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Red Widow #2
Red London
CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan’s newest asset might just be her long-needed confidante…or her greatest betrayal.
After her role in taking down a well-placed mole inside the CIA, Agent Lyndsey Duncan arrives in London fully focused on her newest Russian asset, deadly war criminal Dmitri Tarasenko. That is until her MI6 counterpart, Davis Ranford, personally calls for her help.
Following a suspicious attack on Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg’s property in a tony part of London, Davis needs Lyndsey to cozy up to the billionaire’s aristocratic British wife, Emily Rotenberg. Fortunately for Lyndsey, there’s little to dissuade Emily from taking in a much-needed confidante. Even being one of the richest women in the world is no guarantee of happiness. But before Lyndsey can cover much ground with her newfound friend, the CIA unveils a perturbing connection between Mikhail and Russia’s geopolitical past, one that could upend the world order and jeopardize Lyndsey’s longtime allegiance to the Agency.
Red London is a sharp and nuanced race-against-the-clock story ripped from today’s headlines, a testament to author Alma Katsu’s thirty-five-year career in national security. It’s a rare spy novel written by an insider that feels as prescient as it is page-turning and utterly unforgettable.
After her role in taking down a well-placed mole inside the CIA, Agent Lyndsey Duncan arrives in London fully focused on her newest Russian asset, deadly war criminal Dmitri Tarasenko. That is until her MI6 counterpart, Davis Ranford, personally calls for her help.
Following a suspicious attack on Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg’s property in a tony part of London, Davis needs Lyndsey to cozy up to the billionaire’s aristocratic British wife, Emily Rotenberg. Fortunately for Lyndsey, there’s little to dissuade Emily from taking in a much-needed confidante. Even being one of the richest women in the world is no guarantee of happiness. But before Lyndsey can cover much ground with her newfound friend, the CIA unveils a perturbing connection between Mikhail and Russia’s geopolitical past, one that could upend the world order and jeopardize Lyndsey’s longtime allegiance to the Agency.
Red London is a sharp and nuanced race-against-the-clock story ripped from today’s headlines, a testament to author Alma Katsu’s thirty-five-year career in national security. It’s a rare spy novel written by an insider that feels as prescient as it is page-turning and utterly unforgettable.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2023
192 people are currently reading
2649 people want to read
About the author
Alma Katsu
38 books3,546 followers"Hard to put down. Not recommended reading after dark." -- Stephen King
"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly
Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)
"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly
Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
March 8, 2023
The Last Orphan
Gregg Hurwitz
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Thank God he’s back! Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, returns for a highly anticipated 8th high octane, break-neck paced thriller.
Reading an Evan Smoak tale is truly a guilty pleasure, like eating dessert before dinner. Evan isn’t a superhero, but rather a cross between Jason Bourne and Batman, He’s a highly skilled assassin, but with a moral compass and highly honed desire to retain his humanity.
Evan was a twelve-year-old boy, rescued out of the projects of East Baltimore, only then to undergo a seven-year grueling training course under the tutelage of his handler Jack Jones. Jack was the closest thing to a father and family he had ever known. This was part of a clandestine black ops, “Orphan Program” created by the Department of Defense, creating a cadre of assassins of unparalleled abilities that were both deniable and expendable. Each sent out on a mission to destroy a high-value target without backup.
As his trainer, and a man of principle, Jack knew it was easy to train Evan to kill, but hard to have him retain his sense of humanity. (Which is a basic tenet throughout all the Orphan X novels.) Eventually Evan wanted out after a decade of covert killing, no longer wishing to be a lethal weapon of the government. He was one of only a few Orphans with an actual conscience. He embarked on his own program as a pro bono freelancer, helping those innocents who found themselves in an impossible situation. He became known by his enemies as The Nowhere Man. Evan remained on call 24/7 for the unfortunates, awaiting a 1-855-2-NOWHERE call on his high tech, untraceable, and indestructible RoamZone phone. Evan always answers his phone: “Do you need my help? Several years ago, he was issued an informal pardon by President Victoria Donahue-Carr (installed and not elected) if he refrains from pursuing his career as the Nowhere Man. Evan has found this impossible and continued to answer both his RoamZone and the pleas of the helpless and innocents caught in ruthless situations. Evan is uncharacteristically captured at the hospital by Special Agent Naomi Templeton and a massive cadre of agents and police, as he attempts to reconnect with MIa, as she has just emerged from a lengthy coma. Rather than interrogate or execute him, Evan is surprised when the POTUS makes another offer to reinstate his pardon if he accepts a new assignment. He is to assassinate a man named Luke Devine. A billionaire who has attained an unprecedented degree of power and influence, and has proved to be a master-manipulator, even extending to several Senators. Apparently he is a direct obstacle in the POTUS’s ongoing agenda to implement a trillion-dollar environmental bill. He is told that this a direct threat to national security and the nation’s health and survival. (Not to mention her re-election). He insists that he must thoroughly investigate the man before he agrees to once again become an operative of the government. Does this target align with his core beliefs? Will he abandon his beliefs to regain his pardon? The government is hesitant of accepting his conditions. While the situation is in limbo, Evan is rescued and escapes this maximum detention situation by none other than his ally, and beloved character from previous books, the gorgeous Orphan V, aka “Candy.” Evan is under 24/7 surveillance, while being shackled at the wrist, zip-tied behind his back, and wearing an explosive-type ankle bracelet. The shenanigans and ensuing cinematic exploits of his rescue is alone worth the price of admission. Now, on his own with the help of a few of his friends, he is able to fully investigate Devine, and decide if he deserves elimination.
As the investigation unfolds, Hurwitz is able to reprise the roles of many of his beloved multi-layered characters. He is aided not only by Candy, but by Joey, her dog, “Dog”, and Tommy.
Joey is a welcome reprise and a fan favorite. Now, seventeen-years old, this feisty, smart aleck, is the smartest hacker Evan has ever known. A wash-out from the Orphan program, Evan has befriended and guided her, assuming an Uncle-like role. “Dog” is her tag-along pet that frequently provides comedy relief. Tommy, the somewhat loquacious armorer, can supply and outfit Evan with anything and everything in the manner of vehicles and weapons necessary for the “job.” In the course of his investigation into the life of Devine he uncovers details of a brutal murder of two young innocents, tangentially connected to Devine. This allows Evan to step back into the role of The Nowhere Man, and provides a second storyline. Eventually the two storylines will merge and intertwine into unexpected consequences.
Hurwitz proves to be a master storyteller as he uncouples this riveting barnburner of a thriller. This tale is exquisitely plotted with unexpected twists and deceptions, laced with cinematic fight scenes, brimming with violence and suspense. Each sequential episode of Orphan X reveals the emotional growth in this complicated and flawed man. This eighth installment can certainly be enjoyed and devoured as a standalone, but will force the reader to quench their thirst with the previous novels. Personally , I switched back and forth between reading the book and listening to the audio… but the last half I couldn’t tear myself away from the audio, narrated by the amazing Scott Brick. Scott is a multi-award winning narrator of over 800 books, with a background as an actor, and writer. His wonderful voice inflections brought the multiple characters to life in the “theatre of my mind” …. he is a natural storyteller with a mesmerizing quality that reflects the ongoing emotion and passion of the tale.
Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for supplying an Uncorrected Proof and an Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.
Red London
Mystery and Suspense Magazine
Red London
March 3, 2023
Book Review
Red London
Alma Katsu
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Alma Katsu is the Internationally celebrated author of multiple literary horror novels, such as The Hunger, The Deep, and The Fervor.
However, she certainly is not a one-trick pony and has excelled as a spy novelist. This is the follow up second tale involving CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan as she treads through the murky waters of espionage on an international scale. This exhilarating tale can be devoured as a standalone, as Katsu seamlessly supplies any necessary backstory. Lyndsey has just deployed to London, to act as the handler for the treacherous Dmitri Tarasenko, a high placed asset in the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FBS). She will need to establish contact and meet with this devious new asset on a frequent basis. He was caught on U.S. soil in an operation and pledged his cooperation in return for his freedom. He has dangled the sought after prize of bringing in the murderous General Eugeni Morozov, who was responsible for the death of a CIA Chief of Station. After all, Lyndsey has gained fame and credibility with her handling of Russian assets.
On the eve of arriving at her new London apartment, she turns on the television to the breaking news of an armed attack on one of the mansions on “Billionaire’s Row” (actually known as The Bishops Avenue ). These swanky mansions are owned by the mostly absent mega-wealthy and the uber rich Russian Oligarchs. This attack was employed on the home of Mikhail Rotenberg, a wealthy Russian businessman, considered the wealthiest oligarch in London. He owns the Omni Bank, the largest private bank in Russia and reportedly has close ties to Viktor Kosygin, the new president of Russia. Kosygin has taken over from Vladimir Putin, recently ousted after his Ukraine fiasco. London is affectionately known by some as Londongrad, after the decade long infiltration and overrun of the expensive communities by Russian arrivistes. Lyndsey has a premonition that somehow she will be entangled in this mess. Surely this attack on Rotenberg’s household implies that he is no longer trusted or rather in good graces with the Russian government. Mikhail’s paranoia and fear are substantially elevated as he realizes that “Someone wants you dead.” Two of his professional bodyguards are killed during the attack. This was no ordinary robbery or home invasion—Mikhail’s day of reckoning has arrived—he will have to account for his sins and misdeeds.
The next morning, Lyndsey received an encoded message on her phone. She is requested to attend a meeting at MI6 headquarters. She is taken aback, since she is in London on special assignment, even unknown to the local CIA London station. At the meeting the events of last nights attack on Rotenberg are discussed. She is requested to aid in their investigation by insinuating herself into Mikhail’s household by befriending his aristocratic British wife, Emily.
It is known that she is trapped in a loveless marriage and subjected to continual emotional abuse, while being shunned and tolerated. She is a trophy wife, obtained for convenience and standing in the community. She has borne him the twins, Kit and Tatiana, which remains the main reason she maintains this semblance of normalcy … always fearful that he will somehow take them from her. Lyndsey is tasked to befriend her and gain her confidence , and judge her possibilities of turning on her husband, and provide insight into his financial empire and standing with the Russian government.
Alma Katsu weaves a complex narrative with twists and turns and unexpected reveals.
Katsu with her thirty-year career in the US government in positions of intelligence and foreign police crafts a masterful tale brimming with authentic tradecraft that can only be provided by an insider. Her tale is one of escalating suspense and intrigue that smoothly escalates into a page turner. Hopefully, this is not the last case for CIA Agent Lyndsey Duncan.
Thanks to NetGalley and D.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.
Red London available at:
Amazon
More Political Thrillers
The Maze
The Maze
A Simple Choice
A Simple Choice
VINDICTA
VINDICTA
The President's Daughter
The President's Daughter
The Island
The Island
Animals
Animals
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Published by Mystery and Suspense Magazine
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
Gregg Hurwitz
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Thank God he’s back! Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, returns for a highly anticipated 8th high octane, break-neck paced thriller.
Reading an Evan Smoak tale is truly a guilty pleasure, like eating dessert before dinner. Evan isn’t a superhero, but rather a cross between Jason Bourne and Batman, He’s a highly skilled assassin, but with a moral compass and highly honed desire to retain his humanity.
Evan was a twelve-year-old boy, rescued out of the projects of East Baltimore, only then to undergo a seven-year grueling training course under the tutelage of his handler Jack Jones. Jack was the closest thing to a father and family he had ever known. This was part of a clandestine black ops, “Orphan Program” created by the Department of Defense, creating a cadre of assassins of unparalleled abilities that were both deniable and expendable. Each sent out on a mission to destroy a high-value target without backup.
As his trainer, and a man of principle, Jack knew it was easy to train Evan to kill, but hard to have him retain his sense of humanity. (Which is a basic tenet throughout all the Orphan X novels.) Eventually Evan wanted out after a decade of covert killing, no longer wishing to be a lethal weapon of the government. He was one of only a few Orphans with an actual conscience. He embarked on his own program as a pro bono freelancer, helping those innocents who found themselves in an impossible situation. He became known by his enemies as The Nowhere Man. Evan remained on call 24/7 for the unfortunates, awaiting a 1-855-2-NOWHERE call on his high tech, untraceable, and indestructible RoamZone phone. Evan always answers his phone: “Do you need my help? Several years ago, he was issued an informal pardon by President Victoria Donahue-Carr (installed and not elected) if he refrains from pursuing his career as the Nowhere Man. Evan has found this impossible and continued to answer both his RoamZone and the pleas of the helpless and innocents caught in ruthless situations. Evan is uncharacteristically captured at the hospital by Special Agent Naomi Templeton and a massive cadre of agents and police, as he attempts to reconnect with MIa, as she has just emerged from a lengthy coma. Rather than interrogate or execute him, Evan is surprised when the POTUS makes another offer to reinstate his pardon if he accepts a new assignment. He is to assassinate a man named Luke Devine. A billionaire who has attained an unprecedented degree of power and influence, and has proved to be a master-manipulator, even extending to several Senators. Apparently he is a direct obstacle in the POTUS’s ongoing agenda to implement a trillion-dollar environmental bill. He is told that this a direct threat to national security and the nation’s health and survival. (Not to mention her re-election). He insists that he must thoroughly investigate the man before he agrees to once again become an operative of the government. Does this target align with his core beliefs? Will he abandon his beliefs to regain his pardon? The government is hesitant of accepting his conditions. While the situation is in limbo, Evan is rescued and escapes this maximum detention situation by none other than his ally, and beloved character from previous books, the gorgeous Orphan V, aka “Candy.” Evan is under 24/7 surveillance, while being shackled at the wrist, zip-tied behind his back, and wearing an explosive-type ankle bracelet. The shenanigans and ensuing cinematic exploits of his rescue is alone worth the price of admission. Now, on his own with the help of a few of his friends, he is able to fully investigate Devine, and decide if he deserves elimination.
As the investigation unfolds, Hurwitz is able to reprise the roles of many of his beloved multi-layered characters. He is aided not only by Candy, but by Joey, her dog, “Dog”, and Tommy.
Joey is a welcome reprise and a fan favorite. Now, seventeen-years old, this feisty, smart aleck, is the smartest hacker Evan has ever known. A wash-out from the Orphan program, Evan has befriended and guided her, assuming an Uncle-like role. “Dog” is her tag-along pet that frequently provides comedy relief. Tommy, the somewhat loquacious armorer, can supply and outfit Evan with anything and everything in the manner of vehicles and weapons necessary for the “job.” In the course of his investigation into the life of Devine he uncovers details of a brutal murder of two young innocents, tangentially connected to Devine. This allows Evan to step back into the role of The Nowhere Man, and provides a second storyline. Eventually the two storylines will merge and intertwine into unexpected consequences.
Hurwitz proves to be a master storyteller as he uncouples this riveting barnburner of a thriller. This tale is exquisitely plotted with unexpected twists and deceptions, laced with cinematic fight scenes, brimming with violence and suspense. Each sequential episode of Orphan X reveals the emotional growth in this complicated and flawed man. This eighth installment can certainly be enjoyed and devoured as a standalone, but will force the reader to quench their thirst with the previous novels. Personally , I switched back and forth between reading the book and listening to the audio… but the last half I couldn’t tear myself away from the audio, narrated by the amazing Scott Brick. Scott is a multi-award winning narrator of over 800 books, with a background as an actor, and writer. His wonderful voice inflections brought the multiple characters to life in the “theatre of my mind” …. he is a natural storyteller with a mesmerizing quality that reflects the ongoing emotion and passion of the tale.
Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for supplying an Uncorrected Proof and an Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.
Red London
Mystery and Suspense Magazine
Red London
March 3, 2023
Book Review
Red London
Alma Katsu
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Alma Katsu is the Internationally celebrated author of multiple literary horror novels, such as The Hunger, The Deep, and The Fervor.
However, she certainly is not a one-trick pony and has excelled as a spy novelist. This is the follow up second tale involving CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan as she treads through the murky waters of espionage on an international scale. This exhilarating tale can be devoured as a standalone, as Katsu seamlessly supplies any necessary backstory. Lyndsey has just deployed to London, to act as the handler for the treacherous Dmitri Tarasenko, a high placed asset in the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FBS). She will need to establish contact and meet with this devious new asset on a frequent basis. He was caught on U.S. soil in an operation and pledged his cooperation in return for his freedom. He has dangled the sought after prize of bringing in the murderous General Eugeni Morozov, who was responsible for the death of a CIA Chief of Station. After all, Lyndsey has gained fame and credibility with her handling of Russian assets.
On the eve of arriving at her new London apartment, she turns on the television to the breaking news of an armed attack on one of the mansions on “Billionaire’s Row” (actually known as The Bishops Avenue ). These swanky mansions are owned by the mostly absent mega-wealthy and the uber rich Russian Oligarchs. This attack was employed on the home of Mikhail Rotenberg, a wealthy Russian businessman, considered the wealthiest oligarch in London. He owns the Omni Bank, the largest private bank in Russia and reportedly has close ties to Viktor Kosygin, the new president of Russia. Kosygin has taken over from Vladimir Putin, recently ousted after his Ukraine fiasco. London is affectionately known by some as Londongrad, after the decade long infiltration and overrun of the expensive communities by Russian arrivistes. Lyndsey has a premonition that somehow she will be entangled in this mess. Surely this attack on Rotenberg’s household implies that he is no longer trusted or rather in good graces with the Russian government. Mikhail’s paranoia and fear are substantially elevated as he realizes that “Someone wants you dead.” Two of his professional bodyguards are killed during the attack. This was no ordinary robbery or home invasion—Mikhail’s day of reckoning has arrived—he will have to account for his sins and misdeeds.
The next morning, Lyndsey received an encoded message on her phone. She is requested to attend a meeting at MI6 headquarters. She is taken aback, since she is in London on special assignment, even unknown to the local CIA London station. At the meeting the events of last nights attack on Rotenberg are discussed. She is requested to aid in their investigation by insinuating herself into Mikhail’s household by befriending his aristocratic British wife, Emily.
It is known that she is trapped in a loveless marriage and subjected to continual emotional abuse, while being shunned and tolerated. She is a trophy wife, obtained for convenience and standing in the community. She has borne him the twins, Kit and Tatiana, which remains the main reason she maintains this semblance of normalcy … always fearful that he will somehow take them from her. Lyndsey is tasked to befriend her and gain her confidence , and judge her possibilities of turning on her husband, and provide insight into his financial empire and standing with the Russian government.
Alma Katsu weaves a complex narrative with twists and turns and unexpected reveals.
Katsu with her thirty-year career in the US government in positions of intelligence and foreign police crafts a masterful tale brimming with authentic tradecraft that can only be provided by an insider. Her tale is one of escalating suspense and intrigue that smoothly escalates into a page turner. Hopefully, this is not the last case for CIA Agent Lyndsey Duncan.
Thanks to NetGalley and D.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.
Red London available at:
Amazon
More Political Thrillers
The Maze
The Maze
A Simple Choice
A Simple Choice
VINDICTA
VINDICTA
The President's Daughter
The President's Daughter
The Island
The Island
Animals
Animals
advertisement
Ebooks.com - Save time and money!
Links
Home Mysteries
Features Thrillers
Interviews Crime
Reviews Horror
Submissions Suspense
About Affiliate Disclosure
Contact Us Terms & Conditions
Follow us
© 2021 Suspense Media All Rights Reserved
Published by Mystery and Suspense Magazine
Personal Rating: 4 Stars
September 27, 2022
I’ve been a fan of Alma Katsu’s since The Hunger, her wonderful Donner Party & zombie mashup. It was a unique offering on several levels, both with the horror and the history, and her prose was absolutely brilliant. My enjoyment of that novel prompted me to partake of some of her earlier dark fiction, as I was craving more of that same vibe. And while those older stories didn’t quite grip me as solidly as The Hunger did, I was still impressed with her narrative voice and plotting.
The same holds true with Red London. It wasn’t quite as good as I was expecting it to be, but it was still a solid read, chock full of what Mrs. Katsu does best (descriptive prose). I’m a sucker for a good old-fashioned spy thriller, one with shifting alliances and tenuous tiers of trust, and Red London manages to be incredibly timely while also hearkening back to some of the classics of yesteryear, which I am certain was no easy feat. It seems like everyone wants high-tech thrillers with global catastrophe-level mayhem these days. I, for one, generally prefer a tale to be a little more grounded. A little more plausible.
Red London nails this perfectly. Yes, it’s still a thriller that spans several countries, but the intrigue and action are smaller in scale while being grander in personal stakes and relatability. It’s a delicate balancing act, but one that Katsu handles with ease.
Told in third-person present continuous tense, Red London is a slow-burn, multi-POV espionage/thriller, and the sequel to 2021’s Red Widow. This is a pretty solid book, clocking in at 352 pages in paperback. I’m not sure the word count but trust me…it’s a lot.
As with all my reviews, I will attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum. My reasoning for this is two-fold; first, I firmly believe that books of any and all genres are simply more enjoyable when the reader goes in blind, stripped of all preconceived notions and expectations; and second, out of respect for the author, who put countless hours of time and effort into crafting spine-tingling tales. Robbing the stories of their intended impact, in my opinion, is a great disservice to the person who penned them. So, if it’s not mentioned in the official synopsis, I will do my level best to avoid mentioning it here.
One of the things I liked most (and sometimes least) about Red London is the level of detail given to even the most basic functions of tradecraft. There is both a science and an art to deceiving people for a living, and Alma Katsu explores every nuance. Like any set of highly specific and repetitive actions, tradecraft is equal parts exhaustive and exhausting, a sort of tightrope tedium of constant vigilance carefully hidden under a mask of nonchalance. These parts, while occasionally overexplained, are handled deftly, pulling the reader right into the intrigue. It’s actually amazing how many books (and movies and shows) get the fundamentals incredibly wrong, so it was refreshing to have some accuracy for a change. Emphasis on some...there are still creative licenses taken, but they are few and far between.
As a main character, Lyndsey Duncan is both compelling and relatable. She’s no superwoman, has her moments of internal ugliness, and contends regularly with doubt and self-recrimination. Things don’t always go her way. But it’s in those instances when she resolves a tricky situation (or emotion) where she shines, where her training and natural ingenuity come to the fore. It takes a rather unique mindset to be a spy, a kind of casual OCD that would tear most folks’ nerves asunder. Lyndsey straddles the line with finesse, if not with perfection, and that is what makes her an easy character to root for.
The other main POV character is Lyndsey’s target, Emily Rotenberg, unhappy wife to a Russian oligarch. As a mother to two young children, Emily finds herself in a very precarious position once her husband’s misdeeds against the Russian ruling party become known. As much as I could sympathize with some of what Emily goes through in the novel, her willful ignorance made her a difficult character to really feel for. This was, I feel, by design, so I was willing to accept the fact that I simply did not really like her. Which happens, of course. Not every POV character needs to be likeable, relatable, or someone you want to see succeed.
The remaining cast are a motley bunch, from CIA handlers to other Russian millionaires, and from live-in nannies to former coworkers and flings. They all fill their intended purposes and niches well, but because Red London is ultimately Lyndsey’s and Emily’s tale, the rest of the cast are painted more in broad strokes. That’s not a dig against the book at all; there end up being a lot of moving parts near the end, and additional POV characters would have only slowed down the narrative.
And, on that note, we now get to the parts that I struggled with. Remember that tedium that I mentioned earlier? Well, some of it seeps into the narrative itself, making parts of Red London feel overcooked. Detail is good…too much detail slows things down. And there are times where there is a LOT of detail here. Some of which could (and since my ARC was an uncorrected proof, undoubtedly be) edited out. We get a metric ton of internal character dialogue and thought-processes; a byproduct of the continuous present tense prose.
My other major gripe with Red London is the sheer amount of repetition. Again, much of this will be edited out, but there is a LOT of reiteration. We hear time and again how Emily doesn’t have any friends, unless they are friends by her husband’s design, in which case they’re not real friends. Sometimes we get points like that repeated multiple times in the same chapter. As my editor likes to say: “trust your reader”. Mentioning details like that once every few chapters is fine, but several times in the same chapter, and then again in the following chapter, is just too much. Again, this is an uncorrected proof, and I have to imagine that the final version will be trimmed up and streamlined.
And that’s really what made me only “like” the book instead of “love” it. With the tense it was written in, it should have been a very, ahem, tense affair. But so much detail and overexplaining ground the gears a bit, robbing much of the tension and urgency away.
But that’s not to say Red London isn’t worth a read. It absolutely is. Alma Katsu is a wonderful author, and always manages to find fresh ways to spin an existing trope or genre. I just wish it had a little more oomph.
The same holds true with Red London. It wasn’t quite as good as I was expecting it to be, but it was still a solid read, chock full of what Mrs. Katsu does best (descriptive prose). I’m a sucker for a good old-fashioned spy thriller, one with shifting alliances and tenuous tiers of trust, and Red London manages to be incredibly timely while also hearkening back to some of the classics of yesteryear, which I am certain was no easy feat. It seems like everyone wants high-tech thrillers with global catastrophe-level mayhem these days. I, for one, generally prefer a tale to be a little more grounded. A little more plausible.
Red London nails this perfectly. Yes, it’s still a thriller that spans several countries, but the intrigue and action are smaller in scale while being grander in personal stakes and relatability. It’s a delicate balancing act, but one that Katsu handles with ease.
Told in third-person present continuous tense, Red London is a slow-burn, multi-POV espionage/thriller, and the sequel to 2021’s Red Widow. This is a pretty solid book, clocking in at 352 pages in paperback. I’m not sure the word count but trust me…it’s a lot.
As with all my reviews, I will attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum. My reasoning for this is two-fold; first, I firmly believe that books of any and all genres are simply more enjoyable when the reader goes in blind, stripped of all preconceived notions and expectations; and second, out of respect for the author, who put countless hours of time and effort into crafting spine-tingling tales. Robbing the stories of their intended impact, in my opinion, is a great disservice to the person who penned them. So, if it’s not mentioned in the official synopsis, I will do my level best to avoid mentioning it here.
One of the things I liked most (and sometimes least) about Red London is the level of detail given to even the most basic functions of tradecraft. There is both a science and an art to deceiving people for a living, and Alma Katsu explores every nuance. Like any set of highly specific and repetitive actions, tradecraft is equal parts exhaustive and exhausting, a sort of tightrope tedium of constant vigilance carefully hidden under a mask of nonchalance. These parts, while occasionally overexplained, are handled deftly, pulling the reader right into the intrigue. It’s actually amazing how many books (and movies and shows) get the fundamentals incredibly wrong, so it was refreshing to have some accuracy for a change. Emphasis on some...there are still creative licenses taken, but they are few and far between.
As a main character, Lyndsey Duncan is both compelling and relatable. She’s no superwoman, has her moments of internal ugliness, and contends regularly with doubt and self-recrimination. Things don’t always go her way. But it’s in those instances when she resolves a tricky situation (or emotion) where she shines, where her training and natural ingenuity come to the fore. It takes a rather unique mindset to be a spy, a kind of casual OCD that would tear most folks’ nerves asunder. Lyndsey straddles the line with finesse, if not with perfection, and that is what makes her an easy character to root for.
The other main POV character is Lyndsey’s target, Emily Rotenberg, unhappy wife to a Russian oligarch. As a mother to two young children, Emily finds herself in a very precarious position once her husband’s misdeeds against the Russian ruling party become known. As much as I could sympathize with some of what Emily goes through in the novel, her willful ignorance made her a difficult character to really feel for. This was, I feel, by design, so I was willing to accept the fact that I simply did not really like her. Which happens, of course. Not every POV character needs to be likeable, relatable, or someone you want to see succeed.
The remaining cast are a motley bunch, from CIA handlers to other Russian millionaires, and from live-in nannies to former coworkers and flings. They all fill their intended purposes and niches well, but because Red London is ultimately Lyndsey’s and Emily’s tale, the rest of the cast are painted more in broad strokes. That’s not a dig against the book at all; there end up being a lot of moving parts near the end, and additional POV characters would have only slowed down the narrative.
And, on that note, we now get to the parts that I struggled with. Remember that tedium that I mentioned earlier? Well, some of it seeps into the narrative itself, making parts of Red London feel overcooked. Detail is good…too much detail slows things down. And there are times where there is a LOT of detail here. Some of which could (and since my ARC was an uncorrected proof, undoubtedly be) edited out. We get a metric ton of internal character dialogue and thought-processes; a byproduct of the continuous present tense prose.
My other major gripe with Red London is the sheer amount of repetition. Again, much of this will be edited out, but there is a LOT of reiteration. We hear time and again how Emily doesn’t have any friends, unless they are friends by her husband’s design, in which case they’re not real friends. Sometimes we get points like that repeated multiple times in the same chapter. As my editor likes to say: “trust your reader”. Mentioning details like that once every few chapters is fine, but several times in the same chapter, and then again in the following chapter, is just too much. Again, this is an uncorrected proof, and I have to imagine that the final version will be trimmed up and streamlined.
And that’s really what made me only “like” the book instead of “love” it. With the tense it was written in, it should have been a very, ahem, tense affair. But so much detail and overexplaining ground the gears a bit, robbing much of the tension and urgency away.
But that’s not to say Red London isn’t worth a read. It absolutely is. Alma Katsu is a wonderful author, and always manages to find fresh ways to spin an existing trope or genre. I just wish it had a little more oomph.
January 1, 2026
Dang, do they just continue to do Lyndsey dirty? It was amazing she survived this one, and learned a good, hard life lesson.
4.5 Stars rounded up.
4.5 Stars rounded up.
March 14, 2023
Although spies and espionage aren't usually my genre of choice, this was phenomenal--a first-rate thriller with everything a reader could hope for and more. That "more" is an intelligent, experienced, behind-the-scenes look into the intelligence community that only a pro could provide.
Alma Katsu is brilliant at characterization, simply brilliant. In just a few paragraphs, she has readers completely inside the mind of each character and experiencing the emotions they feel.
Anything I can say about this book would be a spoiler and I don't want to do that. Every single book I've read by this author puts me so deeply into the plot, characters, and even the background that I'm immersed--it's impossible for me to step back and give an outsider's point of view.
How many novels can you read where, if someone asks you about a scene, the first thing you want to say is, "Well, I was there standing off in the corner, and..."
Masterful...
Alma Katsu is brilliant at characterization, simply brilliant. In just a few paragraphs, she has readers completely inside the mind of each character and experiencing the emotions they feel.
Anything I can say about this book would be a spoiler and I don't want to do that. Every single book I've read by this author puts me so deeply into the plot, characters, and even the background that I'm immersed--it's impossible for me to step back and give an outsider's point of view.
How many novels can you read where, if someone asks you about a scene, the first thing you want to say is, "Well, I was there standing off in the corner, and..."
Masterful...
March 12, 2023
I DNF this book. I got to about 14%.
Pros:
The first chapter was gripping. I was interested in the characters and what was happening to them. I wanted to know more about their lives and who was after them.
Cons:
I don’t connect with the actual main character Lyndsey. I find myself skimming the pages looking for more about the family and it’s just not happening.
Pros:
The first chapter was gripping. I was interested in the characters and what was happening to them. I wanted to know more about their lives and who was after them.
Cons:
I don’t connect with the actual main character Lyndsey. I find myself skimming the pages looking for more about the family and it’s just not happening.
March 17, 2023
In the sequel to Red Widow, Lyndsey Duncan is stationed in London to function as handler to Dmitri Tarasenko, a Russian war criminal who has been coerced into becoming a CIA asset. While there, she is also asked to become part of a joint MI6 and CIA operation targeting Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg. To obtain information on him, Lyndsey needs to forge a friendship with Rotenberg's wife Emily - a task that is made harder when the oligarch takes excessive interest in her.
Not quite as gripping as the previous book, but nevertheless a very good read. Lyndsey makes some questionable choices in this one and at times trusts perhaps a little too easily for someone in her position. The ending makes it clear that there's another book in this series in the works - I'll be looking forward to it.
Not quite as gripping as the previous book, but nevertheless a very good read. Lyndsey makes some questionable choices in this one and at times trusts perhaps a little too easily for someone in her position. The ending makes it clear that there's another book in this series in the works - I'll be looking forward to it.
March 25, 2023
Author Alma Katsu, who had already gained a reputation as a top-flight writer of supernatural suspense with classic novels like THE FERVOR, THE HUNGER, and THE DEEP introduced us to a completely different type of thriller with her espionage novel from last year, RED WIDOW. It was here where she was really allowed to spread her wings and lean strongly upon her experience as a senior intelligence agent for 35 years with several U.S. Agencies.
Her follow-up espionage tale, RED LONDON, is not as good as its’ predecessor --- it’s better! This time around, CIA Agent Lyndsey Duncan is on a mission being co-managed by Britain’s MI6 that involves some deep cover work to try and turn Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg, who is presently residing in London. To do this, Lyndsay must become a fast ‘friend’ to Mikhail’s British wife, Emily. This will be especially difficult work as Mikhail’s antennas are finely tuned in to anything out of the ordinary following an attack on his house by enemies looking to kill him and his entire family. Were it not for a safe room in their upscale London home, and the fast work of his security team, Mikhail would definitely be no more.
With Mikhail realizing the worst is yet to come, Lyndsey finds her opening by sidling up to Emily at a charity event and instantly endearing herself to her. Emily is an easy mark for this as she feels somewhat frightened and isolated by the dangers her husband has brought to her family and could really use a friend to lean on. Lyndsey utilizes a Russian asset and war criminal named Tarasenko to fill her in on all she needs to know about Mikhail --- most importantly, to learn that he is not on the top of Russian Premier Putin’s Christmas Card list.
Lyndsey --- using the name Lynn --- is able to get close enough to Emily to become her confidant and then some. There will be two issues that might throw a monkey wrench into her deep cover plans. The first is the sudden emergence of a second ‘friend’ named Dani --- someone who Lyndsey immediately recognized as a fellow graduate of The Farm in the U.S. Dani was also a fellow agent with a promising career that came tumbling down on a botched mission that she took the fall for. Now, operating, with a private agency, Dani has some leeway to move around in ways that Lyndsey cannot and with far less oversight. The second problem is that Mikhail is coming on to Lyndsey in a big way and has directly asked her to become his mistress.
While navigating all of this, Lyndsey must also ensure that she is able to keep Mikhail, Emily, and their children safe before a second attack against them is successful. When Tarasenko makes Lyndsey aware that orders for Mikhail’s immediate arrest have come out of Russian, she knows she has no time to lose. What really make RED LONDON work and what allows it to rise above RED WIDOW is the intimate way Alma Katsu threads together the minute details about the espionage world that only someone on the front lines would know along with the fine blending of inter-personal relationships that truly make this a top-notch and immensely readable thriller!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Her follow-up espionage tale, RED LONDON, is not as good as its’ predecessor --- it’s better! This time around, CIA Agent Lyndsey Duncan is on a mission being co-managed by Britain’s MI6 that involves some deep cover work to try and turn Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg, who is presently residing in London. To do this, Lyndsay must become a fast ‘friend’ to Mikhail’s British wife, Emily. This will be especially difficult work as Mikhail’s antennas are finely tuned in to anything out of the ordinary following an attack on his house by enemies looking to kill him and his entire family. Were it not for a safe room in their upscale London home, and the fast work of his security team, Mikhail would definitely be no more.
With Mikhail realizing the worst is yet to come, Lyndsey finds her opening by sidling up to Emily at a charity event and instantly endearing herself to her. Emily is an easy mark for this as she feels somewhat frightened and isolated by the dangers her husband has brought to her family and could really use a friend to lean on. Lyndsey utilizes a Russian asset and war criminal named Tarasenko to fill her in on all she needs to know about Mikhail --- most importantly, to learn that he is not on the top of Russian Premier Putin’s Christmas Card list.
Lyndsey --- using the name Lynn --- is able to get close enough to Emily to become her confidant and then some. There will be two issues that might throw a monkey wrench into her deep cover plans. The first is the sudden emergence of a second ‘friend’ named Dani --- someone who Lyndsey immediately recognized as a fellow graduate of The Farm in the U.S. Dani was also a fellow agent with a promising career that came tumbling down on a botched mission that she took the fall for. Now, operating, with a private agency, Dani has some leeway to move around in ways that Lyndsey cannot and with far less oversight. The second problem is that Mikhail is coming on to Lyndsey in a big way and has directly asked her to become his mistress.
While navigating all of this, Lyndsey must also ensure that she is able to keep Mikhail, Emily, and their children safe before a second attack against them is successful. When Tarasenko makes Lyndsey aware that orders for Mikhail’s immediate arrest have come out of Russian, she knows she has no time to lose. What really make RED LONDON work and what allows it to rise above RED WIDOW is the intimate way Alma Katsu threads together the minute details about the espionage world that only someone on the front lines would know along with the fine blending of inter-personal relationships that truly make this a top-notch and immensely readable thriller!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
May 3, 2023
This book is not half as good as the first book in the series. Seems like it was written in a hurry to capitalize on Red Widow's success. There are lot of repetitions in the book, which suggests the editors were AWOL too. The plot is contrived and not very believable. I expected better.
March 13, 2023
I found Alma Katsu through her Donner Party historical fiction horror and fell in love! Followed up with The Fervor and I was completely hooked. While neither horror or espionage are favorite genres of mine, Ms. Katsu is such a good story teller that if I was going to read spy stories, they sure would be from her! And, while I felt that Red London didn't quite have the same zing as Red Widow, it was still a solid captivating read. I think part of my problem was the very bifurcated storylines. Supposedly Duncan is in London to handle the volatile asset she gained in Red Widow, but she is almost immediately side tracked working with MI6 and infiltrating the household of a wealthy Russian by befriending his wife. I felt like having both plots running at the same time hurt them both, but mostly the ongoing plot with Tarasenko, her Russian spy. The expected point where the storylines joined together never took place, leaving me feel like something was missing. But, there was also an incredibly tantalizing ending teasing for what might be in the next book in the series. I'd like that now please!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
July 30, 2023
Eh. I was disappointed by the slow pace that led to a subpar and rushed climax. That said, it kept me interested. Wouldn't really recommend it. Seemed like the author was more invested in getting a series out of this sequel than figuring out a cohesive plot
December 11, 2022
Originally published on my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
3.5 stars rounded up
Red London, the newest Red Widow mystery from Alma Katsu, is set in a world that is both post-Putin and post-Ukrainian war. It focuses on the relationship of Russia’s new (and fictional) government with its oligarchs. And, of course, on Russia’s relationship with the world. Lyndsey Duncan finds herself smack in the middle of all the conflict and uncertainty as she works a case with her employer, the CIA.
When Lyndsey starts settling into a London routine, a curveball comes her way. Its sender is her former paramour, who works for England’s MI6. They need her help with a case surrounding one of the Russian oligarchs. Naturally, Lyndsey’s thrown for a loop. But she and the Agency agree to go along with the plan to infiltrate the oligarch’s household, using a tenuous connection to his English wife.
There’s plenty at stake as Lyndsey balances her CIA responsibilities with this MI6 project. If she’s caught, the oligarch most likely will kill her. And the Russian contact she’s working for the CIA can’t know about the other project. Every few hours, Lyndsey slides from one identity to the other, which amps up plenty of suspense. The conclusion is equally solid and startling.
My conclusions
As with Red Widow, Katsu draws on her former career with the CIA. She makes the tradecraft feel real, including Lyndsey’s many long jaunts around London, switching identities to thwart anyone tailing her.
But what’s most compelling is how Lyndsey connects with Emily, the oligarch’s wife. Neither woman is used to having close friends, and their dance is more like an awkward waltz than an effortless tango. They can’t fully trust each other, despite human nature’s desire to do just that.
Once I started reading, Red London drew me in quickly and left me guessing with every plot twist. It’s a timely thriller that rings with truths drawn directly from the headlines.
It helps to read Red Widow first to meet Lyndsey and learn more about her story. They are a perfect pair.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is March 14, 2023.
3.5 stars rounded up
Red London, the newest Red Widow mystery from Alma Katsu, is set in a world that is both post-Putin and post-Ukrainian war. It focuses on the relationship of Russia’s new (and fictional) government with its oligarchs. And, of course, on Russia’s relationship with the world. Lyndsey Duncan finds herself smack in the middle of all the conflict and uncertainty as she works a case with her employer, the CIA.
When Lyndsey starts settling into a London routine, a curveball comes her way. Its sender is her former paramour, who works for England’s MI6. They need her help with a case surrounding one of the Russian oligarchs. Naturally, Lyndsey’s thrown for a loop. But she and the Agency agree to go along with the plan to infiltrate the oligarch’s household, using a tenuous connection to his English wife.
There’s plenty at stake as Lyndsey balances her CIA responsibilities with this MI6 project. If she’s caught, the oligarch most likely will kill her. And the Russian contact she’s working for the CIA can’t know about the other project. Every few hours, Lyndsey slides from one identity to the other, which amps up plenty of suspense. The conclusion is equally solid and startling.
My conclusions
As with Red Widow, Katsu draws on her former career with the CIA. She makes the tradecraft feel real, including Lyndsey’s many long jaunts around London, switching identities to thwart anyone tailing her.
But what’s most compelling is how Lyndsey connects with Emily, the oligarch’s wife. Neither woman is used to having close friends, and their dance is more like an awkward waltz than an effortless tango. They can’t fully trust each other, despite human nature’s desire to do just that.
Once I started reading, Red London drew me in quickly and left me guessing with every plot twist. It’s a timely thriller that rings with truths drawn directly from the headlines.
It helps to read Red Widow first to meet Lyndsey and learn more about her story. They are a perfect pair.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is March 14, 2023.
July 28, 2024
“Red London” is the second novel in Alma Katsu’s “Red” series starring CIA operative Lindsey Duncan. Many readers have enjoyed and praised it. Some have expressed disappointment. I did not enjoy it as much as “Red Widow.” While I think that "Red London" has merits, and that it will appeal to readers looking for a certain type of story, it’s far from the best spy novel I’ve ever read.
Lindsey has just been transferred to London (where most of the story takes place). CIA and MI6 task her with getting close to Emily Rotenberg, the English wife of Russian oligarch, Mikhail Rotenberg, once Putin’s banker and confidante, and now the new president’s trusted minion. Or is he? The new president needs the oligarchs’ money, especially Rotenberg’s. (Why? That’s one of the hooks meant to keep readers turning the pages.) But Rotenberg doesn’t want to give up any of what he's worked so hard to amass. Lindsey’s job is to make sure he doesn’t.
On the plus side, author Katsu gives us glimpses into the sumptuous lives of the oligarchs and tells us something about how they made (or purloined) their vast fortunes and about their relationship with Russia's leaders. She uses the London setting well and explains why, through the years, it's attracted so many with mega-fortunes. She also teaches us a bit about the tradecraft employed by intelligence officers.
However, “Red London” struck me as something of a “soap opera.” Much of the novel centers on Lindsey and her emotional reactions to various other characters including a former lover from MI6, Emily and Mikhail Rotenberg (and their children and disintegrating marriage), and other former CIA operatives.
None of these characters are particularly likable. Oligarch wife Emily, who has a major part in the story—a part almost as large as Lindsey’s—is something of a “poor little rich girl” who, I imagine, most people would find difficult to sympathize with, or like. Lindsey herself is not all that interesting. She doesn’t seem to have a major talent or passion or physical or intellectual gift or a great cleverness or wit--no stand-out quality that would help to make her as memorable a character as Ludlum's Bourne, or Fleming's Bond, or LeCarre's Smiley or Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon. And because Lindsey seems so caught up in how she and everyone else feels, she did not strike me as all that credible as an intelligence officer who's going to be able to get the job done.
Nevertheless, Ms. Katsu posits some interesting theories about Russian aims and the relationships between the U.S., China, and Russia.
For me, all in all, this was a three-star read.
Lindsey has just been transferred to London (where most of the story takes place). CIA and MI6 task her with getting close to Emily Rotenberg, the English wife of Russian oligarch, Mikhail Rotenberg, once Putin’s banker and confidante, and now the new president’s trusted minion. Or is he? The new president needs the oligarchs’ money, especially Rotenberg’s. (Why? That’s one of the hooks meant to keep readers turning the pages.) But Rotenberg doesn’t want to give up any of what he's worked so hard to amass. Lindsey’s job is to make sure he doesn’t.
On the plus side, author Katsu gives us glimpses into the sumptuous lives of the oligarchs and tells us something about how they made (or purloined) their vast fortunes and about their relationship with Russia's leaders. She uses the London setting well and explains why, through the years, it's attracted so many with mega-fortunes. She also teaches us a bit about the tradecraft employed by intelligence officers.
However, “Red London” struck me as something of a “soap opera.” Much of the novel centers on Lindsey and her emotional reactions to various other characters including a former lover from MI6, Emily and Mikhail Rotenberg (and their children and disintegrating marriage), and other former CIA operatives.
None of these characters are particularly likable. Oligarch wife Emily, who has a major part in the story—a part almost as large as Lindsey’s—is something of a “poor little rich girl” who, I imagine, most people would find difficult to sympathize with, or like. Lindsey herself is not all that interesting. She doesn’t seem to have a major talent or passion or physical or intellectual gift or a great cleverness or wit--no stand-out quality that would help to make her as memorable a character as Ludlum's Bourne, or Fleming's Bond, or LeCarre's Smiley or Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon. And because Lindsey seems so caught up in how she and everyone else feels, she did not strike me as all that credible as an intelligence officer who's going to be able to get the job done.
Nevertheless, Ms. Katsu posits some interesting theories about Russian aims and the relationships between the U.S., China, and Russia.
For me, all in all, this was a three-star read.
May 28, 2024
Rounding up from 3.5, which would be the more accurate rating. The four stars are a nod to the fact that when it comes to thrillers, boy can Alma Katsu write. Plus I really liked the first book of this series, Red Widow, which introduced CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan.
I thought that first book was well crafted, deftly handled, tense (as an espionage thriller should be), and filled with surprises this reader didn't see coming. I'd hoped for the same with this book and was only partially satisfied.
At the end of the previous book, Duncan agrees to move to London in order to handle a new Russian asset, Dmitri Tarasenko. But when she gets to London in this book, she ends up taking on a completely different assignment, with Tarasenko playing only a minimal role, and one that's relatively insignificant to the Red London plot. The shift of focus seemed weird to me, given how much build-up there was surrounding Tarasenko in the earlier book. Plus the details of, and resultant main plotline surrounding Duncan's new assignment wasn't especially original or surprising.
I was rather puzzled to be frank, till I read the acknowledgements at the end of this book. Katsu mentions that after she'd started writing this second book, Russia invaded Ukraine which necessitated her making changes to the original story she'd planned.
Though she doesn't provide details, I'm guessing the story she intended to tell, with Tarasenko at the center, just didn't work with the real life Ukraine/Russia situation after the attack in early 2022. And likely the news on the ground was simply to fluid to ensure that Katsu got the 'ripped from the headlines' focus correct during that first year of the war, when Katsu's manuscript was probably due.
So she reworked the entire focus of the book, an explanation that works well for me and explains why the plot seemed rushed, somewhat disjointed and wholly unoriginal. Hoping there's a Lyndsey Duncan book #3, and that it returns to the sharp, fresh, thrilling format at which Katsu is so adept.
I thought that first book was well crafted, deftly handled, tense (as an espionage thriller should be), and filled with surprises this reader didn't see coming. I'd hoped for the same with this book and was only partially satisfied.
At the end of the previous book, Duncan agrees to move to London in order to handle a new Russian asset, Dmitri Tarasenko. But when she gets to London in this book, she ends up taking on a completely different assignment, with Tarasenko playing only a minimal role, and one that's relatively insignificant to the Red London plot. The shift of focus seemed weird to me, given how much build-up there was surrounding Tarasenko in the earlier book. Plus the details of, and resultant main plotline surrounding Duncan's new assignment wasn't especially original or surprising.
I was rather puzzled to be frank, till I read the acknowledgements at the end of this book. Katsu mentions that after she'd started writing this second book, Russia invaded Ukraine which necessitated her making changes to the original story she'd planned.
Though she doesn't provide details, I'm guessing the story she intended to tell, with Tarasenko at the center, just didn't work with the real life Ukraine/Russia situation after the attack in early 2022. And likely the news on the ground was simply to fluid to ensure that Katsu got the 'ripped from the headlines' focus correct during that first year of the war, when Katsu's manuscript was probably due.
So she reworked the entire focus of the book, an explanation that works well for me and explains why the plot seemed rushed, somewhat disjointed and wholly unoriginal. Hoping there's a Lyndsey Duncan book #3, and that it returns to the sharp, fresh, thrilling format at which Katsu is so adept.
May 4, 2023
Katsu builds on her excellent CH development and panache for meshing Plot, Pace and Tone in a vibrant setting, this time current London and Estonia, as Lyndsey continues her relationship with the latest Russian informant and is also called upon to work with her old lover and MI6 to infiltrate a Russian oligarch’s household and flip his wife. Strands of the previous book, (Red Widow) also continue into this 2nd in the series and it is a must to begin with the 1st in the series which is also more cohesive than the 2nd as is often the case in developing series leading to the 3rd (at the end of #2—a few dangling Plot breadcrumbs and a cliff-hanger). The author’s own experience with spycraft shows as the details of avoiding tails and interfacing with informers and the realistic dangers of modern espionage comes alive on the page. She also uses the war in Ukraine to great effect as a plot point revisioning that the conflict is over and Putin has been deposed endangering the political realities in a different way. I rushed through this book as its increasing stressful Tone pushed the Pace to its satisfactory conclusion, and look forward to #3. I can see why this has been sold as a mini-series to one of the streaming services. Readers who want more amazing espionage should look at Tom Bradby, Stella Rimmington, or the late great, Jason Matthews.
November 17, 2023
For fans of spies! You can start with the sequel in this series and not be lost as it gives you the recap you need, but in case you care, it does give you the solve of the first book: Red Widow.
Emily Rotenberg is a British woman married to Mikhail Rotenberg, a very wealthy Russian. While living in London with their children, their home is broken into. Lyndsey Duncan is a CIA agent given an undercover assignment of taking on a false identity (stolen from a real woman) to befriend Emily in order to get her to turn on her husband. The state of Emily’s life may not make this too difficult, but the current state of the world, Mikhail becoming interested in Lyndsey, and Lyndsey’s personal life are all going to create serious challenges.
I loved that the audiobook gave each woman their own narrator: Mozhan Marno and Fiona Hardingham!
(TW briefly recounts past teen sexual assault/ domestic violence scene/ brief mention assumed date rape)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsleter
Emily Rotenberg is a British woman married to Mikhail Rotenberg, a very wealthy Russian. While living in London with their children, their home is broken into. Lyndsey Duncan is a CIA agent given an undercover assignment of taking on a false identity (stolen from a real woman) to befriend Emily in order to get her to turn on her husband. The state of Emily’s life may not make this too difficult, but the current state of the world, Mikhail becoming interested in Lyndsey, and Lyndsey’s personal life are all going to create serious challenges.
I loved that the audiobook gave each woman their own narrator: Mozhan Marno and Fiona Hardingham!
(TW briefly recounts past teen sexual assault/ domestic violence scene/ brief mention assumed date rape)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsleter
January 26, 2023
Anyone who was a fan of Red Widow will be happy to see Lyndsey Duncan in action again. Unfortunately, unlike the spectacular narrative balance she shared with Theresa Warner in "Red Widow" - her counterpart in this book, Emily, isn't nearly as interesting. The wife of a Russian Oligarch who at times seems like she knew exactly what she was marrying into and what would be expected of her, and then other times is completely aghast at being guarded and used as a trophy wife. It's hard to feel any sympathy for her character's loneliness, loss of family, unhappiness, when even the flashbacks to the rehearsal dinner show she knew what was coming in marrying Mikhail.
Additionally, as much as I loved Lyndsey's chapters and storyline - there was simply SO MUCH going on and so many characters around her to keep track. (Don't worry though, most of them don't matter). Poor Lyndsey jumps almost from mission to mission: befriending Emily, being a handler for a ex-war criminal Tarasenko, working last minute with a former ex-spy Dani now turned security, all the while managing her feelings for her old flame, Davis, (from Beirut just before the events of Red Widow), who is also working the case.
The only times my heart-raced were two times Lyndsey received a call from Theresa that her husband Richard (who was a Russian prisoner for years) isn't acting like himself. By the end however you realize Katsu is just setting up for the next book. THAT book however, I am looking forward to reading.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced eARC.
Additionally, as much as I loved Lyndsey's chapters and storyline - there was simply SO MUCH going on and so many characters around her to keep track. (Don't worry though, most of them don't matter). Poor Lyndsey jumps almost from mission to mission: befriending Emily, being a handler for a ex-war criminal Tarasenko, working last minute with a former ex-spy Dani now turned security, all the while managing her feelings for her old flame, Davis, (from Beirut just before the events of Red Widow), who is also working the case.
The only times my heart-raced were two times Lyndsey received a call from Theresa that her husband Richard (who was a Russian prisoner for years) isn't acting like himself. By the end however you realize Katsu is just setting up for the next book. THAT book however, I am looking forward to reading.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced eARC.
July 22, 2023
Loved this story! I read Red Widow, but it had been a while and I couldn't remember much about the previous story or Lyndsey Duncan. It did not matter. I admit that the first few chapters seemed a bit slow, but once the story started developing it was difficult for me to put down. I recommend this novel, especially if you enjoy spy thrillers and strong female characters.
December 7, 2022
I was so excited to get an advance copy of the next Lyndsey Duncan series from netgalley.com!
Lyndsey is now in London where she is tasked to start supporting her new Russian asset. But things take a slight detour quickly when she is asked to make friends with the wife of a Russian oligarch to see if she can be turned.
As the story unfolds we get even more insight into Lyndsey's past and present as she interacts with current bosses, old flames, and current targets. That insight into the spy and intelligence world from a female protagonists perspective is one of the things I find more fascinating about this series ad couldn't put it down for the last 25%!
While all the threads for this story were addressed and resolved, I loved that it still ended on an incredible cliffhanger and I can't wait for the next chapter of the saga!
Lyndsey is now in London where she is tasked to start supporting her new Russian asset. But things take a slight detour quickly when she is asked to make friends with the wife of a Russian oligarch to see if she can be turned.
As the story unfolds we get even more insight into Lyndsey's past and present as she interacts with current bosses, old flames, and current targets. That insight into the spy and intelligence world from a female protagonists perspective is one of the things I find more fascinating about this series ad couldn't put it down for the last 25%!
While all the threads for this story were addressed and resolved, I loved that it still ended on an incredible cliffhanger and I can't wait for the next chapter of the saga!
March 6, 2023
Loved this thriller!!
March 12, 2023
Angry Angel Books review: https://angryangelbooks.com/2023/03/1...
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April 6, 2023
This one starts with a bang and never lets up. I was really interested to see what would happen with Theresa and her newly returned husband Richard but I didn't even notice that the book never came back to that or the other strands from Red Widow. No doubt we'll get to find that out in another book though. Either way I was happy to escape to the Lindsey's world of Russian intrigue. I love that this female-centric spy world exists!
April 8, 2023
More disjointed than the first but I still loved it and am ready for book 3!
August 12, 2023
oops I didn't realize this was the second book in a series. not bad
Read
January 22, 2024Espionage is not usually my genre, but I really got into this story and the characters. I enjoyed it enough that I might go back and read the first in the series (but not right away).
April 30, 2024
Alma Katsu's Red London is a complex, thrilling yarn, about which I'll say little apart from "it's good that she's build her stories around believable women who must still overcome The Dominant Fraternity of Men in the US intelligence community." As a career US Intelligence Community lifer (retired to a life of reading, long walks, and music), I'm happy to report that she's left open two sequels that might, but shouldn't, be wrapped into one, both of which are pleading for the Tarasenko and Theresa stories that are central to the first Lyndsey Duncan novel, Red Widow, to make an early return of their own.
For a thoughtful appreciation of Red London, scroll down to Lou Jacobs' reviews, close to the top of the readers' comments. There are a sizable number of intelligence thrillers whose authors don't know their asses from a hole in the ground, whose novels have been flung across the (my) room, never to be read to the end. Alma Katsu gets right the tradecraft, missions, complications, thinking-out-loud and setting-down arrays of plausibilities, and so much more. Read her.
For a thoughtful appreciation of Red London, scroll down to Lou Jacobs' reviews, close to the top of the readers' comments. There are a sizable number of intelligence thrillers whose authors don't know their asses from a hole in the ground, whose novels have been flung across the (my) room, never to be read to the end. Alma Katsu gets right the tradecraft, missions, complications, thinking-out-loud and setting-down arrays of plausibilities, and so much more. Read her.
December 16, 2025
3.75/5
May 23, 2023
Really enjoyed this read. I bought this book after hearing Alma Katsu speak at the Gaithersburg book festival. The author was able to use her background in intelligence. The characters are compelling and the story has many twists and turns. I read it in one day as I couldn't put it down.
Am definitely going to read more of her books.
Am definitely going to read more of her books.
April 19, 2025
On social media, the posters are everywhere. Alma Katsu, former CIA and NSA analyst, and the author of eight other novels, including Red Widow, The Fervor, and The Hunger, will release her latest, Fiend, on September 16, 2025.
With as prolific a career as her intelligence work, it is no surprise Katsu is also known as an “Historical Horror maven” who transcends any categorical affiliation. She’s a proven multi-genre writer.
Where Red Widow is the “origin” story, RED LONDON refuses to play second fiddle, tasking our heroine to weed out moles where they lie and extract information from seemingly uncalculating
sources.
Sometimes she won.
Sometimes she found herself in compromising positions.
Among the CIAs and MI6s of the world, there is no black and white, only endless shades of gray, and Lyndsey Duncan can blend in with the best.
After the debacle in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is no longer Russia’s president, and we find Lyndsey in London attempting to assuage double agent, war criminal, and master manipulator Dmitri Tarasenko, who’s made it clear that he would have no one as his handler but Lyndsey.
But Lyndsey is soon pulled off that case following a suspicious attack on Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg, who has ties to Putin’s replacement, Viktor Kosygin.
Her mission is to sidle up to Rotenberg’s wife, British aristocrat Emily Rotenberg, who’s always been a bit of a puzzle – seen and not heard.
“… just need you to get close enough to assess whether she would be open to an approach.”
Posing as American heiress Lynn Prescott, it’s up to Lyndsey to parlay a manufactured encounter into a friendship and a very special kind of relationship.
The plot mainly rests on why an aristocrat who doesn’t need the money is with someone like Rotenberg.
Perhaps cleverness is a kind of currency itself.
In the spy business, no one is paid to make friends with good people. They’re interested in bad people. Bad people know other bad people and they will lead you to the worst people.
Lyndsey is no James Bond, and there’s an inherent power in this tact. Katsu’s intelligence experience explores depths Bond could never; her approach to Lyndsey’s relationships, professional and otherwise, is subliminal, ever sifting through layers of secrets that need to remain hidden, all while maintaining the illusion of normalcy.
Intelligence is so prized in the spy business that it is a reflex to assess it in others; and therein lies the increasing tension you didn't see coming.
Who’s manipulating whom?
With as prolific a career as her intelligence work, it is no surprise Katsu is also known as an “Historical Horror maven” who transcends any categorical affiliation. She’s a proven multi-genre writer.
Where Red Widow is the “origin” story, RED LONDON refuses to play second fiddle, tasking our heroine to weed out moles where they lie and extract information from seemingly uncalculating
sources.
Sometimes she won.
Sometimes she found herself in compromising positions.
Among the CIAs and MI6s of the world, there is no black and white, only endless shades of gray, and Lyndsey Duncan can blend in with the best.
After the debacle in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is no longer Russia’s president, and we find Lyndsey in London attempting to assuage double agent, war criminal, and master manipulator Dmitri Tarasenko, who’s made it clear that he would have no one as his handler but Lyndsey.
But Lyndsey is soon pulled off that case following a suspicious attack on Russian oligarch Mikhail Rotenberg, who has ties to Putin’s replacement, Viktor Kosygin.
Her mission is to sidle up to Rotenberg’s wife, British aristocrat Emily Rotenberg, who’s always been a bit of a puzzle – seen and not heard.
“… just need you to get close enough to assess whether she would be open to an approach.”
Posing as American heiress Lynn Prescott, it’s up to Lyndsey to parlay a manufactured encounter into a friendship and a very special kind of relationship.
The plot mainly rests on why an aristocrat who doesn’t need the money is with someone like Rotenberg.
Perhaps cleverness is a kind of currency itself.
In the spy business, no one is paid to make friends with good people. They’re interested in bad people. Bad people know other bad people and they will lead you to the worst people.
Lyndsey is no James Bond, and there’s an inherent power in this tact. Katsu’s intelligence experience explores depths Bond could never; her approach to Lyndsey’s relationships, professional and otherwise, is subliminal, ever sifting through layers of secrets that need to remain hidden, all while maintaining the illusion of normalcy.
Intelligence is so prized in the spy business that it is a reflex to assess it in others; and therein lies the increasing tension you didn't see coming.
Who’s manipulating whom?
June 5, 2023
While I was intrigued by the story idea, I finally gave up on this one after reading more than 100 pages. The characters lacked the depth necessary to engage sympathy, and the writing was too dull and too repetitious to hold my interest.
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