The King’s Deception: Book 8 (Cotton Malone Series) by Steve Berry (MOBI)

Description

Former Justice Department agent, Cotton Malone, travels to England and finds himself caught in a dark conspiracy born long ago, in the time of the Tudors.

Now both the CIA and MI6 seem to be competing to uncover the mystery and, for Malone, supposedly on holiday with his son, Gary, it’s not just the action which comes thick and fast. When Gary disappears, Malone is forced into a race against time, as he battles to decipher a puzzle that leads him from the Middle Temple to the chapel at Windsor Castle, from an Oxford college to the sewers beneath Hampton Court.

With assassins, traitors, spies, and dangerous disciples of a secret society closing in, Malone discovers that the solution to the mystery will not only draw him into a lethal trap, but force him closer to his own troubling past.

And a shocking revelation.

User’s Reviews

From Booklist After an exciting departure from his Cotton Malone novels (The Columbus Affair, 2012), Berry returns to the series formula. When Malone’s 15-year-old son is briefly kidnapped in London, the spy-turned-bookseller discovers he has inadvertently stumbled upon an international plot that involves secrets about Queen Elizabeth I and the impending release from prison of one of the men behind the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. It takes awhile, but Berry does forge a thinly plausible connection between a modern-day terrorist act and the last Tudor ruler of Britain. Berry populates the novel with the usual assortment of characters—the shifty intelligence agent, the stalwart investigator—and even offers us an ancient society that will stop at nothing to keep Elizabeth’s shocking secrets from getting out. Fans of the series will no doubt enjoy this one, although it breaks no new ground, holding tightly to the series format. The galley circulated for review contains a troubling chronological inconsistency—depending on which internal evidence you listen to, the story is set either in 2005–06 or 2009—but this could be cleared up when the book goes to print. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Berry’s books, best-sellers all, have been translated into 40 languages with more than 15 million copies in print in 51 countries. –David Pitt –This text refers to the hardcover edition. Review Praise for The King’s Deception “[A] perfect blend of history and adventure . . . The history enhances the main narrative and gives it an added punch. . . . Pick up this new fast-paced book by Berry and have an excellent thrill ride while you also get a wonderfully enjoyable history lesson. Education has never been this much fun.”—The Huffington Post “Steve Berry does what Dan Brown thought he did. [He combines] a love of history with global thriller action and creates books that are impossible to put down and even educational. . . . A perfect blend of history and action . . . perfect summer reading.”—Crimespree Magazine “Cotton Malone returns in a thriller that combines history and gunfire. . . . Readers old and new will enjoy The King’s Deception.”—Associated Press “A complex, rollicking forty-hour ride through a very dangerous and wild weekend in London where the betrayals collide with current events and the deceptions of hundreds of years ago, resulting in an explosive finish that no one who reads it will forget. . . . Berry is a wonderful guide as always, interweaving fascinating bits of history into the narrative. . . . I can’t give you a better endorsement for a book or an author.”—Bookreporter “There are more twists and turns in this plot than in a 1970s disco bar. Interspersed between the modern incidents of betrayals and counter-betrayals are numerous episodes of Tudor/Elizabethan history sure to ruffle the skirts of the most avid Tudor fan. With its great plot and interesting characters, this book is a real page-turner and an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.”—Historical Novels Review “History, mystery and murder surround perennial protagonist Cotton Malone in a fast-moving tale featuring Elizabeth I, England’s ‘Virgin Queen.’ . . . A heart-pumping adventure.”—The Florida Times-Union “Action interspersed with unbelievable shockers from the past . . . [Cotton Malone] continues to do battle with history and those who would kill to keep its secrets buried.”—Library Journal “All the elements of a Da Vinci Code adventure are in place [including] undeniably fascinating historical material.”—Publishers Weekly “Contemporary politics mixes with treachery from Tudor England for a novel filled with suspense. The detailed history of Tudor England will entrance fans of British historicals. The castles mentioned are real and worth a visit. There are assassins, traitors, spies and mystery surrounding Cotton and his son, Gary.”—British WeeklyFrom the Hardcover edition. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. 9780345526540|excerptBerry / THE KING’S DECEPTIONOnelondonfriday, november 216:25 pmCotton Malone stepped up to the Customs window at Heathrow Airport and presented two passports—his own and his son Gary’s. Positioned between himself and the glass-enclosed counter, however, stood a problem.Fifteen-year-old Ian Dunne.“This one doesn’t have a passport,” he told the attendant, then explained who he was and what he was doing. A brief call to somebody led to verbal approval for Ian to reenter the country.Which didn’t surprise Malone.He assumed that since the Central Intelligence Agency wanted the boy in England they’d make the necessary arrangements.He was tired from the long flight, though he’d caught a few hours of sleep. His knee still hurt from the kick Ian had delivered in Atlanta, before trying to flee from that airport. Luckily, his own fifteen-year-old, Gary, had been quick to tackle the pesky Scot before he’d escaped the concourse.Favors for friends.Always a problem.This one for his former boss, Stephanie Nelle, at the Magellan Billet.It’s the CIA, she’d told him. Langley had called directly. Somehow they were aware Malone was in Georgia and wanted him to escort the boy back to London, handing him over to the Metropolitan Police. After that he and Gary could head on to Copenhagen. In return, they’d received first-class tickets all the way home to Denmark.Not bad. His own were coach.Four days ago he’d flown to Georgia for two reasons. The State Bar of Georgia required twelve hours of continuing legal education from all of its licensed lawyers. Though he’d retired from the navy and the Magellan Billet, he still kept his law license active, which meant he had to satisfy the annual education mandate. Last year he’d attended a sanctioned event in Brussels, a three-day meeting on multinational property rights. This year he’d chosen a seminar in Atlanta on international law. Not the most exciting way to spend two days, but he’d worked too hard for that degree to simply allow his ticket to lapse.The second reason was personal.Gary had asked to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with him. School was out and his ex-wife, Pam, thought an overseas trip a good idea. He’d wondered why she was so reticent, and found out last week when Pam called his bookshop in Copenhagen.“Gary’s angry,” she said. “He’s asking a lot of questions.”“Ones you don’t want to answer?”“Ones I’m going to have a tough time answering.”Which was an understatement. Six months ago she’d revealed a harsh truth to him during another call from Atlanta to Denmark. Gary was not his natural son. Instead, the boy was the product of an affair some sixteen years past.Now she’d told Gary that truth, and his son was not happy. For Malone, the news had been crushing. He could only imagine what it had been for Gary.“Neither one of us was a saint back then, Cotton.”She liked to remind him of that reality—as if somehow he’d forgotten that their marriage supposedly ended because of his lapses.“Gary wants to know about his birth father.”“So do I.”She’d told him nothing about the man, and refused his requests for information.“He has no involvement here,” she said. “He’s a total stranger to all of us. Just like the women you were with have nothing to do with this. I don’t want to open that door. Ever.”“Why did you tell Gary about this? We agreed to do that together, when the time was right.”“I know. I know. My mistake. But it had to be done.”“Why?”She did not answer him. But he could imagine the reason. She liked to be in control. Of everything. Only she wasn’t in control here. Nobody was, actually.“He hates me,” she said. “I see it in his eyes.”“You turned the boy’s life upside down.”“He told me today that he might want to live with you.”He had to say, “You know I would never take advantage of this.”“I know that. This is my fault. Not yours. He’s so angry. Maybe a week with you would help ease some of that.”He’d come to realize that he didn’t love Gary one drop less because he carried no Malone genes. But he’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t bothered by the fact. Six months had passed and the truth still hurt. Why? He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t been faithful to Pam while in the navy. He was young and stupid and got caught. But now he knew that she’d had an affair of her own. Never mentioned at the time. Would she have strayed if he hadn’t?He doubted it. Not her nature.So he wasn’t blameless for the current mess.He and Pam had been divorced for over a year, but only back in October had they made their peace. Everything that happened with the Library of Alexandria changed things between them.For the better.But now this.One boy in his charge was angry and confused.The other seemed to be a delinquent.Stephanie had told him some. Ian Dunne had been born in Scotland. Father unknown. Mother abandoned him early. He was sent to London to live with an aunt and drifted in and out of her home, finally running away. He had an arrest record—petty theft, trespassing, loitering. The CIA wanted him because a month ago one of their people was shoved, or jumped, into the path of an oncoming Underground train. Dunne was there, in Oxford Circus. Witnesses say he might even have stolen something from the dead man. So they needed to talk to him.Not good, but also not his concern.In a few minutes his favor for Stephanie Nelle would be over, then he and Gary would catch their connecting flight to Copenhagen and enjoy the week, depending of course on how many uncomfortable questions his son might want answered. The hitch was that the Denmark flight departed not from Heathrow, but Gatwick, London’s other major airport, an hour’s ride east. Their departure time was several hours away, so it wasn’t a problem. He would just need to convert some dollars to pounds and hire a taxi.They left Customs and claimed their luggage.Both he and Gary had packed light.“The police going to take me?” Ian asked.“That’s what I’m told.”“What will happen to him?” Gary asked.He shrugged. “Hard to say.”And it was. Especially with the CIA involved.He shouldered his bag and led both boys out of the baggage area.“Can I have my things?” Ian asked.When Ian had been turned over to him in Atlanta, he’d been given a plastic bag that contained a Swiss Army knife with all the assorted attachments, a pewter necklace with a religious medal attached, a pocket Mace container, some silver shears, and two paperback books with their covers missing.Ivanhoe and Le Morte D’Arthur.Their brown edges were water-stained, the bindings veined with thick white creases. Both were thirty-plus-year-old printings. Stamped on the title page was any old books, with an address in Piccadilly Circus, London. He employed a similar branding of inventory, his simply announcing cotton malone, bookseller, højbro plads, copenhagen. The items in the plastic bag all belonged to Ian, seized by Customs when they took him into custody at Miami International, after he’d tried to enter the country illegally.“That’s up to the police,” he said. “My orders are to hand you and the bag over to them.”He’d stuffed the bundle inside his travel case, where it would stay until the police assumed custody. He half expected Ian to bolt, so he remained on guard. Ahead he spied two men, both in dark suits walking their way. The one on the right, short and stocky with auburn hair, introduced himself as Inspector Norse.He extended a hand, which Malone shook.“This is Inspector Devene. We’re with the Met. We were told you’d be accompanying the boy. We’re here to give you a lift to Gatwick and take charge of Master Dunne.”“I appreciate the ride. Wasn’t looking forward to an expensive taxi.”“Least we can do. Our car is just outside. One of the privileges of being the police is we can park where we want.”The man threw Malone a grin.They started for the exit.Malone noticed Inspector Devene take up a position behind Ian. Smart move, he thought.“You responsible for getting him into the country with no passport?”Norse nodded. “We are, along with some others working with us. I think you know about them.”That he did.They stepped out of the terminal into brisk morning air. A bank of dense clouds tinted the sky a depressing shade of pewter. A blue Mercedes sedan sat by the curb. Norse opened the rear door and motioned for Gary to climb in first, then Ian and Malone. The inspector stood outside until they were all in, then closed the door. Norse rode in the front passenger seat, while Devene drove. They sped out of Heathrow and found the M4 motorway. Malone knew the route, London a familiar locale. Years ago he’d spent time in England on assignments. He’d also been detached here for a year by the navy. Traffic progressively thickened as they made their way east toward the city.“Would it be all right if we made one stop before we head for Gatwick?” Norse asked him.“No problem. We have time before the plane leaves. The least we can do for a free ride.”Malone watched Ian as the boy gazed out the window. He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to him. Stephanie’s assessment had not been a good one. A street kid, no family, completely on his own. Unlike Gary, who was dark-haired with a swarthy complexion, Ian was blond and fair-skinned. He seemed like a good kid, though. Just dealt a bad hand. But at least he was young, and youth offered chances, and chances led to possibilities. Such a contrast with Gary, who lived a more conventional, secure life. The thought of Gary on the streets, loose, with no one, tore at his heart.Warm air blasted the car’s interior and the engine droned as they chugged through traffic.Malone’s eyes surrendered to jet lag.When he woke, he glanced at his watch and realized he’d been out about fifteen minutes. He willed himself to alertness. Gary and Ian were still sitting quietly. The sky had darkened further. A storm was approaching the city. He studied the car’s interior, noticing for the first time no radio or communications equipment. Also, the carpets were immaculate, the upholstery in pristine condition. Certainly not like any police car he’d ever ridden in.He then examined Norse.The man’s brown hair was cut below the ears. Not shaggy, but thick. He was clean-shaven and a bit overweight. He was dressed appropriately, suit and tie, but it was the left earlobe that drew his attention. Pierced. No earring was present, but the puncture was clear.“I was wondering, Inspector. Might I see your identification? I should have asked at the airport.”Norse did not answer him. The question aroused Ian’s attention, and he studied Malone with a curious look.“Did you hear me, Norse? I’d like to see your identification.”“Just enjoy the ride, Malone.”He didn’t like the curt tone so he reached for the front seat and pulled himself forward, intending to make his point clearer.The barrel of a gun came around the headrest and greeted him.“This enough identification?” Norse asked.“Actually, I was hoping for a picture ID.” He motioned to the weapon. “When did the Metropolitan Police start issuing Glocks?”No reply.“Who are you?”The gun waved at Ian. “His keeper.”Ian reached across Gary and wrenched the chrome handle up and down, but the door would not open.“Great things, child locks,” said Norse. “Keeps the wee ones from slipping away.”Malone said, “Son, you want to tell me what’s going on?”Ian said nothing.“These men have apparently gone to a lot of trouble to make your acquaintance.”“Sit back, Malone,” Norse said. “This is none of your concern.”He reclined in the seat. “On that we agree.”Except his son was in the car, too.Norse kept his head turned back toward them, his gaze and the gun glued on Malone.The car continued through morning congestion.He absorbed what was whirling past outside, recalling what he could about the geography of North London. He realized the bridge they’d just crossed was for Regent’s Canal, a corridor-like waterway that wound a snaking path through the city, eventually spilling into the Thames. Stately trees lined the four-laned promenade. Traffic was heavy. He spotted the famous Lord’s Cricket Ground. He knew that the fictional Baker Street of Sherlock Holmes lay a few blocks over. Little Venice wasn’t far away.They crossed the canal again and he glanced down at brightly painted houseboats dotting the waterway. Longboats dotted the canal, no more than ten feet high, designed to fit under the tight bridges. Rows and rows of Georgian houses and flats lined the boulevard, fronted with tall trees less their leaves.Devene turned the Mercedes onto a side lane. More houses rolled past on either side. The scene was not unlike Atlanta, where his own house had once stood. Three more turns and they entered a courtyard enclosed on three sides by high hedges. The Mercedes stopped outside a mews constructed of pastel-colored stones.Norse exited. Devene also climbed out.Both rear doors were released from the outside.“Get out,” Norse said.Malone stood on cobblestones outlined by emerald lichens. Gary and Ian emerged on the other side.Ian tried to bolt.Norse slammed the boy hard into the car.“Don’t,” Malone called out. “Do as he says. You too, Gary.”Norse shoved the gun into Ian’s neck. “Stay still.” The man’s body pinned Ian to the car. “Where’s the flash drive?”“What drive?” Malone asked.“Shut him up,” Norse called out.Devene jammed a fist into Malone’s gut.“Dad,” Gary called out.He doubled over and tried to regain his breath, motioning to Gary that he was okay.“The flash drive,” Norse said again. “Where is it?”Malone rose, arms hugging his stomach. Devene drew back to swing again, but Malone jammed his knee into the man’s groin, then smacked Devene’s jaw with his right fist.He may have been retired and jet-lagged, but he wasn’t helpless.He whirled in time to see Norse aim the gun his way. The retort from a single shot came the instant after Malone lunged for the pavement, the bullet finding the hedges behind him. He stared up into the Mercedes’ passenger compartment and saw Norse through the half-open doors. He sprang to his feet, pivoted off the hood, and propelled his legs through the car’s interior into the far-side door.The panel flew out and smashed into Norse, sending the phony inspector reeling backward into the mews.He shoved himself through the open door.Ian was running from the courtyard, toward the street.Malone’s gaze met Gary’s. “Go with him. Get out of here.”He was tackled from behind.His forehead slapped wet stone. Pain shuddered through him. He’d thought Devene out of commission.A mistake.An arm wrapped around his throat and he tried to release the stranglehold grip. His prone position gave him little room to maneuver and Devene was hinging his spine at an unnatural angle.The buildings around him winked in and out.Blood trickled down his forehead and into his eye.The last thing he saw before blackness enveloped him was Ian and Gary, disappearing around a corner. –This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ The King’s Deception by Steve Berry is another historical figure with twists and turns. I asked my English son inlaw if he knew of the Bisley Boy theory and he did not know the specific yearly event celebrating a boy dressed as a girl in Elizabethan England. However he was familiar with the conspiracy myth of Henry VIII’s daughter who became later queen as Elizabeth I. The readers will have to determine for themselves whether a conspiracy was committed or not? I love that fact that Berry at the end of the book separates fact from fiction so you have a sense of what is genuine and what helped move his story line along. Cotton Malone is again his protagonist with contemporary situations that could be highly influenced by the outcome of his story. It’s a good read and will have you guessing, how he is going to resolve the crises.

⭐ This is the second Cotton Malone book I have read by Steve Berry. Unlike his other novels, the Kings Deception begins essentially after everything in the story has pretty much already happened. Not only are these books entertaining, but meticulously researched as well. I felt educated as I was reading–unlike Dan Brown’s Inferno, which felt only like I was being told interesting tid-bits of history revolving around Dante’s Inferno. A lot less interesting in my opinion.The history revolving around the Throne of Britain is endlessly fascinating–not the least of which is also a bit disturbing, especially if true (and I suspect much of it is). At the heart of the story is an amazing tale of lost riches, but also, as the title implies, a deception, while if true, could be one of the biggest ever perpetrated by anyone, anywhere. I won’t spoil the surprise, but lets just say its a doozy.Action on top of intrigue and lies, lies and really BIG lies make the Kings Deception a fun and fast read. I am by no means a quick reader, but I found myself wrapping up the last page a lot faster than I usually do. Cotton Malone, his son Gary, spies and Elizabeth the First all become carefully woven into a plot which, while intricate is never far from being in very good hands, regardless of how off topic you may think one chapter is from another.Essentially the Kings Deception is a tapestry of complex storylines which all come together with a LOAD of action thrown in for good measure. Some have said this story wasn’t as action-packed as earlier Cotton Malone thrillers, and while that seems impossible to understand, I’m just going to have to purchase all the Cotton novels in order to gain a better understanding of it all…because IMO I felt the storyline was almost TOO frantically paced (well, actually that isn’t true, you can’t really be TOO frantic). I just felt it had more than enough action to suit my tastes, and I really like my novels to MOVE. I suppose everyone is different, right?All I can say is this: of the last 2 Steve Berry books I’ve read, I have loved them all and have absolute, concrete plans to pick up the earlier ones just as soon as I can get my hands on them. The Kings Deception was really awesome, if you ask me.

⭐ After a bit of a slump, Mr. Barry is now on a bit of a roll. His two novels before this were very enjoyable and now The King’s Deception makes it three in a row.MIA in Mr. Berry’s last novel, Cotton Malone, the spy-turned-bookseller is back for this one. In fact, The King’s Deception spends much more time on Malone’s backstory than we’ve gotten before. This time out, Malone is accompanied by Gary, the boy he always thought was his son until he learned that he was not Gary’s biological father in a previous novel. Now, Gary’s (and Malone’s) search for the truth will run through this story.Of course, Malone would not put his son in danger on purpose; however, as seems to happen often to him, Malone is sucked into a mystery when he agrees to drop a young boy named Ian off with British authorities in London while flying to Europe with Gary. They are barely on the ground in England when Ian and Gary are kidnapped and Malone is off to the races.Mr. Berry is always at his best when he’s got a somewhat vague historical mystery from which to work. This time he’s got a nice one: a secret and a treasure left behind by the Tudor monarchs that some people want found and others want kept hidden. He unravels the mystery with care and takes us to various sites around London to add flavor.He’s also added a number of solid new characters to this novel. In addition to fleshing out Gary a bit for the first time and introducing Ian, we have a CIA agent named Blake Antrim and a British law officer named Kathleen Richards, as well as a handful of well-developed minor characters that include an old bookstore owner and her twin sister as well as the head of MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service.Not surprisingly, Cotton works things out. The mystery is solved in the end and the people who should get their comeuppance. A satisfying thriller.

⭐ I’ve been a fan of Steve Berry and his main character Cotton Malone since I picked up his first novel while just browsing, not looking for anything particular to buy. Now I’m hooked and can’t get enough from Steve Berry.I’ve always referred to Berry’s books as “historical thrillers.” Berry chooses a historical mystery and then builds his book around it. This book takes as its starting point the mystery of The Bisley Boy and is set in the UK. Cotton Malone and his son Gary are tasked with merely transporting a suspect from the United States back to the UK before they set off for Malone’s home in Copenhagen. Of course things immediately go wrong and Malone is drawn in to a deepening mystery about Queen Elizabeth I that has come to interest the CIA and MI6. In a surprise, Malone’s son Gary becomes a major character for the first time. I really enjoyed the character of Gary Malone and hope this isn’t the last time he’ll be a major character along with his father.As per usual, Berry’s book takes place both in the present day and back when the historical mystery occurred. Berry uses many different real life people and places in all of his books and this one is no different. While the book is still fiction, sometimes I feel like I’m getting a historical education while reading. This book has actually spurred me in to reading much more about the legend of The Bisley Boy.As always, as soon as I finished this book I couldn’t wait for more. For Kindle owners, before or after reading this book I highly recommend reading Steve Berry’s recent novella The Tudor Plot: A Cotton Malone Novella .

⭐ I’m a fan of Steve Berry, and have bought all of his Cotton Malone books. Perhaps because my favorites are hard to beat (read The Third Secret and The Alexandria Link by Berry and you’ll know why), it’s hard for his other books to come close.This one is good, with familiar characters returning. It takes place in England and I enjoyed it, but the theme was not as exciting as previous stories with Cotton Malone. Still, if you’re a Cotton Malone fan, you’ll enjoy it. I also suggest ‘The Amber Room,’ by Steve Berry too. It’s not a Cotton Malone story, but very entertaining and one that is hard to put down.

⭐ Berry’s latest Malone installment has Cotton unknowingly becoming involved with a US CIA plot to blackmail the British government into not releasing the Lockerbie bomber by first obtaining and then threatening to release some embarrassing and potentially governmentally destabilizing information about England’s past. At the same time, more background information about Cotton’s failed marriage and his adopted son is revealed and figures centrally in the plot as the true biological father are involved. Cotton manages to save the day with his usual style of piecing together the correct historical elements with insightful reasoning and conclusions.This is not one of Berry’s better stories. The entire plot felt forced. The setup of the US government trying to dig up dirt on an ally with a deadline seems highly implausible. The British spy side is equally both inept and omniscient at the same time with a convenient female cowboy agent ready to take the fall, but adding a feminine version of the typical Cotton monkey wrench. Other than his son Gary, other usual Cotton confidants were absent. The supporting characters were unengaging and the mystery was revealed way too early.

⭐ I am a fan of Mr. Berry’s writing and his leading man, Cotton Malone. Unfortunately, The King’s Deception does not live up to his previous novels. The Tudor Plot was better than the novel, but both just seemed like vehicles used to delve into English history. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy history, but this novel tried to squeeze too much into what is supposed to be an action/suspense story. The story seemed forced and convoluted. Mr. Berry’s novels always highlight little known history, but his past novels did so more successfully.I would only recommend this book to readers who have read the other Cotton Malone novels and like me, don’t like to miss any in a series.

⭐ I’m a fan of Steve Berry for 3 reasons…..his style of writing, his knowledge & research of the subject AND Cotton Malone !! I’ve read each of the Cotton Malone books, I never tire of them & always wait for the next one with anticipation, The Kings Deception doesn’t disappoint. Cotton, once a JAG Officer, Intelligence Agent and Magellan Billet Agent, & his son Gary have recently been told by his ex-wife that Cotton is not Garys biological father. Gary has not taken the news well & has decided to return to Denmark with his “dad” to sort his head out. Prior to leaving the States Cotton’s old boss asks him to do a very simple favour, escort a young kid back to the UK, simple. However, even though retired from the Megellan Billet, nothing in Cotton’s life is ever simple or hassle free!! When they arrive at Heathrow they are abducted at gun point by a narcissistic CIA agent who has amounted to nothing, until his big chance dropped into his lap, prove the King’s Deception. The story weaves its way through the days of King Henry VIII, The Tudors & The Stuarts through to the current day Royal Family and the impact the Deception will have if it’s proven to be true & made public. We learn who Gary’s real father is & the choice he has to make. I’m not going to explain too much more except to say nothing is ever easy or uncomplicated for this retired Intelligence Agent who just wants to be left alone to sell his beloved second hand books in Copenhagen but seems to always be pulled back to active service for just one more adventure. Although you can read these books as stand alone I strongly suggest you read them in order so you can appreciate the history of the characters. Enjoy and thanks again Steve, I await Cotton’s next adventure !

⭐ Like almost everything else Berry has written, at the root of the story is an actual fact; in this case, the fact that Queen Elizabeth I may have been a man which would make her/him the greatest cross-dresser in history. There actually was a book written by Bram Stoker (yes, he of “Dracula” fame. What? You thought Stoker only wrote about the Count and that was it? Wrong.) called “Great Imposters” which addressed the possibility. So, there we have the factual part. The fun comes in reading how Berry’s characters – in this case, the intrepid Cotton Malone, the hero of 7 other Berry books – go about addressing the situation in today’s world and what the ramifications would be if the truth were to come out. It’s a page-turner and fast-moving and would qualify as what could only be called a “good read.” There is one major drawback and that is the number of characters – there’s an old saying, “you can’t tell the players without a score card” and that holds true here – you really do need a score card to keep track of who is who unless you’re reading it all at one sitting. But don’t worry, a lot of them get killed off eventually which makes it easier to keep track of the characters!! Another 5-star effort from Berry. If you’ve read his other works, you’ll like this.Now, if someone would just release the eBooks and short stories he’s written into hardback for those of us who like real books instead of ones that can only be read on electronic gizmos!! That might keep us occupied with more Berry works until the next installment in the Malone series comes out.

⭐ The overall story line, hidden Tudor Gold and the gender of Elizabeth I, i.e., was there really an imposter on the throne, make for a solid plot. As an amateur student of history, I particularly enjoyed the historical context and inserts around which the novel is build. The gender aspect of the novel caused me to do some side research that I had not planned on. It is a good Cotton Malone novel although I did not particularly enjoy the aspects dealing with his son and the son’s real father. In fairness, I will say that the author does an excellent job of making this “genealogy” issue a critical aspect of the plot. Since anyone reading the book already knows that Scotland returned the Lockerbie bomber to Libya, I was having trouble understanding the rationale for all that was going on unless we were about to rewrite history. As a student of history, to my shame, I did not grasp the importance of whether or not the real Elizabeth I was on the throne all those years ago. It makes for an interesting bottom line for all that transpires. I have reservations about whether or not the CIA and/or Britain’s SIS would ever kill or condone the killing of each others agents. But, in the world in which we now live, perhaps it is not so far fetched as one might think.

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