Red Wolves is a remarkably ingenious timely thriller with a unique story and tortured characters that make them all the more interesting to connect to. Adam Hamdy has outdone himself with the action-packed narrative that may just be his finest work yet.
Scott Pearce is back on the trail of the mysterious organization that has eluded him and every major intelligence agency after causing destruction in the capital city of Pakistan and then waging a terrible war against immigrants in the UK. Pearce is determined to unveil the shroud of mystery around the sinister group of connected individuals and joins the team of an enigmatic benefactor who has his own personal vendetta against the nefarious group. A violent prison break, a terrifying bioweapon unlike any other, and a plot to lay waste to America by hooking its citizens on a sophisticated drug; all three events are all linked to a major terrorist attack perpetrated by a non-state entity with operatives in every agency around the world. Can Pearce connect the dots in time to stop the terrorists from holding America hostage?
Adam Hamdy writes some of the most sophisticated modern spy thrillers. The narrative keeps the brain cogs functioning in overdrive as every other chapter brings about hair-raising twists and turns that fit perfectly in a spy thriller where secrets are the norm. The pace is kept on high with a steady amount of adrenaline secreted from visceral action sequences. For a contemporary spy thriller, Adam Hamdy capitalizes on the ever-growing industry of technology with creative gadgets and airborne vehicles that are written with strong authenticity and are a huge delight to see in action.
Pearce is one of my favorite protagonists with the charisma of a badass operative who thinks on his feet and the vulnerability of a tormented soul for whom the impacts of violence and keeping secrets actually exact a toll. His motivations are not confined to the plot and are based off personal desires that make him more relatable and likeable amongst a sea of action protagonists. Pearce is undoubtedly the main lead but Adam Hamdy ensures that every character on either side of the equation is imbued with a unique personality, bringing them to life just as vividly as Scott Pearce with gradual and empowering character development. I fell in love with characters I could not have imagined liking when I had started Red Wolves.
A huge commendable aspect of Red Wolves is Adam Hamdy’s brilliant decision to base the story in the current global landscape, particularly one that has now gotten used to COVID-19. Adam Hamdy does not shy away from how the world has changed with regards to travel restrictions, face masks, and testing for Coronavirus. The face masks add a new layer of hardship for catching bad guys now that they can cover their faces without raising suspicion, an aspect no other thriller author has yet explored so well. A positive spin on the matter comes with the concept of all locations having the resources to use rapid Coronavirus testing to ensure anyone going into coffee shops and restaurants is not infected; a simple and elegant measure to not limit the story in any way while basing the narrative in the current times.
It is not a stretch to say Red Wolves is one of the best books to come out this year. However, taking into consideration the vast scale of globetrotting action as well as grounded storytelling with characters fleshed out expertly over time, it may very well be THE best action espionage thriller of 2021. The ending leaves no doubt for more of Scott Pearce to come in the future with a bigger mission. The mystery is far from being uncovered.
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