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The Red Widow: A Story of Journalism, Treachery, Betrayal and Murder
The Red Widow is a fast-paced mystery thriller that draws heavily on the author's 37 years working in the chaos of a dying American newspaper business. As the subtitle says, the book is "A Story of Journalism, Treachery, Betrayal and Murder" in the Land Down Under. Kirkus Reviews calls the novel "a well-plotted thriller that will keep readers engrossed to the very end."
The narrative takes place over 15 years, starting in the days just prior to 9/11/01. On center stage at the start is an unhappy reporting couple stationed in Sydney, Australia for the mythical New York Herald. The duo-Angela and Rafer Flanagan-is known to their editors in New York City as the 'Tandem Couple From Hell.' Their loathing for each other (and occasional lust) knows few limits. Her correspondent career is ascendant, his is on the rocks after winning a Pulitzer Prize early in his foreign reporting career. His drug of choice is alcohol, hers is cocaine.
The Flanagans are in New York area on home leave when the terrorists strike the World Trade Center. Rafer is supposed to be in an interview at the top of the north tower when the first plane hits at 8:46 on that nightmarish morning. He isn't there--and that's how the mystery begins.
The narrative bounces from America to Australia and back again-from steamy Washington D.C. to even steamier Darwin at the very top of the Aussie west coast. The chase is on for the Red Widow (Angela). In hot pursuit are reporters, editors, mobsters, gang members, local cops, federal cops and a takeover tycoon poised to pounce on the carcass of the Herald.
The climax plays out near Darwin where the fearsome salt-water crocodiles rule the waterways and mudflats.
Entertaining. Educational. Authentic. The Red Widow is all three.
The narrative takes place over 15 years, starting in the days just prior to 9/11/01. On center stage at the start is an unhappy reporting couple stationed in Sydney, Australia for the mythical New York Herald. The duo-Angela and Rafer Flanagan-is known to their editors in New York City as the 'Tandem Couple From Hell.' Their loathing for each other (and occasional lust) knows few limits. Her correspondent career is ascendant, his is on the rocks after winning a Pulitzer Prize early in his foreign reporting career. His drug of choice is alcohol, hers is cocaine.
The Flanagans are in New York area on home leave when the terrorists strike the World Trade Center. Rafer is supposed to be in an interview at the top of the north tower when the first plane hits at 8:46 on that nightmarish morning. He isn't there--and that's how the mystery begins.
The narrative bounces from America to Australia and back again-from steamy Washington D.C. to even steamier Darwin at the very top of the Aussie west coast. The chase is on for the Red Widow (Angela). In hot pursuit are reporters, editors, mobsters, gang members, local cops, federal cops and a takeover tycoon poised to pounce on the carcass of the Herald.
The climax plays out near Darwin where the fearsome salt-water crocodiles rule the waterways and mudflats.
Entertaining. Educational. Authentic. The Red Widow is all three.
444 pages, Paperback
Published February 28, 2024
2 people want to read
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May 9, 2025
Red Widow, written by veteran newspaper editor T. Castle Furlong, is a gripping and twist-filled tale of revenge set against the backdrop of big-time journalism. Partially taking place in New York just before 9/11—when the Internet was still in its infancy—the story weaves a complex narrative that spans continents, including shocking crimes in distant Australia. With its wild twists and turns, this novel keeps readers guessing until the very last page.
At its core, Red Widow centers on a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter struggling with alcoholism and his wife, an overlooked photojournalist grappling with a cocaine addiction. Their turbulent lives are thrown further into chaos by the shock and devastation of the 9/11 attacks. From there, the plot spirals into a series of extraordinary events: murder, disappearances, reappearances, fake news scandals, ethical dilemmas, and even the gruesome tale of an American couple meeting their end in a shark attack.
Each chapter is packed with unexpected surprises, culminating in a finale that ties the chaos together. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that the Red Widow exacts her revenge on everyone.
At its core, Red Widow centers on a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter struggling with alcoholism and his wife, an overlooked photojournalist grappling with a cocaine addiction. Their turbulent lives are thrown further into chaos by the shock and devastation of the 9/11 attacks. From there, the plot spirals into a series of extraordinary events: murder, disappearances, reappearances, fake news scandals, ethical dilemmas, and even the gruesome tale of an American couple meeting their end in a shark attack.
Each chapter is packed with unexpected surprises, culminating in a finale that ties the chaos together. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that the Red Widow exacts her revenge on everyone.
Displaying 1 of 1 review