Black Wolf
"A dazzling new spy thriller"
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 her team and 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 realities of life undercover or for the streets of Minsk, where women have begun to disappear. Soviet law enforcement is firm: murder is a capitalist disease. But what if a serial killer knew no one would look for him? As Mel searches for answers, she catches the eye of an entirely different threat: the elusive and petrifying Black Wolf, the head of the KGB.
"That strange era when the Soviet Union slowly collapsed and nobody knew who was in charge - especially of the nuclear arsenals - is masterfully drawn. Kent's smattering of nifty nuggets of espionage tradecraft brings added value."
- London Financial Times
“Kent’s novel is based on real-life people and events in the gritty Belorussia of this era, and the characters and their experiences are well-drawn and complex. At the same time, the story moves well; the tensions are high; the climax is action-packed. Kent brings her gift for building strong and complex female characters, honed in the Betty Rhyzyk series, to Mel, who is younger, softer, and still just as much a survivor. A well-crafted spy novel married to a serial killer mystery equals lots of dark drama.”
- Kirkus Reviews
"Kent draws on her own experience working for the U.S. Department of Defense to create an utterly convincing espionage novel full of tradecraft. Readers will eagerly await Mel’s further adventures."
- Starred review, Publishers' Weekly
"Drawing on her experience of intelligence work, Kathleen Kent largely 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. What sharp teeth you have, Comrade."
- The Times' UK Best New Thrillers
"Part spy novel, part serial-killer novel, BLACK WOLF is masterful, a riveting tale and a powerful depiction of the collapse of the Soviet Union as seen through the eyes of Melvina Donleavy, a uniquely talented CIA recruit who deserves a series of her own."
- Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of House on Fire
"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 Forsythe 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
“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. A young, gifted CIA recruit with a “superpower” —the ability to recognize faces—is sent on a top-secret mission into Belarus. What could go wrong? I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. 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 of Woman on Fire
"A gritty depiction of the spy game during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Perfect for fans of The Americans."
- Alma Katsu, author of Red Widow
"Tension builds quickly here, and Minsk’s KGB controlled streets, long hidden from Western visitors, create an atmosphere of dangerous alienation."
- Booklist