Author: Steve Berry
Publication: Ballantine Books; First Edition edition (June 11, 2013)
Description: Cotton Malone is back! Steve Berry’s new international adventure blends gripping contemporary political intrigue, Tudor treachery, and high-octane thrills into one riveting novel of suspense.
Cotton Malone and his fifteen-year-old son, Gary, are headed to Europe. As a favor to his former boss at the Justice Department, Malone agrees to escort a teenage fugitive back to England. But after he is greeted at gunpoint in London, both the fugitive and Gary disappear, and Malone learns that he’s stumbled into a high-stakes diplomatic showdown—an international incident fueled by geopolitical gamesmanship and shocking Tudor secrets.
At its heart is the Libyan terrorist convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, who is set to be released by Scottish authorities for “humanitarian reasons.” An outraged American government objects, but nothing can persuade the British to intervene.
Except, perhaps, Operation King’s Deception.
Run by the CIA, the operation aims to solve a centuries-old mystery, one that could rock Great Britain to its royal foundations.
Blake Antrim, the CIA operative in charge of King’s Deception, is hunting for the spark that could rekindle a most dangerous fire, the one thing that every Irish national has sought for generations: a legal reason why the English must leave Northern Ireland. The answer is a long-buried secret that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire forty-five-year reign of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, who completed the conquest of Ireland and seized much of its land. But Antrim also has a more personal agenda, a twisted game of revenge in which Gary is a pawn. With assassins, traitors, spies, and dangerous disciples of a secret society closing in, Malone is caught in a lethal bind. To save Gary he must play one treacherous player against another—and only by uncovering the incredible truth can he hope to prevent the shattering consequences of the King’s Deception.
My Thoughts: THE KING'S DECEPTION was a taut, well-paced thriller that had me on the edge of my chair. This was the first book I have read in the Cotton Malone series but I did not feel that I was missing anything. Berry provided enough backstory that I felt comfortable.
This book was peopled with an overabundance of villains. I didn't really think any of the viewpoint characters, excepting perhaps Cotton Malone himself, were very likable people. The CIA guy Antrim was a self-centered abuser and the SIS guy Sir Thomas Mathews was pragmatic to the point of being indifferent to the loss of life among innocents. While I thought each one of them had worthy goals, I hated the things they were willing to do to achieve them.
I was fascinated with the Tudor and Elizabethan history that formed that background of this thriller. I kept going to the internet to see if Berry was making things up or if the events happened. I loved the way the story mixed current and past history and showed that events—even events that happened 400 years ago—can still have modern consequences.
I liked Cotton's relationship with his son Gary though the relationship was tested in this one because of something they both recently learned. I liked the characters of Miss Mary and Tanya and want to be that kind of old lady myself someday.
The writing was excellent and the plot nicely twisty. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this story.
This book was peopled with an overabundance of villains. I didn't really think any of the viewpoint characters, excepting perhaps Cotton Malone himself, were very likable people. The CIA guy Antrim was a self-centered abuser and the SIS guy Sir Thomas Mathews was pragmatic to the point of being indifferent to the loss of life among innocents. While I thought each one of them had worthy goals, I hated the things they were willing to do to achieve them.
I was fascinated with the Tudor and Elizabethan history that formed that background of this thriller. I kept going to the internet to see if Berry was making things up or if the events happened. I loved the way the story mixed current and past history and showed that events—even events that happened 400 years ago—can still have modern consequences.
I liked Cotton's relationship with his son Gary though the relationship was tested in this one because of something they both recently learned. I liked the characters of Miss Mary and Tanya and want to be that kind of old lady myself someday.
The writing was excellent and the plot nicely twisty. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this story.
Favorite Quote:
"I'm just a guy who can't quit doing favors."
I received this finished copy from Meryl Moss Media Relations for my participation in the blog tour. You can buy your copy here.
I must admit that I just skimmed your review for keywords like "well-paced" and "fascinated", since I have this one for a blog tour as well. Looks like I'm in for a treat!
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