Wow just wow! I really loved this and the narrator, Scott Brick was amazing. I listened to the interview with the author and SB and I can’t wait to read the next two of this mystery thriller. It was unique and I loved the main characters.
The author is so talented and I just couldn’t get enough. I highly recommend listening to this one! If you love a good mystery thriller then this is your next book! Don’t let this one slip through the cracks.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

I liked this. A solid crime thriller. I liked the two main characters. They're so different but I love reading about them working together through their investigation. There are lots of characters to keep straight so I did have to rewind a few times but eventually it all comes together. There were some thrilling moments as Antonia and John try to get to the bottom of the abduction.
I liked the narrator too, the inflections kept me interested in the story and wanting to keep listening without pausing for hours.

I LOVED the Author's Note. A great insight into the background of the story & the author's inspiration to getting to this final fictional story.

If the other Antonia Scott novels are also translated I think I'd give them a try too :-)

Big thanks to Macmillan Audio! I got interested in this initially via the last Minotaur Sampler so I was excited to get to read the rest of the story.

Intrusive thought after finishing Jaun Gómez-Jurado’s Red Queen: Which of my Spanish speaking friends could I convince to read me the next book in this series?

I feel like I’m late to the party since this book has been out since 2018 but just now making its way to U.S. markets. Fans of gritty thrillers, flawed but lovable characters will like this one. Compared to the The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which I think puts too many expectations on this book, it’s still an unputdownable read.

Without giving anything away, Jon Gutierrez and Antonia Scott are thrown together to work a case in a secret police organization. One giant plus is that Jon is gay so there is no sexual chemistry between them but you can tell they will become deep friends in books to come.

Bring on the English edition of the rest of this series!

I enjoyed this story so much in written form I wanted to revisit it in audio form. Scott Brick is masterful.

If you love Orphan X then you will love Red Queen. The two main characters are layered and have great chemistry/banter. The crimes are pretty brutal. I'm very much looking forward to this series continuing.

The audiobook for Red Queen by Juan Gome-Jurado is an intriguing action thriller, recommended for readers/listeners looking for an action thriller that is about the characters/their interactions and story as much as about the plot itself. I admit I was all in for the suggested comparison to Lisbeth Salander but I just don't really get that vibe other than a general similar relationship in terms of her relationships with older men/male guardians and mentors.
This is indeed a well written and well paced story but... I just could not get into it. I think this is a case of an audiobook that needs the physical book with it, it's a big long for me for an audiobook and my focus and interest waned a bit. I think this is more a case of it not being quite the book I expected and having trouble with the style of an international story and writer as opposed to this not being a good book and a perfect fit for many readers.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillion Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio book.

This could have been a 5-- the narrator was horrible. There were many times I wanted to discontinue. I had to speed up and tolerate. This was a great book... I am looking forward to a part 2 (please tell me there will be a part 2- and different narrator!)

gave me Lizbeth Salander type vibes.

This is a must read (listen)

I wanted so badly to love this book. Sadly, I did not.

The blurb compares Red Queen’s protagonist Antonia to Stieg Larsson’s iconic Lisbeth Salander. That’s a really high and unfair bar that RQ simply cannot hope to reach. Additionally, I think the Millennium Trilogy books are very different from Red Queen tonally. In fact, Red Queen is very different from most of the mystery-thrillers I’ve read.

This is what I’d call a thinker’s thriller. Maybe the audio medium hurt my experience with this story. Usually, I enjoy how audio lends itself really well to the crime/mystery/thriller/suspense genre(s). A narrator can ratchet up the tension with emotive vocalizations and bring to life the taut, propulsive pace. But Red Queen is not one of those books you can listen to casually.

Red Queen is not structured with a fast pace, rising stakes, tense moments, or action-packed scenes. (Or did I just miss them?) Maybe I needed to read the pages to accommodate the pace of the plot. For me, RQ didn’t grab a hold of me; I had to grab hold of it.

The plot plods along with the odd duo of a genius but hurting young woman and a corrupted but good-hearted cop. The author definitely does not shy away from heavy exposition and beat-by-beat descriptions of character thoughts, feelings, and experiences. My initial fascination with Antonia and John was soon drowned by my disconnect from the plot, which led to a dis-investment in the characters.

If you’re an American reader used to American thriller novels, this will be quite a different experience. Although I could not fall in love with the book, I think the writing and thoughtfulness of the plot had quite a bit of merit and could be the perfect thriller for a certain kind of reader.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion!

I absolutely loved this crime thriller and the character Detective Antonia Scott! Antonia is pulled out of self-imposed seclusion to investigate crimes that are occurring against Spain’s wealthiest families. The crimes include murder and kidnapping. I switched between the book and audiobook while reading this one because I did not want to put it down! The audiobook is well narrated. Luckily there will be more coming since the next two books in the series are being translated to English. I cannot wait to find out what other crazy cases Antonia will be assigned to investigate!

Thank you @minotaur_books @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for allowing me to read and listen to the book and audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jon Gutierrez is a Spanish cop who’s blown up his career; he’s about to face criminal charges when he gets offered a Hail Mary Pass. He can work with a shadowy organization that is working to take down some of the worst criminal elements in Bilbao. He just needs to convince forensic genius Antonia Scott to come out of hiding to solve a horrific crime wave that includes ritualistic murder and some of the wealthiest people in the city. This is a “balls to the wall” story with non stop excitement and some of the most unique characters in literature today