Thank to you NetGalley & publishers for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was excited to see another series created by Lawrence, this time featuring a female lead. Lawrence spins an intriguing, educated, determined, raw, vulnerable, relatable and poignant character in Elizabeth van den Broek. From a party thrown by Mrs. Astor to a morgue chasing down a story, van den Broek stands apart from women of her time. The mystery surrounding each murder builds as the story goes on, and honestly-who I thought might be the madman wasn't at all! I look forward to more installments in this series that touches on mental health, women's rights, women's autonomy, human rights and mystery.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I saw the title and immediately had to know more as I love all things Egypt. This was a mystery set in late 1800s New York with a female detective as the lead in a time where that was very uncommon. I enjoyed the bit of Egyptology that was woven throughout the novel. there are some violet events in scene but that is to be expected given the topic of the book. It also reminded me a bit of the Alienist which is set in the same time and setting.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The story follows Elizabeth Van Den Broek, a young and ambitious aspiring journalist who discovers a horrific crime and oddly arranged dead body in New York’s Central Park one morning. Elizabeth is tasked with following serval clues and mythological ideas to help uncover who the killer is and why they are wreaking havoc on New York City.

This was a captivating and interesting read. It was the first e-book story I have ever read and what a great novel to start my journey. The author has done a fantastic job at transporting me to NYC in the 1880s. I really enjoyed the time and research Carole Lawrence put into both explaining and integrating Egyptian mythology into this story, I cannot wait to learn more about this classical period.

Our main character Elizabeth was incredible, she was breath of fresh air. A go-getter, confident, yet complex character navigating the problems and issues that women faced in the 19th century. She was the perfect protagonist, especially because she had her foot in all aspects of society.

The novel gave me Mindhunter vibes. While I had absolutely no clue who the killer could be, I saw similarities to notorious serial killers, particularly Ed Kemper and the Zodiac Killer. I’m not sure whether or not this was intentional but I enjoyed it a lot.

There were a couple of aspects that I didn’t enjoy. I personally, wished for some more clues as to who the killer could have been. I also think the cover could be more eye-catchy and compelling. This title, synopsis, and the story, in general, are so captivating, that I think it would be more successful with a different cover.

I want to thank both Carole Lawrence and NetGalley for my free online copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This book is a murder mystery set in the 1880’s in New York city. We are introduced to a young Elizabeth Van Den Broek who is an aspiring newspaper columnist. She is progressive for the time, denouncing her family’s wealth and status and searching for more, being “for the people”. She finds a body in a park and convinces her bosses at the paper to let her do an investigative crime piece which leads to more murder.

Unfortunately the book did not really give me any suspense or thrill that I usually expect from a murder mystery. There were no breadcrumbs or clues as to who the killer was, and you did not get any useful insight to the killer until you met him on the last page. The description of New York at this time were excessive and overdrawn. And the believability of a young woman being in the mix in this way were equally unbelievable. Having a very well off main character being the “only writer” at the newspaper, a job which she got because of her rich parents, gave an eye roll. There were multiple plot points that were not fully flushed out that came up through the book. The connection with her father, the assault, the dagger itself, the friends, all of it just didn’t wrap up nicely for me.

This book could’ve been about a progressive young woman in New York, OR a murder, but doing both was just confusing an unsatisfying in the end.

I loved the Egyptian history references in this book. Great thriller! Bodies show according to Egypt lore. Earth, water, fire, etc.

I'm a big fan of historical mysteries, particularly those set during the Renaissance period and those set during America's Gilded Age. "Cleopatra's Dagger" is set in the latter, and is quite the engrossing read. I finished it in 4 days, and that is only because I forced myself to take a slower reading pace lol. The author does a fantastic job of drawing you in with all the details of both the murders and Gilded Age society overall. The main character, through investigating the murders, sees the juxtaposition of her upper-crust life with that of the lower-class. And the murderer was not who I suspected it to be. It was a surprise for me, and that combined with the overall story, made this book definitely worthwhile to read. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for this advanced copy, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Perfect for those who enjoy mysteries, thrillers and some historical aspects- and strong main characters.

Cleopatra's Dagger has been reviewed in the April Issue of Gumshoe Review and is exclusive to them until May 2022. You may read the review using this link:

<http://www.gumshoereview.com/php/Review-id.php?id=6931>

Picture this: It’s 1880 in NYC, and you’re the only female reporter at your newspaper. You accidentally come across a dead woman while walking in the park with your friend. There’s something that makes you want to investigate further (and to prove those jerk co-workers wrong). There’s a strange symbol on the first woman who was murdered, and then another one. Is this the work of a serial killer?

There was so much to love about this book. It’s fast-paced. It will keep you guessing. Elizabeth isn’t going to stop investigating despite the risks and perception - she’s kick-ass. There’s elements of Egyptian lore that are carefully woven in. The NYC old-school vibe is strong.

Overall, this book stands out to me and will be one I will recommend throughout the year, especially those who enjoy mysteries, thrillers and some historical aspects.

Thank you to the following for a complimentary copy of this book: @kayepublicity @angelabookspr

I have voluntarily read this book and the review expresses my own personal opinions.

Cleopatra’s Dagger by Carole Lawrence is a beautifully written, historical thriller. I had a feeling I would enjoy this when I read the blurb, but I absolutely loved this!!

The mystery is really well laid out. It kept me guessing and I didn’t feel like it was too obvious. I think it was paced very well and I was interested in the story from beginning to end.

I think the strongest aspect of this story is the historical aspects. The research done to make this feel real was really excellent and I felt transported back to NYC in 1880.

Overall, this was an entertaining read that was well written and paced to be exciting. I would recommend giving this a shot!

I recieved a free review copy to give my honest opinion. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

Elizabeth, the only woman columnist at the Herald, knows a story when she sees one, but convincing her editor she can write about a murder she might have witnessed proves nearly impossible. Elizabeth persists, however, as she has little interest in the society column she’s assigned to. Even though she is a member of a distinguished family and thus New York’s elite society, she knows the real stories are out in the streets. Everywhere she turns, someone is trying to convince she should not want what she really wants. When her mother asks her why it would be so bad to spend her life in society drawing rooms, Elizabeth defends herself. “Because the world is large and wide and full of adventure.”

I loved Elizabeth’s grit and integrity. Her devotion to her sister, a resident of Bloomingdale Insane Asylum, becomes entwined with the plot.

New York City in 1880—well in any age, New York City is a fascinating place. Elizabeth knows quite a bit of the history of neighborhoods and buildings.

But Elizabeth is at the heart of a story involving a serial killer, as she stumbles upon a body in the park. This one is dressed like a mummy. Subsequent, almost identical deaths point to a single person with an obsession with Ancient Egyptian gods and who is murdering young women.

The pursuit of the mystery is very well done, good pacing as Elizabeth hunts down witnesses and suspects. She encounters a charming and friendly neighbor who helps her with her amateur sleuthing.

I hope this will be the first in a new mystery series and highly recommend it.