Part of Cotton Malone, book 3
First published 2007
Cotton Malone barely escapes when fire destroys a Danish museum. The former Justice Department agent turned rare book dealer discovers the arson was no accident. His ally Cassiopeia Vitt reveals the truth: someone is burning museums to hide a larger scheme. Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina leads the Central Asian Federation, a nation built from Soviet ruins. She dreams of conquering more territory than Alexander the Great ever did. Zovastina has biological weapons but lacks one crucial element. Alexander's tomb holds a healing serum that could make her unstoppable. The ancient puzzle protecting this secret has kept the burial site hidden for over fifteen centuries. Cotton and Cassiopeia must solve the riddle before Zovastina's forces do. The race spans continents as they dodge enemies and decode clues. Millions of lives hang in the balance. Whoever reaches Alexander's resting place first will control a weapon that could reshape the world.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, race-against-time
Setting: Central Asian Federation, Denmark, Russia
Period: Contemporary
608 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books