I'll be kind here; maybe more of a 2.5. Another in the series of ancient Egyptian mysteries featuring the astute Chief Judge Amerotke and his sidekick the dwarf Shufoy during the reign of Hatshepsut [Hatusu]. This one involves tomb robbers, murders, arson and kidnapping of four temple maidens. The intrepid duo set out to solve the crimes and capture a gang led by the mysterious Khetra. I liked the characters bouncing theories of 'whodunnit' off each other and why. The ending did seem neatly wrapped up, where Amerotke got everyone together he thought might be guilty in some way into a room. He threw out his solution, then confessions flew left and right, out of the blue. This seemed implausible and contrived. Usually although I usually can't figure out the guilty party, the solution will logically trail back to him or her. The author seems to know his Egyptian history and something of the culture--a positive--but the characters were all wooden and I couldn't connect with any. Light, escapist reading, nothing of note here. I may try something from the author's other mystery series, but I don't think I'll read any more of these.
Another detailed look into the culture of ancient Egypt. I'm at the point that I can't wait to finish remodeling my pond in my backyard so I can sit around and smell the lotus while I feast on sugared dates and grilled goose.I feel myself being drawn into Egypt more and more with each mystery solved. The sequencing of this book is the same as the four before but the murders and punishment seem to get a little more gruesome. It does seem repetitious, as far as a murder tied to a temple and priests, the personal insult of the pharaoh, the heroic investigator who always gets his man, the loyal servant. It is almost like watching the old Perry Mason or Father Dowling Mysteries each week. You know that after certain steps, our hero gets the guest stars together and finds one of them guilty of murder.I do like the page at the beginning of each chapter that gives us a vocabulary lesson.But there is enough to keep me wanting to read the next book in the series, maybe I will get a surprise.
What do You think about The Assassins Of Isis (2006)?
This is another Egyptian murder mystery with Amerotke, Chief Judge of the Hall of Two Truths, trying to solve several seemingly unrelated mysteries. A mysterious gang called Sebaus has stolen a powerful secret involving Hatusu, Pharaoh-Queen of the XVIII dynasty; and her lover Senenmut, Grand Vizier. The secret was stolen while the gang was robbing the tomb of Rahimere, a disgraced former Grand Vizier of Egypt. Sub-plots include a retired senior general who was killed by a swarm of horned vipers, four missing virgins from the Temple of Isis, and old people disappearing after dying in the House of Twilight. A good involved read.
—Dyana
