Red Warning: A Race to Stop a Russian Assassin and Uncover a Mole in Washington

by Matthew Quirk

“Intricately plotted with extraordinary characters and riveting action.” —Jack Carr, #1  New York Times  bestselling author of  In the Blood In this electrifying thriller from the author of The Night Agent now on Netflix , CIA officer Sam Hudson races to find a deep cover operative loose in the U.S. and a mole in the Agency before they can launch a devastating attack on Washington, D.C. For years CIA officer Sam Hudson has been hunting Konstantin, a Russian deep cover operative responsible for a string of assassinations in the West—and he believes a well-placed source in Geneva can finally get him close to the killer. But when their meeting is ambushed, Sam’s partner is murdered and he barely makes it out alive himself. Back in the States, the bosses put him on leave and want him to drop his obsession with Konstantin, but Sam can’t let a man who’s taken so many lives slip away again. When he gets a mysterious call at the Lincoln Memorial just before a bomb goes off, he realizes Konstantin has followed him to the U.S.—and is targeting him and everyone close to him. Teaming up with fellow CIA officer Emily Pierce, he sets out to redeem himself and uncover a plot that has been lying in wait since the end of the Cold War, its elements hidden among the most iconic buildings in the capital. With enemies lurking both inside and outside the Agency and the Russian threat looming ever larger, Sam must use all his training and nerve to stop Konstantin before he can trigger the plot to devastate Washington and bring the U.S. to its knees. Don't miss Matthew Quirk's twisty new thriller,  Inside Threat! Look for these other pulse-pounding thrillers by Matthew

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Espionage, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook, Political Thriller

496 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

Matthew Quirk studied history and literature at Harvard College. After graduation, he spent five years at The Atlantic reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego.

Reviews

[Scottsdale Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Warning continues a string of thrillers by Quick that are first-rate. Sam and Emma try to unravel the most unnerving of situations - who to trust when everyone on both sides of the imminent danger seems to be working together.

It's quite the race to the finish and the tangles and weaves will keep the reader turning the pages. I normally walk through a book with patience but found myself carving time from other activities to read this one through in three days.

If you like thrillers, pick this one up.

-Tom L.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how to write a good thriller.

[3 no 7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dangerous people and those who hunt them down

“Red Warning” is the saga of working in “the real game,” being in “intelligence work,” operating under “nonofficial cover.” The players have individual stories, Individual training, and diverse backgrounds; however, their mission is the same. They are on their own, in “deep cover” with no diplomatic immunity, and no backup. All does not go well, and these people might not actually know what they have gotten themselves into.

This game of international deception is dangerously complex and at the same time exceedingly mundane. The search for sleeper agents, potential targets, and prospective sources is more of a waiting game than a fast-action thriller. Step after step must be slow and precise to lessen the risk; however peril is hiding around every corner. Some dangers have been intricately hidden, concealed for decades, just waiting for an opportunity, a gathering, a chance. Tick-tock, tick-tock; things build.

“Red Warning” is filled with secrets; people who are enigmas and those who search them out. Dangers from without and dangers from within are hidden on every page. The narrative pushes readers right to the edge, just waiting for “IT” to happen, and even when it seems done and over, it is not.

I received a review copy of “Red Warning” from Matthew Quirk and William Morrow. “Red Warning” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries, and anywhere you get your books.

Be sure to look for the nice shout out to T Jefferson Parker in chapter eight.

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I should have liked this one better than I did. It's full of things that I really like when reading spy thrillers, yet I was a bit bored when listening to it. I had a hard time connecting to Sam, which made it hard to root for him to beat the bad guys, to get our guys to believe him to help Sam thwart the attack that was coming. Instead Sam had 1 person to help him, who finally at the last minute, believed what Sam was saying.

The last bit at the end was a bit depressing for me. Sure...now everyone believes Sam and wants to talk to him and find out what happened, yet it will all be buried in secrets for the better of the country.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review – Red Warning – Matthew Quirk
I recently became a fan of author Matthew Quirk thriller novels and picked up his “Red Warning” book without hesitation. Each of his works of fiction have been gripping and action-packed. However, Red Warning, dials back the pacing just a little – not as much extreme action as previous novels – but just as thrilling. As with the two previous novels — “The Night Agent” and “Hour of the Assassin” — Red Warning was suspenseful, enthralling, beguiling, and kept me captivated with it’s Cold War-era spy plot. Quirk spent more time on character development and calmer, less intense moments of the plot. This by no means diminished how engaging the story was and made it better for it. The narrative is populated by plenty of interesting characters on both sides – good and bad – sufficient and admirable action sequences – just not as intense, timely commentary on the current state of international affairs, and well-presented and remarkable spy craft. One could argue that the ending was a foregone conclusion, but Quirk gets readers there in an appealing and unsurprising way. Overall, another engrossing standalone thriller from Quirk and an enjoyable spy thriller read. I recommend to Cold War spy thriller enthusiasts.

[Ryan Steck · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an experienced assassin turns the tables, it’s kill or be killed for CIA officer Sam Hudson in this riveting new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Matthew Quirk.

Sam Hudson has spent years trying to track down a Russian deep-cover operative, codenamed Konstantin—a man responsible for killing numerous American operators abroad—when he finally gets a break. Things, however, aren’t quite what they seemed, and soon, a meeting in Geneva with a trusted source to learn the whereabouts of Konstantin turns into a bloodbath.

The shooting starts almost immediately, and by the end of the gunfight, Sam’s partner is dead, and he barely makes it out alive.

Back in the states, Sam’s bosses aren’t pleased with his Konstantin obsession and put him on paid leave. Designed to let him cool off and refocus, the timeout handed down from his chain of command at CIA only gives the young officer more time to dedicate to his cause. Digging deeper, Sam becomes convinced that . . .

Read the rest of this spoiler-free review here: https://therealbookspy.com/2022/06/06...

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably deserves 5.5 stars, but we'll use the tools we have at hand. If you like Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, Brad Taylor, Mark Greaney, Vince Flynn you'll love this book. The plot revolves around the main character trying to stop a plot to destroy most of downtown DC via a subterranean superweapon. The characters were all very believable and the book had a certain briskness to the narrative. This was the first time I'd read this author, but I'm definitely going to go back and read some of his other works!!

[Ron S · Rating 2 out of 5]

A CIA officer searches for an agency mole and a Russian deep cover operative in Washington, in a race to prevent an act of terrorism. I confess that my despair over Putin's current war crimes and invasion of Ukraine lead me to pick up this book: I wanted to escape into the fantasy of good triumphing over evil, and the idea of Russia's worst impulses being brought into check. Red Warning is perfectly acceptable as as espionage thriller, but If only this was a work of non-fiction...

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Hudson is a man obsessed.

The CIA officer is obsessed with tracking down a Russian deep cover agent called Konstantin. The problem is that the higher-ups at the CIA believe Konstantin is nothing more than a boogeyman, a tale Hudson inherited from his now deceased mentor.

While on an unsanctioned mission in Switzerland, a meeting with a highly placed source that can give him the proof he needs goes bad. The source is killed as his Hudson fellow agent, while Hudson himself is seriously injured as well.

Back home and recovering, Hudson is rebuffed and rebuked by his superiors and is essentially put on leave. The CIA doesn't trust him anymore. But what they don't realize is that not only is Konstantin real, he's on the move in Washington, D.C. no less. Moreso, he's tracking Sam while setting up a long buried Cold War plan to destroy the US in one fell swoop.

Before an opening gambit designed as a precursor to the final plan, Konstantin calls Sam before setting off a bomb. But with his credibility in question, the CIA still refuses to believe him. And the more he protests, the more precarious his situation becomes.

Sam has plenty of enemies these days and they aren't just Russian sleeper agents. He ends up on the run from his own agency with barely any allies. But when he's set up as a fall guy, can he avoid all the federal agencies after him long enough to track down his Russian enemy and foil the man's master plan? And will his years of experience and accumulated skills allow him to survive that encounter?

Author Matthew Quirk has quite the grasp on how to tell a grippingly intense thriller with the requisite high stakes should the good guys lose. In RED WARNING, he gives readers another intensely driven protagonist up against an implacable enemy with the same kind of intensity and a plan. I like that Quirk gives us a believable and fully formed bad guy as much as a great lead character to "root" for. If he didn't, the story wouldn't have the same kind edge to it.

There are twists aplenty in the story with betrayals and revelations always nipping at Sam's heels along the way. Readers will be sure to find themselves on the edge of their seat to see just how everything turns out and that means that after the success of Matthew Quirk's two previous thrillers THE NIGHT AGENT and HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN, RED WARNING sees the author with a Big Three of magnificently told thrillers!

[Melissa]

This didn't work for me. It didn't have the same magic as The Night Agent. It started off right in the middle of a thing and we don't get to learn who the players are before everything goes to shit.

Now, if I had kept going it likely would have improved. Things were starting to get better but then another book I had on hold came in and I switched, never came back to this.

I think skipping the beginning and just starting I guess at what is possibly chapter 1 (the beginning may have been the prequel) would be better.

1 star but could change if I ever revisit this and finish.

[Jeff P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but it wasn't as good as other books I've read by this author. Honest rating is about 2.5 stars. At least it didn't have any mentions of bougainvillea....

[KK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining thriller - not a masterpiece but not a work of fluff, either. I enjoyed the initial effort put into character development for Sam and Emily…I thought Quirk excelled there. I do wish, however, that Emily’s character had been flushed out a bit more (Her divorce? Her miscarriage during her marriage? Her relationship with her family? Her relationship with Sam going forward?) I also wish the ending with Konstantin didn’t fall so flat. With so much of the story revolving around chasing him, finding him and Sam and his interaction before his death was a bit anticlimactic. I did not ever feel that I “couldn’t put this book down,” nevertheless, this was a pleasant and fun read. 3.5 stars and rounded up.

[Tomasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steely-eyed ex-Ranger gets his butt repeatedly kicked by Russian illegals (mostly over sixty) in this novel of simulated suspense and plenty of chaos, with plotholes yawning all over the place. There's some good stuff scattered in among the generic plot points (the SDRs, the penetration of Jones' efforts - this is how actual intelligence work and counterespionage looks like), but it's mostly obscured by explosions. Also, it's really tiresome when verbal constipation of people in the know is only loosed at the point of death, as if bleeding out finally untied all the tongues. And the ending is basically lifted from a Harlequin Intrigue production.
EDIT: Oh, and of course the Google Translate Russian!

[Steven Netter · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books



Make sure to check out the full review

[Patrick Greenwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy to read this wonderful novel. I am a true Tom Clancy fan and Matthew may have learned a few from the old master with a completely new and refreshing twist into the world of espionage and international intrigue. While many books come with levels of detail, Matthew Quirk did an excellent job balancing detail with common translations. A true must-read!!

[Max · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slow and boring

[Roger Keane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre at best. Unrealistic, never are the stakes or players behind the scene truly revealed, characters stereotyped and not that interesting. Forgettable.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much info/detail, not enough action. Couldn't finish it.

[Jon Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like the author read a manual on how to write a spy thriller. Every possible trope of the genre was on full display.

[Molly Krumm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual type of book but I liked it.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning with THE 500, Matthew Quirk has an excellent track record writing thrillers reminiscent of the best of the Cold War thrillers that were so prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s. Think Frederick Forsyth, Len Deighton, or Robert Ludlom; that kind of book. RED WARNING begins with a clandestine meeting in Geneva that re-captures the edgy nature of spycraft, a promising start. But when the story moves to Washington, D.C. the focus narrows and loses its edginess.

The leading characters are Sam Hudson, a discredited CIA operative, Emily Pierce, also with the CIA and maybe with Sam, and the shadowy figure of Konstantin, a Russian spy who we know is real but many in the CIA consider a figment of tired imaginations. Konstantin is the architect of a truly catastrophic plot, a potential catastrophe so large it is a wonder how one person could have so much agency. Sam stands in his way though in doing so he must overcome opposition from his own people as well as the Russians. In what should be a complex lethal contest between multiple factions on both sides, the story comes down to a one-on-one fight between two men, just like occured so often on television westerns in the 1960s. The conclusion does not do justice to the set up and the introduction.

This is still a good read and Quirk is a wordsmith who has a talent for the catchy phrase and the smart aside; his observations about the negligent care given the Mall in Washington and a funny aside about how British novels diminish U.S. intelligence operations are but two examples of Quirk's trenchancy. However, this novel does not linger in the reader's memory. The framework is there for a for Sam Hudson sequel that could be stronger.

Who is a friend and
who is the foe. Should be an
quick answer. Not so.

[Oundle Crime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew Quirk is an American author who's written seven novels, three of them standalone stories and two series of two books each. This was published in 2022 and it's an espionage thriller that's a cut above.

Sam Hudson is a CIA Agent who’s being left out in the cold by his own colleagues. He’s convinced there’s a Russian ‘sleeper’ agent in the USA trying to activate a Cold War terror campaign but no-one will listen to him; and as he tries to uncover the conspiracy, fewer and fewer people are willing to help. Even his boss turns aside. The Russian agent (codenamed Konstantin) is adept at hiding in plain sight and Sam’s progress to unmask him is painfully slow. Worse, for every step forward it seems he’s then thrown three steps back and the game of cat-and-mouse is taking its toll. Then there’s a terror attack in Washington DC which makes Sam’s theory more plausible, although no-one quite wants to go public and agree he might be right. The reader, of course, knows that Sam’s theory is bang on the money and the final race to unmask Konstantin and stop the terror attack is gritty and exciting. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable chase with a satisfying ending.

This is a slow-burn thriller in the best tradition of espionage novels. Sam Hudson is a likeable protagonist and the story bowls along at a good pace as the plot weaves around Washington DC and the politics of the CIA. You even have a bit of time to get to know the characters before the all-out race to beat the clock at the end. This isn't the first novel by Matthew Quirk that I've read and if you like thrillers I'd also recommend The Night Agent, which was published in 2021. And Red Warning? Well I really enjoyed it. Try to find a copy if you can.
Review by: Cornish Eskimo, Oundle Crime

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2****RED WARNING is a page-turner from the very beginning in Geneva to the end in and around Washington, DC. Matthew Quirk has created a puzzle that only Sam Hudson seems able to solve. The readers are the only ones that can sit back and watch as this exciting, riveting novel unfolds. As in his other novels, the main character (Sam) is a likeable, almost heroic man that one might think can leap over tall buildings like Superman. Despite his ability to escape from stressful, dangerous situations in an almost unbelievable way, Sam is depicted as a serious person who wants to do right in his goal to protect the US from an evil Russian menace.
From the streets of Geneva, where he barely escapes from a Russian killer to the streets and underground sewers/canals of Washington, DC, CIA wonderkind Sam, is on the hunt for Russian bad guys.
Sam, and a female counterpart in the CIA, become rogue agents within their own agency as they become both the hunters and the hunted in their attempts to find the Russian Konstantin who is threatening destruction of our nation's capital in his attempt to become involved in the leadership of a new, powerful Russia.
"With enemies lurking both inside and outside the Agency and the Russian threat looming ever larger, Sam must use all his training and nerve to stop Konstantin....."
Matthew Quirk has written another exciting up-to-date novel as exciting as any of today's Marvel movies.

[Danelle The Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red Warning is an interesting and sadly, timely thriller about issues between the US and Russia. The Cold War never died for some in Russia, and the evil Konstantin, a Russian deep cover operative responsible for a string of assassinations, is on the hunt of CIA agents and perhaps part of a plot to terrorize Americans too. Sam Hudson and Emily Pierce are the CIA agents who must stop him. Sam has already lost one agent to what he feels is at the hands of Konstantin, and he doesn't want any more lives lost to him. Does the book defy logic at times? Sure. Most thrillers do. But it is a fun, fast, non-stop action read. I would recommend it to people who love spy novels and fast placed thrillers with a political bent. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC. 3.75 stars!

[Florence Fales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Sam Hudson works for the CIA. He has been working in the west. While in Geneva he supposed to meet up with a source to help him find a Russian man named Konstantin. Everything goes wrong and Sam's partners are killed.
When he gets home his bosses tell him to drop the investigation into the Russian guy. He doesn't and before he knew it, Sam was pushed out of the CIA. He went rogue and uncovered a plot to take out Washington DC. There were a lot of people whom he couldn't trust. He did have help from another CIA operative named Emily. The pace of the book moved fast right up to the end of the alleged attack.
Very well written. Characters are very believable. Revenge, power and espionage all rolled into this book. Definitely a Goodread!!!!!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Matthew Quirk has written some very good action thrillers and I’ve really enjoyed his previous work. RED WARNING is not one of his standout books; the writing is somehow awkward and gets in the way of his story. Even the dialog drags down the plot. Do I still believe in mastermind spies? A better plot might have helped me buy in to the idea. Sometimes it’s worth reading everything an author produces. This comes under that category. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It reminded me of Jack Bauer rushing across the city to single handedly save the day as Chloe navigated his path overhead. The description of the city and it's landmarks was great. Having been to Washington many times it was relatable to know where the main characters were. The underground however was difficult to imagine. I understand that there are underground tunnels etc. and I may go and try to find some pictures. Overall I did enjoy it but I took me a while to get through this book.

[Darren Sheldon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Managed just 80 pages , couldn’t make any sense of the plot or develop any interest in the characters, so gave up. ( that doesn’t often happen:( )

Don’t believe the the 4 plus star rating for this book.

[Ahuva Traube · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so glad that I read this book - if only because now it's not taking up room anymore on my shelf. I almost never stop reading a book after I've started it - and yet, with this one, I came close.

[Goldy Goodman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t get thru this one, maybe it’s the non violent fbi shooting fan in me or it was the writers way of writing.