"Justice isn't satisfaction; it's a moveable truth."

"Our perception is defined by what we think we see."

"All we can do is take a deep breath and carry on."

"That's the trouble with genius, it needs an audience."

The brilliance of Juan Gomez-Jurado's writing is in the details. The tension, the camaraderie of loyal partners, and the duality of genius minds, one to do good for the world and one to prove his can control the world. In the finale of his Antonia Scott trilogy, White King, he once again proves he is the real genius.

In the first two books we come to understand that covert agent Antonia is the key to the Red Queen project. Her 200 IQ (based on a real life person) has served her well in capturing vile criminals. But it's her relationship with Jon Gutierrez that saves her when her personal life blows up. Now the evilest of criminals, White King, has kidnapped Jon, placed an explosive device under his skin, and unless Jon and Antonia solve three crimes within his time frame he will detonate the device and Jon. It's a nail biting catch your breath finale.

The ultra talented 5 star voice actor Scott Brick is the gifted conductor of this trilogy. With each book both he and the author up the ante with propulsive whip smart brace yourself storytelling.

Book 1. Red Queen (Antonia Scott #1)
Book 2. Black Wolf (Antonia Scott #2)
Book 3. White King (Antonia Scott #3)

This series is now on Prime Video!!! Watch this queen rule with her brain over sly "wolves" and arrogant "kings".

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was an arc that I'm extremely grateful. I do like this character, but I just cant figure her out. It almost looks like she's trying so hard to be this extremely smart person but she already is! I do like that John was recovered very quickly after the abduction at the end of book #2. That end too was solid, so ill see if she grows on me.

Yes I do recommend this book, and if it the series does continue, I will follow along.

Solid 3 stars!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this, beyond humbled and grateful. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

I have been waiting an entire year for this book's US release and it did not disappoint. I listened to this over the course of two days and could not put it down. Gómez-Jurado has a unique writing style that has you laughing out loud one minute and gasping in horror the next. (If you are triggered by detailed descriptions of violence, this is not the series for you.)

The conclusion of the Red Queen trilogy (precedes by Red Queen and Black Wolf), White King drops right back into the action of Red Queen Antonia and her partner Jon trying to solve international crimes and outwit their enemies, specifically Mr. White who appears to be the greatest criminal mastermind the world has ever seen. (Watch out, Moriarty.) In all three books, the twists and turns never stop and just when you think you have it figured out... Plot TWIST! If you like edge of your seat thrillers, White King and the entire Red Queen trilogy are for you.

Finally, I listened to the audiobook version read by the incomparable Scott Brick. IYKYK. If you don't, you should. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an early review copy of this book.

(3.75 stars)
White King is the third (and final) book in the international bestseller Red Queen series by Juan Gomez-Jurado. Originally published in Spanish in 2020, it is finally available in English. If you enjoy thrillers with great characters, don’t miss this series.

Antonia Scott (half British-half Spanish) is a terrific character, a super-intelligent woman who has experienced a good deal of personal trauma. Antonia is part of the Red Queen project, “created to work behind the scenes to solve the most devious and dangerous crimes.” Jon Guttierez is a Spanish police officer who got in a bit of disgrace, so when he was offered an opportunity to make the problem go away if he worked with Antonia, he jumped at the chance. They are a terrific team. I particularly loved Jon in each of these three books. He’s gay so the author has avoided any of the possible male-female entanglements that so many books include with people who work together so closely. They work on very complex cases assigned to them by a man code named Mentor.

This book picks up exactly where the cliffhanger ending of book two, Black Wolf, left us. (Not going to say what that cliffhanger was, in case you haven’t read Black Wolf yet.)

Antonia and Jon are working against the clock, racing all over Madrid trying to solve multiple cases on a deadline set by an evil antagonist, the titular White King. It was not quite as enjoyable for me as the first two books, probably because of all the bouncing around in time, with flashbacks that were not clearly labeled as such and involved several different characters. While still a very good book, I found myself speeding up the audiobook beyond the speed I usually listen at, which is a sign that something wasn’t quite working for me.

While this could technically be read as a standalone, I think you would be even more confused than I was, so I wouldn’t recommend it as a standalone.

One of the things I really enjoyed about Antonia is her amazing grasp of numerous languages. She was constantly coming with the odd words in lesser-known languages to express/describe a particular situation. Here’s one example: “Dharmanisthuya, In Kannada, a Dravidic language spoken by forty-four million people in India, the relief of the downhill slope, the sensation an exhausted walker has when they come to a downward stretch of the path.”

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.

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. All opinions are my own.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and I'm sorry to see it come to end. Antonia Scott's mind is absolutely fascinating and I love her friendship with Jon. This story was a great way to conclude the trilogy as it really puts Antonia's skills to the test. With many twists and turns that you won't see coming this a novel that you can't put down. I listened to the audiobook and felt like I was right in the middle of the action.

The 3rd book of the Antonia Scott "Red Queen" series, White King brings the story full circle and wraps up loose ends from book 2, "Black Wolf". Antonia's protector and partner, Jon was kidnapped at the end of Black Wolf, and White King begins with Antonia meeting Mr. White, who she believes to be behind not only Jon's disappearance but also the murder of her husband, along with a multitude of other evil events. Mr. White assigns Antonia 3 cases to solve in a short period of time, or Jon will die. I love this series and have impatiently looked forward to the English translations of the sequels since reading Red Queen. These thrillers are intelligent, humorous (dry, sarcastic wit, my favorite), and present the readers with unique characters and situations. I alternated between the audiobook and the kindle version; usually I prefer to read for myself, but I found myself preferring the audiobook this time around as it gave me the correct pronunciations of all the Spanish street names, etc. (I quite enjoyed the narration by Scott Brick.) The story goes in directions I never expected, providing several stunning twists and pulse-pounding action.
Reading the prior two books first (and in order) is, in my opinion, best for this series, as each book builds on the previous.

Juan Gómez-Jurado doesn’t just end the Antonia Scott trilogy with White King; he detonates it. This book is a relentless, high-stakes mind game where Antonia, the brilliant but emotionally fractured protagonist, is pushed further than ever before. Her nemesis, the enigmatic and utterly ruthless Mr. White, isn’t just a villain—he’s a master manipulator who has spent years weaving a web around her. Now, with Jon Gutierrez, the only person she trusts, held hostage and her past unraveling around her, Antonia is forced into a twisted challenge: solve three crimes or lose Jon forever.

The tension in White King is off the charts. Every chapter feels like a sprint, packed with shocking turns and psychological warfare. Gómez-Jurado balances breakneck pacing with deep character exploration, giving us an intimate look into Antonia's psyche while never letting up on the action. The story seamlessly intertwines past and present, revealing long-buried secrets about Antonia, the "Red Queen" project, and the sinister forces that have been pulling the strings all along.

At its heart, this book is about resilience, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond between Antonia and Jon. Their dynamic has always been the heart of the series, and here it’s tested in ways that feel both devastating and deeply human. The final showdown with Mr. White is nothing short of electrifying—a battle of wits, willpower, and sheer survival instinct.

As a conclusion to the trilogy, White King delivers. It ties up loose ends, answers lingering questions, and provides a resolution that feels both earned and satisfying. Yes, there are losses. Yes, there are gut punches. But the way Gómez-Jurado brings everything full circle is masterful.

If you’re an audiobook fan, Scott Brick’s narration is the way to go. He captures every ounce of tension and psychological depth, making the experience even more immersive. His pacing, his character work, and his ability to ratchet up suspense make this a top-tier listen.

In the end, White King isn’t just a thriller; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the final page. If you’ve followed Antonia Scott this far, buckle up—this is the explosive finale you’ve been waiting for.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review.

In the book White King, author Juan Gómez-Jurado writes part three of the Antonia Scott series. Antonia Scott is gifted with an unusual forensic mind and able to piece crimes and murders together. She solves them with her protector Jon Gutierrez. The Red Queen project is under attack and those involved are killing each other. And it seems that the mysterious Mr. White is at the center of it all. This was a good story but you will need to read the first 2 books in the series or you will be lost. Each book builds on the story and gives details that will make sense later in the story. I would recommend this book and the series. The audio-book narration was very good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review
White King
Juan Gómez-Jurado
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


A tour de force police procedural that swiftly evolves into a high-stakes mystery thriller, this is the third and supposedly final volume in an outstanding trilogy by multi-award-winning Spanish author Juan Gómez-Jurado.

Reprising her role as the reluctant yet brilliant detective, Antonia Scott is as compelling and unconventional as Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander. The daughter of a high-ranking British diplomat and a Spanish mother, she possesses an extraordinary intellect, boasting an IQ of 242 and an uncanny ability to see what others miss. From a simple crime scene observation, she can unravel the most baffling murders. Though her skills are legendary, she operates not within conventional law enforcement but for a clandestine international agency known as the Red Queen Project. This covert organization, with units spread across multiple European countries, answers to no higher authority and remains hidden from public scrutiny and social media. Their mission is to neutralize serial killers, pedophiles, terrorists, and lone wolves—working outside bureaucratic constraints, reporting only to their sole handler, “Mentor.”

In the field, each Red Queen is paired with a shield bearer, whose role is both protector and partner. Antonia has formed a complex but deeply personal bond with her shield bearer, Inspector Jon Gutiérrez—an overweight, openly gay police officer. Their relationship has evolved into something almost familial, built on trust and shared danger.

The award-winning first book in the series was adapted into a gripping seven-episode series on Prime Video in February 2024, which I highly recommend. While Antonia Scott is undeniably the star, the show also cements the growing dynamic between her and Jon Gutiérrez.

Chaos erupts across Europe as Red Queens and their shield bearers are systematically murdered. Fearing she will be next, Antonia is thrown into deeper turmoil when Jon is kidnapped. When he is returned, he bears a fresh incision on his neck—proof that a bomb has been surgically implanted into his cervical spine by the associates of her former nemesis, Mr. White. A psychotic genius and Antonia’s intellectual equal, Mr. White presents her with a twisted challenge: solve three crimes within mere hours, or he will detonate the bomb. Forced to play his deadly game, Antonia must race against time, knowing full well that Mr. White’s motives remain an enigma. As the stakes escalate, she confronts crimes more bizarre than the last, with Jon’s life hanging in the balance.

Juan Gómez-Jurado masterfully weaves together multiple plotlines, ratcheting up the suspense as danger looms over both victims and investigators. The story unfolds with unexpected violence and grisly twists, keeping the tension at an all-time high. While this novel could stand alone, it’s impossible not to rush out and devour the earlier installments.

I alternated between reading on my Kindle and listening to the audiobook, but I found myself completely unable to tear away from the audio in the final stretch. Narrated by the exceptional Scott Brick, whose background in acting and writing has earned him multiple awards for performances in over 800 books, the audiobook brings the characters vividly to life. Brick’s voice inflections create a true “theater of the mind,” immersing listeners in every emotion and moment of suspense. I highly recommend diving into his narration of Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series as well—another roller-coaster ride of thrillers.

Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version of this five-star gem.

My parting thought: Say it ain’t so! I can’t believe this is the last we’ll see of Antonia Scott and Jon Gutiérrez

11-12 posted TikTok review
No spoilers. A hard-hitting, gritty, tense crime thriller with depth and heart.
An extraordinary, vulnerable woman whose mental abilities help her to solve otherwise unsolvable crimes and a huge gay police detective face horrific crimes and chilling threats.

As soon as I discovered this ALC, I got the first two books. This series is even better than I anticipated. The White King continues storylines from the previous two books, pits Antonia and Jon against a deadly enemy, and provides a stunning finish.

I strongly recommend reading these three books in order. The relationship dynamics are among the treasures of this series.

The translation is fantastic, smooth and natural. This is one of my favorite audiobook performances. The Scott Brick's expressive and versatile narration enhanced the novel’s immersive effect.

Juan Gómez-Jurado delivers complex, wonderfully vivid characters, high suspense, fantastic pacing, and an extraordinary plot. White King is intense, moving, brutal, and tender. This audiobook kept me enthralled to the end.

Highly recommended for seasoned readers of thrillers and crime fiction. Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for the ALC for consideration. These opinions are solely my own.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

The Antonia Scott series is about Antonia and her partner, Jon. They are sort of government agency law enforcement but a special program called Red Queen. The setting is Europe and they are based in Spain. Jon is gay; he has had some issues with trying too hard to get the bad guys. Rather than jailing him, he works with Antonia. Antonia has a high IQ. She is excellent with deductions and her unit uses special drugs to enhance her abilities.

Black Wolf ended in a cliffhanger with Jon being kidnapped. I would definitely read these books in order for the character foundations and the exciting cases. I have and I was still somewhat lost for most of this story, at least as to how Antonia and Jon would succeed and who their opponent was.

White King alternates between the current race to solve Mr. White's challenges on impossible time frames and past scenes which provide a more detailed foundation of Antonia's past and training in the agency. Mentor is sort of her boss and also handler. He worked with her on her training and the almost cruel techniques and drugs to force her abilities. Now she has detoxed and is not taking the drugs.

I hadn't realized or didn't remember the Red Queen program had more operatives in other countries. While I was being distracted throughout much of the book with world-building about the past and the program, Antonia was figuring out who Mr. White is and why he was doing these horrible things. If it weren't for the fast paced case challenges and the dire consequences of failing, most of the book might have been boring.

The ending though is brilliant. Antonia and Jon may not be perfect people but they excel at finding the truth. I'm interested to see what happens next for them.

Narration:
Scott Brick is a favorite narrator and often narrates this type of action thriller which I enjoy. The voices all felt comfortable to me, even ones with some regional accents . I was able to listen at 1.5x speed.

This was told more like a telenovela.

Antonia is trying to figure out Me. Whites game and to save her partner Jon. She has to solve 3 murders and one hasn’t even happened yet. Come to find out her father had a part in all of it. He was just following orders.

Some parts were interesting and other parts just dragged on.

WHITE KING by Juan Gómez-Jurado (see Red Queen and Black Wolf) is the final novel in the best-selling Antonia Scott trilogy, best read in order. Diminutive, cerebral Scott and warm-hearted, "bear" of a man Gutiérrez are wonderful foils and increasingly have come to care for and understand each other. This latest story is also filled with high stakes adventures as other Red Queens and their protectors have been killed or sabotaged. Evil Mr. White sends Antonia on a wild chase to solve or prevent murders – the price if she is not successful? Jon Gutiérrez's life. Throughout, the writing by Gómez-Jurado is superb as shown by the following few examples. After being released from a kidnapping, Gutiérrez feels "extreme nausea, a dull persistent pain in his back ... with legs as rickety as a piece of IKEA furniture." Or about Antonia: "She's a very poor liar; on a scale of 0 to president, Antonio doesn't even make it onto the scoreboard" Or imaginatively: "... another free tour of the most interesting parts of her psyche - in an open topped double decker bus it goes around the confusion traffic circle, the monument to rage, and betrayal square. The bus is filled with the people in her life all looking about and pointing, taking selfies." Gómez-Jurado is so descriptive, allowing his readers to vividly picture scenes: "His eyes are on the Gurney carrying away his boss's dead body. The rain comes down harder and the plastic wheels throw up tiny droplets as they fall into cracks in the sidewalk." And he is cynically observant: "There are huge quantities of idiots in the world who think they're intelligent, capable of managing the national soccer team, performing open heart surgery, or solving the immigration problem. They come out with irrefutable answers on each of these topics in only a few minutes. Truly intelligent people have doubts about everything and everyone, but above all about themselves." Start at the beginning and savor this entire trilogy. Highly recommended.

I primarily listened to the audiobook and narrator Scott Brick is excellent. His voice lends both excitement and wry humor ("It's absolutely not a good idea to drive into police headquarters at 200 kilometers an hour both because of the security barrier and the officers with assault rifles posted at the entrance so they impatiently wait their turn in the line of cars.") to these twisty, sometimes dark adventures ("We always tell ourselves that tomorrow is another day. That we'll have time to fix things until we don't."). Interested readers should also note that Amazon has created a Red Queen series, based on the first book.

White King is the 3rd book in the series and I found it very hard to follow having not read the previous 2 books. Certain storylines and characters confused me without the background from books 1 & 2.

I enjoyed Juan Gómez-Jurado writing and storytelling. Scott Brick did a fantastic job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for letting me read this ARC and the opportunity to leave a review.

No! Tell me it’s not true — this cannot be over. This can’t be the last outing for Antonia Scott and Inspector Jon Gutierrez. The entire 3 book series has been exceptional in action and well constructed plots and I hate that the saga of the Red Queen is coming to an end.

I have loved the characters of Antonia and Jon as their relationship deepens through their attempts to solve the most heinous crimes and find some sort of justice. Not only are they unique in personality, they are also highly skilled in their jobs and focused on completing their missions. Now they face their adversary, Mr. White, who brings them full circle into his devious plans. He’s a nasty piece of work and another nemesis makes an appearance as well. It was hard to guess where this was going with all the twists and turns. I liked the writing style and the bits of humor that the author included to make me really care about Antonia and Jon. There’s just the barest bit at the end that could allow for further stories about these two. If only.

I suggest you read these from the beginning in order. And better if you can do it one after the other without suffering through the waiting for the translations from Spanish. Also catch the first book’s adaptation on streaming channels. I enjoyed it as well.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The book is narrated by the incomparable Scott Brick whose voice consistently elevates the novels he performs with his incredible range and talent. This is definitely one I highly recommend on audio for a completely absorbing experience.

4.5/5. Thank you to Netgalley, Mr. Gómez-Jurado, and the publisher for the ARC/ALC!

This was an excellently paced series, and the conclusion to the main trilogy is no different. The mystery of Mr. White, started in book one, reaches its final conclusion here, finally pulling the tension of the plot line to the near breaking point. Antonia's quest to find out the truth behind one of the greatest mysteries of her life finally comes to an end with a (near literal) explosion.

The many fibers of the rope that Gómez-Jurado brings together throughout all three books are neatly weaved by the end, leaving just enough of a hint at the future of our favorite duo. His characters are real people, even with their greater-than-life aspects, and you want to see them succeed. You want them happy, healthy, and preferably in one piece (no promises). I think that can be hard to do with a shorter crime drama like this, but Gómez-Jurado excelled at it.

The narrator for all three, Scott Brick, did an excellent job. Well-paced, well-voiced, and I could tell just by tone and inflection who was "speaking" through him. I'm glad all three books kept the same narrator because it would have been jarring to hear someone else.

Highly recommending this series (and already have!) to friends of mine who like this genre.

A fun and fast-paced wrap-up to this excellent trilogy in translation from Spanish. Antonia and Jon are a wonderful team, and their partnership was on full display in this novel. I was happy with Gómez-Jurado's handling of the storyline, and Scott Brick gave an excellent narration. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook review copy.

I found out very quickly that this book is part of a series and unfortunately I didn't read the other two books. There are a lot references to other storylines in the past, but as this is the third book, I found it hard to follow because I didn't understand what they meant. There's a lot of reference to characters that weren't really introduced in this book which made it confusing for me. I did also realize that the book is translated from another language and I'm not sure if it was the translation or a cultural difference but I found there were a lot of cliche and slang words that made me wince a bit.

The book starts off with a ton of action and suspense and continues that way throughout the story. The action and the fast pace really draw the reader in. The writing is very descriptive, the story is very well written and the characters seem to be well developed. I think the book may have worked better for me if I had read the other two books first, but I feel like this book fell short for me.

Scott Brick is amazing as always with the narration. I love the books that he narrates. He makes it easy to distinguish the characters. He builds up the pace for dramatic scenes and brings it back to normal when when needed. He really makes the characters come to life.

After finishing the book, I can really see the close relationship that Antonia has with Jon but I've never read/listened to a book with so many pet names between people in a working relationship. It may just be me, but pet names like sweetie, angel, and honey make me cringe and there were so many instances of this that it made me want to turn the book off. It may just be a translation difference, but it didn't work for me. I'm giving it 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars because the writing, detail and concept really are great, I personally just had a hard time with some of the nuances in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

White King is the third book in @juangomezjurado’s Red Queen series. This series is an action packed international crime thriller trilogy that follows Antonia Scott a highly and specially trained spy. This third book has us racing around with Antonia and her partner, Jon, as they attempt to take down Mister White.

I highly recommend this book and series if you love:
👀 international settings (Madrid Spain)
👀 fast pace and tons of action
👀 tough female protagonists
👀 unique investigations
👀 spy novels

If you’re reading a series that combines the hyper intelligent sleuthing of Sherlock Holmes with the sarcastic police procedural of the John Corey series, but it also includes mysterious killers and political intrigue… then you’re probably reading the latest thriller from Juan Gomez-Jurado.

White King is the third installment in the Anita Scott series that features a highly trained forensic investigator with the secretive Red Queen program. After the devastating events of the previous two books, Anita must face off with the man who has been tormenting her for years. With Mr. White finally exposing himself, the stakes could not be higher. When her protector and friend, Inspector Jon Guiterrez is kidnapped, Anita sends what’s left of her family into hiding. To get Jon back, she will do anything… including playing Mr. White’s psychotic games that will pit her against everything she’s previously held dear.

There is no shortage of great series in the thrillerverse, but few come along and capture my attention and interest like this one has. I won’t say it’s my favorite series of all time, but it’s my favorite new series since the English language translations came out three years ago.

Gomez-Jurado has the sharp wit and sarcastic leanings that only a long time journalist can bring to the page. The investigative nature of the plotlines are detailed enough to feel authentic, but do not get bogged down in the details like you'd more often see in a Hollywood blockbuster, creating a perfect balance of realism and suspended disbelief.

These three books have brought in so many of the qualities I love in a wider range of subgenres and manages to expertly stitch them together to weave a masterfully entertaining story that is high intensity at times as well as deeply introspective at others. I cannot recommend this series enough.