Part of Cotton Malone, book 17
First published 2023
Cotton Malone faces his most dangerous mission yet when his protégé Luke Daniels infiltrates a renegade group searching for a lost 19th century document. The deed proves that Bavaria's eccentric King Ludwig II, who died mysteriously in 1886, successfully found his dream kingdom beyond Bavaria's borders. Ludwig spent his final years seeking a place where he could rule without interference. Now three world powers want that proof. The United States, China, and Germany all recognize that this document could grant Bavaria independence and shift global power. Cotton and Luke race across Bavaria, following clues hidden within Ludwig's three famous fairytale castles. Deadly adversaries multiply at every turn, all determined to claim the last kingdom. The discovery threatens America's global influence while offering Bavaria a path to freedom. Cotton must decode Ludwig's secrets before his enemies do, but the deeper he digs into the mad king's legacy, the more he realizes this mission could reshape the modern world.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Bavaria, United States, China, Germany
Period: 19th Century, 1886
451 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing