Black Wolf: A Novel
A "masterful" and "riveting" thriller about a female CIA agent whose extraordinary facial recognition powers lead her into the dangerous heart of the Soviet Union--and the path of a killer who shouldn't exist (Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author).
She never forgets a face.He never forgets his prey. It is 1990 when Melvina Donleavy arrives in Soviet Belarus on her first undercover mission with the CIA, alongside three fellow agents--none of whom know she is playing two roles. To the prying eyes of the KGB, she is merely a secretary; to her CIA minders, she is the only one who can stop the flow of nuclear weapons from the crumbling Soviet Union into the Middle East. For Mel has a secret; she is a "super recognizer," someone who never forgets a face. But no training could prepare her for the reality of life undercover, and for the streets of Minsk, where women have been disappearing. Soviet law enforcement is firm: murder is a capitalist disease. But could a serial killer be at work? Especially if he knew no one was watching? As Mel searches for answers, she catches the eye of an entirely different kind of threat: the elusive and petrifying "Black Wolf," head of the KGB. Filled with insider details from the author's own time working under the direction of the U.S. Department of Defense, Black Wolf is a riveting new spy thriller from an Edgar-nominated crime writer, and a biting exploration of the divide between two nations, two masterminds, and two roles played by a woman pushed to her breaking point, where she'll learn that you can only ever trust one person: yourself.
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Community Reviews
We got a great spy thriller from author Kathleen Kent! I have been waiting for a good undercover yarn and this one does not disappoint.
This one takes place in the Soviet Union in the year 1990 which is awesome in itself from a timepiece perspective. It is right before the Soviet Union dissolves and you can feel it in the book along with the distrust and paranoia the cold war brings. Chernobyl is recent on everyone's mind as the fallout affects everyone. The one stars Melvina Donleavy who is a "super reader" She never forgets a face no matter how long time passes.
I'm not going to even go into how terrifying that has to be for her future husband but that is a totally different story.
But back to this one..... She is part of a CIA team of four sent to the Soviet Union for a secret mission. She is undercover as a simple secretary but she is tasked with a much bigger mission even unknown to her team to help stop Nuclear Weapons from leaving the Soviet Union into the wrong hands. Like Iran. The Black Wolf is the head of the KGB who is relentless and instantly distrusts the team: Mainly Melvina.
This book doesn't stop there as it has other factions like The Russian Mafia causing problems. And, oh yeah, there is a serial killer killing women along the way in a country that doesn't even know what a "serial killer" is. But the flow of vodka and espionage flows on. LOL.
But to nitpick: This is not a beach read. It is long and overly descriptive which is my arch-nemesis in books. If the plot wasn't so interesting I may even have given up somewhere around page 100. It is just very slow at first and doesn't pick up until the bottom 100 pages. (I see people leaving the room already. How rude.) And while there are many interesting characters in the book, the main one is really overly boring.
But still a fascinating spy caper in a terrific environment and most people will appreciate the highly descriptive prose in this setting.
I really appreciate Mulholland Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book and it has a publication date of February 14, 2023.
Advance Reader Copy given free for honest review.
This one takes place in the Soviet Union in the year 1990 which is awesome in itself from a timepiece perspective. It is right before the Soviet Union dissolves and you can feel it in the book along with the distrust and paranoia the cold war brings. Chernobyl is recent on everyone's mind as the fallout affects everyone. The one stars Melvina Donleavy who is a "super reader" She never forgets a face no matter how long time passes.
I'm not going to even go into how terrifying that has to be for her future husband but that is a totally different story.
But back to this one..... She is part of a CIA team of four sent to the Soviet Union for a secret mission. She is undercover as a simple secretary but she is tasked with a much bigger mission even unknown to her team to help stop Nuclear Weapons from leaving the Soviet Union into the wrong hands. Like Iran. The Black Wolf is the head of the KGB who is relentless and instantly distrusts the team: Mainly Melvina.
This book doesn't stop there as it has other factions like The Russian Mafia causing problems. And, oh yeah, there is a serial killer killing women along the way in a country that doesn't even know what a "serial killer" is. But the flow of vodka and espionage flows on. LOL.
But to nitpick: This is not a beach read. It is long and overly descriptive which is my arch-nemesis in books. If the plot wasn't so interesting I may even have given up somewhere around page 100. It is just very slow at first and doesn't pick up until the bottom 100 pages. (I see people leaving the room already. How rude.) And while there are many interesting characters in the book, the main one is really overly boring.
But still a fascinating spy caper in a terrific environment and most people will appreciate the highly descriptive prose in this setting.
I really appreciate Mulholland Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book and it has a publication date of February 14, 2023.
Advance Reader Copy given free for honest review.
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