Red London started off strong. Russian oligarch, Mikhail Rotenberg, is attacked at his London home on Bishop's Row. After the attack, his home is infiltrated by CIA operative, Lyndsey Davis, on the pretext of becoming his wife's new friend, as well as another woman, also an ex-spy, working for an independent intelligence agency.
But, sadly, as the story progressed, it fell flat for me. Emily, Mikhail's wife, a British aristocrat whose family had fallen on difficult times, was sympathetic and likeable, and it might have been better had the story focused on her efforts to regain her life and rescue herself... but.. instead we mostly follow Lyndsey from meeting to meeting... wandering around London in and out of disguises and waiting for something to happen.

The most exciting part was the cliffhanger message from her partner from the first book, Theresa, asking for her help.

Thank you to NetGalley for an E- ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After rooting out a mole at the Russia Division, Lyndsey Duncan has a new asset, war criminal Dmitri Tarasenko. She is in London to work with Tarasenko when Davis Ranford, the British MI6 agent who she had an affair with in Beirut, an affair that almost ended her career, asks for her help with an MI6 case. A Russian oligarch’s property on “Billionaires’ Row” in the poshest area of London has had a break in and MI6 suspects the oligarch is in the crosshairs of the new Russian president, who mysteriously replaced the Hard Man, Putin. Lyndsey is to befriend the oligarch’s wife, Emily, and turn her.
I enjoyed this book very much—Alma Katsu is a great storyteller and this was fast-paced and exciting. I learned a lot about London and the Russian oligarchs—once again Katsu’s insights are valuable and unique. I thought Red Widow was a bit better—some of Lyndsey’s techniques in ingratiating herself into Emily’s life seemed far-fetched and plot-driven, but it was still gripping. I can’t wait for the next one.

A romance novel pretending to be a spy novel. Damascus Station does a much better job in balancing a superb spy plot line with romance.

I knew that Katsu’s past included working in intelligence, but this novel about being a spy was truly fantastic. In fact, there’s only one thing I can say that’s not a rave — children are not better off when their parents stay together just for them. As a child of divorce, I wish my parents had ended things much earlier than they did.

Aside from that, though, this was an absolutely lovely book, and I’m so glad I finally read it.

Apologies for the delay!

[4.25 stars]

Earlier this year, I loved the fast-paced CIA spy thriller Red Widow and Alma Katsu is now back with its sequel. Katsu had a 35 year career in intelligence and includes female protagonists with a focus on what it's like to be a female in the CIA. Red London features Lyndsey Duncan, a female CIA agent coming off a scandal from her last overseas assignment in Beirut and the same protagonist from Red Widow. Lyndsey is sent to London to be the “handler” for a very important new CIA asset (source) and is pulled into a situation involving a Russian oligarch living in London. Red London is set in a post-Ukraine conflict / Putin era where the result was a disaster for Russia and I loved this "what if" look into the Russian geopolitical situation. I also loved getting a window into how London's Russian population integrates into the city. You don't have to read Red Widow before picking up this one, but I do recommend for a fuller experience.

And that is a spy novel!!

I really thought Alma Katsu wrote horror until I saw this series. Katsu used to work for the CIA so the insight was really nice and well crafted. Katsu writes so well and her storytelling brings so much to life.

This kept me on the edge of my seat and I love how strong willed Lyndsey is. I will def read the next book!

Published by ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons on March 14, 2023

Red London takes place after Putin, weakened by his fiasco in Ukraine, is replaced by Viktor Kosygin, another former KGB agent turned dictator. The richest Russian oligarch in London, Mikhail Rotenberg, has fallen into disfavor with Kosygin. Kosygin is demanding money from all the oligarchs but he seems to want everything Mikhail has. Mikhail survives when a Russian hit team invades his swanky London mansion, but the message has been sent.

In addition to Kosygin, the CIA, MI6, and parties unknown want to know where Mikhaiil's money is hidden. Lyndsay Duncan, a CIA agent starring in her second novel, is in London to run a Russian double agent (a subplot that drifts away without resolution). As long as she’s in London anyway, the CIA assigns Lyndsay to cozy up to Mikhail’s British wife Emily. Lyndsay finds it easy to infiltrate Emily’s circle of friends, as the circle is practically nonexistent. Apart from sending her to charity lunches that signal Mikhail’s standing among London’s elite, Mikhail shields his wife from the outside world. He only allows her to take their two kids on playdates where she can socialize with the judgmental wives of oligarchs. The British, including Emily’s parents, regard Russians as untrustworthy people who are ruled by “messily violent passions,” the antithesis of British Londoners who have eradicated passion from their very proper lives.

As gold diggers go, Emily is a reasonably sympathetic character. She comes from minor aristocracy. Maintaining the family estate is expensive and family wealth is dwindling. Emily knows that, unlike her siblings, she has average intelligence and no talent. If beauty is her only potential route to success, she might as well use it. Having caught Mikhail’s attention, she can’t find a practical reason to turn down a proposal from one of the world’s richest men. If he’s ruthless and a probable criminal in his business dealings, she doesn’t want to know about it. Emily might be a bit of a stereotype, but she is a stereotype with flesh. Sadly, she isn’t quite smart enough to understand that she will lose more than she will gain by bearing an oligarch’s children.

Lyndsay’s spy mission is complicated when she finds Emily keeping company with Dani Childs, a former CIA agent. Dani is working for a private company that hires former spooks. Dani also wants to get a handle on Mikhail’s wealth but she doesn’t know who hired the firm to obtain that information. Lyndsay also finds herself working with an MI6 agent who still carries a torch from the fling they had in Beirut. Those complications add spice to a modestly intriguing plot.

Lyndsay’s sympathy for Emily creates an interesting conflict between her duty to country (as her bosses see it) and her desire to help a woman who is stuck in a dangerous life. While Alma Katsu sprinkles in some gunfire as the predictable ending approaches, Red London is more a low-key spy/relationship novel than a thriller. Katsu makes token references to tradecraft but (apart from the occasional walkabout to expose tails) incorporates little into the story, depriving readers of the sense that they are reading about a field agent who has been trained at Langley rather than a bureaucrat who was told to do her best. Ultimately, the unchallenging plot and conventional ending of Red London are secondary to the relationships that give the novel its value.

RECOMMENDED

Red London is an engaging and entertaining novel that will appeal to fans of espionage thrillers. Alma Katsu's writing is excellent, and their storytelling skills are top-notch, making this a must-read for anyone who loves a good adventure.

Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg is one of the richest Russians on the planet. Been in London for years and has an English wife, Emily, and toddler twins. They live on a street referred to as Billionaire Blvd. Residents are so rich that many have full-time live-in security to go along with the requisite live-in house staff. Emily’s background is kind of plain. One of 3 daughters and had there been a vote, she’d win the ‘least likely to succeed’ award. This despite being of a family with a mostly dotted-line lineage to some low-level royal. A nondescript university student, she’d had a series of middling jobs before getting a gig in fine art gallery, which is where she met Mikhail. Her family was against the marriage on multiple levels, but Emily succumbed to Mikhail’s charm.

Five years of marriage has left her kind of numb to the ways of the uber wealthy. Endless parties, pay dates, fund raisers, and gallery openings has left her friendless. The book opens with a failed armed attack on the compound by professionals. Given Russia’s habit of getting rid of dissidents on foreign soil, the UK government is very skittish.

Enter Lyndsey, CIA agent on a new assignment. Her last assignment was in Beirut and that went kind of foul as she had a fling with an MI6 agent. The Brits look at affairs as somewhat bemusing; not so the CIA. Lyndsey was brought home, put in a series of paper shuffling jobs before being tasked to London to be the new babysitter of a Russian military officer who provides useful information to Langley. Her primary task is to get inside information on the new Russian President, Victor Kosygin, who took over after Putin disappeared at the tail end of the unfortunate Ukraine war.

MI6 is looking closer to home. They want details on just how much fortune Mikhail has amassed and how he got so wealthy. Word is that Russia in low on cash because of the war and economic sanctions and Kosygin is pressuring all the ex-pat oligarchs for money, especially Mikhail who is the biggest fish out there. The CIA is also interested and offers Lyndsey to act as CIA support if needed. One proposal is the do an end run and try to get Emily to provide information. Lyndsey takes on the task of trying to get Emily to be an asset about Mikhail’s business dealings.

Lyndsey goes undercover to first meet and become friends with Emily and then to work out just how to get at Mikhail’s books. But she becomes more than just a friend. She becomes a confidant to Emily. Even to the point of accepting Emily’s offer for Lyndsey to live in their mansion. In doing so, she’ll have multiple options beyond just Emily. Like Mikhail’s accountant Weston, the head of security, the nanny, and housekeeping. All the while watching the disintegration of Emily’s marriage.

Full disclosure here: I finished the book, but it was a slow go for me. A really slow go. Never read much more than 10-15’ at a sitting because the story just didn’t interest me. Emily was presented as a milk toast wife, protective of her kids who did little to raise them. Didn’t like Lyndsey much either. Mikhail is a philanderer and a cruel businessman. And the supporting characters were hardly developed. It’s probably just me given what I’ve read over the years and my expectations. The Lyndsey character was featured in a previous book (Red Widow) and the end of the book was a cliffhanger one could see from a mile off. Maybe this is the way actual ‘espionage’ goes, but the middle 75-80% of this book read more like a story about a marriage gone stale, which is a far cry from what we’d normally expect in a political thriller.

Lyndsey Duncan is back and what she is involved in is complicated and a little confusing. We are teased with the story of a Russian war criminal but we end up getting the story of a Russian oligarch. While I did not find RED LONDON as engaging as Katsu’s first book in the series, RED WIDOW, at times I did lose myself in the story. You won’t lose your breath trying to keep up with a Jason Bourne or a Jack Ryan, but the real-world stakes are just as high. The psychology of manipulation was intriguing, as was the Anglo-American intelligence cooperation but I couldn’t find much to like about Emily, the British wife of the oligarch and Lyndsey’s target. By the end, I did feel a bit sorry for her. This story is rife with secret identities, private contractors, ex-lovers, clandestine meetings, and so much more. Who can Lyndsey trust? This is a different type of spy game.

I really tried to get this book read before launch day. It didn’t have anything to do with the book itself, it was how busy I had made my life. I often find that I stretch myself a little thin. I have my own writing and a few illustration projects that would be enough to keep me busy on their own, but I also have a house to paint, then there’s yard work, the pool, and family life. On top of all that, I try to get in at least an hour of reading every day. I reserve the night for TV with my wife. It’s not quite how I had envisioned retirement.

Red London, by author Alma Katsu, is the second installment in the authors Red Widow series. After her role in taking down a well-placed mole inside the CIA, Agent Lyndsey Duncan arrives in London fully focused on her newest Russian asset, deadly war criminal Dmitri Tarasenko. That is until her MI6 counterpart, Davis Ranford, who she had an affair with that nearly destroyed her career and made sure she could never go undercover again, personally calls for her help.

Following a suspicious attack on Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg's property in a tony part of London, Davis needs Lyndsey to cozy up to the billionaire's aristocratic British wife, Emily Rotenberg. Fortunately for Lyndsey, there's little to dissuade Emily from taking in a much-needed confidante. Even being one of the richest women in the world is no guarantee of happiness. But before Lyndsey can cover much ground with her newfound friend, the CIA unveils a perturbing connection between Mikhail and Russia's geopolitical past, one that could upend the world order and jeopardize Lyndsey's longtime allegiance to the Agency.

The other main POV character is Emily Rotenberg. As a mother to two young children, Emily finds herself in a very precarious position once her husband’s misdeeds against the Russian ruling party become known. Emily's willful ignorance made her a difficult character to really feel for. Emily and Lyndsey's relationship is made that much harder when Emily feels as though she is being pushed out of the way by her powerful husband who the current Russian President, Viktor Kosygn, who dethroned Putin, is trying to giving up all the billions he stashed away over the years.

Ah, yes, let's address that issue shall we? In this book, Putin has been removed from power after his disastrous invasion of Ukraine. If only that would happen in the real world, the US could stop trying to go to war with both Russia and China, let alone Iran and North Korea who hate the US and see the leadership of this country focusing on anything but protecting the country from invasions, or China's threats. Anyway, Katsu is someone you should take seriously. She really understands the intricacy's of the spy business, as well as what is happening in London.

Katsu spent thirty-plus years as a senior intelligence analyst (8 years with the CIA, twenty-four years with NSA), and is currently an intelligence consultant for a think tank for emerging technologies. She knows the ins and outs of some of the most elusive agencies in the nation, and has received raves for her real-world depictions of how the CIA actually works. She's a rare author of spy novels who actually worked in intelligence, and who knows her stuff.

Red London is an excellent spy novel and the sequel to Red Widow and the second book featuring CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan. Being a retired CIA case worker herself Ms Katsu definitely brings an insider knowledge to her spy novels. The story was fast paced and interesting and eerily applies to current world events. My only negative was the character of Emily, she makes a decision early on that backfires on her and is later shocked with what happens.

If you’ve read any of her horror books this is obviously a bit different but no less engaging and interesting. I definitely hope there’s a book 3 in the series as it ends on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait to read it.

Red London is a vibrant spy thriller with endless mystery. Lyndsey Duncan delicately balances life and lies in this throat crushing adventure.

Lyndsey Duncan has been through the wringer, surviving a potentially career ending mistake in Red Widow. In Red London, we meet up with Lyndsey on a case for her CIA bosses, trying to earn the trust of a Russian asset. That asset, Dmitri Tarasenko, could lead them to Russian General Evgeni Morozov who is responsible for an Agency Chief of Station. While Duncan is just getting settled into her new cover, reports hit the airwaves of a vicious attack at the home of Mikhail Rotenberg, Russian Oligarch turned British based businessman.

Mikhail Rotenberg is no stranger to the spotlight as he’s one of the richest men in the world, who also happens to be tied to the Russian government on the heels of the illegitimate Ukrainian war. As Lyndsey is forced into the realm of her former lover, one that almost cost her everything she’s worked for, she’s back into Davis Ranford’s home turf. Asked to help with an MI6 job, CIA agent Lyndsey transforms herself into Lynn Prescott, former Philadelphia resident now traveling through England.

Being forced to navigate the MI6 mission while still running her own mission for the CIA, Duncan is placed in numerous precarious decisions trying to not blow her cover. Emily Rotenberg is a torn and tormented individual just trying to keep herself together when she meets Lynn, and they start a budding relationship. What Lynn must faithfully execute is a dangerous mission that could lead to a handful of deaths, and potentially another world war. Will Duncan survive this assignment, or will she be another casualty of a brutally dishonest Russian plot?

This was my first Alma Katsu thriller and while I was anticipating a fun and energetic read, I got way more than I was expecting. Katsu creates one of the most down to earth characters who is loyal and fearless. Lyndsey Duncan is a tranquilizing and not to be underestimated intelligence professional who will enjoy pastries and tea one minute, and the next she’s pulling the trigger. She allows you in and from the the start you become a fan of Duncan, only to have her utilize her CIA training to accomplish the mission under a different ruse. This is a great story on the Russian oligarchy structure and the battles that accompany those surrounding them.

London….spies….oligarchs….and a female CIA officer tasked with finding information to help prevent the formation of a new geopolitical alliance. Alma is a force, and this book is the next awesome book in her awesome bibliography!

Lindsey Duncan was recalled to the US by the CIA after an affair with a British agent. There she discovered a mole in the Russian Division and was given the opportunity to return to the field as a case officer for a Russian asset. Davis Ranford was her British lover. When he learns that she is in London he requests her help on an assignment for MI6. Mikhail Rotenberg, a Russian oligarch, is married to Emily, a British aristocrat. Lindsey is asked to befriend Emily and determine if she can be recruited. Rotenberg was once part of the Russian president’s inner circle and MI6 would like access to his accounts. Now Mikhail has done something to sour his relationship with the president and his home comes under attack. Emily has few friends outside of the her husband’s Russian associates and when she meets Lindsey it is an opportunity to form a bond. Lindsey’s cover is that of a Philadelphia socialite visiting London. When Emily invites her to stay in the Rotenberg home it is a perfect opportunity to cement the friendship. It is a delicate balancing act to maintain her cover with Emily while keeping in contact with her asset. Then her asset contacts her with information that could change the balance of world power and Rotenberg’s fortune may be a key part of Russia’s plan.

Alma Katsu’s characters are well developed and Lindsey’s tradecraft reflects Katsu’s years of experience in national security. This is a political thriller, reflecting Russia’s position after the war in Ukraine and China’s growing influence. It is also a domestic thriller. Mikhail, once the loving husband, now abuses and controls Emily and threatens her with the loss of her children. The story literally ends with a bang and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the finale. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group - Putnam for providing this book for my review.

If you're a writer, at some point you will be told "write what you know," and Katsu has definitely done that. It's clear in her writing that she draws on her former career with the CIA. Her writing is so skillful that it's obvious she writes from experience rather than research, and it adds a certain "je ne sais quoi" that other spy thrillers lack. Beyond her expert storytelling and pacing, my favorite part of the book is the connection between Lyndsey and Emily. It was raw and realistic, their interactions awkward rather than effortless, knowing they can't fully trust each other despite wanting to do just that.

Katsu's writing engaged me from the very beginning and took me on a rollercoaster ride, with lots of plot twists along the way that always kept me guessing.

I think I found my book of the year!

I enjoyed Red Widow (the first book in this series) and was looking forward to where Red London would take us. While Red Widow is more focused on the aftermath of Lyndsey's time in Beirut and finding a mole inside of the CIA, Red London takes us out into the world of undercover work. Alma Katsu does a fantastic job of drawing on her years of experience as a CIA analyst to create this real-world story that hooked me immediately. Her use of real-world current events, (Russia & Ukraine), and unexpected twists and turns had me at the edge of my seat. I was so captivated by the story, that I finished the second half of the book in one sitting, staying up far too late, but totally worth the lost sleep.

The Hunger is still my favorite of her books so far, but I can confidently say that Red London is now my second. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thriller and/or spy novels.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Swirling, tense, and super readable, another winner from Alma Katsu. It's really interesting to see how the author deals with writing a CIA thriller involving Russian targets that incorporates the invasion of Ukraine- it's the first one I've read that has had to reckon with that, and Katsu handles it well.

I found Alma Katsu through her Donner Party historical fiction horror and fell in love! Followed up with The Fervor and I was completely hooked. While neither horror or espionage are favorite genres of mine, Ms. Katsu is such a good story teller that if I was going to read spy stories, they sure would be from her! And, while I felt that Red London didn't quite have the same zing as Red Widow, it was still a solid captivating read. I think part of my problem was the very bifurcated storylines. Supposedly Duncan is in London to handle the volatile asset she gained in Red Widow, but she is almost immediately side tracked working with MI6 and infiltrating the household of a wealthy Russian by befriending his wife. I felt like having both plots running at the same time hurt them both, but mostly the ongoing plot with Tarasenko, her Russian spy. The expected point where the storylines joined together never took place, leaving me feel like something was missing. But, there was also an incredibly tantalizing ending teasing for what might be in the next book in the series. I'd like that now please!

I DNF this book. I got to about 14%.


Pros:

The first chapter was gripping. I was interested in the characters and what was happening to them. I wanted to know more about their lives and who was after them.

Cons:

I don’t connect with the actual main character Lyndsey. I find myself skimming the pages looking for more about the family and it’s just not happening.