ARC Review: Black Wolf by Juan Gomez-Jurado

Black Wolf
Author: Juan Gomez-Jurado
Series: Antonia Scott (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 12, 2024)

Description: International bestselling sensation Antonia Scott, along with Jon Gutierrez, return in the much anticipated sequel to Red Queen.

Antonia Scott has an unusually gifted mind, able to see what others miss, able to solve the crimes that baffle all others. The only thing she fears is herself.

Antonia is the lynchpin of the Red Queen project, created to work behind the scenes to solve the most devious and dangerous crimes. But she is unwilling to move past the last case, convinced it’s related to a personal tragedy, until a series of deadly events pulls her back in. In southern Spain, in the Costa del Sol, a key mafia figure is found brutally murdered in his villa, his pregnant wife, Lola Moreno, barely escapes an attempt to kill her in a shopping mall and is on the run. A shipping container from St. Petersburg arrives in port in Spain containing the corpses of nine woman, all who suffocated. Now Antonia, with the help of her helper and protector, Jon Gutierrez, must track down this missing Lola. But they aren’t the only ones on Lola’s trail – a dangerous contract killer, known as the Black Wolf, is also on her trail. And Antonia Scott, still plagued by her personal demons, must outwit, out-maneuver, and, ultimately, face this terrible, mysterious rival.

My Thoughts: The second Antonia Scott adventure sees Antonia and Jon looking for the missing wife of a murdered mafia figure who was found dead in his villa. The story is told from the viewpoint of Lola Moreno too who is trying to escape from assassins and who is both diabetic and pregnant.

Antonia is still obsessing about events in her last case. She's the only one who believes in the mysterious Mr. White who was the master villain who orchestrated her last case. Mentor, who assigns her cases, wants her to move on. But moving on isn't what Antonia does. She is still visiting her brain dead husband and feeling guilty that she survived when he has not. As the product of a secret experiment designed to produce genius investigators, Antonia is often lost in her own head. 

Jon Gutierrez is the Basque Police Inspector who has been assigned to be Antonia's keeper. Much of the story is told from his point of view. He's an interesting character who among other things is gay and lonely and not fat and who is a man loyal to Antonia and to the law. 

The story has a fast-paced plot as Antonia and Jon try to track down Lola. They aren't the only ones who want her. She is also being searched for by Orlov and his men since she disappeared with huge amounts of the mafia don's money. And there is a mysterious assassin, whose viewpoint we also see, who wants to find her too. 

The writing style, with the many shifts of viewpoint, keeps the reader busy trying to weave together all the various threads of the story. I enjoyed it and the cliffhanger ending makes me really want to get my hands on Jon and Antonia's next adventure. 

Favorite Quote:

Someone like Antonia, who lives inside the prison of her brain, perceives much more clearly than other mortals an incontrovertible truth. That the limits of your language are the limits of your world. This is something every avid reader understands intuitively, even if they don't express it in those terms. and it's why they can never read enough. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.