This one had a rough start for me. The dialogue felt clunky and forced and it took me a long time to get into it. I also didn’t love the way some lines were translated. For example, in one scene Jon was talking to Antonia, she took a while to respond and the line said something along the lines of ‘She took two and a half weeks to respond’. We wouldn’t say that in English, it would be more like ‘she took forever to respond’. I know, I’m nitpicking, but when I had to do translations in college that was drilled into us, you don’t always translate word for word. Could I translate a whole book? Absolutely not, but this still irked me. Once the story really got rolling, I couldn’t stop listening though. It was exciting and kept me on my toes guessing. The ending dug it’s hooks even further into me, I can’t wait for book 3. I was so happy to see Scott Brick was the narrator again, he is THE voice of Jon and I hope he continues reading this series.

Unfortunately, this book is being published by St Martins Press and there is still a boycott of providing them with reviews because of their lack of diversity in their review programs and their response (or lack their of) to an employee's actions that were deemed racist.

I could not finish this story.
First, it took way too long to get into the actual story.
Second, this is the second book in the series, and you really need to read the first book because the first 25% is referrals to the first book.
And third, the writing is odd. Maybe it's the translation from Spanish? But I found it an odd format and very silly.
Not my cup of tea.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Black Wolf is another wild ride in the second book of the Antonia Scott series. A keen mind, intriguing characters and plenty of action make this a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced electronic ARC.

Follow the mysterious Red Queen, Antonia Scott, as she solves another unsolvable murder, this time involving the Russian mob. Things get dicey when the plot starts to unravel and more sinister parties become involved.

Unfortunately, I hadn't red the first book in the series when I got this. It was still an enjoyable read, but I would suggest starting with book one. There are a lot of references to stories and character history from it that didn't have as big of an emotional impact because of my oversight. I would have liked to know more about the setup of the Red Queen program and how Antonia's extremely intelligent mind functions and causes her to rely on various drugs to rein it in. Perhaps a bit more from the perspective of the detective and her deputy would have made the twists more impactful, too. That said, It was full of suspense, complex motivations and plot lines, and twists that left me reading late into the nights. It's definitely worth a read for the suspense readers out there. The three main characters--Antonia, Jon, and Lola--have rich backstories with what I imagine to be explored in the following books in the series.

3.5-4 stars
Good mystery and good quirky characters. The only thing I don't like is the dialogue, especially from Jon Gutierrez. Too many of his comments seem unnatural and strange. This could be due to cultural differences (what seems odd to me might be completely normal to someone from Spain) or to translation difficulties (I'm reading an English translation).

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Black Wolf
Juan Gómez-Jurado
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


A tour de force police procedural that quickly evolves into a mystery-thriller, Black Wolf begs the reader to immediately want more. Thankfully, this is the second book in a quirky trilogy that has been recently translated from Spanish and has won international awards.

The award-winning first novel was adapted into an amazing seven-episode series on Prime Network in February 2024. The star of the show and books is the reluctant and brilliant detective, Antonio Scott, who possesses an IQ of 242. She has a rare intelligence and a mind that sees what few others can. She is as compelling and unconventional as Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander. From simple observations at a crime scene, she solves baffling murders. Her skills are legendary and continue to build as she works for a shadowy international agency known as the “Red Queen Project.” This project operates outside conventional law enforcement and answers to no higher authority, with units hidden from public scrutiny and social media in multiple European countries. They specialize in dealing with serial killers, pedophiles, terrorists, and human traffickers. Antonio’s only intermediary is known by the codename: Mentor. In the field, Antonio is accompanied by a “shield bearer”—an overweight gay cop, Inspector Jon Gutierrez. He provides Antonio with a buffer in dealing with “real-life” problems and logistics, sometimes muscle, and a grounding in humanity.

Police uncover a shipping container containing the remains of eight women. Meanwhile, trafficker Yuri Voronin is brutally murdered by the Russian Mafia, and his pregnant trophy wife, Lola Moreno, narrowly escapes and flees for her life, not knowing where to run or who to trust. Antonio and Jon are immediately assigned to the case by Mentor, with a high priority to find Lola before she is terminated. The mob, desperate to eliminate Lola, hires the notorious Black Wolf (“Chernaya Volchista”) to finish the job. Known as a vicious executioner and assassin who never fails, Antonio will have multiple terrifying confrontations with Black Wolf as blood spills and the body count rises.

Juan Gomez-Jurado proves to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves multiple plot twists together in a race against time while impending danger escalates for victims and investigators.

Unexpected confrontations in bloody detail intensify the intrigue and suspense. The last quarter of the book turns into a frenetic page-turner.

I personally switched back and forth between the audio and written versions. This tale was narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Scott Brick, a multiple award-winning narrator with deeply-seated experience as an actor. (I suggest jumping onto the roller coaster rides of Gregg Hurwitz’s “Orphan X” series—all narrated by the amazing Scott Brick.) Scott has the unique talent of providing an individual voice and timbre to each character, turning the tale into a dramatic presentation rather than just a “reading.” I cannot wait until the publication of the highly anticipated concluding novel, “White King.” This series has proven to be a gift to thriller aficionados.

Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version for my review, in exchange for an honest review.

I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. There were times it felt like it dragged on a little bit and parts that were so captivating. You couldn’t put it down. It goes through the partnership of Antonia, Scott and detective Gutierrez and their dynamic together. Antonia has special skills as a detective that no one else has, which can land her in situations that are potentially dangerous for them both.

Black Wolf is the 2nd book, by Juan Gomez Jurado, in the action packed Antonia Scott thriller series. This one is a bit of a departure from the first book in that it seems to be written more like a screenplay. With all the details, it was slow going and it took me several chapters to get into the book. I didn't love the ending either. While most of the story was wrapped up nicely, there was a huge cliffhanger at the very end. I personally don't like the huge ones when the next book isn't available yet.
Antonia Scott is back on the case. With her special gifts, she's the anchor for the Red Queen Project. Despite her superior mind she's having a hard time letting go of her last job. But with each new clue, she finds herself being drawn more and more into the newest case.

Just couldn't get into the story. Even put it down for awhile and tried again. Not a bad book just not for me

Antonia Scott and Jon Gutierrez are back in this fast paced, heart pounding sequel to Red Queen! Wonderful pacing, great plot, and lots of twists and turns that will keep readers hooked.

Scott and Gutierrez are back on a case and this time they are on the crosshairs of a mysterious hired assassin, known as the Black Wolf. In a race against time, they must solve two seemingly unconnected murders to not only escape the Black Wolf but to also save the actual intended target.

Thank you Minotaur Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of Black Wolf in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in Juan Gomez-Jurado’s Antonia Scott trilogy, and it just might be my new obsession! I loved book one, Red Queen, and this second one was just as good, if not better, than the first. I’m so glad these books are being translated into English!

I loved being back with Antonia and Jon Gutierrez. There is just something about their unlikely partnership that works so well. This time around, they find themselves with quite a complicated case and of course don’t always see eye to eye with the other police agencies they must work with. The case is pretty high stakes, considering the Spanish Mafia are involved, and there is a lot of action, but of course it’s also a pretty dark and graphic book. Again, if you like the Millenium series featuring Liz Salander or the Joona Linna series by Lars Kepler, these books will be just perfect for you!

What I really appreciated in this particular installment is that not only do I feel we as the reader got to know Antonia better, but we were doing that alongside Jon. They are still relatively new to each other, but have developed such a great bond and have really come to care for each other – platonically speaking of course. Their friendship really works to help them keep each other sane…and the humor that ensues because of this at times is just hysterical, which is a nice break from the overall dark tone of the book.

A fast-paced, action-filled story that ends with quite the cliff-hanger, this is one series not to miss! And now I’ll just be waiting ever-so-patiently to get my hands on that third book!

Thanks to St. Martin’s and Netgalley for the advanced copy. This is the second book in a series, and I recommend you read them in order. This was a worthy follow up to the series starter, Red Queen. Jon and Antonia continue to work together on special cases, while Antonia continues to battle her demons. I’m enjoying the series feminist slant, in which women are often the victors and survivors. Definitely recommend this if you’ve read the first book.

I listened to this audiobook in one sitting as I was thrust back into Antonia Scott's world. I love the intelligence behind this series and the action and adventure that take place as much in the mind as in the body. Jon and Antonia have such a fun working relationship and I love the way he draws her out of her shell.

In this novel we meet another intriguing character in Lola Moreno and I enjoyed her role in the story. She's another strong female character and doesn't make the best choices, but she has reasons for being the way she is. Antonia proves her brilliance and worth once again as the Red Queen in solving the case and taking down the Black Wolf. The author noted that they will be back and I can't wait for the next book!

The author's first book in the series, Red Queen, was a favorite of mine last year. But I must say, this one wasn't as good. At least, I didn't enjoy it as much as its debut until the last quarter of the book.
Action-packed, at least the pace was decent, but I could not relate to the new characters. They were very unlikable, and while that usually does not deter me from enjoying a book, it didn't work for me in this case. Too bad, because I really want to continue with the trilogy and find out how the author wraps it up. I'm really hoping the third one will impress me more than this second installment. All in all, I gave it three stars, but only because of its potential. If it was a stand-alone, there's a chance this would be a dnf for me, unfortunately.

“Black Wolf” is the second book in Juan Gomez-Jurado’s trilogy about a secretive investigative group used by several European countries. The Red Queen Project works behind the scenes to collaborate with police in cases that are too extreme, too violent, too threatening for the police to deal with alone. Each unit consists of a leader, a genius, and an investigator. In this Spanish unit, the leader is known only as Mentor. Antonia Scott is the genius—the smartest woman in the world and the Red Queen of the group. John Gutierrez, a disgraced Bilbao police officer, is the investigator. Their charter stipulates that they must work behind the scenes only.
“Black Wolf” finds Antonia and Jon on a case that involves the Russian mafia, money laundering, and human trafficking. A key mafia figure has been brutally murdered, and his pregnant diabetic wife Lola is on the run from a dangerous contract killer aka Black Wolf. Antonia and Jon must find her before the killer does, or before her lack of insulin becomes a major problem.
Gomez-Jurado’s is at his best in defining the interactions between the characters. Jon and Antonia have a special relationship where he is her protector, her work partner, her best friend. Theirs is almost a love relationship, except that Jon is gay. The local police dislike having this special-ops unit assigned to the case and do everything they can to thwart them.
I was eager to read this book after enjoying the “Red Queen” so much. The writing is exceptional—gory, intelligent, witty, interesting. Although this book did not grip me as his first did, I still look forward to reading the last part of this trilogy.
My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Juan Gomez-Jurado for an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

4.5 stars. Not as strong as the first in the trilogy, but still a great read! A bit slow at times, probably because the case Antonia and Jon are working on isn't as interesting as the case from the first book, but the ending made up for it. Antonia grows in this novel, both personally and in her relationships. I am looking forward to reading the conclusion of the trilogy.

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.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

After reading RED QUEEN, I am a bit disappointed in this sequel. The characters are still interesting but the plot concerning the mafia just didn’t work as well for me. There was lots of running around but nothing gets accomplished. Hopefully the third novel in this trilogy will be better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC to read and review.

Black Wolf is a worth follow on to Red Queen. Jon and Antonia characters continue to develop, and we learn more about the "project". This is a great series for fans of the genre.

Do you know the worst thing about book series? The year long (sometimes longer) wait between installments. Considering Black Wolf, if my Spanish were more adequate, I could have read the entire series already, but my Spanish is bad enough that it could have taken me a year to read it! And, considering that last sentence, sometimes my English is just that bad too! 😉

Anyway, I was very much looking forward to Black Wolf, the sequel to last year’s fantastic Red Queen (which is now a series on Amazon!) and wasn’t let down.

Antonia Scott and her partner, Jon Gutierrez, have been assigned to a case involving the murder of a member of the Russian mafia. They must find his wife, Lola Moreno, who has fled from the murder attempt on her life but who also is pregnant, diabetic, and may have information that could help the police convict the leaders of the mafia in this small port town. As they investigate, they discover the tragic scene of victims of human trafficking in a shipping container and unintentionally meet the very lethal Black Wolf.

One of the strongest components of Black Wolf is the relationship between Antonia and Jon, which is platonic because Jon is gay, but has elements of love regardless. Jon is Antonia’s non-blood big brother, who adores her and her brilliant mind, yet also accepts that despite her brilliant mind, she has deep flaws she needs to work through, often with his unwanted assistance. And, I pretty much adore Jon. I love his self-deprecating humor, his turn of phrase, his style and taste. Their conversations are a pleasure as sarcasm and logic overlap.

The storytelling is excellent. I enjoyed Juan Gómez-Jurado’s observations, descriptions, and quirky turns of phrase. Also, the story kept me on my toes, providing enough unexpected twists to maintain and increase interest.

If I were to complain about something, it would be that Black Wolf ends on a cliffhanger, my most disliked ending in the world. Seriously, you already had me as a fan. You didn’t have to put a character in the lurch to keep me reading. Argh!

I am looking forward to the last installment in the trilogy, might even feel anxious enough to improve my Spanish and read the original. haha

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for sending me a copy.