The Recurring Cast
Character · Malone’s circle · 20 books

Cotton Malone

Former Magellan Billet agent turned Copenhagen bookseller · Steve Berry

Harold Earl “Cotton” Malone is a former Magellan Billet agent with an eidetic memory, who retired early to run a rare-book shop in Copenhagen and cannot stay out of trouble.

Spoiler-free profile written for The Recurring Cast.

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Character facts

First appearance
The Templar Legacy (2006)
Latest appearance
The Devil’s Bible (2026)
Books
20 (20 as lead)
Series
Cotton Malone
Author
Steve Berry
Circle
Malone’s circle

Where to meet Cotton Malone

Cotton Malone first appears in The Templar Legacy (2006), as the lead, book 1 of the Cotton Malone series.

Buy The Templar Legacy

Every book with Cotton Malone

In publication order, with the size of their role in each.

  1. 2006LThe Templar Legacylead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  2. 2007LThe Alexandria Linklead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  3. 2007LThe Venetian Betrayallead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  4. 2008LThe Charlemagne Pursuitlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  5. 2009LThe Paris Vendettalead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  6. 2010LThe Emperor’s Tomblead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  7. 2011LThe Jefferson Keylead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  8. 2013LThe King’s Deceptionlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  9. 2014LThe Lincoln Mythlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  10. 2015LThe Patriot Threatlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  11. 2016LThe 14th Colonylead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  12. 2017LThe Lost Orderlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  13. 2018LThe Bishop’s Pawnlead · Cotton MaloneHis first assignment in 1968, told as a flashbackBuy
  14. 2019LThe Malta Exchangelead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  15. 2020LThe Warsaw Protocollead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  16. 2021LThe Kaiser’s Weblead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  17. 2023LThe Last Kingdomlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  18. 2024LThe Atlas Maneuverlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  19. 2025LThe Medici Returnlead · Cotton MaloneBuy
  20. 2026LThe Devil’s Biblelead · Cotton MaloneBuy

Appears most often with

CharacterBooks together
Gary MaloneCotton’s son20
Stephanie NelleHead of the Magellan Billet, Malone’s former boss20
Cassiopeia VittWealthy adventurer and Malone’s partner19
Danny DanielsUS President, later former President19
Luke DanielsYoung agent, nephew of the President12
Henrik ThorvaldsenDanish billionaire and Malone’s friend7