First, let me get the expectation mismatch out of the way. When the story says it's hero is person with very high IQ, you expect the crime to be cerebral. What we get instead is an adrenaline pumping thriller which was good for the genre.

The spanish trilogy is getting an English release and the first book introduces Antonia Scott or the Red Queen. The red queen is supposed to be specially trained to focus and put together disjoint events and solve mysteries - aided by chemicals. She is in absence after a personal tragedy and a pressing brutal murder makes her mentor desperately try to lure her back.

A disgraced cop is blackmailed to get her back in action and soon the team are trying to solve a high profile murder which cannot be discussed. While they are investigating, a second super victim is kidnapped bringing into the fray a competing police force. The mystery of if they will save her in time and the investigation forms the rest of the story - more or less.

The good parts are the initial bits where they are trying to establish the characters. We really have enough reason to believe Amanda Scott is a genius and there are quite a few researched bits on Spanish history(and geography) that backs the potential of the premise. Once you've set up a brilliant puzzle it is upto the author to provide a brilliant solution. In that pursuit, the author falters a bit from the logic. We have the captured next victim in captivity and we are asked to focus on the cruelty and trying to make sense of what the kidnapper wants.

2/3rd into the novel, things veer off-course with too many mistakes done by the villain and a silly fall from grace for the intelligent hero and the brave sidekick. The last chase through the tunnels was comical and lot based on luck - which takes out the element of intelligence.

A few plusses, some good twists and some logical gaps. Might still read the next book in series.

Note: Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan books for the ARC copy of this book. The book will release in March 2023.