The King's Deception

A Novel

By: Steve Berry

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This Cotton Malone adventure blends gripping contemporary political intrigue, Tudor treachery, and high-octane thrills into one riveting novel of suspense.

Cotton Malone and his fifteen-year-old son, Gary, are headed to Europe. As a favor to his former boss at the Justice Department, Malone agrees to escort a teenage fugitive back to England. But after he is greeted at gunpoint in London, both the fugitive and Gary disappear, and Malone learns that he’s stumbled into a high-stakes diplomatic showdown—an international incident fueled by geopolitical gamesmanship and shocking Tudor secrets.

At its heart is the Libyan terrorist convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, who is set to be released by Scottish authorities for “humanitarian reasons.” An outraged American government objects, but nothing can persuade the British to intervene.

Except, perhaps, Operation King’s Deception.

Run by the CIA, the operation aims to solve a centuries-old mystery, one that could rock Great Britain to its royal foundations.

Blake Antrim, the CIA operative in charge of King’s Deception, is hunting for the spark that could rekindle a most dangerous fire, the one thing that every Irish national has sought for generations: a legal reason why the English must leave Northern Ireland. The answer is a long-buried secret that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire forty-five-year reign of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, who completed the conquest of Ireland and seized much of its land. But Antrim also has a more personal agenda, a twisted game of revenge in which Gary is a pawn. With assassins, traitors, spies, and dangerous disciples of a secret society closing in, Malone is caught in a lethal bind. To save Gary he must play one treacherous player against another—and only by uncovering the incredible truth can he hope to prevent the shattering consequences of the King’s Deception.

Praise for The King’s Deception

“[A] perfect blend of history and adventure . . . The history enhances the main narrative and gives it an added punch. . . . Pick up this new fast-paced book by Berry and have an excellent thrill ride while you also get a wonderfully enjoyable history lesson. Education has never been this much fun.”—The Huffington Post

“Steve Berry does what Dan Brown thought he did. [He combines] a love of history with global thriller action and creates books that are impossible to put down and even educational. . . . A perfect blend of history and action . . . perfect summer reading.”—Crimespree Magazine

“Cotton Malone returns in a thriller that combines history and gunfire. . . . Readers old and new will enjoy The King’s Deception.”—Associated Press

“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

©2013 Steve Berry (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Berry raises this genre’s stakes." (The New York Times)

"Forget Clancy and Cussler. When it comes to this genre, there is simply no one better." (The Providence Journal)

“[A] perfect blend of history and adventure . . . The history enhances the main narrative and gives it an added punch. . . . Pick up this new fast-paced book by Berry and have an excellent thrill ride while you also get a wonderfully enjoyable history lesson. Education has never been this much fun.” (The Huffington Post)

Steve Berry rewrites history. Aagain!

I listen to Steve Berry's novels because of his fascinating reinterpretations of history, and because Scott Brick, the master of the narrating art, preforms them.

This is a difficult book to describe. Was Queen Elisabeth I really a man? Is there a Tudor secret that when discovered would negate Great Britain's claim to Northern Ireland. Was the Libyan terrorist who took down Pan Am 103 really released for "humanitarian reasons" or something more sinister? Cotton Malone and a CIA agent are on the case as it gets more and more weird and dangerous. Malone's 15 year old son is also in this book.

A necessary but trite Malone story

Where does The King's Deception rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Storywise, it isn't anywhere near the top. Normally, I like Berry's entanglements and complexity in slowly unravelling plots, but this time it seems to be causing fragmentation more than cohesion. Like too many storylines all trying to play out through the same plot.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Some of the sub-plots of the supporting cast took up way too much space and attention. It detracted from the main storyline instead of adding to it. Also, the correlation between the mandatory historical issue and the modern day crisis Malone is trying to handle (which makes up the backbone of all Malone novels) is a bit too much of a stretch for me. Berry is usually really good at validating the modern day crisis through some historical issue being uncovered... but in this book it just seems like the two are completely disjointed. Like I said... too many plots trying to play out at the same time with much too vague correlation.

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Brick does a good job, but I really hate his rendition of Ian Dunn - the London teen that ends up in the middle of this. The accent is all weird to me.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I honestly am not sure.

Any additional comments?

It's a good book. And it addresses an issue that had to come up in Malone's personal life. Hence, why it is also necessary. It definitely shifts some things into place that way. Well worth a credit and it won't be the last time I listen to it - just not my favorite Malone story. :)

Not a great Steve Berry & definitely not Dan Brown

Would you try another book from Steve Berry and/or Scott Brick?

I always look forward to the new Steven Berry book and I think Scott Brick is a great reader. But King's Deception just didn't do it for me. I suspect that Berry was 1/2 way through writing the book when Ghadaffi was killed, so he had to do the story as a recollection, which was a distraction early on.

I just never got into the story, but I also don't care much about British Royalty or history.

I slogged through to the end, but it definitely put me to sleep several times.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The least interesting part was the arcane British history.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Scott was overly dramatic at times.

Not Steve or Scott's finest hour

The plot is somewhat a stretch. The locations are not that well researched (despite what he says at the end). For example Oxford Circus is at the intersection of Oxford and Regents Streets not Bond Street which is a different stop completely. Also Royal Windsor Golf course would take exception to a certain comment about the golf club featured. Scott', who I normally love, butchers all the English accents. When you've finished google the tale on which this story relies and you will see that it's very much been debunked. Not their finest hour!

not a keeper

I love Steve Berry's work, but found thus one tedious. just not, in my opinion, up to his standards. I won't listen to this book again.

Disappointing

Not one of Berry’s best. Plot ridiculous. New characters unbelievable and not especially sympathetic, admirable or even villainous.

Two Thumbs UP!!!!

I simply love it and enjoy the thrill that arouse in me while listening the audio. I even consider to have it in movie version (if available). This is my first with the author, I love to venture another of his work.

Even better than the printed book

i read the book a few years back but love Scott Brick"s performance. FIVE STARS!!

Amazing

The fact you detail so many characters and places is the work of pride. I enjoy your books greatly.
Thank you,
Cindi

Great listening

Loved this story once I was able to understand who all the characters were.