The Medici Return

Cotton Malone #19

by Steve Berry

From celebrated New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry comes the latest installment in his wildly popular Cotton Malone series, in which Cotton must solve a five hundred year-old mystery—now in development as a streaming series.

Cotton Malone is on the hunt for a forgotten 16th century Pledge of Christ—a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II that evidences a monetary debt owed by the Vatican, still valid after five centuries—now worth in the trillions of dollars. But collecting that debt centers around what happened to the famed Medici of Florence—a family that history says died out, without heirs, centuries ago. 

Who will become the next prime minister of Italy, and who will be the next pope? Finding answers proves difficult until Cotton realizes that everything hinges on when, and if, the Medici return.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2025

About the author

 

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, which include: The Last Kingdom , The Omega Factor , The Kaiser's Web, The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, The Bishop’s Pawn, The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King's Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor's Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. Steve has also co-written a novel with Grant Blackwood,  The 9th Man  (a Luke Daniels Adventure), and four novellas with M. J. Rose:  The End of Forever,   The House of Long Ago,   The Lake of Learning,  and  The Museum of Mysteries,  all Cassiopeia Vitt tales. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.

Reviews

[Southern Lady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you loved The Davinci Code and any heart racing Robert Langdon moments - you're going to really enjoy The Medici Return! Not my usual style but I much appreciate the gifted copy and the break from romance (which can become monotonous when you read too much of it!)

I've traveled to Florence, the Vatican, and much of Italy beyond, so this was an enjoyable way to relive some of that and truly 'armchair travel'. If you also enjoy history - The Medici Return is also a fun way to spark your interest and will 100% have you looking up the famed Medici Family!!

Now that I've read the 19th book in this series - I 100% think I'll have to grab another!

**Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

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READING NOTES:
I had to make a character list to keep this straight because many of the characters are called by multiple names. At 67 pages in, I felt a little lost amidst the historical fiction elements, current political intrigue, and descriptions of the Vatican's inner workings.

As The Davinci Code is one of my favorite movies - I truly am excited to read this and liken sorting through the initial complexities as much the same way someone would who's reading a new fantasy for the first time. Worldbuilding, whether in another world or setting the stage of a political thriller like this, takes time to parse through, but it's worth it for such an immersive experience.

Character List:
- Cotton Malone - Justice Department operative
- Stefano Giumenta - Priest, part of secret police Rugby player
- Cardinal Sergio Ascolani - Head of Vatican secret police
- Eric Gaetano Casaburi - Political official in Italy, potentially the last member of Medici family
- Cardinal Jason Richter - A Cardinal caught in the crosshairs of political scheming - lots of money stashed away
- Thomas Dewberry - a hired un-aliver

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

wIt's Steve Berry, its Italy and the Medici, how can that go wrong? Well, maybe I know too much about my homeland, maybe I know too much about the Medici, but on the whole this newest Cotton Malone adventure fell flat for me. Yes there was the Palio in Siena, but some very improbable plot lines. On the whole it just seemed the book was less historically grounded than his others. There were a few new and interesting characters but on the whole this one was a disappointment for me.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Steve Berry, Hachette Audio, and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Steve Berry is back with his latest Cotton Malone thriller. Delving deeply into the world of the Medicis and the power they held amongst the Vatican decision-makers, Berry pulls his protagonist into the middle of a mystery centuries in the making. With the power of the Vatican and the subtlety of the Medici mystery fuelling this piece, the reader can never be sure where things are headed or what Malone might uncover, should he live long enough to share. Berry delivers once more and leaves readers in awe of all they learn.

When it comes to mysteries, Cotton Malone is never one to turn the other way. However, he vow that he is not one to seek out danger. After being thrust into the middle of a new and historical mystery by the Magellan Billet, Cotton finds himself chasing after the 16th century Pledge of Christ, a promise made by Pope Julius II that locks in a debt owed by the Vatican to the powerful Medici Family, whose bloodline stopped at some point in the 18th century. The origins of the debt are murky, but Cotton is never one to turn away from a little digging.

Malone discovers not only that the Medicis were once a powerful and highly influential family, especially in the papal world, but also that their lineage may not have entirely ended as abruptly as many once presumed. An up and coming Italian political figure could hold the truth to the Medici past and plans to use it to score significant victory in the upcoming election. Could the truths he possesses prove essential to understanding the Medici past, as well as using the long-held debt to tip the scales in his favour?

All the while, there are added mysteries about the future papal selection. These could also be tied to the Pledge and the hunt for a Medici heir. Cotton will have to put all the pieces together before he can make a pronouncement, but that will require that he stay alive long enough to do so. Some have an agenda all their own, which does not include revealing the Pledge, or the truth about the Medici family. Berry sends readers into yet another tailspin with this well-crafted piece and finds new ways to astonish series fans.

I have long been a fan of Steve Berry and his numerous stories that pull history into the mix. With a great deal of action, there is never a lack of adventure for the reader to enjoy. Berry develops a strong narrative that lays out the foundation of the story and builds from there. Adding depth and great characters, Berry keeps the reader hooked, while delving into the far corners of history and many forgotten aspects that provide a springboard for success. The plot points are both steeped in history and modern in nature, which provides many a surprise for the attentive reader. This series has not lost any of its momentum, which is sure to keep going for as long as Cotton Malone is eager, or can stay alive.

Kudos, Mr. Berry, for another winning piece in this well-crafted series.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Latest in the series doesn't disappoint and fast paced

[Viking Jam · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 particualar 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 amid historical fumblings.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

2.3/5

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cotton Malone certainly isn't getting any younger - nor am I, one who's been following his adventures for some time now (this is the 19th installment in the series). We've both long since retired - but we're both keeping our hats in the employment ring to a certain degree. Cotton has a main squeeze, and he's happy he's got her and a rare-books store to run. But when his old boss and friend, Stephanie Nelle calls, he's usually willing and able to take on whatever task she has in mind.

This one ventures into the territory of another of my favorite authors, Dan Brown, heavily - and I do mean heavily - laced with the history of the Catholic church, Italy, the famous (infamous??) Medici family and all the ties therein going back to the 1400s. The focus, in fact, is on an IOU of note - one made by the church back then, when the Medicis saved the Papal hides from bankruptcy (or whatever they did back then when they ran out of money) by way of a huge loan that's worth billions today.

By this time, though, the Medici family is extinct and that IOU exists only in the minds of a few people who still believe it exists and are determined to locate a copy of it. That includes a powerful current Cardinal and Pope wannabe, a man who wants to use the IOU to blackmail the church into adopting a new political stance and a man who always believed he's a legitimate Medici heir and is desperate to prove it.

The story follows all these factions and people, as well as characters and history related to each; needless to say, this isn't an easy book to follow. I lost count of the times I needed to backtrack a page or two (or three) to figure out which person I'm reading about, and more than once I skimmed over some of the historical paragraphs, well, just because.

Some of it was a bit implausible - like the happenings at the annual horse race in Sienna, I believe (at your age, Cotton? Seriously?), but it also added to the intrigue and overall impact. As always, the loose ends are pretty neatly tied up by the end, and the whole thing is another winner. Just know it's not one of those books you can read with one eye while keeping the other on a TV show you don't want to miss. As for me, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read all 19 of the Cotton Malone series and usually really enjoy them. Sadly, this book did not measure up to the standards I expect from Steve Berry. I found the book to drag in sections and had little interest in the resolution to the story line. I was also dismayed by a number of historical inaccurate information.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all of the Cotton Malone books there is a history lesson included in the story. A story of deceit and a Cardinal who will do anything he needs to ensure his path to the papacy.

The history of the Vatican includes many betrayals and power struggles. One of these is root of the current book, which starts early in the 16th century. A corrupt politician who plans to extort the Vatican into backing his party for obtaining control of the Italian government. But unfortunately for him, and perhaps fortunately for the Italian populace he winds up trying to deal with the aforementioned Cardinal, who has his own aims.

Cotton is thrown in the middle by doing a favor for his former boss, a small task and that was supposed to be the end of his involvement. But if that was the case it would be a short story.

[Robert G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, the main premise is just dumb. I thought you can’t go wrong with a thriller set in Italy, I was looking for an escape from reality, but this did very little for me.

[David Eppenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Berry's latest entry to his Cotton Malone series and it is an admirable addition that body of work. I am a Berry fan and have read all the books in this series as well as collect signed FE/FPs of these books so you might consider my reviews biased but I assure you I am not. When I spend money on something I expect to get my money's worth. If I am disappointed in that regard I say so and Berry has indeed been disappointing on occasion. Of course those occasions have been rare and the disappointments minor or rather subjective. Generally I find Berry's books entertaining and educational as they frequently use a historical mystery, event, legend, or artifact as the basis for a good thriller. This book is slightly different than the previous books in that the historical event used for the story is almost entirely fictional. While the surrounding circumstances, events, and locations are all entirely accurate and well researched there is nothing that is spared to deliver an entertaining story. Further, if you have never read a Berry book or at least none in this series this would be a good book to begin with. If you read this book you will not be disadvantaged by not having read any of the previous Cotton Malone books as very few of his other characters are mentioned and when they are they are explained sufficiently enough to make the new reader comfortable. Hopefully you read the book and like it enough to go and start reading the series from the beginning. You won't be disappointed.

So what is this book about? Almost all of the story is set in Italy, primarily Rome, Florence, and Sienna. If you have been to these cities you will enjoy recalling your memories of these cities while Malone traverses their streets. The story, however, is about a Roman Catholic Cardinal that is being framed for financial irregularities. The person framing him is the cardinal secretary of state of the Vatican who knows the present pope may soon retire and this cardinal covets the papacy. The targeted cardinal is viewed as a very viable rival in the next papal election and he needs to be discredited. Now this would be enough for a good story in and of itself but there is more. There is a young Italian politician from a new Italian political party that is rising in the polls. If he can get the Vatican to endorse his party that might be enough to get their a majority in the parliament and their party leader appointed prime minister. If that happens this young man would certainly be appointed to some major cabinet post.

The young politician seeks the assignment to acquire the Vatican's endorsement. He seeks this assignment because he has a long held family secret involving the Vatican. His secret is that he strongly suspects that he is descended from the Royal Medici family a family line that is thought to have ended without heirs in the mid 18th century. It seems that in 1512 Pope Julius II, he of Sistine Chapel fame, needed money for the financially embarrassed Vatican and has to borrow, without collateral, 10 million florins. Julius makes a deal with the Medici for this money by giving the Medici the Pledge of Christ, a solemn pledge to pay back this sum plus 10% per year until it is repaid. Julius dies within months of this deal and the next two popes are both Medicis so the debt is never brought up and never repaid and then totally forgotten to history. If this young politician can establish his ancestry then he is in a position to bankrupt the Vatican unless they can come to an understanding.

These two storylines keep intersecting in ways that provides excitement and intrigue and a great deal of entertainment as well as interesting information on papal and Italian history and culture. This is a very good book so enjoy.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long but fascinating book that takes us back to the early days of Europe and the constant struggle to rule. The support or interference of the Catholic Church and the explosion of Art and Literature.
Cotton Malone is once again drawn into the mystery and finds himself between his 'assignment' and the need to make things right.

[Shay Redwine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series so much. It's like comfort food. Can't wait for the next!

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cotton Malone is back in the 19th book in this series, and it revolves around a 500 year old promissory note between the Catholic Church and the royal Medici family. In The Medici Return, author Steve Berry does his usual admiral job of blending fact and fiction, treating readers to a history lesson that he wraps around a plot. Here, someone claiming to be a direct descendant of the Medici clan who has knowledge of the lore of the promissory note owed to his family tries to use that to influence upcoming elections in Italy. At the same time, high-level Vatican officials are desperate to keep the existence of both a Medici heir and the note hidden. While the history lessons are an integral part of these books, it’s usually to provide background context while Malone conducts his related mission. But in this edition, it seemed the historical aspects were in the forefront, and it consumed a lot of the book, and less time was spent on Malone’s exploits, and that took some of enjoyment away from what is normally a five star read. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and just as many thread plots which also slowed things down, and a previously hinted at storyline fails to materialize, except for a passing comment. Still a good read for Malone fans, but a little off the mark.

[Andrea Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Berry does not do wrong.... I loved the caracters, the fact that all main caracters has their own timeline, the historical references and the historical fiction parts. I hope the other Cotton Malone books will be this good too, becuase i have a lot to read now

Steve Berry nem írt eddig rossz könyvet... Imádtam a karaktereket, azt a tényt, hogy minden főszereplőnek megvan a saját idővonala, a történelmi utalásokat és a történelmi fikciós részeket. Remélem, a többi Cotton Malone könyv is ilyen jó lesz, mert most rengeteg olvasnivalóm van.

[Bob Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues the author’s Cotton Malone series. Unlike several of the most recent ones, it does bring in a cast of supporting characters, but focuses on Malone. It is an interesting and engaging read which also makes it a fairly quick read. Fans of the Cotton Malone character will definitely enjoy this book.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

[Chalice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was really quite boring. I hate writing that, because I always enjoy stories from this author, but I just didn't care about what was happening in this one. Cotton didn't feel like the main character, even when he was being inserted into the plot in ways that didn't make sense. I mean, this super special tradition of the race, where people train for their entire lifetimes to defend the pride of their group, and they just let Cotton jump on the horse and take over? For what? A little political posturing? It was nonsensical. I never really undertood what the conclusion was - it seemed like an afterthough. And as an audiobook, I usually like this narrator, but his English and Irish accents are pretty bad. This was a disappointing entry in the series.

[Almantas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former Magellan Billet operative Cotton Malone is back and gets entangled into the intended Medici come back in Italy. Today they must find a modern way to regain their part influence and power. It could be done only through a political party and with the help of the Catholic Church. A scion of the Medicis approaches the senior ranks of the Roman Catholic Church to request their support for his populist right wing party to gain power in Italy. In return he promises to forgive Church's significant debt of hundreds of billions to the Medicis from the 16th century. But there are lots of groups with conflicting interests at play. Vatican's Secretary of State cannot allow this to happen. He hires an assassin to murder the Medici. Another cardinal with the help of Cotton Malone works against the Secretary of State and in support of the Pope. In this novel as in any other Berry's book one can find lots of history and suspense. As always the just cause and the good people win.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the request of senior members of the Vatican, the director of a secret U.S. Government agency to help in solving a growing political crises brewing within the Holy See. She tabs her retired agent, Cotton Malone, to head up the detail. The Project is to hunt for a forgotten 16th century Pledge of Christ — a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II that evidences a monetary debt owed by the Vatican, still valid after five centuries, now worth in the trillions of dollars. But collecting that debt centers around what happened to the famed Medici of Florence — a family that history says died out, without heirs, centuries ago. Two more things also hang in the balance. Who will become the next prime minister of Italy, and who will be the next pope.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, nineteenth entry into the canon of the Steve Berry, Cotton Malone, relic thrillers...Along with Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Steve Berry has become a master at creating these thrillers based upon, real or imagined, articles of historic significance...All of these fun reads, are thoroughly and extensively researched, providing us all with the vivid detail we've come to expect...In "The Medici Return," Cotton Malone is thrust into a very Dan Bown-ish plot of an IOU between the Catholic Church and Florence's Medici Family may be coming due...Ironically, I read this in the days between the death of Pope Francis and the Enclave organized to select the new Pope...Just pure, timely fun!!!

[Linda S. Sabatka-Crappe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t read a Cotton Malone book in a long time and was in the mood for a novel with a story link (however weak) to history. I enjoyed the settings of Florence, Siena, the Palio race, and especially the Medici. The storyline was not particularly credible but still a fun, easy read and Steve Berry is inspired by actual history as a starting point for his novels and separates fact from fiction in his writer’s notes. However, I do not like his constant chapter jumping from character to character.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is our 19th adventure with Cotton Malone and we are traveling to Tuscany, Florence, and Siena, Italy. Steve Berry is tackling a more religious mystery once again in The Medici Return. These stories are never my favorite because of the subject matter, but I enjoy the history of it all. Learning about the culture of the area is what I always find fascinating. For The Medici Return it was the section involving the Palio di Siena, which is an annual horse race held twice a year. That whole section was so insightful and so much fun to read. As for the overall mystery, it did not resonate with me as some of the other ones. It felt repetitive at times, as if the author was making sure you picked up on every detail. Overall, I enjoyed myself, but Steve Berry just had to leave off on another cliffhanger.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cotton Malone was a trained American intelligence officer who retired in Copenhagen to run a rare bookstore. He occasionally gets pulled into covert operations by his old boss or friends. In this book of the series, Cotton is trying to figure out whether a cardinal who may be up for the papacy is actually “dirty” or being framed. The Vatican’s Secretary of State is the evil guy here, and he has a priest who acts as his hit man. And the Secretary of State wants to be Pope himself. The church needs to take out a man who claims he is a blood descendant of the Medici family. He says they have a 16th century document proving that the Medicis made a huge loan to the Pope, with a written guarantee that the loan would be repaid with interest any time a legal descendant of the royal line of the family wanted to claim it. This would make it worth billions by now. It’s kind of an airplane reading level of novel and had some improbable timelines, but still pretty good and adventuresome.

[Jerry Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cotton goes Italian in his support of the Vatican. The timing is coincidental so close to the death of Pope Francis and this thriller about the royal heir to the Medici and the connection to the Vatican. Also coincidental is the rise of alt-right nationalism.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fascinating mash up of history and crime thriller; the usual SB well researched and well written fare. I never really tire of this protagonist and his adventures, but they do tend to feel a bit repetitive nowadays.

Three and a half stars.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Berry's "The Medici Return" is a blend of historical fact and fiction surrounding the colorful life of the Medici Family.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Langdon I mean Cotton investigating the Vatican. Fun, interesting, long.

[Jeff Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Steve Berry writes a great book. Lots of twists and turns.

Cotton Malone one of my favorites. Always getting into trouble then working his way out.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I’d seen it all with Cotton Malone but the Palio!?!