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.

I've long loved the Cotton Malone series, but this one felt a little underwhelming. This adventure finds him in Italy, called in to figure out what is going on with a Cardinal at the Vatican. While there are some interesting scenes at the Palio in Siena and at a Carthusian monastery, the central mystery was not overly complex. I still enjoyed the book, but perhaps after 19 books Cotton's escapades are not quite as vibrant as they once were. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Steve Berry is one of my few "I'll read anything" authors. While this is not in my top 3 of his, I certainly enjoyed it. The history is, as usual, fascinating and creates a unique what-if. The action is solid, especially the Siena scenes. If you like Berry, it's an above average Cotton Malone entry. If you're new to him, it's a good introduction to his books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Cotton Malone spends this book entirely in Italy solving a 500 year old mystery of a large loan made to the Vatican. I loved learning a lot about Florence and the famous horse race Palio di Siena--which I had the pleasure of seeing 35 years ago. I am always amazed by Steve Berry's ability to take history and turn it into an exciting adventure with modern implications. Another solid addition to the Cotton Malone series.

First, a huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing, Steve Berry and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What an awesome book. I knew very little of the Medici, but knew that I loved books by Steve Berry. I was so happy to get a copy of this and very eager to check it out. The story is very fast paced. I couldn’t put the book down. I have to say that this is up there with my all time favorite books by this author. The characters were very relatable and likeable. (At least the “good guys”).

Highly recommend this book. Pick it up. You will not regret it!

Steve Berry weaves well researched history with edge of your seat suspense in this latest installment of the Cotton Malone series. This can easily be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend the entire series beginning with "Templar Legacy." His characters are well developed, the plot moves along at a brisk pace and there are a few twists and turns to up the intrigue level. I appreciate too that in the afterward he separates fact from fiction to leave the reader better educated about the subject matter. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy.

I will send the link if Kevin uses it
HReview of Steve Berry’s The Medici Return
This one I received in advance of its pub date from the publisher through NetGallery.
This is the 19th in Berry’s series featuring Cotton Malone, an intrepid detective now working for a secret US agency. Through them Malone becomes involved with helping the Catholic church with a sticky problem calling for confidentiality and break in skills. Malone, armed with those skills , his eidetic memory, and flair for languages (helped by same) ships off to Italy to find evidence of wrongdoing by a cardinal of the church. Who hired him? Vatican. Who is the villain? Another arm of the Vatican—so many secrets here! And oh yes, the Medici! (A 500 year old mystery enters in)
When it comes to popes, the Medici were no slouches. When it comes to dirty dealing, the same. Plot issues here span centuries and connect to modern day crimes. One of the things I absolutely love about this book is the setting in Italy—Sienna, which I only got to know in 2023, Florence where I spent a lot of time while a student in Bologna, and oh yes, the Vatican museum and my beloved Rome.
Each of these carries a wonderful weight of historical interest and intrigue. Enough for ten books. In this case, Sienna and its annual Palio, a free for all of an historic horse race becomes a central element to the plot. Berry is ingenious as to how he works this into his tale about finding = an ancient document. I applaud his creativity and oh yes, I must applaud the horsemanship of Cotton Malone as well. Heroes such as cotton Malone are often invested with far-beyond-normal abilities to deal with things like taking over the jockey role in a bareback race, the Palio. I was happy to suspend disbelief and bear down with Malone as he leaned over the neck of his steed and pushed forward to the goal while other jockeys tried to trip them up and a gunman had a rifle trained on Malone.
Wait, do you think all of this distracted me from the main mystery? Who killed the Swiss guard in the book’s early pages? The mysterious missing Medici era document that would cost the church billions of dollars if found? The two or three other subsequent murders and attempts on Malone’s life that follow? Nope.
Never fear—Berry is a master juggler of plot elements. These balls are never out of sight. To draw on another metaphor, he weaves all of the threads cleverly, carefully and at just the right moment, inserts one than then another element together to keep readers on track even as the plot twists and turns with more gyrations than that round, stone track in Sienna’s main piazza.

I’m only a so-so Malone fan in general, in spite of good dialogue and plotting, but this book brought out Berry’s writing skills and took me back to a city (Sienna) I enjoy, and had me traipsing through Rome and Florence, two cities I love, while still captivating me with the plot, so I must give this book a five star recommendation.

Both for fans of Malone, occasional readers of the series such as myself and dare I say—even if if you have never read Berry’s Malone series before, I think you will enjoy this fast-paced well and deviously plotted book.
Five stars
ere is what I am sending to his review magazine

Thank you Steve Berry, Grand Central Publishing ( @grandcentralpub ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read The Medici Return early (out February 11, 2025).

Another winning book by Steve Berry in the Cotton Malone series!

The unrecognized heir of the historic Medici family tries to find proof of his family relationships in order to gain the favor of the Catholic Church in an upcoming election. But the Church doesn’t want these secrets to be revealed. And American Cotton Malone finds himself right in the middle, yet again.

This book started out a little slow with me. There was a lot of history and backstory setting up the plot. However, once that was past and the action ramped up, I could not put it down! Another great addition to the Cotton Malone series.

#TheMediciReturn #NetGalley #SteveBerry #GrandCentralPublishing

Great edition to the Cotton Malone series. I enjoyed the information about the Medici dynasty and their connections to the Vatican and popes. The new characters were well-developed and the plot flowed.