Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review Secrets of the Nile.

Author: Tasha Alexander
Published: 10/04/22
Narrator: Bianca Amato
Genre: Historical Fiction

A beautiful cover with eye-catching colors, Egypt and historical fiction was all I needed. The book was just okay.

This is part of a long-running series, and my first book. Really there were vibes throughout that I was missing something. Through the writing, I sensed there was more than I was hearing. A quick Google and a subsequent "wow" I had no idea there were so many books, and this wasn't the author's debut allowed me to just carry on. The book can definitely be read on its own.

The first third of the book I was waiting for anything. This is when I Googled. I decided to ride it out, and seriously the ending made me okay with the 8 or so hours I spent with this. I was tickled and laughed out loud. (2.5 stars rounding up for the ending.)

The book had two storylines that didn't flow well for me, and had me disjointed until the end. I couldn't connect.

I would not have a problem gifting this if it was specifically requested.

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.

This is a true mystery story. It’s cozy but at the same time there’s a lot of drama surrounding the case which keeps it interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to listen to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. The voice matched the story so well and really brought the story to life. It felt like it was set in the proper time period which was amazing.

I will say I found it to be really wordy for no good reason. As usual, I don’t see a reason to use 3 words when 1 would have covered it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don't know how I didn't realize that this one was like #14 in a series. It was good, but it probably would have been much better had I been up to date on the series. I always felt like I was missing something, but that is not a reflection of the story told by Tasha Alexander. The story itself is really good, but that feeling of missing something and not being clued in or understanding some of the contexts impacted my ability to enjoy the story.

The narrator is superb. Just done so well that the story flows and is a joy to listen to.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I didn't realize going into this that it was part of a series but it was fine as a standalone. I'm sure I missed a bit not having the background of the other stories but it didn't really make it difficult to read. I'm not sure I really liked the dual timeline in this, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Readers who have not been introduced to Lady Emily and her her husband, Colin Hargreaves in the previous fifteen stories can still jump into this story framed by the couple's visit to Egypt. Invited to enjoy an extended stay in Luxor, their host Lord Bertram Deeley an amateur collector of antiquities falls victim to cyanide poisoning the first night of their visit. Those familiar with the investigative team's backstory will have already met Lady Hargreaves (Colin's mother) and Colin's spirited adult daughter Cat, the Austrian-British product of an earlier liaison who were also invited to Egypt. Set against the backdrop of excavations in Luxor, the couple are soon interviewing other house guests and members of Lord Deeley's household in search of clues. Suspects include a politician who lost his bid to be British Prime Minister, an archeologist who abruptly lost funding for his excavation and an obnoxious elderly spinster who rides roughshod over her traveling companion.
Within the more contemporary mystery there is a parallel story about a talented family that carve ushabtis, funerary figures created three thousand years ago to grace the tomb of the Pharaoh Ramses. This story within a story is equally compelling and ties in with solution to the puzzle behind Lord Deeley's poisoning.

This story was read in audiobook format and was exceedingly well performed. Both the main story and the 3000 year old narrative about the young female sculptor drew me in and the narration provided a smooth transition between both storylines.

As an aside, I find myself increasingly questioning books that offer a somewhat romantic description of colonialism. In this case where British (and other countries) were given free access to historical sites and allowed to cart away a culture's most valuable antiquities and to place those items in their museums. It was and is a matter of fact. However, seeking out writings about this time period from the point of view of an Egyptian writer might be equally valuable

I had a difficult time connecting with the characters and DNF’d at 54%. The story seemed like it could be a stand-alone but there was not enough background information to understand the characters. The plot was okay, but I struggled to stay focused and gave up. Thank you for the chance.

I will not be posting a review on my socials, instead I’ll post a Pub Day feature. Good luck to the author.

Another wonderful book from Tasha Alexander. I love how she takes each story to different places and countries. It gives the reader a glance into the culture of each country and city of that time. I really enjoy the change of timeframes throughout the story and how they intertwine. She keeps the mystery going towards the end so it keeps you guessing. I do recommend reading the series from the beginning to really understand the relationships Lady Emily has made. I highly recommend this series.

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. I alternated between the e-copy and the audiobook for this one and it was an easy transition - the narrator of the audiobook was a perfect Lady Emily and I found myself "reading" in her voice when I would switch to the e-copy. 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.

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. The narration was enjoyable and added to my enjoyment of the 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.

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, a narrator with an enchanting voice, check!!! Be sure to listen to all the Lady Emily books so you don’t miss a thing!

This was essentially two stories wrapped in one and I really loved that aspect of it. I loved that it had some historical pieces and the setting, Egypt, has always fascinated me.

To be fair, I did see the outcome before the writer got to it. Somewhere along the lines I just figured it out and was pleased/disappointed I was right. I really love a mystery I can’t solve!

🌀Synopsis
Lord Bertram Deely is poisoned while he is hosting a group of friends on his boat. Lady Emily is sent in to find out who committed the crime.

The suspects include-
An archeologist who we later find out has a motive since Deely was going to fund his next dig but then backed out.
A politician who we find out that Deely ruined his career and thus also has a motive.
A spinster who is secretly relying on Deely’s money to get by.
Mrs. Hargraves who had attracted Deely’s love when they were young but didn’t give her’s in return.

In the end we find out who Deely truly was and how he actually felt about his “friends.” I’m addition to who gave him the cyanide of course.

Invited to a house party in Egypt, Lady Emily and husband Colin investigate a murder.

This beautifully written story, reminiscent of Agatha Christie, is engaging and enjoyable. There’s an alternating dual timeline between the 1904 colonial period and ancient Egypt of about 3000 years ago. (The secondary timeline isn’t critical to the story.) The main characters are likeable, while the supporting cast are interesting and varied. The audiobook narration is well-done and pleasant to listen to.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A holiday in Egypt goes awry when their host suddenly and unexpectedly falls dead during a dinner. It is determined that cyanide was the cause- but who poisoned him and why?

This book takes you on a trip through Egypt visiting archeological sites, tombs and more. I wanted to read this book because of the setting- Egypt, 1904 in the age of great archeological findings. I liked the vivid descriptions of the story settings. It was easy to picture myself right there with the characters. I haven’t read any other Lady Emily mysteries, but it wasn’t necessary to read the previous ones to enjoy this book.

This was my first Lady Emily Mystery and found it wasn’t necessary to have read the others to understand the story. The narration was done very well. I did speed up the story at times as I felt it was a bit slow. Overall, I enjoyed this mystery.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillianAudio, #Secretsof the Nile, #TashaAlexander and #BiancaAmato for the advance audio version for my honest review.

This book is reminiscent of a combination of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, without the humor or action, and, as the author apparently intended, an Agatha Christie mystery. Set in Egypt during the British Colonial period, the book certainly tantalizes the reader with references, here and there, to known archeological expeditions and discoveries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As in Ms. Christie's novels, there is a cast of individuals, each with his or her own stories and secrets that may or may not have bearing on the death of their host. Lady Emily and her husband, our "investigators," are quite likeable characters. So, all in all, this should have been a much more enjoyable book than it was. To put it bluntly, I got bored, even though I sped up the narration to 1.5x and eventually skipped a few chapters here and there. Also, the story alternates between Egypt in 1904 and a period in ancient Egypt. The sub-story may have been worthy of some time or as a prequel, but it is only tangentially related to the events in 1904. The back and forth between time periods not only prolonged the book, but it lent a disjointed aire to the storyline. The narration is quite good, and if you are in the mood for a languid read, this book may be for you. It simply did not hold my interest, and I struggled to finish it,

I gave it 3 stars, rather than 2, because the production is quite good, and I can envision readers who will enjoy this stroll through turn of the century Egypt, as experienced by Brits of that time period..

Lady Emily, her dashing husband Colin, her mother-in-law and stepdaughter head to Egypt in the latest Lady Emily mystery by Tasha Alexander. I have read all the books in the series but this most recent is not a favorite. The dual timeline with ancient Egypt really took away from the main story for me. Really, which is the main story line? If I weren't familiar with the series, I would wonder. I did enjoy the setting, the mystery and the relationship between Lady Emily and her in-laws as it continues to develop. The audiobook narrator, while talented at portraying multiple characters, did not strike me as a great choice for Lady Emily, I felt the voices were a bit inconsistent in their portrayal, and Lady Emily came across as a much older woman.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance reader copy.

This was my first Tasha Alexander and I requested it from Net Galley purely based on a look at the cover and a quick scan of the blurb with a hope that it would fill an Agatha Christie void in my life. Luckily, it did! I find that too many books that claim to be read-alikes for Christie disappoint, but that wasn’t the case here. The mystery was fun (though I did generally figure it out about three/quarters of the way through the novel), but what I liked most was the fidelity to Christie’s early 20th century time period and use of an exotic setting. Though this was a nod to the old, it still felt much fresher than lots of other contemporary mysteries that follow a standard structure. I will be glad to dive into the Alexander archives!

This is my first Lady Emily Mystery, and despite the fact it is the 16th novel, I fell right into the story without needing the explanations of her previous books.

A spectacular vacation planned by Lord Bertram Deeley for his close friends is taking place on a lavish cruise on the Nile. But Lord Deeley falls dead during the first dinner party and the cause of his death is cyanide. Has one of the guests arrived at the party with a vicious plan to kill their host? As Lady Ashton and her husband take a closer look at their peers, they uncover a scandalous reality, every single guest has a motive to poison the late Lord Deeley, but who took the advantage of the opportunity and murdered their host?

The remarkable story of the murders that are taking place on the historic Nile. Although the novel does have a very close writing style to the famous queen of mystery Agatha Christie, this story is its own gem. Not a big fan of a large number of characters, although it worked so well in the novel and the author has utilized every one of them in a great thrilling fashion. The last plot twist was wonderful, although I have predicted it, loved the explanation provided by the author. Even though I liked the novel, it was a very slow and long read. The second sub-story was good, but not impressive. It made the point it was supposed to make, just took a very long time getting there. Nevertheless, I loved Lady Emily Ashton and her corkiness and looking forward to reading more of her adventures.

I just thought this was so much fun -- I really liked the protagonist and the Agatha Christie vibe.


Review copy provided by publisher.