SECRETS OF THE NILE is the perfect mix of historical settings, fabulously dynamic characters, and a whodunnit to investigate. Alexander truly gifts her readers not only with a view of the world in 1904 but also with a wonderful depiction of Ancient Egypt.

With all good historical fiction, it is my humble opinion that the reader needs to feel at home in the time period you are reading about. And with this book, I felt as if I were there with Lady Emily and her Egyptian counterpart, Meryt. Both of these women jumped off the page with their strong-willed attitudes, fierce loyalty to those close to them, and willingness to push the boundaries of what a woman was in their society. These amazing characters were only made possible by the eloquence and craft the author brings to her writing. The way the mystery unraveled was done at the perfect pace, and the tie-in of ancient Egypt with 1904 Egypt infused with British visitors made for a simply perfect ending.

This historical mystery is engaging, entertaining, and gives you just enough intrigue to keep your interest until the very end. I will definitely be checking out Lady Emily’s other investigations soon.


Series Side Note: Though SECRETS OF THE NILE is the sixteenth book in the Lady Emily series, it is the first I have read by the author. I wasn’t quite sure if it would truly be able to stand alone. However, I was proven wrong. This was engaging, the characters’ relationships were easy to figure out, and most of the backstory was explained. I will say, at times, I wondered if it would be better to know a little more about the dynamics with Lady Emily and her family, but I guess that just gives me a reason to start from book one.

I have been reading this series since the beginning. I really like the character of Lady Emily. She's smart and courageous and kind and not willing to accept the limits placed on women in the late Victorian and early Edwardian era.

Secrets of the Nile is the 16th book in this historical mystery series and takes place in Egypt in 1904. Lady Emily is traveling with her husband, her mother-in-law, and her step-daughter when a death occurs at a dinner party.

There is a second timeline that takes place in ancient Egypt and I enjoyed this story just as much as the main one. Both timelines are told from first person perspective.

I really like how Emily and Colin work together. He is careful and protective but never prevents her from doing the things she's good at. They are great partners.

I enjoyed the mystery. Everyone at the dinner had motives for murder and the slow reveal of the truth was satisfying. There was a gathering of the suspects at the end and I always enjoy that. I figured out the solution but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of this story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mysterious, atmospheric, and entertaining

In this latest novel by Alexander, Secrets of the Nile, we head to 1904, where at the invitation of antiquities collector Lord Deeley, Lady Emily, her husband, her mother-in-law, and her stepdaughter travel to Egypt to enjoy some culture and history only to find themselves immediately embroiled in a clue-like murder mystery when at the dinner on the first evening their host winds up dead, and all the friends and acquaintances surrounding him seem to have had more than one motive for murder.

The writing style is vivid and light. The characters, including the intelligent, independent heroine, are well-developed, complex, and intriguing. And the plot is a well-paced, engaging whodunit full of twists, turns, amateur sleuthing, red herrings, suspects, customs, tradition, deduction, and danger.

Overall, Secrets of the Nile is a cosy, enjoyable, satisfying tale by Alexander that I thoroughly enjoyed, and which is without a doubt another wonderful addition to the Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries.

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and Ms. Alexander for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

As an individual who has always been partial to ancient Egyptian history and settings, I know that Tasha Alexander’s latest Lady Emily book would be right up my metaphorical alley. Secrets of the Nile did not disappoint: Lady Emily does her best to explore the history Egypt has to offer in a way that makes the hot, dry desert seem like the ultimate adventure. I’ve always wanted to go but circumstances so far have not been conducive; this book gave me a little opportunity to armchair travel 😊

Emily, her husband Colin, her mother-in-law Ann, and her stepdaughter Kat have travelled to Luxor to visit an old friend of Ann’s: Lord Deeley, who is to Ann something like Jeremy is to Emily. Lord Deeley dies of cyanide poisoning following dinner on the inaugural night of the visit, and Colin and Emily investigate Lord Deeley’s various guests. None of the potential motives are particularly overwhelming so I was unsure up to the very end as to what happened and why. More interesting is the parallel story of Meryt, an ancient Egyptian woman living in the artisan’s village near Luxor (which one of Lord Deeley’s guests, archaeologist Mr. McLeod, is slowly uncovering in the “present day” story). It’s not entirely clear what bearing the ancient story has on the “modern” one but frankly I thought the sense of foreboding and dread in Meryt’s story was more compelling. I was most interested in what happened to Meryt and found myself looking forward to her sections the most.

The descriptions of Emily riding an Arabian horse across the desert, though, instilled the most absolute sense of jealousy of a fictional character I have come across in a long time.

⭐⭐⭐1/2

I just finished Secrets of the nile by Tasha Alexander

Lady Emily and Colin, her husband, have joined Colin’s mother to see the treasures of Egypt. Lord Bertram, a British collector of antiquities is their host and he has also invited his closest friends for a river cruise on the fabulous Nile, to his lavish home in Luxor. The first night, something terrible happens during his toast. Who would want their host dead?

Emily and Colin decide to investigate and it is revealed that his closest friends all had reasons for wanting him gone.

Can they find out who before it is too late?

In an epic nod to Agatha Christie, this book hit all the marks for me. Who doesn’t love historical fiction that takes place in the beautiful country of Egypt? The plot was fabulous! I loved the murder mystery in a historical fiction setting. It ticked all the boxes for me and I loved Emily. What a woman! I am obsessed with Egypt so this book already had a head start to my heart but it didn’t need the help. Pace was exceptional and the writing was so captivating, that I couldn’t put the book down. I thirsted for more and not because the book didn’t deliver, but because I didn’t want it to end.

The character development was top notch and I couldn’t have asked for more.

5 stars!! Get your copy NOW! If you need some murder mystery in your historical fiction the look no further.

Thank you to #stmartinspress and #netgalley for my review copy!

I loved this colorful tale filled with lots of twists and turns, unique complex characters and descriptive story! Murder and mayhem ensue in this intriguing story of a crime that leads back to the era of the Pharaohs! Simply brilliant! A real page turner and a must read

Secrets of the Nile by Tasha Alexander
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This was sort of a historical mystery set in 1904. It followed Lady Emily and her husband Colon Hargreaves on their trip to Egypt to visit an old family friend. After dinner someone is poisoned and Lady Emily is keen to help solve the mystery of who is the murderer.
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I really liked the other mystery aspect to this book. Every ofher chapter is from even further in the past (ancient Egypt) and follows Meryt who lives in a small village of artisans who are preparing tombs for the Pharoahs.
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If you loves Agatha Christie books then I could see you being a fan of this series. There is a large group of people for Lady Emily to subtly interview throughout the story, and everyone has their secrets.
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And I enjoyed how both stories ended. 👏🏼👏🏼 Very good!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I enjoyed this book MORE than I thought I would and would be interested in going back to the first one and reading the other.

I really enjoyed reading this book. From the moment that I started reading this book, I was hooked on it and had a really hard time putting it down when I needed to go do something. IT moves along at a pace that is the perfect flow for the story, not too fast nor too slow. The characters are fantastic and you will love them. They seem so real that you feel like you know them. This book is a must read, there is no doubt about it.

Two intriguing stories running parallel.

It’s 1904. Colin Hargreaves and Lady Emily find themselves accompanying Colin’s mother, Mrs Hargreaves, on a journey to Luxor in Egypt.
An old friend of Mrs Hargreaves had been inviting her for years to accompany him. This year she’s decided to go. Colin’s daughter Katharina von Lange joins them.
Unfortunately at the end of a scrumptious meal their host takes a sip of his nightly tisane—and dies, poisoned by cyanide.
Now it falls to Lady Emily and Colin to solve the mystery. As their quest continues it seems every guest has a reason to be at odds with their host. As they assemble their facts someone else is sending them clues.
I freely admit to being seduced by the romantic descriptions of Egypt.
The other story is set in ancient times, in Regnal Year Two, in area in what is now an archeological dig called, “Pa Demi—the village—although it was officially known as Set-Ma’at—the Place of Truth.” It was a village near to the Valley of the Kings, for the artisans and craftsman who built the Pharaoh’s tombs. We meet a young sculptress, Meryt, who is sculpting ushabtis, things of everyday life, for the tomb of the Pharaohs. She is being harassed by someone in the village. Her carvings have brought charges of evil magic from many villagers. This builds to an unexpected crescendo for Meryt and her family members.
One of the points in common—the ushabtis sculptures, roll through both stories.
A thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery!

A St Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

I love Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series of Victorian/Edwardian mysteries. The relationship between Emily and her handsome husband, Colin, is really sigh-worthy. I also like the way that Alexander weaves a story from the past with the modern mystery. In this story, Emily and Colin are investigating the poisoning of their host in his home near the Valley of the Kings. The story from the past concerns a woman who was a sculptor of statues to go into tombs during the time of Ramses II. I get so involved with both stories that I can’t put the book down as I want to find out what happens to resolve each of them. It’s a winning formula and I can’t wait to see where Lady Emily will travel next.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

In this 16th installment of the series, Lady Emily and Colin are in Egypt, accompanying her mother-in-law on a lengthy trip to Egypt without the boys. Hopes of an escape from chaos, death, and investigations are dashed almost immediately, with intrigue in nearly every corner. I always love spending time with Emily, Colin, and their family, but this visit was especially fun due to the setting and the allusions to Elizabeth Peters’ trailblazing Amelia Peabody books.

Emily’s turn of the 20th century Egypt is juxtaposed with Ancient Egypt (through a secondary story woven into the novel), contrasting societal norms around religion, gender, and art. These themes are thoughtfully addressed without overpowering the plot.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author Tasha Alexander for early access to this captivating mystery.

I cannot give a full review at this time as I am still reading through this book. However I have been enjoying the story. I've gotten into reading Agatha Christie books this year and have been super excited to read this one since I got approved.

A trip down the Nile for Lady Emily Hargreaves and her husband Colin provides breathtaking scenery, an exploration of the ancient pyramids and an unexpected investigation when their host is murdered. On their first night ashore at a dinner hosted by Lord Deeley, his guests enjoy a selection of gourmet dishes and a chance to introduce themselves before the host receives a cyanide laced after dinner drink. The authorities are quick to blame one of the servants who has disappeared, but Emily and Colin are not content to accept their conclusion. While his guests called Deeley their friend, by the following morning evidence begins to surface that points to each guest having a motive.

Lady Wilona was a bitter gossip who was receiving support from Deeley, but found it humiliating. Mr. Granard was partly responsible for Deeley’s failed political ambitions. Deeley had promised to support McLeod’s dig, but he later withdrew his support. He intervened and ruined Troutbridge’s relationship with the woman he loved. There is even evidence that could link Colin’s mother to the death. Shortly before her husband’s death he had been arguing with Deeley over his possible illegal acquisition of artifacts. Each guest protests the suggestion that they may have been involved with the death. Emily and Colin also have doubts as the evidence against each guest seemed to be conveniently planted.

The mystery of Deeley’s death has ties to sculptures created by Meryt in the time of the Pharoahs. Tasha Alexander alternates her chapters between Lady Emily’s investigation and Meryt’s story, explaining the origin of the statues and the part they play. It is a fascinating look at the ancient culture and the importance of the statues in their burial rites. This is a mystery that will keep you guessing as each revelation points to a new suspect. In a closing scene reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s mysteries, the suspects are all gathered as Lady Emily summarizes the evidence and reveals her solution. This is another excellent entry in Alexander’s Lady Emily Hargreaves series. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

Secrets of the Nile is the fifth title in a long running historical mystery series that I have had the pleasure to read and review. I was delighted to once again spend time with Lady Emily and her husband Colin. For those who don’t know, Colin has had a number of delicate jobs that he has done for the government. Emily is independent and strong, a woman who is educated and feistier than many of her time and social class. Together they make a formidable team.

This time, the two are spending time in Egypt with Colin’s mother and his daughter from a prior relationship. They have gone there at the invitation of Lord Deeley, an old friend of Colin’s mother. Lord Deeley is a prodigious collector of all things ancient Egyptian; he also can antagonize people.

Early in the book, Lord Deeley has a dinner party. The guests are from varied backgrounds including an archaeologist and a politician. As readers of mysteries know, something bad is about to happen at this dinner.

There is a parallel plot set in ancient Egypt. This features siblings who are very close to each other. The young woman is a bit like Lady Emily, better educated than most and a person with talents. How will her and her brother’s story entwine with the Christie like murder in an Egyptian home?

This story is engaging and fun. The author also has done her research. A number of books of interest to budding Egyptologists are mentioned in the text.

Where Colin and Lady Emily go, adventure follows. Go along with them and see how the story unfolds.

I was happy to read this latest enjoyable entry in the series. Cozy and historical mystery fans, this is for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur for this title.

“Colossal ancient monuments. Azure skies. Desert sunsets. The endless romance of the Nile. That was my vision of travel in Egypt”

✔️ Luxor 1904 - a very Agatha Christie style #murdermystery where the host of an elaborate dinner dies by cyanide poisoning and Lady Emily is there with her family and works to solve the crime . I enjoyed this mystery whoever everyone was a suspect
🔘 Pa Demi, Regnal Year Two - a young woman and her new sister in law are caught in a family drama … kind of connects to the story in Luxor but I wasn’t too clear on the need for this story and it just never felt fully developed to me

Tasha Alexander takes Colin and Emily (along with Colin's mother and daughter) to Egypt in this newest novel in the long running series. Mrs. Hargreaves is reuniting with a long ago admirer. Colin, Emily and Kat are along for the vacation. But the vacation turns serious (yet again!) when their host dies of cyanide poisoning. As Colin and Emily investigate, it becomes clear that there are as many motives as there are guests at the house party.

In the process of untangling the problem, Alexander gives an unexpected treat, imagining a meet-up with Amelia Peabody and her archeological family.

A parallel story about an ancient Egyptian family and their intrigues is interesting, if a little uncomplicated.

Fans of the series will enjoy this, as will readers new to the adventures of the investigating duo.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Secrets of the Nile by Tasha Alexander (Lady Emily Mystery #16) 4 stars

Lady Emily, her mother-in-law, and her husband Colin Hargreaves are on holiday in Egypt. An old suitor of Mrs. Hargreaves, Lord Bertram Deeley has invited them for a visit of his luxury home in Luxor. Unfortunately the lavish dinner party ends with the host dead and more suspects that you can count. Can Lady Emily and Colin unravel this mystery and find the true culprit?

As in previous mysteries the author presents two mysteries that have a common thread. In this case, part of the book takes place in ancient Egypt and the common thread is Egyptian antiquities. I enjoyed the chapters that took place in ancient Egypt; it showed life among artisans connected with the construction of royal tombs. The historical mystery investigated by Lady Emily and company was interesting. But what really made this book fun was the little Easter eggs that alluded to popular characters from another mysteries series set in the same timeline. I had a wonderful time searching for those Easter eggs. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

This series has been on my list of favorites since the first book and, at #16, time spent with Lady Emily has always been a great reading pleasure. When I received the ARC for Secrets of the Nile I set it aside as one would do with a pleasure that is to be saved for a rainy day, the time when life really gets up your nose and escape is what you require ASAP. The way I always felt when reading about Amelia and Emerson Peabody.
Finally Lady Emily has arrived in Egypt but her thoughts of a lovely time spent with Colin and the glorious sights is, sadly, not that. Her mother-in-law has been invited to spend time at the lavish home of Lord Bertram Deeley at Luxor. While the rest of the guests travel there on his dahabeeyah, Lady Emily, Colin, his mother, Mrs. Ann Hargreaves and his daughter, Kat travel on their own boat. Lady Emily hopes that her relationship with Ann and Kat will, one day, improve. Will solving a murder at a stately home in Luxor help or hinder?
The night of the sumptuous dinner ends with their host poisoned by cyanide in his after dinner tisane. Which of the supposed close friends in attendance hated him enough to spike his drink? Was money a motive? or something else entirely.....each one had a secret and each secret showed a side of Lord Bertram that could have made murder the solution in someones mind. Let the investigation commence with Lady Emily and Colin tracking down a killer amid the beauty of Egypt in 1904.
As a long time fan of the great Elizabeth Peters (in real life Barbara Mertz, Egyptologist extraordinaire) this was a lovely nod to her and also to Dame Agatha Christie. It felt like being in a gorgeous setting with old friends.
As well as the mystery set in 1904 there is another story told, set in Ancient Egypt, one that is equally engrossing. I was sorry to reach the end of Secrets of the Nile knowing that I have to wait at least another year to spend time with a wonderful cast of characters tackling another complex and satisfying mystery.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lady Emily has long wanted to take a romantic trip down the Nile with her husband Colin. While having her stepdaughter and mother-in-law on the dahabiya might not be the romantic trip Emily had imagined it is because of her mother-in-law that the trip is happening at all and thankfully Emily and Colin's three boys aren't there. Yet. There have been some rather alarming correspondences about train timetables and crocodiles. Hopefully their nanny is up to the job of keeping them in England. As for their trip, Mrs. Ann Hargreaves has been lifelong friends with Lord Bertram Deeley and due to his late wife's health he has wintered every year in Egypt at his magnificent home in Luxor. And each voyage he has peopled his house with friends. He has long hoped the Ann would join him in Egypt. But until now Ann hasn't felt up to visiting. Egypt was were she met her beloved late husband. They met halfway up the Great Pyramid at Giza and were engaged by the time they came down. A story that has always endeared her mother-in-law to Emily through all their strife. Needless to say Emily is not the sort of wife Ann pictured for her son. But that doesn't preclude her from using Emily as a convenient shield against Lord Deeley's plans. Showing Emily, Colin, and Katarina Egypt in her own way meant that instead of being on his boat with the other guests they have taken their voyage at a more sedate pace. Plus they were spared the other guests. Now that they have finally arrived in Luxor and are at the mercy of Lord Deeley's hospitality they are now defenseless against his other guests; Mr. Troubridge, an amusing fellow, or so says Lord Deeley, Mr. Inigo Granard, Lord Deeley's political counterpart, and Inigo's wife Adelaide, Lady Wilona Bestwick, a termagant if ever their was one, and her young companion, Miss Pandora Evans, Dr. Oliver Rockley, a young doctor to assure the safety of the travelers, and finally Mr. McLeod, an archaeologist at a nearby dig who has been invited to fill out the numbers. As they take in the opulence of Lord Deeley's house his hospitality is almost suffocating. He has done everything he can for his guests, including preparing the most sumptuous of feasts. A feast that is to be his last as he dies from arsenic that was added to his special tisane he partakes of at the end of every meal. The police assume it is the work of a disgruntled employee who has since run away, but Emily and Colin aren't so sure. Therefore it is up to them to find out who the real murderer is because they were most likely at that dinner table and one rarely stops at one murder.

If you are a fan of Lady Emily and Tasha Alexander you are perhaps overwhelmed that Emily has finally made it to Egypt. You knew this would one day happen but every time a new volume was introduced Emily was off to Russia or Greece or France or anywhere that wasn't Egypt. And us die hard fans have long known how much Tasha has been wanting to write this volume. She is one of the biggest Elizabeth Peters fans out there and she has peppered references throughout previous volumes. So I can tell you that not only is today the day, but that today is magnificent. This book is everything Lady Emily fans have wanted, this is everything Elizabeth Peters fans have wanted, and it is even everything Agatha Christie fans have wanted, and I'll even say Clue fans will find something to love. I have not enjoyed an Egyptian mystery this much since Elizabeth Peters' The Curse of the Pharaohs, which is hands down my favorite in the Amelia Peabody series. And if anyone is wondering, yes, Amelia was in the Valley of the Kings in 1904 when this book is set but that is all that you will drag out of me on that subject. As for how much I love Egypt, I will talk your ear off! My entire life I have been fascinated with Egypt, perhaps because my parents loved to tell me stories that were equal parts historical and terrifying. I remember crying at the Chicago Field Museum because my Dad told me if I looked on the pharaoh I would be forever cursed. And in an interesting twist of fate a dear friend of my family actually worked on the excavation of Tut's tomb with Howard Carter. I've been to every traveling exhibit of mummies that has come within a day's drive from me for as long as I can remember. And back in 2011 I was overjoyed when I stumbled on the Haskell Oriental Museum at the University of Chicago and was well chuffed it was mentioned within the pages of this book. I mean, I think it's mandatory because Tasha used to live in Chicago, but another author might be remiss. But what gets me every time I read one of Tasha's books is that she connects to the wonders of a place on a different level. There's a depth of feeling and understanding that makes you realize how much she loves Emily's passion and they ignite in the reader a love as well. Not just of Emily, but of the wonders of the world she is seeing. Secrets of the Nile took me back to my Art History classes where my deep admiration of Egypt was assured and Tasha once again had me falling in love with a culture I had previously studied. By now I've convinced you that this book is all about Egypt, but it's not, it's about mystery and romance and, just like Emily's first adventure, And Only to Deceive, the fluidity and mutability of our pasts. How new evidence can change how you look at a previous event forever. If I have one hope for this book it's that you will fall in love with Egypt forever. Sorry, I seem incapable of not bringing it back around to Egypt. It's a mystery!

This is the 16th installment in Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily Mysteries series. I've read most of the books in this series and have thoroughly enjoyed every one. The nice thing is that you don't have to read them in order or start at the beginning - each one, including this one, can be read as a stand-alone historical mystery and any back-story you might have missed is easily deduced through context. Lady Emily is one of my favorite cozy mystery main characters and she doesn't disappoint in this book - she's just as quick and witty as ever and is obviously the intellectual superior to all supporting characters, although her husband, Colin, is no disappointment and complements her perfectly. Loved the Egyptian setting and revisiting a few side characters, including Mrs. Hargreaves. If you're a fan of British Cozy Mysteries, do give any one of this series a try - I think you'll love it. Strong 4.5 star - only misses the 5 because I'm always left wanting just a little more.