13 November, 2014

#BookReview :: The Lincoln Myth (Cotton Malone #9) by Steve Berry

September 1861: All is not as it seems. With these cryptic words, a shocking secret passed down from president to president comes to rest in the hands of Abraham Lincoln. And as the first bloody clashes of the Civil War unfold, Lincoln alone must decide how best to use this volatile knowledge: save thousands of American lives, or keep the young nation from being torn apart forever?

The present: In Utah, the fabled remains of Mormon pioneers whose nineteenth-century expedition across the desert met with a murderous end have been uncovered. In Washington, D.C., the official investigation of an international entrepreneur, an elder in the Mormon church, has sparked a political battle between the White House and a powerful United States senator. In Denmark, a Justice Department agent, missing in action, has fallen into the hands of a dangerous zealot—a man driven by divine visions to make a prophet’s words reality. And in a matter of a few short hours, Cotton Malone has gone from quietly selling books at his shop in Denmark to dodging bullets in a high-speed boat chase.

All it takes is a phone call from his former boss in Washington, and suddenly the ex-agent is racing to rescue an informant carrying critical intelligence. It’s just the kind of perilous business that Malone has been trying to leave behind, ever since he retired from the Justice Department. But once he draws enemy blood, Malone is plunged into a deadly conflict—a constitutional war secretly set in motion more than two hundred years ago by America’s Founding Fathers.

From the streets of Copenhagen to the catacombs of Salzburg to the rugged mountains of Utah, the grim specter of the Civil War looms as a dangerous conspiracy gathers power. Malone risks life, liberty, and his greatest love in a race for the truth about Abraham Lincoln—while the fate of the United States of America hangs in the balance.


Steve Berry has done it again… His books seem to get better and better every time I pick one up.

Abraham Lincoln had a secret that could affect the mass population of America. This secret has been passed down from President to President until it is discovered by a group of rogue Mormons. Cotton Malone, the ex-Magellan Billet agent, is once again roped in to help salvage the situation. This time round, things are different for Cotton Malone since his lady love, Cassiopeia, is also involved. She has been sent undercover as she had been once involved with one of the rogue Mormons. Things heat up and Cotton Malone is under pressure to resolve the situation with minimum collateral damage.

The plot is interesting. It draws out a lot of history regarding the Mormon Church as it is the center of the plot. Set in multiple locations, the story takes us for a ride. Cotton Malone was probably at his best in this installment as the stakes were set higher with the involvement of Cassiopeia. I was totally involved in both the mystery and the emotional aspect of this plot. However, it was a bit difficult for me to accept Cassiopeia’s new avatar. She somehow felt a totally different person in this book.  However, Steve Berry’s capacity to mix history with fiction remains as good as ever. The detailed descriptions and the infused information made are so much more interesting to read. The pace is fast and it also keeps the readers indulged with history, suspense, action and twists. 

Overall, it was an interesting book at many levels and a must read for all who love thrillers.







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