Book Review
White King
reviewed by Eric Ellis
White King is the third and concluding novel in the Red Queen series featuring Antonia Scott and Det. Jon Gutiérrez and picks up where the second novel (Black Wolf) ended.
Upfront, this is a difficult review to write because the ease of divulging spoilers is difficult to avoid, even while just providing an informative review. However, readers who have followed this series will be pleasantly surprised by the conclusion of the third novel and spoilers will not be revealed.
At the end of Black Wolf, Gutierrez has been abducted right before the eyes of Scott and in White King, his safe retrieval depends upon her unique abilities. Knowing from the start that this would be one of her most difficult tasks to accomplish due to facing opponents just as skilled as her, if not more so. With her attempt to avoid reliance upon the red and blue pills to calm the well-known jittering cerebral monkeys in her brain provided to her by Mentor, Scott’s troubles are only beginning.
Throughout the novel, adversaries of the Red Queen program issue tasks to be completed at their whim, with failure not being an option. If such tasks are not completed, very dire consequences will result. These tasks seem humanly impossible to complete, and while attempting to perform these tasks it seems the Red Queen opponents are so formidable as to anticipate every move by those involved in the Red Queen project – seemingly even before some actions are even thought of.
The novel then follows as those in the Red Queen project attempt to complete the demanded events in multiple races against time, leaving behind twists, turns, and devastation that none may survive, even the formidable Antonia Scott.
Gomez-Jurado has crafted an enjoyable thriller series with wonderfully developed characters, both good and evil, which should compel readers to continue through the three novels. Also, like Lee Child and his Jack Reacher character and Gregg Hurwitz and his Evan Smoak character, Gomez-Jurado allows the reader to peer into the mind of Scott, sharing how she arrives at her conclusions and in ways not to seem superficial or to simply move the plot forward.
The Red Queen novels are both complex and entertaining and highly recommended to those who enjoy finely crafted thrillers.
Currently, Amazon Prime is streaming a dramatization of the novels, with a second season on the horizon.
Netgalley provided an ARC of White King upon the promise of a fair review with the novel set to be published in March 2025.
