What a complex, riveting historical thriller!
I loved the deep dive into the history of the Medicis.
And, the history of the papacy, with all its warts and intrigue.

This was a complex puzzle, and story of deceit and deception at its highest levels.
A great reading adventur3.

I always like reading the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry. They are quick reading fiction with an emphasis on historical conspiracy theories, in the vein of a Dan Brown novel. I like this novels spin on the Medici's of Florence and the Roman Catholic Church, a fun, exciting read.

Berry has a talent for pulling me into another Cotton Malone adventure loaded with historical fiction. Once again, the author takes us down a convoluted path and yet manages to weave it all together for a solid conclusion. And I like how Berry includes an Author's Note separating fiction from fact, and I always appreciate the fascinating data he includes in these notes. Overall, The Medici Return is an entertaining story with well-developed characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #TheMediciReturn #CottonMalone #SteveBerry

I have read every Cotton Malone series book that comes out and is one that I look forward to reading. I love the historical aspect alongside the “spy”/ops kind of feel Cotton. However this one, although with some great moments, didn’t live up to it for me. Loved the horse race. But ultimately felt like two books forming one. Overall loved the history and had some fun but not my favorite in the series!

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Medici Return is the 19th book in the Cotton Malone Series by Steve Berry. When a politician goes to the Vatican to look for the church's support for his political party in the upcoming election he is denied. He counters by questioning the cardinal about a Pledge of Christ that was made between Pope Julius the II and the Medici back in the 16th century, and what if he has proof of said Pledge and he is a blood relative to the Medici and can lay claim to the debt that is owed. This leads Cotton to work with the church to try to track down this written Pledge before it can be used as blackmail or cause damage/bankruptcy to the church.

I have read several of the books in the Cotton Malone series. I love how Steve Berry weaves in historical information to this series. You typically get an adventure and a history lesson at the same time. At the end of each book he even separates the facts from the fiction. This book started off rather slow and Cotton Malone was hardly involved in the first approximately 20-25% of the story. It eventually picks up, but this isn't one of the stronger in the series. One of the main highlights in the novel is an annual horse race that takes place in Italy that Malone gets involved in. I have found that these novels work best when Malone is working with Cassiopea Vitt or Luke Daniels. This novel was front loaded with history and focusing on multiple characters within and working for the church. It was also hard to keep track of the multiple characters throughout the novel. Overall this novel was alright and held my interest mainly because of the investment that I've put into the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #TheMediciReturn #CottonMalone #SteveBerry

First, I thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me the pleasure of reading this ARC. I have been a fan of, and reading, the Cotton Malone series since its inception. There have been good installments and not so good installments but reading "The Medici Return" took me back to the good old days of this series. Cotton back working with elements of the Vatican, a story bringing to life the rich history of some of Italy's greatest people and events, this book had it all. as with all of the Cotton Malone books, once i started reading it, it was very hard to put down. The books pacing is a perfect blend of suspense and action.

Steve Berry has done it again with a novel that is so good, it should be criminal;.

Cotton Malone is again away from his bookstore helping out old friends. The Catholic Church is involved, but only certain factions. As is usual in these books there is a lot of information that people don’t want others to know. Horse races, hidden agendas and lost identities are all parts of this story. Great book!

4 and 1 / 2 stars

The thing I love the most about Steve Berry’s novels are the historical aspects of them. I love all things historical and get a real charge reading and learning about historical figures and events.

Cotton Malone is a good character. I feel like I know him pretty well by now. I enjoy his adventures and the variety of settings in which they occur.

In this novel, we are reintroduced to the infamous Medici family. It is discovered that the Medici family loaned the Vatican money that was never paid back. Oooooh, imagine the interest by now on that debt. What a juicy premise for a book.

I loved it. The writing is great and the pacing of the story kept me riveted to the pages. The character development is beyond fine.

I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

This as a cool read! The summary that was given to readers definitely gives Davinci Code vibes. This was a great thriller that used the tactic of anticedol endings to each chapter that kept the reader moving to the next chapter.

Review: Cotton Malone. What a finely built character riding a very patterned story line. There really is no other reason to read this "made for Hollywood" novel, other than to follow in Cotton's footsteps.

There is nothing new about this story line that mimics Dan Brown in all things. Authors that want to feast on regurgitated plots, know that what sets them apart in each instance, is the readers love and allegiance to one particualr character. I get that Cotton was once a great character. Now, he seems like a tired cliche' wrapped in Catholic secrets.

There is an over-abundance of history purveyed within every chapter coupled to the reiteration of the Medici secret. I do not really care for an in-depth history of Florence or that Catherine buppity bupp donated this or that. It is and was just blah, blah in my ear holes. Perhaps utilizing passing referents to history while in the throes of movement, would have better served this novel.

So get ready to not be surprised by the varietal tropes laced with a thrillers insistence upon your naievety and historical fumblings.

2.3/5

This was another winner in the Cotton Malone series, it had that element that I was looking for from this series and enjoyed the feel of this story-line. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of them in this universe. Steve Berry has a strong concept for the genre and enjoyed the writing style to this book.