Part of Cotton Malone, book 2
First published 2007
Cotton Malone thought his days as a Justice Department operative were behind him. Now he sells rare books in Copenhagen, far from the violence of his former life. That peace ends with an anonymous email threatening his teenage son's life. The message is clear: find what the sender wants within 72 hours or lose his child forever. His ex-wife confirms their worst fears. Their son has vanished. When arsonists destroy Malone's bookshop, he realizes his enemies will kill to get what they seek. They want the lost Library of Alexandria, the ancient world's greatest repository of knowledge that disappeared fifteen centuries ago. A group of wealthy international conspirators believes the library holds secrets that could reshape history and shake the foundations of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Only Malone knows how to locate it. A deadly mercenary hunts him across England and Portugal as he races to uncover clues. His search reaches the highest levels of American government before leading to a final confrontation in Egypt's Sinai desert.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, race-against-time, secret-history
Setting: Copenhagen, Egypt, England, Portugal, Sinai Desert
Period: 21st Century
462 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books