If you enjoy reading stories that propel you to look up facts and delve deeper in a subject area or to separate fact from fiction, you will be in your element when reading The Medici Return, the 19th book in the Cotton Malone series. Much of the book incorporates facts while there are many fictional aspects and details in the narrative. Steve Berry offers a clear accounting for both in his Writer’s Note at the conclusion of the book.The setting of the book takes place in the cities of Rome, Siena, Vatican City, Florence, and Cologne and the history of each is shared generously with the reader. The account of the Palio, a real and dangerous horserace that takes place in July and August in Sienna, is exhilarating. The history of the race, and the description of the preparations for it, is interesting reading although the storyline with Cotton Malone engaging in the race as a rider is improbable even for fiction.
According to the narrative, the prosperous Medici family of Florence loaned the Vatican money in the 16th century. Pope Julius II verbally pledged to repay the loan and put that promise in writing in the Pignus Christi, what was known as the Pledge of Christ. The church was to repay the monetary debt with what we now refer to as interest. The loan was never repaid to the Medici and the family line died out. As far as was known, no descendants of the royal line still existed.
Present time: A politician, Eric Casaburi, asks the Curia to back his political party, the National Freedom party. He claims to be a Medici and threatens that unless the church provides the support he seeks, he will disclose the unpaid debt, now worth billions of dolllars. He is told the onus is upon him to prove that he is a direct royal descendant of the Medici.
The pope wishes to retire. Cardinal Ascolani, Vatican Secretary of State and head of a secretive intelligence Vatican service group known as the Entity, wishes to replace him. Cardinal Stamm, previous head of the Entity who employed a hit man to protect the church from dangerous forces abroad, Cardinal Richter, unjustly accused of theft, Stefano Guimenta, a young priest and deputy papal representative, working for the Entity, along with Cotton Malone are all players caught up in the Vatican political intrigue and sabotage. Rivalries between members of the clergy, between Italian cities, and even between competing sports teams flesh out the story.
Harold Earl “Cotton” Malone is a now a retired, freelance, past intelligence agent working for his previous boss, Stephanie Nellie, for the Magellan Billet, the covert arm of the US Justice Department. The owner of a rare books store in Copenhagen, he steps in to the search for the missing Pledge of Christ after the Swiss Guard loses one of their men to murder and ask the Americans for assistance. Cotton becomes involved with the conspiracy surrounding the church with clergy willing to do whatever is deemed necessary to prevent the centuries old debt from being revealed. Cotton is, as always, fearless, reckless, and the man to call to call to get the job done.
The characters are, simply put, either very bad people or very good ones. Father Stefano Guimenta, originally from Boston, proves to be heroic and honest while Thomas, the hit man responsible for both deaths and attempted murders, has allegiance only to Cardinal Ascolani who lives in opulence despite his pledge to austerity.
There is plenty of action, the story moves at a quick pace, the settings incite you to want to book a flight to Italy. There is an excess of facts about history, sites in Italy, art, jewelry, artifacts and more that distract from what is the real reason for and intent of the story as an adventure, thriller and mystery. Each chapter begins with the voice of a different character which can be overwhelming when there are so many characters. Much of the story is repeatedly written, such as the written content of the found letters and inscriptions on the graves, which I thought was unnecessary and detrimental to the flow of the narrative. The pope, a poor judge of character, admits to this fault when the Pledge of Christ is found yet never says what he will do now that the unpaid debt has been verified.. Will he publicly acknowledge the loan or pass the problem on to the next pope? I was hoping that he would make restitution by donating the money to charity or other good deeds in the name of the Medici. The Medici Return is an enjoyable read nonetheless.
I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this Cotton Malone book by Steve Berry. This is my honest review.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry is the 19th book in the Cotton Malone series. Once again Cotton Malone is sent to Italy to solve an ancient mystery. His boss sent him to investigate a seemingly obscure pledge made centuries ago. The pledge today is worth millions of dollars to the direct descendent of the Medici clan that lent the money to the Vatican.

While working on the mystery, Malone was shot at, ran off the road, and in danger. He has to put his resources into a horse race with no rules and read obscure texts. As usual the action is non stop and twists and turns, as Malone helps solve the mystery from the past.

The history and information from the Medici family was fascinating and made the novel more interesting. I always find the play for power and trying to take over control of a large body of people interesting. Yet again I was uncertain where the line from fiction and nonfiction was. I found myself just fascinated by how he manages moving from reality into unreality so seamlessly. Each book can be read as a stand alone, without needing the ongoing storyline.

Cotton Malone as a main character is one of my favorites. He is not the hot shot young he-man, but a more mature character with intelligence and a solid core of right and wrong. He really wants the story answered with the best and most fair outcome. I find myself cheering him along knowing that he will be able to figure out the puzzles way before me! The Medici Return by Steve Berry was a great read.

What do you have when you have a politician, 2 Roman Catholic Cardinals, 1 Roman Catholic Priest, 1 assassin and Cotton Malone all trying to figure out the same mystery? An action adventure across Italy. It was fun to learn about different unique and extreme competitions that happen in Italy. It was interesting to see whose morals would rise to the top. While this is a series it can totally be read as a stand alone.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the early copy to review.

The Medici Return follows "retired" Magellan Agent Cotton Malone working alongside Vatican personnel at the request of his form boss, Stephanie Nelle. Once a Cardinal is framed for embezzlement, Cotton finds himself in a familiar position -on the hunt for a centuries old artifact that, if discovered by the wrong people, could have dangerous consequences for the present.

The story follows the typical flow of a Cotton Malone story - a prologue from centuries ago in which the "MacGuffin" is introduced. In this case, Pope Julius II in the 15th century borrowing money from a member of the famous Medici family to fund his wars and other ventures. As the Church had no collateral, the loan is secured by a "Pledge of Christ". The story then skips to the present day where both an Italian politician, supposedly a newly discovered Medici descendant, and agents of the Vatican search for both the the Church's and the Medici's lost copies of the pledge. If the pledge were discovered by a bona fide Medici, it could prove ruinous to the Church.

If this sounds familiar, it is. It is similar to prior plots from other novelists, including Berry himself. A long lost secret that could imperil the Church was the subject of the first Cotton Malone novel, The Templar Legacy. More recently, a similar plot was the center of The Malta Exchange. Some characters of that novel are present in this one. Additionally, some of the Vatican intrigue is present in Berry's non Malone novel The Third Secret.

In typical Berry fashion, he takes us on a tour of churches and museums in Tuscany and other areas of Italy, with our POV characters hunting for clues to discover the pledge and trying to eliminate the competition. The novel is well paced and full of both action and deduction and, when necessary, the exposition not bring the novel to a stop.

Overall, I would consider this to be a 3.75, rounded to a 4. As mentioned, there have been similar Cotton Malone novels. This was good but I consider the others to be slightly better. This story had more POV characters than past stories, making Cotton Malone a guest star in his own story, at east for the first half of the novel. Additionally, the conclusion relies upon a change of heart of one of the POV characters that one did not see coming. Overall, a solid read, just not in the top tier of Cotton Malone stories.

An enlightening historical fiction about the Medici family and the stories you seldom hear about. I read all of his books, and this might have been one of the best if he just dropped some of the meandering, which slowed the reading down.

Steve Berry knows how to weave history and mystery. This is a clearly written thriller and enjoyable at each page turn. I also appreciate the research that goes in with this kind of imagining.

The Medici Return is #19 in the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry, and one of the more interesting titles. I want to thank the author, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this work. I attest my review is my own unbiased opinion.

My knowledge of the Medici and Italian history was pretty limited to reading The Prince and a couple of other historical fiction pieces. I learned a lot more about the Medici and several Popes of the era. The Medici return has a lot of moving parts--at times many for the reader to keep up with--but it is still an engaging read.

The plot, without giving spoilers, is about a 16th century Pledge of Christ by the Vatican which borrowed money from the Medici and could be recalled at any time in the future. Turns out the Pledge money was never returned, and now a direct descendant of the Medici is trying to prove his heritage and acquire what is estimated to be trillions in today's money. At the same time, Vatican forces are determined to keep the spoils and deny the Pledge ever existed.

Cotton Malone is asked by his old boss to find the physical pledge if it exists. That takes Malone to Tuscany where the above plays out, along with positioning of someone to be the next Pontiff as well as the Prime Minister of Italy.

I will admit to having some trouble keeping up with the moving plots and storylines, but in the end, it all is revealed. It will be a good spring/summer read for those interested in the subject. I give it 4.25 stars, rounded down to 4.0.

I had a hard time getting into this one. I like the author's writing style and it's easy to read. However, I couldn't connect with the characters or plot. There was a lot going on and it was hard to follow at times. He is still a favorite author of mine and I look forward to his next one.

Steve Berry delivers another high-stakes Cotton Malone thriller, weaving history, conspiracy, and action into a fast-paced story that kept me hooked. This time, Malone is drawn into a centuries-old mystery tied to the powerful Medici family. Berry blends real historical details with thrilling fiction, making the past feel alive and dangerous.

I learned so much about ancient Florence while reading this book. The historical background surrounding the Medici was fascinating, and now I want to attend the annual Palio race! Berry’s attention to detail is impressive, though at times, the sheer volume of historical exposition slows the momentum.

Malone remains a solid lead—intelligent, resourceful, and always a step ahead of his enemies. Familiar supporting characters make welcome appearances, adding continuity for longtime fans. The villains are suitably menacing, though some lack the complexity that would make them truly memorable.

Berry’s writing is sharp, and his action sequences are well-executed, though some plot points feel predictable. While the novel delivers plenty of excitement, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Berry’s best works. Still, it’s an engaging read with a satisfying mix of history and suspense.

I can’t believe I had never heard of this author before! Believe me, I’ll be checking out the backlist of novels in the Cotton Malone series. At the end of the book, Berry even discusses some of the places he wrote about and recommends places to visit when in Florence—another great touch.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. The opinions are my own.

I’ve been a fan of Steve Berry’s writing for years; Cotton Malone and I have spent many quality hours together. This current entry, The Medici Return, is historical fiction/thriller written as it should be.

The novel starts out in 16th century Italy. The Church needs money, and to get it they go to the preeminent bankers of the day, the Medici.

The debt has not been repaid and is still valid. Proof of the debt is at the heart of the matter.

I loved this one! Cotton’s adventures are always great to read and make me want to travel to all the places. This time is Italy, and so many Italian traditions, and also a focus on Catholic church history. So much history woven into the present day action story. As always, the author’s note at the end tells what was true and what was fiction. I can’t wait for the next Cotton book!

If you are familiar with Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series, you know that he always begins with a fascinating piece of history. He ties it to events in the present and creates a situation that requires Cotton’s skills to resolve. It makes a thrilling read for both history fans and those who enjoy action and adventure. In the 1500s Pope Julius II was in need of funds. He turned to the Medici family and offered a Pledge to Christ, a promise that the loan would later be repaid. This was a commitment that would never expire. The Medici line later died out, but Eric Casaburi, a politician, claims a connection to the Medicis. He is looking for support from the Vatican as elections near. Without the support he threatens to claim the debt, which has grown to the trillions. He had approached Cardinal Richter, who has now been accused of embezzlement before he can act on the claim.. Cotton is called in to investigate the allegations. He believes that Richter was set up and begins working with him to discover who is behind the efforts to discredit Richter. There is a powerful Cardinal who is plotting to place himself in a position to succeed the present Pope and put a stop to Casaburi’s plans.

A history of the Medicis, a race to find an existing copy of the pledge and a deadly assassin are revealed as Cotton travels through beautiful Italy. Cotton retired from government service and would love to return to his bookshop in Copenhagen. Instead, he is participating as a rider in the Palio, escaping an ambush at a monastery and deciphering clues from hundreds of years ago to discover the pledge’s location. With a mix of history and plenty of action there is a lot to love for Berry’s fans and readers who are new to the series. I would like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing this book.

In the book The Medici Return, author Steve Berry continues his popular Cotton Malone series. Cotton Malone is back and in Italy trying to solve a 500-year-old mystery that includes a royal family, the Vatican and a secret agreement of borrowed money that could change the power structure of the Italian government. The document included what is called the Pledge of Christ—a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II to guarantee the debt owed by the Vatican to the Medici family. After 500 years the pledge is still valid and worth trillions of dollars. Or maybe pressure to get the political backing of the Vatican? This is another great book by Steve Berry in the Cotton Malone series. I missed having Cotton’s girlfriend Cassiopeia Vitt as part of the story. I would recommend this book and the series. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for a pre-release copy of The Medici Return by Steve Berry. Below is my honest review.

It's wild how active Cotton Malone is for a man his age. Oh wait, I can't recall his exact age because he seems to be stuck in his late 40s/early 50s! lol

Anyways, on to the good stuff. The Medici Return was one of those "gotta prove there is a legitimate heir" kind of treasure hunt book, and I enjoyed that aspect of it. I also really enjoyed learning more about the Medicis and the history of a lot of regions of Italy.

I do think one or two of the twists were pretty predictable, sadly, and I wasn't a fan of the bad guy. He felt very... stock villain-adjacent? Either way, the journey itself was a romp through Italy and even included a horse race!

Overall, four stars. Still a great series, just not my favorite of the bunch. Recommended for fans of history and thrillers, Dan Brown fans, etc... but be warned, this is book 19. There's some character history here that you're missing if you start here.

Could the fate of a nation depend on a centuries old IOU?

A sixteenth century pope needing to replenish the Catholic Church's coffers, it is said, borrowed an exorbitant amount of money from the wealthy Medici family of Florence. In addition to gaining the influence that making such a loan could provide to the Medici, collateral of some kind was needed to secure the deal...and so the pope gave them all that he had in the way of a guarantee: the Pignus Christi, the Pledge of Christ. The loan was never repaid, and eventually the Medici line died out and the Church no longer had to worry about honoring the agreement, In present day Italy, however, an approach is made to the Curia by a man who claims he is a legal descendant of the Medici and unless the Church agrees to back his political party in the upcoming national elections he will call in the loan, which at this point would amount to hundreds of billions of dollars. The Church is already handling a scandal involving financial improprieties at the Vatican Bank, which puts it in a delicate position if valid charges of reneging on a debt should emerge at the same time. Cotton Malone, retired intelligence agent of the DOJ's Magellan Billet who is still tapped from time to time to leave his bookstore in Copenhagen to help his old boss Stephanie Nelle, gets drawn into the plot when a quick, "sneak and peak" ends up with him nearly arrested and a couple of dead bodies in his wake. There are forces within and without the Church that are jostling for power position in regards to succeeding the current aging pope, including the cardinal in charge of an unacknowledged Vatican intelligence group known as the Entity, a dangerous and violent man who kills without remorse for a price, and a politician who is determined to prove that he is the descendant of the royal Medici.. Malone's ability to clear a falsely accused cardinal and expose the plotting within the Vatican may be what determines just who will, and will not, assume power in both the Italian government and the Holy See,
This is the 19th in the series of mysteries featuring Cotton Malone where he uses his physical skills and finely honed intellect to ensure that justice prevails in a world full of bad actors. As he does, he takes the reader along on journeys through fascinating locales (Florence, Siena, Cologne, Rome and the Vatican City this time around) and weaves historical fact into an engrossing mystery. In this case, Pope Julius II was in fact pope at a time when the Church was in need of a great deal of money, and the Medici were at the same time in possession of large quantities of money and were trying to regain their position of authority and effect a return to Florence after poor decisions had resulted in their banishment. The historical rivalry between Siena and Florence is also real, as are many of the other fascinating elements described within. Even if you haven't read any of the preceding books in the series you can still read this as a standalone, while if you have you will not be disappointed in Malone's latest endeavors. He may be getting older, but he is still more than up to the task at hand (he just may need to rely upon his brain a little more than his body). Readers of escapist fiction who enjoy a protagonist who charges in to situations that most would avoid, who has a tendency to destroy or at least slightly defile national treasures (although its generally not really his fault), and takes them along on fun (if at times slightly improbable) adventures à la Indiana Jones should be sure to pick a copy of this latest adventure. I throughly enjoyed learning so much about the featured parts of Italy and Germany as well as the Vatican intrigue.. Fans of the series will surely be picking up this latest entry, and so should readers of authors like Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum and Jack du Brul. Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me an early look at the latest in a favorite series in exchange for my honest review.

I am a Cotton Malone fan having read most of the previous 18 books in the series. Cotton worked for the Department of Justice on an elite off the books team till he retired when wounded in action. He now owns and runs a rare book store but occasionally free lances for his old boss and friend Stephanie. The focus of this story is a (fictional) 10 Million loan made by the Medici family to Pope Julius to fill the Vatican coffers. It is valid until it is paid or there are no Medici heirs.

In this book a potential Medici heir may be able to claim the amount plus interest that could bankrupt the Vatican. He is willing to exchange his claim for backing his political party in Italy. There is more going on at the Vatican as well. The pope is rumored to be retiring soon and plans are in motion. Cotton stumbles upon a plot to discredit a Cardinal who is a leading candidate, there is a hired assassin taking pot shots at Malone and more. Of course all this is happening in the beautiful Tuscany area of Italy. Reading this really made me want to return to Italy and cities like Siena and Florence.

I know the books are formulaic. But I enjoy the adventures and the history thrown in. I do like that Berry keeps the stories PG13 for language and violence. Cotton’s girlfriend is not part of this story. And you do have to put your brain on hold for some of the exploits. But that is half the fun. (3.5 Stars)

The Medici Return by Steve Berry, publishing on February 11th, 2025, takes readers deep into the world of Vatican and Italian politics, weaving together intrigue, danger, and a mystery that has remained unsolved for over a century.

Cotton Malone is retired, but a small investigation quickly turns into something far more dangerous than he anticipated. As he searches for clues, he finds himself traveling across Italy, unraveling a historical secret of immense importance.

As a huge fan of thrillers with historical elements, I found this book satisfying in that regard. The research into the Medici family was especially fascinating. However, the narrative introduces many characters, and the beginning moves at a slow pace. While everything comes together in the end, it requires some patience to get there.

Thank you, Grand Central Publishing Grand Central Publishing , for the copy.

Cotton Malone is once again called out of retirement to do a 'quick and easy' job for Stephanie Nelle and the Magellan Billet. As with his other adventures, nothing is as quick and easy as it initially appears, and things soon become complicated. At the heart of this adventure is a loan made back in the 16th century by the Medici family to the current Pope, a Pledge of Christ that has never been repaid and would be worth trillions (yes, with a T) of dollars today. Cotton becomes embroiled in the chaos that ensues when a man claiming to be a descendent of the Medici family tries to collect on that debt… and so much more.

This is book #19 in this series, and I enjoyed it as much as the previous books – and learned a lot about the history of Italy and the Catholic church in the process. Even though he is beginning to show his age, I love Cotton's character as much now as in the very first book. He is resourceful and insightful, knowledgeable, loyal and dedicated to learning the truth, no matter the cost.

While I had a hard time putting the book down overall, I found the scenes involving the Palio, an annual horse race that takes place in Siena, Italy, to be especially heart-pounding. Yes, I know Cotton's character is probably too old for that kind of thing, but… he IS Cotton Malone after all :) As far as figuring out who was behind everything, I had one or two names at the top of my list, and much to my surprise, one of those names was indeed the culprit.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series, although it will be hard to wait another year or two to do so.

Did not finish this book, it was just too wordy and slow. I could not get into it. I will not post to social media.

Does the Pledge of Christ from centuries ago really exist...That is what Cotton Malone has to figure out after being sent by his former boss to assist the Vatican in a secret matter that goes terribly wrong. During the assignment Cotton further learns that there are many members of the Vatican that cannot be trusted as they will lie, cheat, steal and even have murder committed to get what they want. That is not a good look for the church, and so many others will cover it up. Cotton, with the help of a trusted few from the church, will expose the main one committing these terrible acts and see that the Pope is made aware and that this person is stopped permanently. Along the way this book adds lots of real history from centuries ago as well as some very interesting not true elements that add very well to the over all book.