Bookworm: The Jefferson Key

The first Steve Berry book I read was The Third Secret. I found that book at a Booksale branch while killing time inside the mall. It was much enjoyable, and I couldn't even put it down. But since I got the copy from a second-hand book shop, I didn't think I'd find another Steve Berry book elsewhere. My favorite author, Erica Spindler, is a Booksale regular, but I can't find her work in our local bookstores. I thought the same goes for Steve Berry.

So I was really ecstatic when I saw two of his recently published novels at the Fully Booked store in BGC. I chose The Jefferson Key over The Columbus Affair because I was more interested in the former's plot. My sister offered to buy me the book as a birthday present.

The Jefferson Key is about one of the adventures of Cotton Malone, a former Justice Department operative in the United States. He saved the President from an assassination attempt plotted by a secret society assembled during the American Revolution. Malone soon discovers why the secret society wanted the President dead, and his discovery leads to an age-old cipher from Thomas Jefferson and a mystery concocted by Andrew Jackson.

For a more detailed synopsis, click HERE.

Photo directly lifted from Google Images.

I like Steve Berry because his books are much like Dan Brown's. They usually cover a lot of ancient history. And they all fall under the suspense/mystery genre, which I think is the best genre there is. 

Though I'm not an American political history expert, I enjoyed reading this novel very much. Steve Berry combines fact and fiction in an amazing way. He knows how to help the readers differentiate between the two. You won't find yourself asking if a certain event or object is for real or not, because by the way he writes, you just know. The Writer's Note/Disclaimer at the end of the novel was very helpful too. 

His characters have a lot of personality. And he shines the light on them equally. His protagonist, Cotton Malone,  was your usual hero - smart, courageous, and has a heart. His love interest, Cassiopeia Vitt, is equally stunning. What differentiates her from other suspense/mystery book female characters is her wit and strength. She's not a pushover or a crybaby. She's very aggressive and is not afraid to go after what she wants.

The most interesting character in the book for me would be Clifford Knox. If you've read the book, you'll know that he's the secret society's quartermaster or go-to guy. I think he has the most conflicted personality which makes him the most interesting. He's the bad guy trying to be good. But sometimes he doesn't have choice but to be bad. I just wished that Steve Berry put more drama into his character, and that his fate was different.

Overall, I'd give this book four stars out of five. History buffs will surely enjoy this novel. But if you're not a history junkie, and you're just a regular suspense/mystery fan, you'll fall in love with the story just the same.

I look forward to reading more Steve Berry novels in the future. I've got my sights set on The Emperor's Tomb, if I can get my hands on 'em. Happy reading!