Sirk TV Book Review: THE RED QUEEN [Minotaur]

"The Red Queen" [Juan Gomez-Jurado/Minotaur/384pgs] takes different elements of the detective buddy genre and gives it an Alex Cross/Silence Of The Lambs spin. The book’s lead is that of Antonia Scott who in many ways is antisocial to a fault but has been brought into a secret program because of her intelligence and trauma (her husband is in a coma because of a previous case it seems — though this is the first book in a series). Antonia has been brainwashed (with her consent) and given a new type of drug that permanently changes certain elements of her cognitive functions (but likely dulls others). She is under the tutelage of a man called Mentor who recruited and led her through the program. At the beginning of the book she is summoned to investigate the murder (or requisite body) of the son of a banking magnate. Mentor calls up an inspector Jon Gutierrez who has just been let go from the force as it seems he was framed during a drug bust. The former lieutenant is burly and likes good clothes like early Bautista but the character is also openly gay so that probably was held against him on the force.

Gutierrez is asked to watch over Antonia to keep her safe. They form an unlikely duo as another kid is kidnapped. This time is the daughter of the CEO of an international clothing business. As a reader, we start to see the other side of who is doing this in Ezekiel who is undertaking this as an element of "path" like many. But we also see that this villain has trauma though that doesn’t undo what he is doing. Antonia and Jon continue their path which at one point diverges because Jon is both headstrong but also sensitive...and perhaps loyal to a fault. The backstory on Antonia’s baseline as well as a bigger family history is indicated (and explored) which gives rise to the culmination of the story which both takes the location of Madrid into account but also a certain history of where the training involved with Ezekiel came from. The culmination also forces Antonia to face her fear in a way but it is only because it is a matter of survival. This in turn also tests the boundary of her loyalty. The twist has certain elements of modern psychological horror and plays well enough despite the lack of real psychopathic intention in the eventual MacGuffin. That said, the narrative is still effective. 78% (B)

By Tim Wassberg