Red queen

A tense Spanish crime novel that many say surpasses even Stieg Larsson’s cult trilogy. Police officer Jon Gutierrez finds himself in trouble after being filmed planting drugs. Mentor, the head of the Spanish cell of a secret organization, offers him a solution. It is a project called Red Queen, which, according to a quote from Alice Through the Looking Glass, strives to solve complex and sensitive cases in a more modern way. Each participating country has a Mentor, a group of top investigators, a Red Queen, and someone who is her protector. Jon thus becomes responsible for the woman with the highest IQ in the world. When the body of a child from a wealthy family is found without a drop of blood in its body, Jon must bring in Antonia. But this brilliant woman has been unwilling to participate in the project for some time. Both main characters are convincing, but Antonia’s unclear past casts a shadow over her present and even her future. Secrets are revealed one after another, and there is no shortage of action scenes. All the while, the question remains: what are the interests of those who remain hidden in the background, yet hold power firmly in their hands? This politically topical work offers a critical view of the sins of the world’s richest people. Sometimes money and reputation mean more to them than human life. The Red Queen is the first part of a trilogy about Antonia Scott. It is followed by the novels Black Wolf and White King. The entire trilogy puts Spain on the map of masters of the crime genre. (EZ)