A fascinating story with the usual Barker and Llewelyn elements. Good twists and just enough historical background to enlighten the reader without losing the story’s momentum. Book title is perfect. Thanks to #NetGalley and #HeartOfTheNile.for advanced digital copy.

The Heart of the Nile is part of the Barker and Llewellyn series. It's the fourteenth. I hadn't read any of them previously, so this one can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

Llewellyn and Barker are private enquiry agents, basically private detectives, in late 19th century London. The wife of a volunteer at the British Museum comes to them for their help finding her missing husband. Llewellyn and Barker start making some enquiries only to find out he's been murdered. Signs point to him being murdered for a precious gem he found in a mummy at the museum. What ensues is their desperate attempt to figure out who the murderer is while being put in danger themselves.

I absolutely love cozy mysteries, and this reads very much like one. With the exception that our main characters were male and not amateur sleuths. I loved our main characters, with one of them being a little bit mysterious and very influential and the other acting as his sidekick. This is going back a ways, but they reminded me of the detective duo in the movie From Hell, Inspector Fred Abberline and his Sergeant, Peter Godley, played by Johnny Depp and Robbie Coltrane respectively, as they try to track down Jack the Ripper.

The mystery in the Heart of the Nile was very intriguing, I loved the museum and archeological connection. There were a couple of interesting twists to the story that kept me guessing as to who the killer was. The book was fast-paced, while there was quite a bit of 19th-century terminology, and I did look up a few words. It was easy to read. It also felt very true to the time period.

If you like:

🔍dynamic detective duos
🔍interesting mysteries
🔍fast-paced reads
🔍books set in the late 19th century

Then this book is definitely for you. I was having a hard time settling on my next read. This one was just the book.

This is a very exciting book. The setting in London in 1893, the eerie tale, and the two main characters reminded me strongly of a Sherlock Holmes tale, as they call for hackneys or stride around the city on foot, as apt to call on a duchess as a den of thieves or an opium den.

The tale begins with a young man working in the mummy room of the British Museum very late at night. He has hopes of being employed by the museum one day, but in the meantime, he volunteers after his own work day as a teacher is over.

He takes out a female mummy to inspect and notices something unusual about her. She is heavier than she should be. He makes an incredible discovery, and runs out of the museum in his haste to notify the director.

The door locks behind him, leaving him in the wee hours of dangerous London with no coat, an article of value in his hands that doesn't belong to him, and no money for transportation. He realizes the danger of his situation, and grimly starts for home on foot. When he doesn't return home, his distraught young wife seeks help from a new inquiry agency recommended to her by a family friend.

The new inquiry agency consists of Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn, so new that this case is almost their first. Cyrus Barker is a man with a shrouded past and a gift for languages. He has travelled extensively, speaks several languages like a native, and can fit into several cultures. His partner in their new agency is Thomas Llewelyn. Thomas, by the way, is a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and refers to them a couple of times.

I was completely stunned by the ending of the book, as I never saw it coming. I recommend this book for fans of mystery set in London of the Victorian era. I did not realize until after I read the book that it is the 14th in the series, as the characters and the setting were so skillfully introduced.

I received a review copy from the publisher St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Press via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

1893 in London. Phillip Addison, a volunteer in the Egyptology section of the British Museum, is working alone late at night cataloguing and weighing all the mummies. When one weighs more than the others, Phillip is intrigued and decides to check if this anomaly is caused by something inside of the mummy. What he finds is so unbelievable, so important, that, despite the late hour, he rushes from the museum to tell his superior.

The next morning, Phillip’s wife enters the office of Barker and Llewelyn, detectives, to report him missing. It seems likely a simple missing persons case and Barker figures the man will show up a little bit worse for wear but fine nonetheless. Still, it’s the holidays and business is slow so they take the case.

However, when Phillip’s body is found floating in the Thames, they realize this case is a lot more complicated especially when they find the missing object. Barker hides it while they investigate but they quickly learn there are others looking for it including the Museum which is threatening to have them arrested if they don't return it and,worse, a ruthless knife-wielding gang willing to kill for it who seem to have a whole lot of knowledge about Thomas Llewelyn including his address.

Heart of the Nile by Will Thomas is the fourteenth book in his Barker & Llewelyn historical mystery series but the first I’ve read, an oversight I intend to rectify in the future. The mystery was intriguing and I found the story nigh impossible to put down. It’s told in first person voice by Llewelyn and I liked both the main characters. The story moved at a brisk pace and kept me guessing right up until it’s satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

This book is fantastic, I've had a fascination for ancient Egypt as far back as I can remember, well I actually remember when it started but that's neither here nor there.

This is the first book in this series that I've read but it most definitely won't be the last, the writing was superb and makes you feel like you've been transported back in time to the museum, everything seemed so real and so encompassing, I flew through this book in a day and wanted more.

With this being part of a series we have fantastic characters, deep storylines, and the ability to feel like the characters are almost three-dimensional and I loved it, I think I really need to read more of this series to see if it's this story I love if it's the characters or a combination .

While I know this is part of a series it can be read as a stand-alone, and anyone that has a fascination for ancient Egypt or murder should add this one to their tbr because while it's fiction, it's soo good I just couldn't put it down.

When I started writing this review I thought ok four stars, but as I'm thinking about it, all of the little things that drew me in, how I can't stop thinking about it... well, this one just has to be a five-star for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Heart of the Nile is the 14th book in the Barker & Llewelyn series by Will Thomas. I read the book, plus I listened to the audiobook version when I was driving; I didn't want to stop the story! This is truly one of the best historical mystery series I've ever read/listened to. Heck, it's one of the best series of any kind ever! Not only have I read all the previous books, but I have the audiobooks of each one as well. I started the series in the middle, then went back and got all that I missed. This book stands alone, so there won't be any confusion if this is your first foray into the world of Barker & Llewelyn.

Cyrus Barker, along with his former assistant and now partner Thomas Llewelyn, are premier enquiry agents (don't call them detectives!) in London, 1893. They've had some strange and complicated cases, but this one goes a step beyond. This time there's a mummy, a giant ruby and a murder. While examining a mummy in the British Museum's collection, a volunteer finds a huge ruby in the shape of a heart in that mummy, who may actually be Cleopatra herself! The next day, the poor volunteer's lifeless body is fished out of the Thames, and the ruby is missing. Barker and Llewelyn are hired by the man's widow to find out what happened; this puts them in the sights of a violent gang, a peer of the realm who is a fanatical collector and the British Museum itself. Will they be able to find the killer and keep the gem safe?

I just loved this story; it was fun, fast-paced and impossible to put down. I was kept guessing the entire time, and I was shocked at the end. That doesn't happen to me very often. It's the characters, however, who shine in this series. The story is told from the point of view of Thomas Llewelyn. I can't overstate just how much I love this character. He's a snarky smartass, for one thing...my kind of guy! This Welshman had a hard life; he lost his first wife, was accused of theft and served time in jail. He was about to end it all when he was hired by Barker. Now Llewelyn is Barker's partner and is married to a beautiful woman. He's also smart as a whip, having studied at Oxford. And then there is the enigma that is Barker. The Scotsman lived in China with his missionary parents and brother, but was orphaned and had to make it on his own. There are some parts of his past that even Llewelyn doesn't know after working with Barker all these years. Barker's a self-made man and is wealthy, but doesn't live an ostentatious lifestyle. He's also quite brilliant, learning from the school of life and very mysterious. Barker and Llewelyn are perfect foils for each other. I was thrilled to see characters from the previous books, such as Ho (who owns a restaurant and is involved in illegal matters), Mac (Barker's butler; who must keep order in this world), Terrence Poole (law enforcement friend of Barker's), Liam Grant (an honorary librarian friend of Llewelyn's), Llewelyn's wife Rebecca and Harm the dog. Of the characters specific to this book, I enjoyed Mrs. Addison (wife of the deceased museum volunteer) and Reggie (leader of the Tweed Gang). After 14 books, Barker and Llewelyn are still fresh and exciting, and I look forward to many more adventures.

The audiobook was narrated by Antony Ferguson, who has narrated all the books in these series. He is one of the most talented narrators I have ever had the pleasure of listening to; he perfectly brings to life the personalities of Barker and Llewelyn. I hope he continues for the life of the series.

I received an ARC of this book/audiobook courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Will Thomas is an American, but never once in fourteen books have I ever noticed that fact in this historical series set in Great Britain. I am always delighted to see a new Barker and Llewelyn book because this is a favorite series of mine, and Thomas never disappoints. "Heart of the Nile" is no exception, this book is a corker.

I am not going to give spoilers as I object to them. The publisher has gone to great pains to give us a blurb, and that will have to suffice. I will say that the excellent plot is full of red herrings and I didn't see the ending coming.

If you have never read a Barker and Llewelyn book before, you can read this as a standalone. If I were a betting woman, and I am not, but even I would bet that you would look at other books in this series. Thomas has won awards for his books, and he deserves them and more. Barker and Llewelyn are brilliant creations, and late Victorian Britain is beautifully rendered. Do yourself a favor and enter into this well-crafted, compelling world.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

Heart of the Nile is the first book I’ve read in the long-running Baker & Llewelyn series and I need to figure out why it took me this long to check out this series. I will definitely be looking to read some of the other books in the series now.

The setting is London in late 1893 and the story is told by Thomas Llewelyn, the junior partner in this detective (“private enquiry”) firm. Cyrus Baker is the senior member and seems to have had quite a fascinating and varied life before opening his detective agency, bits of which we read about along the way in this book - perhaps more is revealed in earlier volumes. Llewelyn also has an interesting backstory and we also learn bits of it gradually.

The mystery this time involves an ancient Egyptian mummy at the British Museum and a large gem discovered inside it by a volunteer working the night shift. Murder follows.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns this story took, as well as glimpses of Victorian London - including all walks of that society.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook’s narrator, Antony Ferguson, did a fabulous job with a whole variety of British accents.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Historical mysteries are my favorite genre and Will Thomas writes one of my favorite series. Reading time spent with Barker and Llewelyn in Victorian England is reading time well spent. When the location is the British Museum and there are mummies and a giant ruby with the ensuing mystery of who is the killer and where is the ruby...well I knew I had to set aside a chunk of my time to get lost in the puzzle. I was not disappointed.
Phillip Addison teaches at a boys school by day and three nights a week volunteers at the British Museum cataloging mummies. Lots and lots and lots of mummies. In the Victorian period one of the popular souvenirs o a Grand Tour was a mummy. People held parties where the mummy was unwrapped. Lots of them stayed wrapped though and were donated to the museum. Phillip had dreams of turning his volunteer job into a paying one (money was tight for he and his wife) and that might lead to a position on a dig. One night he makes a monumental discovery that, sadly, leads to his death.
When he fails to return home, his wife seeks out the help of Barker and Llewelyn for answers. From there the enquiry agents unravel clues found in both the good and not very good parts of London and face danger as others want what Phillip found.
If you like books by Deanna Raybourn, Anne Perry and Leonard Goldberg then this long running series needs to find a space on your TBR list.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Whose mummy was it, and what was inside???

Heart of the Nile is the second book I’ve read in the Cyrus Barker/Thomas Llewelyn series by Will Thomas, and I liked this one a lot too. As Heart opens, Barker and Llewelyn are approached by the wife of Phillip Addison, who was a volunteer in the Egyptian section of the British Museum several nights a week, cataloging mummies. He didn't come home last night, and she’s worried about his whereabouts and safety. (Sadly, readers have previously met Addison in the Prologue, and are pretty sure he is already dead…)

Barker and Llewelyn visit the Museum and learn that Addison probably found “something” inside one of those mummies - and not only is he missing, but the unknown “something” is missing too. On top of that, it starts looking as if the mummy might have been Cleopatra (yes, THAT Cleopatra), so surely the “something” is important and valuable. With contacts all over London, and a good bit of investigative talent, the pair find Addison’s body, figure out what was inside the mummy, and piece together what must have happened, all while tangling with some shady characters along the way - and also tangling with some who aren’t so shady but are still rather dubious anyhow.

All in all, I found that Thomas’ sharp writing, amusing characters (including cameos by a young Flinders Petrie), feel for the period, and solid plot made Heart of the Nile quite enjoyable to read. And I have only a couple of minor issues with the book. First, and rather trivially, I’m a big Egyptophile, and so I had sort of been hoping that there might be a quick trip to Egypt (!) for our heroes in a book that is, after all, titled Heart of the Nile. But that was not to be, and I guess I’ll have to re-read an Amelia Peabody book for that. Less tongue-in-cheek, however, the plot was a bit of a downer, both in the way it started, and in the way it ended. And, although I do understand that life isn’t always fair, when I’m reading mysteries, I’m typically reading for pleasure, and so I was mildly annoyed at the tinge of sadness throughout. Still, that wasn’t enough to offset my overall enjoyment and since I don’t give many five-star reviews, my four-star rating is a solid recommendation to read Heart of the Nile.

And finally, my thanks to St Martin’s/Minotaur and to NetGalley for the advance review copy...

Murder, mayhem and a mummy! What more can you ask for in a historical mystery set in the 1890s in the British Museum where a volunteer makes a fantastic discovery in the middle of the night and rushes off to tell the supervisor only to disappear...

Will Thomas has crafted a good mystery with well-developed characters (though the women aren't as developed as the men) from a range of social strata, sexual preferences, and beliefs. Though this the 14th in the series, you don't have to read the previous books to understand what is going.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Heart of the Nile by Will Thomas is another Barker and Llewelyn novel and as always is supremely entertaining while delivering a good mystery. A young woman, Elizabeth Addison, has visited to ask for assistance in locating her husband, who did not arrive home last evening. Robert taught at a boy’s academy and volunteered at the National Museum three nights a week, cataloguing Egyptian mummies. It was his first love and he hoped to someday work there full time. Lots of twists and turns in this story, including where Robert had gone immediately the evening before with his discovery: a giant ruby. His second stop was his superior’s home, who listened carefully but refused to leave his house at this late time, which was now after 1 a.m. Barker was astute enough to visit the friend and retrieve the ruby and visit the morgue to discover that Robert Addison’s body was indeed there. There were a lot of people interested in the object taken from the body cavity of a female mummy, but only a very few knew what it was. That did narrow down the perpetrators of this murder, but it took a lot of investigating to uncover the full story, which was a sad one.

The narrator is Thomas Llewelyn, who is the lesser partner in the private inquiry agency called Barker and Llewellyn. He and his wife live in Barker’s large home part of the time, but have a home of their own to which to retreat when things become too much. There is a factotum known as Mac who is a man-of-all-trades and a small dog, Harm, who is very protective. They are all entertaining characters developed by Thomas over a period of books. The crime/mystery is a complicated one, engendered by greed, as is often the case. The are minor plots and twists and turns. Barker has led a colorful life and has many interesting friends as a result. There is nary a piece of information he is unable to discover through his contacts, making it all very interesting. Not all of his contacts live on the right side of the law.

Llewelyn once spent eight months in prison and it taught him he never wanted to return. Nor was he interested in dying as he liked his life and wished to continue living it. He trusted Barker implicitly and had learned a lot from him when it came to both investigating and taking care of himself. For this case, they spent a remarkable amount of time in some unsavory parts of town and it made him jumpy. Both the good guys and the bad guys though Barker was foolish enough to keep the ruby on his own premises, which they soon discovered to be groundless (after destroying the place) or leaving it with Robert’s friend, whose home they also destroyed to no avail. Even though Elizabeth could not pay them, Barker insisted on completing the investigation which proved to have a surprising end. A good book, as always.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Heart of the Nile by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #WillThomas #HeartOfTheNile

1893, London. Phillip Addison, an evening volunteer at the British Museum has discovered an item in the body of a mummy. But when he goes missing later that evening, Mrs Addison approaches investigating partners Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn to find him. Soon he is discovered dead and now various people are looking for the item he found. Can they solve the mystery before anyone else dies.
Another entertaining historical mystery with its cast of likeable and interesting characters. A good addition to this series which can be read as a standalone story
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Minotaur Books for a digital ARC - pub date 4/11/2023. This was a fun yet gripping mystery indeed - a bit of action, a bit of sorrow, a bit of emotional yanking, and quite a bit of the worst sides of people. I am also pleased to say that, while I again went and accidentally requested a book far along in a series, it did not matter. Like many of its elder brethren like Sherlock Holmes, you don't really need to read the Barker and Llewelyn books in order. I am sure there were some nuances missed by not reading previous books but the author was a deft hand and setting up characters and tipping the reader to past history or shared moments that I found myself easily rolling with it while not feeling bored or patronized. It also helps that, being set in the late 1800's, I could draw on my knowledge of the time and events.

In this book, the two well established enquiry agents are going about their business when all goes awry and suddenly they are pulled into a mystery involving the British Museum, a stabbed volunteer, a mummy with a case of questionable identity, and a missing heart. Toss in some gangs, gambling, greedy nobles and the boys are up against quite a lot. The mystery is convoluted with plenty of red herrings and derailments but you have an amiable and capable guide in Thomas Llewelyn. His partner Cyrus Barker plays things closer to the vest ala Holmes but he is more emotional, more driven by heart than mind, than the famous slueth. It also helps humanize Barker and move things along in that Llewelyn is more capable and intelligent than Watson usually comes across and so you like him just as much as Barker. He's not as seasoned nor has the kind of life experience of Barker but he is smart and picks up things readily. Neither is, thankfully, perfect and they make missteps in the case which endear them... Instead of making one shout "idiot" at the page.

Also there is a wonderful scene of irate and insulted librarians about to declare a strike from sheer outrage at the treatment of a patron. It made me so so happy because I'm weird like that. Never ever understimate a librarian.

The climax and solution were held off virtually to the end but it was worth it. I was left with a feeling of sadness and mourning for the many victims, appreciation for the detectives (ooo, how Barker hates to be called that!), and the feeling that I ought to go look up the previous books soon and read them.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Will Thomas for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Heart of the Nile coming out April 11, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Set in London, 1893 - Heart of the Nile follows private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn. Deadly things are in the British Museum and they must unravel a mystery involving a mummy, a giant ruby and a murder. 

They've thwarted the mastermind plans of villains and crooks, helped Scotland Yard crack their most challenging cases, and worked for the Her Majesty's Government at the highest levels. But nothing has been quite as difficult and dangerous as the latest case that lands in their laps. 

A volunteer at the British Museum makes a shocking discovery. When examining a mummy in the museum's collection, he discovers there is a giant ruby in the shape of a heart buried in the chest of the mummy. Even more startling, the mummy might be the infamous Cleopatra. The following morning, the volunteer is found drowned in the Thames and the ruby is missing. Hired by the victim’s wife to find out what happened to her husband, Barker and Llewelyn find themselves in the middle. Now they must avoid a violent street gang, a ruthless collector, and the British Museum itself in order to find the murderer and the gem. Will they solve the case before it’s too late?

I loved this story! I didn’t realize this was a 14 book series. I haven’t read the other books, but I thought it was pretty easy to get into the book. I definitely want to read the other books now! I loved the characters. I thought the story felt fast-paced and full of action. I love Victorian Murder Mysteries so it was easy for me to dive into the story. I definitely loved the Egyptian mummies storyline. It felt similar to the Mummy. This book was on the longer side, but I thought overall it moved quickly and held my attention.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Victorian England murder mysteries!

A mummy, a heart shaped ruby, the British museum and murder- this series set in late 19th century London just keeps getting better! But wait- this installment will definitely be very enjoyable as a standalone. Barker and Llewelyn are hired by the wife of Philip Addison, a volunteer at the museum who found the heart and then then missing but who is, sadly found dead. They find there's more to the story than Addison knew and villains are afoot. This is told largely by Llewelyn, who has a strong and sometimes sarcastic voice, but all of the characters stand out. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC. No spoilers from me but know that this is terrific historical fiction.

What do you get when you combine murders, Cleopatra’s mummy, a huge ruby, a street gang, a highly distraught widow, and two excellent enquiry agents? A very good mystery! This author just churns out great mystery after great mystery and I never tire of reading them.

It is rapidly approaching the beginning of the new year and cases are few because of the holidays. A distraught young woman comes into their offices and requests they find her husband who is missing. He teaches school during the day and works as a volunteer at the British Museum until midnight. Except – he didn’t come home last night.

Phillip Addison is a wonderful young man who defied his very rich family for love. His teaching job just doesn’t support him and his wife, so he is working as a volunteer at the British Museum in hopes of turning it into a paying position. While going about his tasks of classifying, weighing, and storing a number of Egyptian mummies, he makes a startling discovery. Deep in the chest cavity of one of those mummies is a large ruby that would be priceless. In his excitement, he runs out of the museum with the ruby (to show his boss) – only to realize a few minutes later that he’s now locked out – with a giant, priceless ruby in his possession. Oops! His body is found the next morning floating in the Thames.

Barker and Llewelyn’s missing person case has morphed into something much larger and deadlier. Everyone is now trying to recover, for themselves, the item Phillip found. Where is it? What is it? Everybody knows he found something, but nobody knows what.

Everybody believes that Barker has whatever they are looking for – but does he? They’ll do whatever they have to do to get it from him. Bribery, threats, trickery, attempts on his and Llewelyn’s life – it is all tried to pry the item’s location from Barker.

This was a great mystery, but I was pretty sure I knew who the villain was early on. However, there were so many red herrings thrown it that it kept me from being sure until the very end. It wouldn’t have mattered if the name of the villain(s) had been plastered in large red letters on the first page of the book – the story was so good I would still have loved it.

My only complaint is that this tale broke my heart. Being a soft-hearted romantic, I could hardly stand the idea that such a lovely young man was murdered and two people who truly loved each other were torn apart. Please, Mr. Will Thomas, don’t let me get to know and like a character and then kill them off.

I can definitely recommend this entertaining, well-crafted mystery. I love how the characters have grown through the series. Another thing I like about the series is the point of view. It is written from Llewelyn’s POV – as if he is writing his memoirs years later.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another fun mystery in the Barker & Llewelyn series. This one set at the British Museum with mummies and jewels and of course murder. Set in Victorian London fans of Sherlock Holmes will enjoy this one.

I have been reading this series since the beginning but that is not necessary to understanding this story.

It was an unpaid volunteer who may have possibly made the find of a lifetime in the British Museum. The British fascination with all things Egyptian led to an overwhelming collection of mummies. It was Phillip Addison’s job to weigh and measure them. One was particularly heavy. Opening the chest, Addison discovered what he thought was a brick, but on closer inspection revealed itself to be a rather large ruby. Entrusting it to a friend to keep it safe, he alerts the head of his department and promptly disappears. It is a slow period between Christmas and New Year, so when Elizabeth Addison appears in the offices of Barker and Llewelyn, enquiry agents, they promise to find her husband.

This is Will Thomas’ fourteenth Barker and Llewelyn novel. Cyrus Barker is still the enigmatic head of the agency and Llewelyn has now progressed to junior partner. It is Llewelyn’s connections that lead them to the ruby. Barker takes possession of the gem, passing it on to a secure location when Addison is found murdered. The museum is unaware of what Addison actually found but the director knows that it is an important find and demands its’ return immediately. Mr. Mahmoud, an Egyptian posing as a procurer for a Cairo museum, demands the ruby, raising the subject of artifacts that have been bought or stolen from their original culture. A gang of young men, identified by their identical tweed hats, is also in pursuit of the ruby. Their leader, Reggie Cargill, has been in his father’s shadow and sees this as an opportunity to strike out on his own. Barker is afraid that possession of the ruby will only bring death to those who pursue it. He will keep its’ location secret until it is safe to reveal it despite threats of arrest for both agents.

Thomas builds his mystery around the question of the mummy’s identity. Could it actually be the remains of Cleopatra? There are indications that it is possible. Along with the ruby it would be the greatest find of the British Museum. Threats lie around every corner. They lead to more deaths and a staged revelation that ends in flames. Thomas’ historical mystery will keep you guessing to the very end and looking forward to the return of Barker and Llewelyn. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for my review.

Sometimes you can start a series well into it and it’s ok. This book might have been too far into the series for me to be able to enjoy the characters and the story. I had never heard of this series before, and while the premise was great, for me the execution was sub-par. I FULLY believe that it was because I did not read any of the other 13 books in the series.
If you have read the series, then I would recommend this book as you will understand the characters way more than I did.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.