Excellent writing and characters kept this thriller exciting for me. It held my attention throughout. Thrillers rarely do so big props for that. If it were just a bit shorter it may be perfect.

Promotional material compared the Red Queen's Antonia Scott to Stieg Larsson;s Lisbeth Salander and they were not wrong. Antonia Scott is a unique character, as compelling as Salander, but not at all derivative. This book grabbed me from page one and never let go. Great characters, fast paced, with several unexpected twists. I literally read it in one day! Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy.

What I loved:
✨Highly addictive: a good mix of character development with a twisty plot. Be prepared! The crime scenes include macabre, ritualistic murders. The stressful action scenes race to an explosive ending - an ending I didn’t anticipate or guess. Bravo!
✨Crime-Solving Duo: I loved partners Antonia and Jon. At first glance, this partnership seems like an odd match: Antonia is too intelligent, and Jon a snarky, jaded overweight cop. But together, they develop a strong platonic bond filled with trust. We will never see a romance between these two since Antonia is married (her husband is in a coma due to one of her cases - Book 2 might uncover more?) and Jon is gay.
✨Narration: This book is my first narration by Scott Brink. I toggled between the physical book and the audiobook, both I highly recommend. But towards the end, I gravitated more towards the audiobook because Brink adds the perfect amount of snark for Jon, lack of understanding sarcasm for Antonia, and tension in the action. Plus, I love the bonus content - conversation between Scott & Juan. I'm thrilled to hear he's narrating the rest of the series! 🫶

Highly recommend this one for fans of:
✨Lisbeth Salander (Dragon Tattoo)
✨Hannibal Lecter
✨Serial Killers
✨International Crime & Mystery

This book was fantastic! It had everything I love in a thrilling mystery: odd murders, well-developed and brilliant characters as the lead investigators, and tight background information for everyone and everything with long histories to fill in the gaps. I loved this book and could not put it down.

Antonia is a virtual recluse living in her apartment, only leaving at night to visit a loved one in the hospital. Jon gets into a bit of professional trouble and is given an out if he can get Antonia out of her apartment and to a second location. He accepts, and so the ride begins. They're taken to a very exclusive, highly secured neighborhood to see a young man who isn't just dead, but murdered in a horrific way that raises questions that the investigators didn't even know they had: who the victim is, why was he murdered, and obviously, who did it?

There is so much more to this book, and Juan Gomez-Juardo's debut novel is stellar. I don't want to include spoilers and but there's so much more to say about these incredible characters and their journeys. Gomez-Juardo promises this won't be the last of the books with Antonia and Jon. I can't wait to read the next one. This is a book that's one for the ages, and I'm so excited to see what's next for the characters and the author.

Characters in “Red Queen” by Juan Gómez-Jurado, arrive on the page with complicated and “unclean” pasts. They feel they live in a world full of the incompetent, the egotistical, and the just plain stupid; readers immediately want to know everything about them.
It is Sunday evening in Spain, close to dinnertime. A teen-aged boy from a wealthy family is found dead, and yet there are no signs of violence. His body has been totally drained of blood, and not a drop of blood can be found in the pristine home. Solving this horrific crime will be complex, demanding, and will require a special investigative team.

Antonia Scott is unbearable, secretive, bossy, and has terrible taste in food. She is unpredictable and probably as mad as a hatter. However, when she smiles, her face lights up like a Christmas tree. She also has a gifted forensic mind, and her ability to reconstruct crimes and solve baffling murders is legendary. Jon Gutiérrez is forty-three, hates to climb stairs, and can lift 293 kilos. He is a suspended police officer about to face criminal charges when he is offered a chance to salvage his career. He must team up with the temperamental Scott to crack an unsolvable case. They will work not as police officers, but will instead, investigate outside normal channels as experts from the super-secret “Red Queen Project,” a highly classified organization that investigates crimes of a highly sensitive nature.
The murder of the teen-aged boy is macabre and ritualistic, but this is just the start. An heiress of one of the richest men in Spain is kidnapped, and this crime is tied to the previous murder. The mastermind behind these crimes might just have even more sinister plans. Antonia Scott can certainly match wits with the killer and solve the crimes, but can Jon Gutiérrez keep her focused and on task in order to make the connections before there is another death?
“Red Queen” is fast-paced and filled with tension, intrigue, and secrecy. I also listened to “Red Queen” as an audio book narrated by Scott Brick. Brick has a multi-dimensional voice that is melodic, reassuring, and matter of fact, but at other times cautionary, unsettling, and alarming. There is urgency in the narration, a tone of anticipation and yet dread of what is to come. The audio version provides a very different experience than the printed book. Both are exciting with non-stop action and reaction.
I received a review copy of “Red Queen” from Juan Gómez-Jurado, Scott Brick, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio. Readers frantically turn the pages and yet are afraid of what might come next.
“Red Queen” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries, and anywhere you get your books

4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) Antonia and Jon are assigned to work on increasingly horrific and ritualistic murders and kidnappings. With Antonia’s brilliance and Jon’s police experience, they make the best team.

The characters were great! Antonia was brilliant, exceptional in everything she did but she was also broken. A recent tragedy left her inconsolable. Jon was the perfect cop, facing criminal charges but with a strong conviction to do right. They were the perfect pair.

I was hooked from page one. The investigation was intriguing, showing their personal sides. Emotions arose and both relied on each other. The villain in the story ended up being a complete “no way!” moment and I loved how it was incorporated. Emotions were brought in well to each part of the story which made it have the perfect balance of sensitivity and excitement. It hooked me from all angles.

My only complaints are that Jon is mentioned to be queer but that was just about the extent of it. I wanted to know how that played into the story. Also, I would have loved more info into Antonia and her tragedy. We got some, but I would’ve liked a deep dive since it consumed her entirely.

I will be continuing this series and I cannot wait for book 2!

AUDIO REVIEW: Scott Brick. Ah this narrator is sneaking his way into a lot of my thrillers lately and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve mentioned he is the best thriller narrator, and I stand by that. He builds the excitement or intensity when needed but also is great at different voices and the more sensitive scenes. He’s quickly becoming a favorite.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies!

The book releases March 14, 2023.

Red Queen follows gifted Antonia Scott and disgraced police officer Jon Gutierrez as they get thrown together on a case and are on a short deadline to solve it. Starting with the murder of the son of a well-known banker, then the abduction of the daughter of a billionaire, Antonia and Jon determine this is the work of one person, Ezekiel, and they need to find them soon before another death occurs. A fast-paced series opener with many twists and turns that will appeal to readers who like dark thrillers.

Red Queen by Juan Gomez-Jurado has been a bestseller internationally since 2018, and I can see why! Antonia Scott (half British-half Spanish) is a terrific character, a super-intelligent woman who has experienced a good deal of personal trauma. Jon Guttierez is a Spanish police officer who is in a bit of disgrace and he is offered an opportunity to make the problem go away if he works with Antonia, who doesn’t want to work at all. They wind up being an amazing team. The mystery is complex and I loved all the Spanish atmosphere. If you enjoy thrillers with great characters, don’t miss this one.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. Scott Brick does his usual fabulous job with the narration. The audiobook also includes a lovely conversation between Brick and the author.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. I can’t wait for the rest of the series to be translated into English!

All opinions are my own.

Red Queen features an interesting team of detectives - a mismatched pair of seriously flawed souls united by a sense of justice - in a fast-moving story. The plot has enough twists and turns to satisfy mystery fans, and there is plenty of action (including a few gory scenes that I would have preferred to leave offstage). I enjoyed the author's voice: an omniscient narrator who skips in an out of characters' heads while maintaining a distant and almost sardonic tone.

The characters' interactions are a pleasure, and the author does a good job in filling in the backstory without slowing down the momentum. I gather this is the first book of a trilogy already published in Spanish, so I definitely look forward to the English translations of the next two books.

I really wanted to like this one. Serial killers and quirky detectives? Sign me up! Unfortunately I found myself dragging through it. At about 40% I found I just didn’t care anymore. It’s well written and I think it would be a huge hit for a different audience, just not this one.
Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the copy for review.

🌟 5/5

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

As a quick note this is actually a reprint of Reina Roja which was originally published in 2018.

I loved the opening and first few chapters as we get ourselves acquainted with this developing mystery. First, we meet Antonia Scott, a woman alone in her apartment seeking solitude. Then, there’s Inspector Jon Gutierrez, a cop who’s found himself in some hot water. And finally, Mentor, the reason Jon and Antonia are meeting in the first place.

This story is paced so incredibly well. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it within 24 hours. Each of these characters has their own pain and pressures that they’re trying to manage as they investigate a kidnapping with a strict deadline that is quickly approaching. Interspersed throughout the action we get to learn about the backgrounds of these fascinating characters and are exposed to the history of Madrid along the way.

I LOVED this book and while I’m bummed that the rest of the series hasn’t been translated to English yet, it is available in Spanish and I might have to pick them up so I can figure out what happens to our unlikely duo.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Spanish Setting
- LGBTQ rep
- Fast paced Mystery/thriller
- Mostly-linear timeline (flashbacks sprinkled in)
- Unlikely friends
- Criminal Minds meets James Bond

I'm so glad I started reading this when I had no plans in my immediate future. No way was I going to set it aside to do anything but read to the end. Now I can't wait for the second of the trilogy. Antonia Scott has a brilliant outstanding mind. Like off the charts brilliant. Along with that comes lots of mental baggage. Her partner is Jon Gutierrez, a cop who made an unwise choice on a case that went south and got him suspended. In order to save what's left of his career he agrees to connect with Antonia and work a high profile case. It's a story that sucked me in from page one, a story that never let up. Antonia and Jon make a great pair. I'll say no more as I don't want to spoil it for you.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Introducing a new crime-solving, mental puzzle working genius and her work partner, Gomez-Jurado's Red Queen is a twisty thriller that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Recently translated into English from Spanish, this crime novel is first in a series featuring Antonia Scott and Jon Guiterrez. Scott's brain works on a different level from the people around her, but she is also dealing with many difficulties within her family as well. The mystery was good but Scott is definitely the draw and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the series brings.

Red Queen was a fascinating and engaging read.

Jon Gutierrez is a decent cop who made a couple of bad decisions and is now facing charges. He gets an offer from a mysterious person code named Mentor. If he will go get a specific female into his car and drive her, then all of his charges will disappear. Knowing that nothing is every quite that easy, but having no other options to potentially salvage his reputation, career, and avid prison time, he accepts.

Antonia Scott is the daughter of a British diplomat. She also has a unique mind, and has been through extensive "training" to focus her mental capacity to see things that others miss. She is part of an elite, experimental, crime fighting force established across the EU. She is also the person Joe was sent to pick up.

I found the two main characters compelling. Antonia, while quirky, has a definite gift, and has paid several terrible prices as a result of her involvement in the program. Joe is a fallen man who is trying to do the right thing and build himself back up. Somewhere along the way the two of them become partners, not just two people working together, but partners in the journey to solve the crime and stop further crimes from happening.

The whole story was riveting. I enjoyed it tremendously. I am very excited that this is the first book of a trilogy. I can't wait to see what else is in store for this unlikely partnership.

This was a very good book, the pace was quick and the suspense kept me reading well into the night. Jon is a freshly suspended police officer in Madrid, he was trying to get a drug dealer off the streets by planting something in his vehicle, except it backfired and he was suspended as a result. Antonia is near catatonic with grief over her husband who is in the hospital where he has been for quite some time, in a coma. Jon is tasked with getting her into a vehicle, which he manages. Together they set out to solve the death of a young man who had been drained of all his blood and while investigating that, they also look into the hostage taking of the daughter of the wealthiest man in Spain. Antonia is a super intelligent woman, her father had subjected her to tests meant to increase her brain capacity, though she needs to take pills to manage it. Antonia and Jon make quite the pair, Jon is overweight (not fat he says) but he also has a quick mind and together they make a formidable pair. I would highly recommend this book, it was exceptionally good. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Minotaur for the #ARC.

I had the chance to duel read and listen to the audio version of Red Queen. Even though the narrator, Scott Brick, did a fantastic job theatrically telling this story, this was something I should've physically read instead. It's nothing against Brick. Showmanship at its best! But personally, I connected better with eyes on a page.

The story was different from what I expected. What intrigued me the most about the synopsis is that we would get a story based on a super-intelligent woman who could solve crimes in ways an average person couldn't fathom. This wasn't a catfish situation; we did get that in the story, but she turned out more reclused than I thought. The book is also riddled with multiple POVs that did not break up by chapters. Reading it would be fine, but listening to audio may need to be clarified for some people.

Overall I rated this story 3-stars. The story had its ups and downs, comedic and sad moments. Antonia Scott is a very interesting character, and I liked seeing her paired with soon-to-be ex-cop Jon Guiterrez. I'm still on the fence about checking out the second installment of the Antonia Scott series, but I will be checking out the television series when it comes out!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this ARC.

Apparently, this is a translation for a book series from Spain. The story follows Antonia Scott who is equipped with an off the charts IQ level which has been turbocharged by some sort of police program. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed this as this protagonist is a multi-layered complex character who is slowly being developed. This chapter of the book sets up the rest of the series, and I look forward to see how Antonia and her new partner solve the unsolvable crime. A great debut to this series and look forward to the translated books 2 and 3 of this new, interesting series. 5-stars!!!

I am so excited that this book is the first in a trilogy because I can't wait to read the next two after devouring Red Queen.
Antonia Scott's gifted mind and perfect recall led to her being recruited to a secret investigation unit that solves highly sensitive and difficult crimes. However, since suffering a personal trauma and loss 3 years ago, she has refused to work. Mentor, who leads her team, recruits suspended police officer Jon Gutierrez by promising the case against him will disappear if he can get Antonia "into the car" and back to work to investigate a kidnapping and murder case involving the son of a rich and connected banking executive. When another kidnapping takes place that is obviously related, it starts to become clear that the kidnapper's motivations are complex and even Antonia may not be up to the challenge of catching them. The story is told from multiple points of view, mostly Jon and Antonia but occasionally others. Masterfully written with intriguing characters and a smooth plot and lots of action; I can see why this has been a best-seller in other countries!

This book is translated from its original Spanish. The translation to English is probably its biggest issue. Sometimes things just don’t translate as smoothly as you’d like or expect. In my mind the translation is just a side note and a review should try to focus mainly on the story itself. That being said, I enjoyed the story. The characters are unique and interesting, the investigation into the kidnappings and death was well crafted and the differing perspectives helped to flesh out the storyline. The conclusion tied up many of the loose threads - but not all - leaving me a little unsatisfied. Those unanswered questions look like they’re the setup for the next installment in the series.

This is a thrilling, fast-paced novel I could not put down. Although we don’t delve as deep into the characters as I would have liked they are, nonetheless, multidimensional and fleshed out in a relatable and clear way. This heavily plot-driven novel is written very cinematically and I would not be surprised to see a successful movie based on it in the near future. A definite must-read.