ISBN: 0-89296-509-6 Order from:
This mildly pleasant mystery features a complicated plot of archeological exploitation, greed, murder and politics, in a colorful setting.
Reviewed by David on October 20, 2002
Genre: Mystery (Historical, Police Procedural, Politics, Egypt)
Synopsis: Captain Owen, formerly of the Britich Army, is now attached to the English Consulate in Egypt—in fact, if not in name, the government of Egypt. The young man is the Mamur Zapt—the head of the political police in Cairo.
Miss Skinner, an American visitor, asks many embarassing questions, both of the English administration, and the Egyptian antiquities trade. Alas, her uncle is a US Senator, and presidential hopeful. Thus, she is too important to ignore. In fact, she is so important that the Mamur Zapt is asked to keep her safe, after a suspicious accident comes close to seriously injuring her. Safe, and out of the way of the administration.
Skinner's trip to an archeological dig seems to be just perfect—before she takes up the mysterious deaths of two workers, and the possible disappearance of valuable uncovered artifacts. In a country with the loosest of controls on export of historical treasures, strong and greedy pashas, ruthless grave-robbers and shameless fakers, Owen has a hard time discovering the truth behind the deaths—and the possible smuggling ring.
Full Review: As before, the colorful, tense and complex environment of Egypt under a colonial English administration provides the bulk of the color in this short but complicated mystery. For much of the plot, the protagonist seems baffled by the occurences. While Owen's persistence and skill lead to the solution in the end, the apparent lack of progress throughout much of the plot leads to less than complete satisfaction when the secrets are finally uncovered.
Intentionally, the indictment of the various crimes investigated in the book seem overshadowed by the iniquities whole political structure, with its corrupt Egyptian order complemented by self-centered and pragmatic colonial rule.
The mystery is mostly satisfying, but a bit thin on true investigational progress.
Overall: 5; Plot: 5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5.5; World-building: 7; Originality: 6.5;
Copyright date 1992, Warner Books (Mysterious Press), October 1995, Cloth, 186 pages
ISBN: 0-89296-509-6 Order from: