Steve Berry and the Amber Room

I started reading Steve Berry books after loving the DaVinci Code and was desperately looking for anything even remotely similar in story type.  After listening to my endless chatter and whining about not being able to find an author or story that fit this criterion, a co-worker suggested Steve Berry (and prayed I would shut up).  Although there are similarities in the theme and plot structure, it does not seem respectful or even accurate to describe Steve Berry stories as Dan Brown facsimiles.  Berry enlightens readers with history, art and architecture while doing superb job of building suspense throughout all his novels.  The Amber Room, Berry’s first novel published in 2003, involves the beautifully crafted Amber Room which was created in the early 1700’s for the first King of Prussia, Frederick 1.  This architectural marvel was an actual chamber made entirely of Amber panels and gold leaf mirrors.  However after the chaos and looting caused by the Nazi’s during World War II, the Amber room was supposedly disassembled and never heard of again.  This book takes place in the present (2003) and features two protagonists caught up in a race to uncover the secret of the Amber Room by unraveling a series of clues as to its whereabouts.  Of course nothing is that easy and the two soon realize they are not alone in their pursuit in unraveling the mystery of Amber Room; Powerful men, with highly questionable morals, are also eager to acquire the secrets of the Amber Room for their own agendas.  This novel is fast paced and highly entertaining.  I definitely recommend this novel to all those out there wishing for a page turner.  Also check out Berry’s other novels, especially the novels starring the recurring leading character Cotton Malone who makes his first appearance in the Romanov Prophecy.