The Paris Vendetta
"..an intelligent thriller.."
Synopsis:
Former US government agent Cotton Malone returns to help his closest friend Henrik Thorvaldsen who is in serious trouble. Thorvaldsen has been worming his way into The Paris Club who are a group of multimillionaires who are set upon financial manipulation of the western world. The only reason he wants in is so that he can get close one of the members, Lord Graham Ashby who he holds responsible for the death of his beloved son Cai.
Cotton is dragged into the conflict and acts to save his friend whilst being pressurised by his old employers to stop both his friend and The Paris Club. The Paris Club members are also desperate to find the mythical treasure known as Napoleon's Cache...
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Review:
Once again Steve Berry has produced a grand scale novel, sweeping back and forth between the present and the past. The Paris Vendetta has all of his trademarks namely historical fact, modern detail and non-stop suspense. Cotton Malone is now a familiar hero and he is at his scintillating best as he plays both ends against the middle in a bid to save his friend and defeat The Paris Club. Malone is the type of reluctant hero who never looks for trouble but deals with it when it comes calling. A fully rounded character with morality and courage in abundance he never allows his guard to drop which saves him and others. Thorvaldsen is his usual determined self and does not heed Malone's entreaties not to avenge his son. Some excellent new characters make their first appearances and I can see them joining Malone on futures escapades. Stephanie Nelle has a larger presence than usual in this novel and I think she may well try to recruit Malone back to the service in the future. The prose is very taut and the suspense is palpable throughout the book with events ricocheting the reader across both Europe and history. The historical elements of this story are excellently depicted and obviously thorough research creates a marvellous background for the sub-plot. The Paris Vendetta works on a new premise of the consequences of terrorism and The Paris Club's efforts to capitalise on this presumption make for an intelligent thriller which manages to throw up new ideas for a subject which is being played to death by some authors. This only goes to show how in the correct hands a well worn subject can be re-invigorated with a new slant or twist. The end of the book will leave you desperate for the next instalment so you can discover what lasting effects the events of The Paris Vendetta has on much loved characters.