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. 

The Pyramid Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith (The Miss Clara Vale Mysteries Book Three)

 

Publication Date:

June 13, 2024

Length:

293 pages

Summary:

This was the first book in the series that I have read. I skipped to book three because I liked the premise and location. It worked as a stand alone just fine, although starting at the beginning is usually better I agree. 

Clara Vale is an independent woman for 1930. She studied chemistry but began working as a detective of sorts which is unusual for women in her time. She attends a party at the Hancock Museum's opening exhibit of Egyptian artifacts and her good friend Daphne is counting on her support as it is her job to display and present the show. When the mummy inside the grand display sarcophagus turns out to be a fake, obviously replaced and the real mummy stolen, everyone is shocked and wonders where the real mummy might be. Clara wants to help, knowing her friend's reputation is on the line as well as wanting to catch the person who committed this theft. 

As she begins to investigate further, Clara finds that the mummy in the case is a person who has not been dead long. And she starts to suspect this is connected with a secret society and artifact smuggling ring. Traveling many miles across England and eventually led to Cairo in her search, Clara plays detective and walks a line between trying to find out the identify of the corpse without alerting the murderer and thieves. She is joined in her search by dashing men and her sidekick Bella who keeps her secrets well and is always there for her support and sleuthing. 

Covert in Cairo by Kelly Oliver: A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Two

 

Publication Date:

April 25, 2023

Length:

290 Pages

Summary:

This was on my Summer 2024 list because its setting is Egypt. I love the cover too. This has just been a cozy mystery year for me. Due to some personal stress this last year these keep me lighthearted and are welcome at the end of a long, trying day. I especially enjoyed the setting of the pyramids, tombs, and Egyptian feel. So even though I hadn't read any other books in the series I started with this one for those reasons. 

Former nurse Fiona Figg and her young friend Kitty Lane are working undercover for the British Intelligence Office. Escorted by their companion, Captain Clifford Douglas, they travel to Egypt working from a tip left by the elusive spy Fredrick Fredricks (ridiculous name I know, but stick with me!). Soaking in the tourist vibe the girls and Clifford get to know some locals, and investigate a supposed plot to blow up the Suez Canal, although Fiona is unsure if this is a red herring planted by Fredricks to disguise an ulterior motive and keep her distracted. Fredricks seems to pop up everywhere unexpectedly and both Fiona and Kitty do not trust him. He seems to be working as both a German spy and possibly British Intelligence but who knows?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Pyramid Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith (Miss Clara Vale Mysteries Book Three)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Pyramid Murders, by Fiona Veitch Smith.  If you subscribe to Amazon Prime the first two in the series are free to read. So I might go back and tackle those too. 

Hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week! 

June 13, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon

A night at the museum, a dead body and a trail to Cairo. Sounds like a case for Miss Clara Vale!

1930: Miss Clara Vale, chemistry major turned detective, is taking a night off from sleuthing to attend the launch party of a new exhibition at the Hancock Museum in Newcastle. But when the piece de resistance, a rare ornate sarcophagus, is finally opened and it turns out the mummy inside it is a fake it looks like there is no rest for Clara after all...

Later that night, she is summoned back to the museum and asked to investigate a series of stolen Egyptian artifacts. Using her scientific and forensic prowess, Clara, with her trusted assistant Bella in tow, embarks on a trail that will lead from Newcastle to London and along the river Nile to Cairo.

But she is not the only person hunting for stolen antiquities and when she uncovers an international smuggling ring with a penchant for murder, it becomes clear that Clara's own life is in danger too.

Can Clara catch the smugglers before they get away with another murder among the pyramids?

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!

Secret of the Scarab by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 5)

Publication Date: 

July 12, 2023

Length:

292 pages

Summary:

In this latest installment, Lady Caroline goes to Egypt with her Uncle Albert. Her role is more than niece, she is his companion and assistant as well. Along with members of the Royal Society for Natural Appreciation, they are planning a luxurious boat trip down the Nile to the city of Luxor where they will join in an exciting archaeological dig. Albert is a good natured, quirky sort who is obsessed with carved, stone beetles, as are all the members of the Royal Society, due to their revered status in Ancient Egyptian culture. Scarabs, or stone beetles, are plentiful and exciting finds to the men who are engaged in a contest of sorts to see who can obtain the most. 

As they ready for their adventure, Uncle Albert, who loves to wear fez hats, is anxious to meet the Egyptian maker of said hats in the marketplace of Cairo. When he and Caroline set out to find the hat maker, they are met with a bizarre encounter that holds danger and a mysterious note. All is tucked away in their minds as they embark on their journey and soon they forget about it as they make their way down the Nile.

On the boat ride they are joined by not only the Royal Society members but their assistants, other archaeologists, and an eccentric woman who dabbles in the supernatural realm. When one of the guests is attacked and killed by a crocodile on the banks of the river, everyone wants to believe it isn't a bad omen, but rather an unfortunate run of bad luck. As they move on to the site, strange events continue to confuse and plague the travelers and they begin to feel there is something more sinister going on. Exciting finds await them as they work to unveil the treasures of the dig area but it soon becomes clear that what has been uncovered is more than what anyone expected. When another "accidental death" occurs, Lady Caroline, Albert, and her love interest, James, try to find out what they are witnessing and put the puzzle together before anyone else is harmed. 

My Thoughts:

This was one of the better cozy mysteries. I find that the ones I stick with tend to feel more authentic, with plenty of details of the period. This book was wonderfully researched and I truly felt as though I'd been dropped in Luxor, Egypt in the 1920's. The author consistently stayed true to form throughout the book and didn't just give a little color in the first chapter and leave it at that. So many "historical" mysteries tend to do that. I learned a lot about scarabs, Egyptian culture, and the history of the story behind the treasure they uncover at the dig site. With some cozies I find myself wanting to skip through pages to get to the end because the period details, history, and mystery are wearing off and I can feel that there isn't much else to know. I read every page of this book and enjoyed it, not wanting to skip to the end. 

Lady Caroline occasionally spends a chapter musing through questions about the case and this was a good way to recap things because there really is a lot going on. I thought the author did a good job of keeping me guessing and even after one thing was resolved, the true ending hadn't been revealed yet. It had two endings to work through and the murderer was well hidden. I will be reading another by this author and am sorry I missed that her latest was a Christmas mystery that came out in November. I'm hoping she writes another one soon in another exotic location. 

Her website is very interesting with explanations of her research. I had a fun time reading her notes about how she studies for her books. If you are interested it is isabellabassett.com

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Royal Windsor Secret by Christine Wells

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa  at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Royal Windsor Secret by Christine Wells. Besides having a beautiful cover and intriguing title that made me want to stop and check it out, the premise is very original. The idea of a secret love child between the Prince of Wales and a scandalous woman? Who grows up an orphan in Cairo at the famous Shepheard's Hotel? Fascinating idea. Happy Reading! Hope you've found a book you can't wait for this week :) 

September 12, 2023

Historical Fiction/Women's Fiction

Description courtesy of Net Galley

Could she be the secret daughter of the Prince of Wales? In this dazzling novel by the author of Sisters of the Resistance, a young woman seeks to discover the truth about her mysterious past. Perfect for readers of Shana Abe, Bryn Turnbull, and Marie Benedict. 

Cleo Davenport has heard the whispers: the murmured conversations that end abruptly the second she walks into a room. Told she was an orphan, she knows the rumor—that her father is none other than the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. And at her childhood home at Cairo’s Shepheard’s Hotel, where royals, rulers, and the wealthy live, they even called her “The Princess.”

But her life is turned upside down when she turns seventeen. Sent to London under the chaperonage of her very proper aunt, she’s told it’s time to learn manners and make her debut. But Cleo’s life can’t be confined to a ballroom. She longs for independence and a career as a jewelry designer for Cartier, but she cannot move forward until she finds out about her past.

Determined to unlock the truth, Cleo travels from London, back to Cairo, and then France, where her investigations take a shocking turn into the world of the Parisian demi-monde, and a high-class courtesan whose scandalous affair with the young Prince of Wales threatened to bring down the British monarchy long before anyone had heard of Wallis Simpson.