"Strong, character-driven spy thriller..."
Red Widow
By: Alma Katsu
Genres: Suspense | Thriller Spy
Posted: May 13, 2021
The CIA is full of suspense and drama, as not even the other agents can be trusted. Lyndsey Duncan fears she torpedoed her ten-year career after an affair with a foreign agent. A call in the middle of the night sends her back into work, only to find she has a new assignment rather than the expected termination. Her new role is to uncover the suspected mole within the agency who is turning over the names of Russian assets. For Lyndsey, it’s personal as one of the assets killed is none other than Yaromir Popov, a man that Lyndsey herself had recruited and was her first big triumph as a CIA agent. More importantly, Lyndsey considered him a father figure. Lindsey soon befriends another agent, Theresa Warner. Theresa has her own problems as she’s known as the "Red Widow;" the widow of another well-loved and well-known CIA agent and director who was killed in a highly classified situation. Every move, every person is suspect within the CIA as plots are woven within plots as we get to see the darker side of what Lyndsey and Theresa are dealing with and whether only one or both will shine as a heroine when the dust clears.
I’m not typically a fan of spy thrillers but I couldn’t resist reading one by Alma Katsu. After all, I’ve loved just about everything she’s written and sure enough, she made me a fan of a spy thriller with RED WIDOW! We alternate between Lyndsey and Theresa’s stories as we get to know each one of these strong females and the hardships they have faced because of the CIA.
RED WIDOW is a character-driven spy thriller where the action complements rather than drives the storyline. I love how Alma Katsu digs into the lives of Lyndsey and Theresa, giving us insight into how they got to their current junctures in life, and then takes us forward as their choices (and the choices of those around them) are unveiled. I sincerely hope we see a series from this in the future as I love the potential that has been developed with the strength of both characters!
RED WIDOW has secrets aplenty as every person and every action is to be suspected. Alma Katsu’s phenomenal writing skills shine again as RED WIDOW is a stunningly good spy thriller chock full of intrigue and suspense. Strong character development drives the storyline and keeps the reader both engaged and on edge as we wait for the secrets to be revealed. If you love strong female characters, don’t miss out on RED WIDOW as it’s a sure hit!
Book Summary
An exhilarating spy thriller about two women CIA agents who become intertwined around a threat to the Russia Division--one that's coming from inside the agency.
Lyndsey Duncan worries her career with the CIA might be over. After lines are crossed with another intelligence agent during her most recent assignment, she is sent home to Washington on administrative leave. So when a former colleague, now Chief of the Russia Division, recruits her for an internal investigation, she jumps at the chance to prove herself once more. Lyndsey was once a top handler in the Moscow Field Station, known as the "human lie detector" and praised for recruiting some of the most senior Russian officials. But now, three Russian assets have been discovered--including one of her own--and the CIA is convinced there's a mole in the department. With years of work in question, and lives on the line, Lyndsey is thrown back into life at the agency, only this time tracing the steps of those closest to her.
Meanwhile, fellow agent Theresa Warner can't avoid the spotlight. She is the infamous "Red Widow," the wife of a former director killed in the field under mysterious circumstances. With her husband's legacy shadowing her every move, Theresa is a fixture of the Russia Division, and as she and Lyndsey strike up an unusual friendship, her knowledge proves invaluable. But as Lyndsey uncovers a surprising connection to Theresa that could answer all of her questions, she exposes a terrifying web of secrets within the department, if only she is willing to unravel it...
Read an Excerpt
by: Alma Katsu
G.P. Putnam's Sons
April 1, 2021
On Sale: March 23, 2021
Featuring: Lyndsey Duncan; Theresa Warner
352 pages
ISBN: 0525539417
EAN: 9780525539414
Kindle: B08BYVMSQR
Hardcover / e-Book