Description

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From celebrated New York Times bestselling author, Steve Berry, comes the latest Cotton Malone adventure, in which the discovery of a lost historical document challenges the global might of the United States.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria was an enigmatic figure who was deposed in 1886, mysteriously drowning three days later.  Eccentric to the point of madness, history tells us that in the years before he died Ludwig engaged in a worldwide search for a new kingdom, one separate, apart, and in lieu of Bavaria.  A place he could retreat into and rule as he wished.  But a question remains:  did he succeed? 

Enter Cotton Malone.  After many months, Malone’s protégé, Luke Daniels, has managed to infiltrate a renegade group intent on winning Bavarian independence from Germany.  Daniels has also managed to gain the trust of the prince of Bavaria, a frustrated second son intent on eliminating his brother, the duke, and restoring the Wittelsbach monarchy, only now with him as king.  Everything hinges on a 19th century deed which proves that Ludwig’s long-rumored search bore fruit--legal title to lands that Germany, China, and the United States all now want, only for vastly different reasons.  

In a race across Bavaria for clues hidden in Ludwig’s three fairytale castles--Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee--Malone and Daniels battle an ever-growing list of deadly adversaries, all intent on finding the last kingdom.

About the Author

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Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of seventeen Cotton Malone novels, five stand-alone thrillers, and several works of short fiction. He has over twenty-five million books in print, translated into forty-one languages. With his wife, Elizabeth, he is the founder of History Matters, an organization dedicated to historical preservation. He serves as an emeritus member of the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board and was a founding member of International Thriller Writers, formerly serving as its co-president.

Praise For…

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“High-octane […] A fun page-turner with historical elements.”—Publishers Weekly

“When readers crack open a new Malone adventure, it’s like reuniting with an old friend. Another strong entry in a consistently fine series."—Booklist

“What you’d expect if James Bond were an American who consulted with the CIA. Bring it on.”—Kirkus

"History buffs especially will devour this quest story of sorts in which the truth is the rarest treasure of all. The number of rivals Malone must fend off in the process will similarly please fans of the wildly manic John Wick movies. Combined, that makes The Last Kingdom a page-turner of the absolute highest order."—BookTrib

“Berry once again proves that history matters, skillfully crafting a fictional story around historical truths.”—Library Journal

"What continues to amaze me about the Cotton Malone books is how Steve Berry can consistently find global stories about legendary loopholes or unwritten history that I am completely unaware of . . .  Berry is in very limited company when it comes to thrillers of this magnitude, which includes those written by the likes of Brad Meltzer, Brad Thor and James Rollins. This series never disappoints!"

—Bookreporter.com