I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 3.75 stars rounded up to 4. Secrets of the Nile find Lady Emily, her husband Colin, her mother-in-law Mrs. Hargreaves, and her step-daughter Katharina at the invitation of an old family friend of the Hargreaves, Lord Deeley. The group decides to stay on the dahabiya that they hired to travel down the Nile to Lord Deeley's home. Unfortunately, Lord Deeley dies suddenly and under mysterious circumstances. Emily being Emily decides to investigate and reluctantly accepts assistance from Katharina and Mrs. Hargreaves. The current (1904) storyline focused on finding out who killed Lord Deeley is well done and enjoyable; there are plenty of suspects to keep readers guessing. As is the custom of later books in this series, chapters alternate between a current timeline and a historical one. Although I have enjoyed some of the alternating chapters in the past, I have found them to be dragging a little bit in the last few titles in the series, but I do appreciate the research that goes into the storylines. I think they somewhat distract from the modern story. Overall, I enjoyed this title and based on the flashes of info that is revealed about Emily's three children, I hope that they begin to feature more prominently in upcoming series titles.

I have been pins and needles for this book since last summer when I found the Lady Emily series.

Tasha Alexander is a great writer and I have enjoyed everything she does.

The book gets a little slow in the middle, but takes off towards the end. It’s still the same formula - 2 different stories loosely related. But this book the story is much more loosely related and she develops the secondary story a little more.

I enjoyed it. I’m not sure how much longer she will keep this series going but I will definitely read any more.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance. I just reviewed Secrets of the Nile by Tasha Alexander. #NetGalley

The Lady Emily series gives me all the feels. Lady Emily and her second husband Colin Hargreaves are on a visit to Egypt with Colin’s mother, Lady Hargreaves. Lady Hargreaves is visiting an old childhood friend Lord Deeley. After Lady H married her friendship with Deeley had cooled, but he asked her to visit him in Egypt where she had met her husband. Lord Deeley is hosting quite a few people this season at his home near Luxor. After a lavish dinner, Deeley dies by poison in his tisane that only he drinks. The Egyptian authorities immediately blame an Egyptian servant who has gone missing from the house. Colin and Emily believe it was one of the guests instead.

They begin their inquiries into the relationships each guest had with Deeley and find quite a few motives. Even Lady Hargreaves had a reason two kill Deeley. As a fan of the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, I was delighted with a few Easter eggs. Secrets of the Nile hit the perfect note for me, historical facts, check, a stumper whodunit, check and characters you would want as friends, check.

It's 1904 and Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreav join his mother Ann at a wonderful home in Luxor, Egypt expecting to have warm winter holiday and not, as it turns out, investigating the murder of their host, Lord Bertram Deeley. He's poisoned (!) on their first day, thus setting off a very Agatha Christie (in a good way) hunt for the villain among the guests and others. There's a parallel story of Meryt, a sculptor in ancient Luxor. She's concerned about her sister in law and while the link to the 1904 story won't be immediately obvious, trust that the two tales will merge. This is a long running series but each one is perfectly enjoyable as a standalone- this is no exception. The Egyptian setting is nicely done, there's light humor, and the characters are terrific. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the series and those who enjoy historical mysteries.

I enjoy how much I learn while reading Alexander's novels. She paints a vivid visual portrait of her settings for armchair travelers. I have read every book in the Lady Emily series because I like Colin. Lady Emily and I have a more complicated relationship. But like her butler, I am devoted to her even though she is exasperating most times. Actually, I am more devoted to reading about her escapades than her.

In this book, I found the historical mystery set in ancient Egypt the most engaging and the ending unexpected. I usually roll my eyes when the historical location passages interrupt Lady Emily's story like commercials. But I didn't like any of the characters in the mystery set in 1904 Egypt and figured out who was responsible for the murder a little over halfway through the novel. I gave this novel four stars because there was no one likeable in this novel.

The annual return of Lady Emily – wherever she may journey – is always something to celebrate. In this outing, Tasha Alexander’s 16th, Lady Emily and the dashing Colin have chosen to accompany Colin’s mother on a trip down the Nile. The host, Lord Deeley, is an admirer of Lady Hargreaves, Colin’s mother, as well as an old friend, and joining the expedition is Colin’s daughter Kat. Emily has a slightly prickly relationship with both women, one she tries very hard to set right.

The first part of the journey is a dreamy cruise, seeing antiquities by day, enjoying their ship at night. The Hargreaves family is on their own little boat, while Lord Deeley’s party is on a bigger and faster one. It’s when they arrive at Deeley’s home in Luxor that the trouble starts. After an incredibly luxurious – and very British – meal, Lord Deeley collapses and dies at the table, a victim of poisoning. Colin assumes control and the Egyptian police are quickly convinced one of the servants is the guilty party, but those of us who read mysteries (and Colin) know better.

It's 1904, so it’s at the height of the discoveries of the treasures of the tombs that surround Luxor. Lord Deeley himself was an avid collector and a dabbler in archeology, though he was driven out of it by the archaeological community years ago. As Emily and Colin begin their investigation, they start to discover a series of incriminating letters, pointing out very healthy motives for murder for several in the party, including Lady Hargreaves. While neither Emily or Colin suspect Lady Hargreaves, the revelations prove slightly troubling to all three of them.

This book is a story of family alliances and tensions as much as it is a murder mystery. While Emily reaches détente with her mother-in-law, her relationship with the headstrong Kat is still a work in progress, though they have made some since their first encounter. There’s also a parallel story of family tensions in ancient Egypt, where the focus is on a family of artisans. They had their own community set up near the great tombs of the pharaohs, where the statuary and decorations were created.

The ancient thread highlights the life of Kamose and Meryt. Meryt is a skilled sculptor, and the twin of Bek, who works as a painter. Bek’s wife, Sanura, seems to have an inexplicable dislike for Meryt, who nevertheless attempts to get along with her sister-in-law. Their relationship is far more volatile that Emily and Kat’s, but it’s an extreme mirror of how things could go wrong.

This is also a novel of assumptions. Look at things one way, and they appear to have a certain solution, look at them from another angle, and a different solution is arrived at. This, along with the obvious Nile journey similarity, highlights Alexander’s homage to Agatha Christie. And it’s with this very Christie like method that Emily solves the crime and Meryt and her sister in law finally reach an understanding.

The book is filled with details of Egyptology and what is must have been like to actually uncover these treasures for the first time. Alexander puts together a wonderful traditional detective story as well as a deeply felt and illuminated historical novel. She also throws in a little nod to Amelia Peabody, a character who has influenced many of today’s historical mystery writers. As always this was a blast of a read, and it will be a very long year for me before I can again meet up with Lady Emily.

Another excellent adventure with Lady Emily and her husband Colin. This time, Lady Emily travels to Egypt with her mother-in-law, Colin, and his daughter Kat, for a travel down the Nile. However, soon after the trip gets underway their host dies of poisoning at dinner.

This novel is great for fans of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. Lots of ambiance, ancient Egyptian history, tours of dig sites, and suspicious characters. The dual storyline works well as it immerses the reader in the time period. Thoroughly enjoyed it. A great escape!

I love the cover of this book, and stories set in Egypt remind me of a fabulous trip there several years ago. Set in 1904, Lord Bertram Deeley drops dead of cyanide poisoning while hosting a dinner for a number of his close friends on a trip to Egypt and Lady Emily and her husband Colin find themselves spearheading the investigation since the local police are intent on blaming one of Lord Deeley's Egyptian servants. At first glance, there are no suspects since these are all friends of Lord Deely, but as the days pass, evidence comes to light implicating more than one of his guests. I did figure out "whodunnit" before the reveal, but I didn't figure all of it out and doing so didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. There is a subplot that describes mysterious events taking place during ancient times in the village that houses artists working on the Pharaoh's tomb; chapters alternated between the two stories and although there was a connection between the two stories, the one set in ancient times was a bit of a distraction. The story set in ancient times is written from a first person perspective, but the language and perspectives seemed too "modern". I haven't read any books in this series before, and I can say that this one was fine as a standalone but I wonder if I would have enjoyed it even more if I were more familiar with all the characters.

I have jumped into the midst of this long-running series after being offered an arc from the publisher. Although there seems to be a lot of backstory surrounding these characters, this book can definitely be read as a standalone historical mystery. Set in Luxor, Egypt in 1904, I was pulled in by the lure of the setting in the golden era of archaeology and by the comparison to the great lady of mystery, Agatha Christie.

Lord Bertram Deeley has invited Ann Hargreaves to winter at his home in Luxor, Egypt, along with her son Colin, his wife, Lady Emily; and Colin's daughter, Katarina von Lange. Also in the party are Mr Caspian Troubridge; Mr Inigo Granard and his wife Adelaide; Lady Wilona Bestwick; her companion, Miss Pandora Evans; Dr Oliver Rockley; and Mr Tristan McLeod, an archaeologist.

At an elaborate dinner on the night of their arrival, Lord Deeley is poisoned. When it appears local Egyptian police will try to lay the blame on one of the servants without really investigating, Colin and Lady Emily decide it's up to them to learn the truth. It soon appears that most every guest holds some grudge against Lord Deeley. Eventually Lady Emily figures out the who and why of Lord Deeley's death and calls all the suspects together in the dining room where the death occurred to announce her conclusions. THAT at least is very much like a Hercule Poirot-style ending!

A parallel story is set in the ancient days of Luxor in the village of Pa Demi where local artisans working on the pyramids live. One is a sculptor named Meryt, a young woman working on her father's funerary ushabtis. Her life would be peaceful if not for her sister-in-law Sanura who seems determined to cause trouble. One wonders why this second story is being included but eventually the tie to 1904 is revealed. To me, this seemed disruptive to the flow of the main mystery.

Having been a long-time reader of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody mystery series, I was delighted to catch references to Amelia and her family at work in Luxor. Nice tip of the hat.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via Net Galley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Set in 1904, Secrets of the Nile is a nod to Agatha Christie and is the 16th in the charming Lady Emily Mystery series. This time, Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves with Mrs. Hargreaves cruise to incomparable Egypt, land of thousands of years of history and intrigue. After their beautiful but taxing mother-in-law laden journey, they finally arrive, breathless with anticipation at learning more about Egypt's history. However, their host Lord Deeley's unexpected death adds a different dimension. Lady Emily and Colin with friends search for clues. Meanwhile in 1500 BC a woman tells a very different...yet connected...story of her life as a sculptor. Not only does the reader catch glimpses into ancient Egypt through artistry but also through the life of her and her husband. We also see more of Lady Emily and Colin's marriage. Both storylines are compelling!

My mouth watered at the descriptions of the Nile both from the water and up close and personal as a lover of all things Egypt, archaeology and antiquities. The writing is gorgeous and the setting sublime, dripping with atmosphere I could almost taste. My only quibble is that though I enjoyed reading both the 1904 and 1500 BC stories, the chapters sometimes end abruptly before going to the next so it took me a bit to get back into them. But the detailed research by the author is superbly incorporated.

If you long to learn more about Egypt and seek a fun-filled, witty, informative and escapist historical fiction mystery book (and series), this is for you.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this delightful and immersive book.

In Secrets of the Nile, Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, have joined his formidable mother on a holiday to visit the exotic treasures of Egypt. Their host, Lord Bertram Deeley, is a renowned amateur British collector of antiquities, who has invited his closest friends on a lavish cruise up the Nile to his home at Luxor. But on the first night of their journey, he suddenly collapses after offering a welcome toast, a victim of the lethal poison cyanide. Who amongst this group of his nearest and dearest would want to kill their generous host?

Emily and Colin’s investigation soon reveals that even his closest friends had reasons to want him dead: was it the archeologist whose dig Deeley was poised to fund until he suddenly withdrew support? The powerful politician whose career Deeley had secretly destroyed? The dyspeptic aristocratic English spinster whose hired travelling companion seems determined to protect her employer? Or could it be Mrs. Hargreaves herself, who may have spurned the advances of Lord Deeley when they were both younger?

A key clue may lie with several ancient ushabtis, exquisite three-thousand-year-old sculptures that played a role in a hidden story from the time of Ancient Egypt, one of a sister’s unshakeable loyalty to her brother, a tale of betrayal and revenge. In an unforgettable finale, Emily and Colin gather their fellow travelers together to unmask a killer whose motive is as shocking as it is brilliant. (NetGalley synopsis)

I have not read any of Tasha Alexander’s novels prior to this one. This did not stop me at all, nor did it make anything confusing. I always suggest reading from the beginning of a series, but it is not necessary with this novel.

It is a bit of a stretch to compare this to Agatha Christie simply because it’s based on Egypt. Christie’s novels were about the human-psychological connection, and how things are similar to everyday activities. I will say this came close to that idea, but it was just shy of the mark. I believe that the Ancient Egyptian storyline was interesting but, outside of the ushabtis back story, there wasn’t a connection between the modern mystery and the Ancient Egyptian. In fact, it felt like two stories being told in one, and Christie’s novels are all about weaving the back stories into the main story.

All of that said, this novel can stand strongly on its own without comparison to Agatha Christie. Lady Emily was quite the amateur detective, finding the connections after full discussions with her family. I thoroughly enjoyed that she was never in any immediate danger, because she always included her family in every thought process and discussed the next course of action. But I also liked that she didn’t back down or force her way through others disagreement. Instead she was clever and simply had conversations. It showed an intelligence that even Hercule Poirot would have appreciated.

The mysteries were well written, and there were plenty of suspects. Red herrings were littered throughout, and the clues were obvious if the reader knew what to look for. I hope the writer keeps the characters in Egypt, because I very much want to know what happens with the family with the new surprises.

Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Lady Emily travels to Egypt with her beloved Colin, her mother-in-law who never took to her, and her stepdaughter who loves to bait her. Sounds heavenly, doesn't it? Their host, Lord Deeley, has a full house of guests and a full schedule of entertainments for them. Until he drops dead from cyanide poisoning at the end of a lavish dinner. Colin and Emily must delve into everyone's secrets to reveal the truth. In a parallel story set in ancient Egypt a woman artist must discover who has targeted her family with a series of disturbing incidents. Both stories draw you right in until the last. Particularly amusing is observing Colin playing the overprotective father to his newly discovered daughter. And fans of Amelia Peabody will find some cameo appearances!

“Colossal ancient monuments. Azure skies. Desert sunsets. The endless romance of the Nile.”

What always draws me to this author’s work is her witty, clever dialogue and swift narrative, her attention to historical and period detail, and her ability to keep me glued to the pages! This 16th installment of the Lady Emily Mystery series is no different. As always, these books can be read as standalones.

It’s no secret that Egypt is my ultimate vacation destination. After sailing up the Nile from Alexandria to Abu Simbel on the Sudan border no vacation since has met, nor exceeded, my expectations. Two of the highlights on our most recent trip there were visiting the hotel where Agatha Christie frequented when writing and standing on the steps of the hotel where Lord Carnarvon announced his archaeological discovery. It’s understandable, then, why this book was destined to be on my ‘forever shelf’....a combination of setting and a nod to the Queen of Mystery herself!

Why you need to read this one:
⭐The setting/exotic locale
⭐The variety of characters, each with superb development
⭐The surprising Ancient Egypt plotline which wonderfully complements the intricate 1904 timeline
⭐The perfectly placed twists that would make Agatha Christie proud
⭐The deep, rich mystery that keeps you interested
⭐The vivid descriptions and imagery which allow you to imagine yourself in the setting
⭐The fantastic blend of engaging mystery, authentic history, believable and clean romance and inspiring art

I love this series and can’t wait to see what Alexander has in store for Lady Emily next!

I was gifted this advance copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is the first book I have read by Tasha Alexander. And even though it is the 16th book in a series, I never got lost. There were terrific explanations and descriptions of past events and connections between characters. I like Ms Alexander’s writing.
First – I loved the fact that she allowed Amelia Peabody and her family to be a minor characters in the telling of the story. I am quite enamored of Amelia and her entire family. I liked the fact that it is reminiscent of an Agatha Christie story. Most of all, I liked getting to know Lady Emily and her brilliant husband, Colin.
The family has come to Luxor to visit an old friend of Colin’s Mother, Lord Deeley. The gentleman is wealthy and he has gathered some of his very good friends around him for this annual visit to Egypt. The various guests are a good mix of types of characters. All are interesting and each of them add to the texture of the story.
When Lord Deeley dies in the midst of an elaborate dinner, Emily and Colin go into detective mode.
And while the main story is set in 1904, there is another story about a sculptor and her life in ancient Egypt. That story was interesting, but I felt it was somewhat intrusive. The sculptor was responsible for some of the treasures in Lord Deeley’s home. Her daily life was interesting and there is also a mystery in that story. It seems human nature is pretty much the same no matter in which era.
Lady Emily and Colin, with help from family and friends are able to figure out who caused Lord Deeley’s death. On the way to the solution, there are many interesting people, events, clues and even some red herrings.
I liked this book. I feel that I have been missing something by not being familiar with Ms Alexander’s books.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in the hope that I would write a fair and honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Lady Emily, her husband Colin, mother-in-law, and stepdaughter are traveling to Egypt so that her mother-in-law can spend some time with an old friend. They don't expect the old friend - Lord Deeley - to drink some of his special tisane at the end of their elaborate welcome dinner and die of cyanide poisoning.

Lord Deeley had gathered quite an assortment of guests beyond the Hargreaves party, and it soon becomes apparent that all of them, including Mrs. Hargreaves, could have motives to murder him. There is a political colleague who blocked Lord Deeley's path to power, There's an archaeologist who dig he first agreed to fund but then reneged. There's his "best friend" who once had an affair with Lord Deeley's deceased wife. There's Mrs. Hargreaves who spurned his marital advances.

Winding around this story is the story of a young woman who lived in the village of artists that the archaeologist is excavating and who was having problems with mysterious break-ins at her sculpture studio and who was also having trouble with her new sister-in-law.

While the blurb cites a homage to Agatha Christie, I see a homage to Elizabeth Peters and her wonderful Amelia Peabody. In fact, both Kat and Lady Emily have brief encounters with Amelia Peabody and her family. And Colin and Emily's young son Henry reminds me forcibly of Ramses Emerson.

The mystery was well done, and the ending came as a surprise to me. Looking back, the clues were there but I missed them. Fans of this series won't want to miss this engaging new episode.

Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves travel to Egypt for a holiday at the home of his mother’s best friend, Lord Bertram Deely.

After a welcome feast, Lord Deely toasts his gathered friends, then dies horribly from cyanide added to his drink. Who among the servants or guests would want to kill their host? And why?

As Lady Emily and Colin investigate, clues turn up pointing to each guest in turn.. The answer may lie with missing artifacts from looted tombs, or maybe not. Tasha Alexander is at the top of her game, and the twists and turns will keep readers guessing through all of them. Highly recommended. #SecretsOfTheNile #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

Secrets of the Nile by Tasha Alexander.
Narrator Bianca Amato
Loved it! I read most of the first ten books in this series then I kind of drifted off. Too many books in the TBR pile and sometimes something goes by the wayside.
I came back to this one due to the location. I know many people have mentioned this as an homage to Agatha Christie and it does that but there are also references to the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. Amelia is the woman archaeologist who Lady Emily meets on the same day she meets with Howard Carter. She is the one with the umbrella and the belt with numerous useful items attached. Also the reference to the Daily Yell and annoying reporters alludes to that series. Check it out if you like this book.
At first, I wasn’t sure I liked the second storyline set in ancient Egypt but it drew me in and I liked the way the two stories came together.
There was a Poirot style gathering of all the suspects. I did figure out whodunnit but not too early so that was okay.

In this delightful mystery, Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, visit Egypt. They are part of a group, that includes her mother-in-law and precocious step-daughter. After a cruise up the Nile in 1904 colonial Egypt, they arrive at the home of their guest, a wealthy British political leader and amateur archaeologist. But on the first night, their host falls dead of cyanide poison.

Lady Emily is surrounded by, not one, but multiple possible murderers, each with their own motive. But in a wonderful touch, the author weaves in between each chapter the backstory of a young Egyptian sculptor and her husband. As their respective stories weave their way to the end, the reader is left to wonder where they will collide.

With a brisk writing style and excellent character development, Tasha Alexander has penned a wonderful story. The mystery is rich, with a great twist at the end. It's also a well-researched look at life under the pharaohs. All in all, this is a wonderful mystery story.

Lady Emily Hargreaves, her husband, her mother-in-law, and stepdaughter are all traveling to Egypt to spend time with a family friend. Lord Deeley has invited several of his friends to stay with him in Luxor. However, upon their arrival, after dinner, Lord Deeley is killed by cyanide. It is up to Lady Emily to figure out which of his guests committed this heinous crime.

Tasha Alexander weaves two tales throughout this story. The primary story is of Lord Deeley’s murder and the quest to find culprit. The other story is about a young Egyptian woman who creates sculptures and seems to be tormented by a great evil. Throughout Lady Emily’s story, readers will learn what it is like to be an English tourist in Egypt, visiting excavations and discovering mysterious artefacts. During the second story, readers will learn about the ancient customs, around Egyptian burials. The author peels back several layers of Lord Deeley’s personality, making sure each of the characters and the readers, themselves, will be guessing everyone is guilty of murder.

I felt like this title was missing something, maybe due to the fact that I have not read the prior Lady Emily books. The story was good, and the primary focus is on the current murder. However, if I knew more of each of the characters’ backstory, I would have understood their quirks better. I did enjoy the witty thoughts and chuckled at some of Lady Emily’s statements, and I could not fully predict the ending, with all the twists and turns.

Notes:

I signed up via Netgalley to honestly review a digital ARC from Minotaur Books. This review was originally published on the Ariesgrl Book Reviews website.

3.75 stars

The usual we have come to expect from a Lady Emily mystery: strong female characters, interesting historical detail, nice chemistry and banter. This time out Emily and husband Colin, along with his mother and his daughter, are in Egypt when their host dies from poison. Further investigation shows that several people in their party, including Colin's mother, might have had motive.

The author has interwoven another narrative during much of this series, and this one stems from the long ago past and is in the voice of an artisan who creates funerary statues. I am not always a fan of the dual narrative, but this one works well. The ancient story takes up less room and time than Lady Emily's tale and the balance is just right.

Emily balances murder investigation with dealing with her sometimes difficult stepdaughter Kat. A pleasurable read. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.