In The Lost Order, Steve Berry follows his signature style of opening with an historical event – a fire at the Smithsonian in D.C. in 1865 – and then brings the action into the present day as former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone struggles to find billions in missing Confederate gold before the bad guys can get their hands on it. Berry’s style is reminiscent of Clive Cussler, another thriller writer who always starts his books with an event from the past, then moves into the present where his hero Dirk Pitt resolves the problem.
The Lost Order is packed with action as Malone tracks down the Knights of the Golden Circle, which Berry calls “the largest subversive organization in American history.” Malone also investigates the death of a senator, which is ruled an accident but which Malone suspects was murder. Add in a scheming widow, some greedy politicians and a few crooked bureaucrats, and Berry has created another fast-paced thriller sure to please his fans.
Berry also packs his stories with strong-willed, capable women. Cassiopeia Vitt, Malone’s recurring love interest, comes to his rescue when he is captured. His former boss Stephanie Nelle, who heads the secret investigative team Magellan Billet, teams with Malone to find the gold while she continues her romance with former U.S. president Danny Daniels.
Berry is the internationally best-selling author of a dozen Cotton Malone novels. He and his wife founded History Matters, which focuses on historical preservation.
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Frances Aylor 