“Berry’s at the height of his storytelling prowess in this elegant mix of historical speculation and non-stop thrills that takes Cotton Malone back to the English Tudors in order to solve the riddle of a modern day conspiracy. Add to that a father-son theme and you have the recipe for a tale as smart as it is chilling and as bold as it is brash. If you want to know everything a thriller is supposed to be, read Steve Berry.”
— Providence Journal (picked as the reviewer’s best thriller for 2013)
“People go on and on about The DaVinci Code. All I will say is Steve Berry does what Dan Brown thought he did. And what he does is blend a love of history with global thriller action and creates books that are impossible to put down and even educational. By the time I got to the end of the book I was worn out! So go pick up this great book, and if for some reason you haven’t read Steve Berry before, go grab some earlier ones. It’s perfect summer reading.”
— Crimespree Magazine
“A suspenseful novel that begs to be a movie.”
— Barnes & Noble Reviews
“When Dan Brown says it is “My kind of thriller,” you already know what to expect of Steve Berry’s The King’s Deception. A lot of adventure, a major historical cover-up and the fate of the world hanging in the balance — Berry delivers all these and much more.”
— PostNoon (India)
“All the elements of a Da Vinici Code adventure are in place.”
— Publisher’s Weekly
“Berry mixes Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and terrorists into Cotton Malone’s eighth adventure. . . . A Dan Brown-ian secular conspiracy about The Virgin Queen driving nonstop international intrigue.”
— Kirkus
“History, mystery and murder surround perennial protagonist Cotton Malone in a fast-moving tale featuring Elizabeth I, England’s ‘Virgin Queen.’ . . . A heart-pumping adventure.”
— The Florida Times-Union
“Action interspersed with unbelievable shockers from the past . . . (Cotton Malone) continues to do battle with history and those who would kill to keep its secrets buried.”
— Library Journal
“A complex, rollicking forty-hour ride through a very dangerous and wild weekend in London where the betrayals collide with current events and the deceptions of hundreds of years ago, resulting in an explosive finish that no one who reads it will forget. . . . Berry is a wonderful guide as always, interweaving fascinating bits of history into the narrative. . . . I can’t give you a better endorsement for a book or an author.”
— Bookreporter.com
“Cotton Malone returns in a thriller that combines history and gunfire in Steve Berry’s The King’s Deception . . . Betrayals abound, and it’s never clear what’s really going on, or the true motives behind the players manipulating Malone at every turn. Readers old and new will enjoy The King’s Deception.”
— Associated Press
“The perfect blend of history and adventure. This time out the tension, the suspense, and the adrenaline rush are all at their most fevered pitch. So pick up this new fast paced book by Steve Berry and have an excellent thrill ride.”
— Huffington Post
“Full of drama, excitement and surprises, the story promises satisfaction for those with an appetite for thrillers, . . . It’s a quick and interesting read as the author’s writing style is captivating and introduction of characters is such that it leaves little chance for readers to get lost in the maze of events.”
— Hindustan Times (India)
“Better than Dan Brown.”
— Strait Times (Singapore)
“In classical Steve Berry style there are more twists and turns in this plot than in a 1970s disco bar. Interspersed between the modern incidents of betrayals and counter-betrayals are numerous episodes of Tudor/Elizabethan history sure to ruffle the skirts of the most avid Tudor fan. With its great plot and interesting characters, this book is a real page turner and an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.”
— Historical Novel Society Reviews
“A high-stakes diplomatic face-off. A twisted game of revenge. A gripping international adventure.”
— Costco Connection
“Contemporary politics mixes with treachery from Tudor England for a novel filled with suspense. The detailed history of Tudor England will entrance fans of British historicals. The castles mentioned are real and worth a visit. There are assassins, traitors, spies and mystery surrounding Cotton and his son Gary.”
— British Weekly
“I won’t go into the intricacies and spoilers in Berry’s action-filled, well-written (what else from Steve Berry?) tale other than to recommend it to readers. There’s plenty of action and the Tudor secret will intrigue readers who’ve come to expect an ideal blend of history mixed with fiction from Steve Berry. Yes, I recommend The King’s Deception as a great read this summer — or any time.”
— HuntingtonNews.net
“Once again, Berry offers an action-packed thriller that mixes historical events with fiction. There are plenty of high-octane thrills and riveting moments in The King’s Deception that will intrigue the readers.”
— The Sun Daily (Malaysia)
FROM THE BLOG WORLD
“It really is fascinating stuff and the author has taken a long standing conspiracy, one I had heard of previously, morphed together with solid historical fact and made it into a highly intelligent and pacy adventure. The final few chapters are over in a flash and there were a couple of unexpected moments towards the end, but it was the reason for all the skulduggery by the US and UK agencies that impressed me. This isn’t your usual treasure hunt, it’s a little more substantial than that. Well thought out and executed!”
— Milo’s Rambles (Great Britain)
“Of course, the story is fictional but Mr. Berry is skillful at detailing the revisionist history. He embellishes speculation about historical fact so well that you begin to wonder if this ploy in English history really happened. This is a page turner and Mr. Berry’s style makes it an easy read. It makes you wonder just what is going on at the highest levels of your government and intelligence services.”
— Yahoo Voices
“Filled with history, mystery, assassins, secretive societies, and family drama,The King’s Deception is the perfect book for mystery fans and fans of Tudor history. Not only will this book have you hooked on the adventures of Cotton Malone, it will have you pondering whether the legend of the Bisley Boy was true. So fix yourself a nice strong pot of Earl Grey and prepare to get lost in the intrigue of The King’s Deception.”
— Royal Reviews
“Steve Berry has done it again. All of his mysteries have historical twists. I love that. This one is filled with plots, counter plots, traitors, spies, assassins and a secret society. Set in London, we visit all the famous landmarks and uncover a long buried secret about the Tudors. Who could ask for more? This action packed book was hard to put down. Highly Recommend.”
—lumplit.com
“With fast-paced action, fully realized and complex characters, and a brilliant mystery at its heart, The King’s Deception is an explosive and pulsing historical thrill ride—one I wanted to get on all over again.”
—bookmagnet
“I much prefer Steve Berry’s scholarship to fifty shades of Dan Brown. Here, he supplies old reliable Cotton Malone with a stalwart subterranean setting, an effective ensemble, a corpse-filled conundrum, and unrelenting stress as the makings for an entertaining thriller. The author then proceeds to infuse his tale with a plausible alternate history of the British monarchy in the days of the Tudors. A well-concocted combo of action-adventure and fascinating history-mystery.”
— crimebookbeat.com
“This was my first time reading (one of Steve Berry’s) novels. It won’t be my last. I had never read his Cotton Malone series before. In fact I didn’t realize this was the eight novel with Malone until I did a search. I will now have to go back and read the first seven novels, since this one was so damn good.
The King’s Deception is a great read. If you’re a fan of the Cotton Malone books you will enjoy this. If you’ve never read one of them this is a good one to start with.”
— redcarpetcrash.com
“Steve Berry has an excellent grasp on the art of spinning a modern day thriller around centuries old history, and once again he does not fail. The piece of history that he chooses this time is brilliant in its shock value, and by the end of the book, you would in fact wonder if that is not what really happened. Also, the economy in the characters is evident as none of them are redundant to the plot line. There are no loose ends, and as is always the case, the writer’s note at the end differentiates fact from fiction, thus giving you a wonderful history lesson.”
— bookgeeks.in (India)