Description

A dazzling new spy thriller about a female CIA agent whose extraordinary powers lead her into the dangerous heart of the collapsing Soviet Union – and the path of a killer that shouldn’t exist.

Minsk, 1990. The Soviet Union is crumbling. The scavengers and predators are gathering, eager to pick the meat off the bones of a dying empire.

THE SPY: Melvina Donleavy is part of a US trade delegation… and on her first undercover mission with the CIA. Mel has a secret skill: she is a ‘super recognizer’, someone who never forgets a face. She is the CIA’s early warning system, on watch for hostile agents trying to extract fissionable materials from the moribund USSR.

THE SERIAL KILLER: On the streets of Minsk, women are being strangled. Many more have disappeared. The Soviet Union is not a gentle place for women and too many men are capable of such violence, but the truth is worse: just one man is responsible. Worse still, the authorities will never admit to his existence – serial killers, after all, are a symptom of capitalist decadence. And now he has a new target…

THE SPY HUNTER: Chairman of the BSSR’s KGB, recipient of the Hero of the Soviet Union medal, the Order of Lenin, the Medal for Valour, the Order of the Patriotic War and the Order of the Red Star. They say you never hear his footsteps until he’s carrying your coffin. And now he has a new target…

The Cold War may be coming to a close, but Mel is in danger of being obliterated by its fallout. Whichever way she turns, the wolves are gathering.

Reviews for Black Wolf:

‘Kathleen Kent slays it with Black Wolf, a propulsive page-turner chock full of juicy spy game goodies. Simply masterful.’ Lisa Barr
‘Black Wolf is a superlative read, rich in atmospherics and authenticity. Kathleen Kent knows the territory firsthand, and deftly guides us across the harrowing terrain.’ Dan Fesperman
‘A razor-sharp, whip-smart, beautifully written thriller. Combines the plotting of Frederick Forsyth with the chills of Thomas Harris. Highly recommended.’ Christopher Reich
‘A gritty depiction of the spy game during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Perfect for fans of The Americans.’ Alma Katsu

Publisher Review

Kent deftly juggles her matryoshka of serial killer-spy thriller, which benefits from a little-known setting that also takes in the legacies of Chernobyl and the Second World War * The Times * Successfully manages to combine a well-researched and realistic espionage plot alongside a chilling serial killer hunt with echoes of both CHILD 44 and GORKY PARK... An almost perfect combination of thriller sub-genres * Crime Time * Kathleen Kent slays it with her new thriller Black Wolf, a propulsive page-turner chock full of juicy spy game goodies: intrigue, serial murder, nuclear secrets, passion, and of course, survival of the fittest... Welcome to the high-stakes world of Melvina Donleavy - a riveting, rich, and relevant heroine destined to take the suspense book world by storm. Simply masterful -- Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author. Black Wolf is a riveting read. A razor-sharp, whip-smart, beautifully written thriller set in the chaotic days following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it combines the research and plotting of Frederick Forsyth with the gruesome chills of Thomas Harris. Part espionage tale, part serial killer mystery, Black Wolf is a wholly original page turner of the first order. Highly recommended -- Christopher Reich, New York Times bestselling author of Once a Thief A gritty depiction of the spy game during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Perfect for fans of The Americans -- Alma Katsu An outstanding account of Russia after the fall of the Berlin Wall...thoroughly absorbing and highly recommended book * Promoting Crime Fiction * Very enjoyable and engaging * CrimeTime FM * 'This stimulating spy thriller set during the break up of the Soviet Union in the 1990s is intensely captivating... Black Wolf successfully positions a serial-killer murder mystery alongside a spy thriller, and they entwine and weave into one fabulously readable novel.' -- Liz Robinson * LoveReading * REVIEWS FOR KATHLEEN KENT: 'Kent is an effective storyteller and an acute social observer.' Los Angeles Review of Books 'Kent does a fine job weaving the various plot strands into a satisfying and action-packed whole.' Publishers Weekly