With a little nod towards James Bond, this spy thriller was excellent.

Weaving fiction with plausible real-world figures the three autocrats, Donald Trump, Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin and set in 2017 the book is exciting with Jenna some sort of action girl escaping from all sorts of trouble. Shame she fell into the 'JD' trap?

Other minor characters all add to a plot that keeps the reader guessing. A lot of multiple povs which I will forgive this time as the whole story and the author's writing is superb.

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK Vintage for the chance to read and review.

This novel was hard to put down and I devoured it in a few sittings. Fictional but based in historical realities with real life autocrats, it is filled with suspense, mystery and danger. Salutary message about the prjde, paranoia and delusions of absolute power. Tense but very enjoyable reading.

Red Star Down is a librarian's nightmare. Where should the novel be placed? Fiction or non-fiction? To answer that you will have to reference the author's note that it's purely a work of fiction. The thing is, it reads like non-fiction. Why is this? It's said to carry off a false identity you need to blurr the truth with a smattering of a lie. Donald Trump's presence in the novel seems so close to real life that you might be imagining his double. The elements of the truth are: abduction of people from South Korea and Japan by the North Koreans, North Korea's seed or 'Joy Group' operation, the murder of Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by means of a nerve agent, the meeting of Trump and the little rocket man at the Singapore summit to name but a few.
Red Star Down is a novel about the world of the autocrat and the schemes they adopt to control and subvert. It's a riveting spy story with intrigue, manipulation and broken lives at its heart. I found it possibly one of the best spy novels I have read and the five stars I have awarded it do not do it justice.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Really enjoyed this book. What pulls you in is the attention to detail of what was going on in the world at the time this is set and how you can imagine that the spy networks etc would actually be happening at the same time.

There are multiple povs which can take a bit of getting used to at the start but you soon manage to work out the multiple stories and how they are interlinked.

Starting a little slow, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to finish Red Star Down, based entirely on the page count.

How wrong I was!

What followed was a tome with action upon action, secrets being unravelled in public, and all in a time I can remember.

We join a small cast of characters around the globe, and it can get a little hard to track what’s happening where, but i eagerly hope there is a sequel so we can rejoin Jenna and co.

Red Star Down D B John

5 stars
Absolutely brilliant

I loved this book and read it in a couple of days. Right from the start I was totally absorbed by the story and completely immersed in the fictional characters that were so believable when set against the three main protagonists in the real world, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.

I had no problem following the story despite it being a follow-up to Jenna Williams story,Jenna is a CIA agent, a Korean/ African American whose twin sister was captured and taken to North Korea, Jenna had rescued her and by doing so is Public Enemy No 1 for North Korea. In Moscow a young boy, Lyosha has had the temerity to question President Putin, in a live tv broadcast and has to flee Russia, and in The White House, Eric Rahn has risen to be President's Trump's Special Advisor on East Asia even though he is a North Korean spy.

The story is set in 2017 when President Trump' took office for the first time. It is horrifying to me how true to life this is, touching on kidnapping of Asians to be raised in North Korea and trained as spies, the seed-bearing programme and the poisoning of traitors. I can well imagine that everything described not only went on but is in fact still going on especially as Trump is now back in power.

What made this book so fascinating for me was the juxtaposition of the fictional characters and the non-fictional characters. The author seems able to describe Trump, Putin and Kim as though he has actually met them many times so accurate is his descriptions of their mannerisms and actions. In the author's note at the end of the book he does say that this is a fictional book but so much of it is based on real events that I am not so sure,.

I can honestly say that this is one of the best books that I have read and will be reading anything else I can find by this author. Highly recommended.




Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

A pulsating spy thriller that is in keeping with current events. A gripping storyline that kept me enthralled. The characterisation was spot on. Well researched and unputdownable

Loosely based around real events, Red Star Down is such a brilliant read!

A massive conspiracy is about to be revealed to the world. Red Star Down reveals the exciting story leading up to it.

Three protagonists - Jenna, a tough no nonsense CIA officer.

Lyosha, a Moscow student who had the audacity to confront Vladimir Putin on live tv, with a question that so incensed the Russian leader that he made it his mission to destroy Lyosha’s life.

And then there’s Eric, a North Korean spy who has the ear of President Trump, and it goes without saying that he’s one extremely dangerous individual.

Having read D B John’s superb book “Star of the North”, wanting to read this one was a no brainer.
This is a fast paced spy thriller, that crosses continents and regimes, throwing the reader headlong into a world of global events, and the inevitable political intrigue and espionage that accompanies it. This is edge of the seat stuff and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this excellent read!

Gripping, thought-provoking and entertaining. Full of current affairs and questions that need asking. A great read from an author I will look out for in the future.
Recommended.

This is an excellent fast-paced thriller. Set in 2017, the corrupting power of Trump, Putin and Kim Jong-Un sets the backdrop for an intense political, spy thriller. This is a well-written and well-researched book. Right from the start, the reader is thrown straight into the thick of the action. Despite the length of the book, this was a surprisingly quick read.
Highly recommended.

I had to dnf after the events of the last few days it feels far too close to home and is no fault of the book/author. The subject matter could not be more on the pulse of the political spectrum but with all that has been happening lately I just cannot continue it

Red Star Down is a pacy, conspiracy-driven spy thriller that grips from the very first page and doesn’t let go. D.B. John masterfully spins a story that feels both larger-than-life and terrifyingly plausible, weaving real-world figures—Donald Trump, Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin—into a taut narrative of espionage, betrayal, and political brinkmanship.

The plot unfolds with cinematic flair: a North Korean assassination in Kuala Lumpur, a Russian intelligence hit in D.C., and the dawning of a new U.S. presidency that threatens to upend the global order. At the heart of the chaos are three unforgettable characters—Jenna, a CIA operative haunted by her past; Lyosha, a brave student whose defiance of Putin changes his life forever; and Eric, a North Korean spy embedded in the White House, torn between duty and unexpected loyalty.

The twists are sharp, the stakes are global, and the tension is relentless. What makes this novel so compelling is how closely it hugs reality—events and characters are fictionalized, but never feel far from the truth. It's a smart, timely page-turner that would make a phenomenal movie or Netflix series.

I tore through this and was left hoping for a sequel featuring the same cast of characters. Fans of modern spy thrillers—especially those with a political edge—should not miss this.

4.5* Red Star Down - DB John. A stunning thriller where the pace doesn’t let up.

Trump is in the White House. Putin and Kim Jong-Un are dictators in their own kingdoms. They each hold ultimate power but below their fragile egos are those willing to undermine, overthrow and work for the common good.

8 years on from the excellent Star of the North, we rejoin CIA agent Jenna in a multi-location chase across the world. There are spies, defectors, dead-drops and jaw-dropping moments a plenty. The story neatly carousels around real life events which on their own are jaw dropping,
but weaved into a narrative with the CIA and FSB involved are great fun.

I really don’t want to give any spoilers to the intricate plotting which is a heck of a ride. This is up there with Day of the Locust and Ken Follet’s Never as an absolute classic of the genre. So many try in the thriller space, few succeed, DB John absolutely nails it.

I would highly recommend starting with Star of the North to get under the skin of Jenna’s back story but both books would be good stand alone novels.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this brilliant ARC. I can only hope we don’t need to wait so long for another book from this fantastic author.

Red Star Down is an edge-of-your-seat international spy thriller based on relatively recent real-life events featuring well known political figures. In a story which crosses continents, main protagonist Jenna risks her own life to protect Soo-min, Lyosha and Stephen while North Korean spy Eric is working hard to undermine the White House as well as trying to save his own skin. This is a tension filled, fast paced thriller with multiple characters and story strands coming together in an intelligently planned plot in which the narrative is enhanced by some excellent satire.
The researching and plotting are top quality, and the author’s observations of political manoeuvring have made me look at current events through a new lens. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book. Red Star Down by D. B. John is a high-octane international spy thriller that plunges readers into a world of political intrigue and espionage. The story kicks off with a series of explosive global events—a Korean man is poisoned in Malaysia, a Russian intelligence officer is assassinated in Washington, and a real-estate mogul becomes the U.S. president. These incidents set the stage for a conspiracy that threatens global stability. It is a story of power, betrayal, international espionage and the fragility of global peace. If you're a fan of politically charged thrillers with heart-pounding suspense and a darkly witty edge, this might be one to add to your to read list.

As far as spy thrillers go I have to say Red Star Down is one of the best I have read in this genre. The author is new to me and I will be reading his other books when I can. I was pulled into the story right from the start and it held my interest and attention right to the last page although initially it did take time for the characters to slot into place in my mind. The main character Jenna, a CIA operative, is very likeable as is Lyosha and I was rooting for them throughout. The story writing is excellent and flows seamlessly and is full of intricate threads and a very, VERY believeable plot line. I love the different place and country settings and think the portrayal of the world leaders who have their own agendas and are self serving is spot on. The poignant, sad and humorous moments add to the story. The pacing is perfect and the author raises the suspense, tension and suspense that made me want to know what would happen next. As always there are characters I loathed and I think the author does their job well when I feel like this about the characters. I really like the ending and hope there will be a follow up book featuring Jenna.

If you like spy, espionage thrillers then I think this book would be for you and I'd recommend it.

D.B. John has come up with a cracker of a read here and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

4 stars

Fast paced ,relevant novel.It had me on the edge of my seat,unable to put down until I could find out what happened next.
I lived through the experience to the end.A well written credible tale which opens up a world currently in which we live,spellbinding and fascinating to say the least,A riveting must read for everyone.

This is the first book I have read by D.B John and I certainly hope that it won't be the last. I was immediately gripped by this contemporary political thriller. The characters were completely believable and the attention to the power struggle between Donald Trump, Putin and Kim Jong-un caused different emotions at one point humorous and another disbelief. I didn't manage to read this book at one sitting despite attempting to, but my husband wanted to sleep which meant that I read over two days. The combination of Jenna a C.I.A operative, Eric a North Korean spy within the Trump administration, could all change the balance of the political power as it is today.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Random House UK/Vintage for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy to review.




Yahoo Mail: Search, organise, conquer

Defiantly a very well crafted novel, full of current issues and concerns re global situations, Characters are life like in mannerisms and speech - yes Putin, Trump and Kim Jong Un of North Kore; yes John weaves a great story with our world leaders and all the bit players in the background.
At one point the story mentions North Korea and Russia's Seed Bearing Program which triggered my deep seated memories of true events where citizens were abducted from South Korea and Japan to breed children, indoctrinated and sent back to their original country to create havoc. Methods of assassinations used those used by the Russians even today - poisoning radio isotope exposure.
So a very intelligent up to date thriller.
At the end of the book a well written 'authors notes' shares the deeper aspects of the story and basis for the book, well worth reading.

This books was fantastic, it was edgy and thrilling and fast paced. I hadn’t read a political spy thriller before but this was so intriguing I couldn’t put it down. There’s a couple of things going on in this book but it isn’t confusing or boring and is a real page turner. Highly recommend