I'll be brief), is that a disgraced cop is recruited to work on a secretive team that solves crimes. The pace is quick so you do not have time to recover from one scene before diving into the next, as it should be with a thriller. Many books tell you all about the main characters within the first chapter or so. I like that you learn more and more about the characters as this book develops.

I usually like to give details about the books I read, but I won't because I feel like this is the kind of book where if you give things away it'll ruin the experience of reading it for yourself. I will say that it had a good plot, good pace, and character that will make you invest in reading the series - I'm moving on to the second book soon - The Black Wolf.

Red Queen is an excellent thriller by this Spanish author with fascinating characters and an intricate plot. It takes place largely in Madrid Spain, giving the book an interesting location and feel. The characters are well written and develop in complexity and depth as the story progresses. The author slowly reveals ever more layers in the plot as the book progresses and ties them well into the characters' back stories and motivations. The ending is well written, leaving the reader waiting for the next book in this Antonia Scott trilogy.

Highly recommended.

I knew when I read the summary for Red Queen, I needed to get my grubby little fingers on a copy! Red Queen is an addictive crime thriller featuring the reluctant return of brilliant Spanish detective Antonia Scott. Still traumatized and in isolation after a past case, Scott is coaxed into investigating a gruesome ritualistic murder by Jon Gutierrez, a disgraced cop desperate for redemption. As the macabre killings continue and a high-profile abduction points to a sinister mastermind at work, Scott and Gutierrez race against time to connect the dots and stop the killer's twisted plan. Vivid characters, high stakes, and plenty of twists will keep readers guessing until the final reveal. Page turner until the very end!

This book was SO much fun. I normally would not offer comparisons for a book, but I am compelled to do it for this one. Our main female protagonist Antonia, is a cross between Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds and dash of Jason Bourne… for good measure. She is a fantastic character with depth and quirks and motivations that the reader might not quite understand, but respects and roots for anyway. Detective Jon Gutíerrez is a do-gooder who did wrong for the right reasons and got caught. The two must now work together to solve a string of mysterious crimes, for which neither has a clue about.

This odd couple finds themselves racing around the streets of Spain to uncover the who, why and where of these macabre crimes to save the daughter of one of the richest men in the country. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if they would make it in time; and what would happen next if they did.

This is a series that I can’t wait to read more of.

RED QUEEN is a fast-paced thrill-fest. This beginning to the Antonia Scott Series is dark, twisty, and filled with wit. Gómez-Jurado has gifted his readers with a start to something that will hopefully continue for many more books. RED QUEEN introduces a unique and captivating character with Antonia. I cannot wait to read more.

Red Queen

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

This book is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and original story that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last. The author creates a fascinating and complex protagonist in Antonia Scott, who is not only a genius, but also believably flawed, complex (and vulnerable but brave).

The plot is full of twists and turns, and the writing is crisp and absorbing. This book explores themes such as trauma, justice, loyalty, and redemption.

Red Queen is the first book in a trilogy that has sold over 2 million copies in Spain, and has been adapted into an Amazon Prime series, and was selected one of 2023 best mysteries from Amazon editors.

If you are looking for a thrilling and intelligent read, you will not be disappointed by this book. I highly recommend it to fans of mysteries, spy novels,and psychological thrillers.

I absolutely loved this book and I was fascinated with Antonia Scott's mind, the secret organization, and Officer Gutierrez. It's written as a murder thriller/mystery, but there is compassion, companionship, and kindness shown throughout the book that makes it unique. The writing style is beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Scott Brick narrating the audiobook. I can't wait for book two and I hope this becomes a long series.

"Red Queen" is a good mystery that’ll have you guessing throughout. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the characters and watching them unfold alongside the mystery. This book was well written and mystery lovers should add it to their tbr.

I received this book electronically via NetGalley and thoroughly enjoyed it! The female character of Antonia is very interesting. Her intelligence and demons combined to make her choices and actions very compelling. It was a fun read and I will enjoy more content with her character!

Red Queen by Juan Gomez-Jurado is the first book of a trilogy.The Red Queen Project was developed to solve the most difficult crimes.Antonia Scott isa young woman with an unusually gifted mind who is able to look at crimes in a different way from other forensic scientists.Jon Gutierrez is in trouble and recruited to get Antonia to help solve a rime because she has been unwilling to help the Red QueenProject since a traumatic event.Good character development,, good plot twists ,thrills and humor all help make this a good read!I am looking forward to Black Wolf!Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this ARC!

This is another thriller you must add to your tbr list if you aren’t sure where to start. This first installment in the Antonia Scott trilogy will introduce you to one of the most intelligent and interesting female characters since Lizbeth Salander.
Antonia is special, although at first glance most people underestimate her. While she's fierce and possesses a superior iQ than most humans, she shows her vulnerable side through her actions. To me, that makes her more relatable and imperfect, like most people are.
The narration style is different than I'm accustomed to, but it still made for an enjoyable read. I will continue reading this series for sure.
Fans of complex, flawed characters and lots of action will enjoy this thriller.

You need to be versed in metric measurements to translate the author's use of that system. Then you need a score care to keep track of all the characters. The author keeps reminding the reader that one of the lead characters is gay. Two or three times would have been OK but the reader was repeatedly reminded of that fact.
The story is one I couldn't wait to figure out "who done it". Set in Spain, Jon is a cop suspended, and about to face criminal charges. He is told by Mentor that if he just does this one thing, he will be reinstated. But who is Mentor? All Jon has to do is convince Atonia to help solve a case. Easier said than done as she has a forensic mind that allows her to reconstruct crimes and solve baffling murders. Unfortunately she won't leave her apartment because her husband is in a comma she feels she caused. Resisting helping on the case, Antonia joins with Jon who protects and helps her investigate a new, terrifying case.

Red Queen is a fast paced forensic thriller that leaves no stone unturned in a Macbeth race to save a young mother. Spellbinding and powerful characters woven with deep threads of mystery intrigue and a despicable killer playing a face of his own making.

I can't believe I didn't read this book as soon as NetGalley gave it to me. I am SO glad I already have the ARC to the second book in the trilogy, and will be devestated if I don't get my hands on the third.

What a fantastic story! I was sucked in from the opening pages. I mentioned the novel to a friend at about 50% of the way through, figuring I was safe in my estimation that this would be a 4.5-5 star book. I was right! The plot moves at breakneck speed, the storyline is so interesting, the twists keep coming, the characters are fantastic. Antonia is a mess, but she's a genius. Jon is in trouble, but he's a good policeman. They learn to work together.

"Antonia Scott—the daughter of a British diplomat and a Spanish mother—has a gifted forensic mind, whose ability to reconstruct crimes and solve baffling murders is legendary. But after a personal trauma, she's refused to continue her work or even leave her apartment.

Jon Gutierrez, a police officer in Bilbao—disgraced, suspended, and about to face criminal charges—is offered a chance to salvage his career by a secretive organization that works in the shadows to direct criminal investigations of a highly sensitive nature. All he has to do is succeed where many others have failed: Convince a recalcitrant Antonia to come out of her self-imposed retirement, protecting her and helping her investigate a new, terrifying case.

The case is a macabre, ritualistic murder—a teen-aged boy from a wealthy family whose body was found without a drop of blood left in it. But the murder is just the start. A high-ranking executive and daughter of one of the richest men in Spain is kidnapped, a crime which is tied to the previous murder. Behind them both is a hidden mastermind with even more sinister plans. And the only person with a chance to see the connections, solve the crimes and successfully match wits with the killer before tragedy strikes again...is Antonia Scott."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur book for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

gay-cops, thriller, 21st-century, crime-fiction, suspense, Spain, Spanish-literature, noir, detective, intrigue, kidnapping, Madrid, law-enforcement, forensic-consultant, reclusive, adrenaline rush, PTSD, extortion, gruesome, serial-murder, investigations, unputdownable*****

Translated into English from the Spanish of Spain.
Twisty, alarming, fast-paced, and thoroughly addictive. The publisher's blurb covers the very basics, and no need to repeat, and spoilers are just wrong. Did I mention addictive addictive?!
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you.

#AntoniaScottNo1 #TranslatedIntoEnglish