Valley of the Kings: A Novel of Tutankhamun by Cecelia Holland

 

Publication Date:

January 1, 1978

Length:

231 pages

Summary:

I have heard about Holland's books for years and finally have read one. I love all things Egypt, pyramids, etc. so this was the place to start. Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon's unearthing of King Tut's tomb in 1922 is a fascinating story and I have read Holland stays true to history when writing her historical fiction. That is a must for me as I read these kinds of novels.

I know there are already many reviews for this book over the years. It is interesting that you don't know going in the book is divided into two parts: Howard Carter's story and King Tut's time period story. The first half details Carter's search for the tomb. Carter is an experienced archaeologist drawn to Egypt and its history and the search for the elusive tomb of King Tut. His frustration with the Egyptian government's slow pace and bureaucracy in allowing for the digs he wishes to conduct, not to mention the lack of funding leads to constant frustration. He teams up with a British aristocrat, Lord Carnarvon who shares an interest, although he is not obsessed to the degree Carter is. But willing to finance Carter's dream and work alongside him is enough to make the reality come true. Carter accepts the assistance and dodging local government regulations and resistance he doggedly pursues the tomb. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Murder On the Nile by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 19)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Murder On the Nile by Verity Bright. I'm currently on Book 10 of this series and I just love it. It is one of the few cozy series I started with at the beginning and have reviewed throughout the whole series so far. There is just something about it that appeals to me with the fun locations, clever, witty characters and gorgeous covers. It is a cozy series worth committing to. I hope you have a great week with whatever you can't wait to read!

September 26, 2024

Cozy Mysteries/Historical Mysteries

A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body!

1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra…

Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance.

But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret?

With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever?

Noteworthy News #3: History Hit: Tutankhamen and the Valley of the Kings

 

I didn't have a review this week as I'm currently reading two books, one of which is an 800 page Penman epic and I'm nowhere near finished with my shorter book either. So I wanted to shift gears from reviewing and post some noteworthy news. In thinking about something interesting I've run across lately, I wanted to give a mention to the series on the podcast, History Hit, about the Valley of the Kings and the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb. I have listened to the first episode and it is an award winning series with four episodes total. As work has been crazy in February I have been doing more listening and less reading. But that's okay because this series is so good! 

Dan Snow narrates and visits on the 100th anniversary (I'm a bit behind as this series debuted last year in 2022) and the podcast replayed it this past November. He takes you on a journey down the Nile in Luxor to the burial chambers of the pharaohs and tells the history of the Valley of the Kings. He covers the story of the archaeologists involved and gives the history behind how they made their discoveries.

The next four episodes will delve more into the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, his life, and legacy. I plan to finish these in March and look forward to more from this amazing podcast. It has so much original content you just can't find anywhere else. Perfect for history lovers everywhere!