I enjoyed this mysteries featuring a clever and brave woman, a mysterious investigating partner, and plenty of twisty/action/mysteries.
They're very entertaining and I liked both Lucy and Phineas.
The historical background is vivid and the solid mystery kept me hooked.
This is a review for the three novels: The Art of Deception, No Stone Unturned, Footprints in the Sand
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Footprints in the Sand by Pam Lecky is the second in the Lucy Lawrence Mysteries series. Lucy Lawrence has overcome her tragedies from book one and in now in Egypt. I was excited to read the sequel to No Stone Unturned and was not disappointed. Cannot wait to read the third in the series The Art of Deception.
Releases July 25th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the second installment of the Lucy Lawrence series, written by Pam Lecky. Unfortunately, I do not think it was a good as the first.

This book picks up right where the first left off. We find Lucy Lawrence on a new adventure, this time to Egypt. Now wealthy after the events of the first book, she is patron to renown Egyptologist M. Moreau. The book follows Lucy on her adventures in Egypt, from the marvelous hotel she is staying at in Cairo, to the desert dig site where she is hopeful that Moreau will find an intact tomb.

When the local museum is robbed and an archaeologist murdered, old friendships and hidden rivalries come to light. Can Lucy crack the case?

As said above, I did not enjoy this book as much as the first. The writing is good, however, the first half of the book and the second half felt very different. The first half is very dialogue heavy and focuses on character development which at times I struggled to get through. The murder in question does not take place until about halfway through the book, and at that point the pace does pick up and is more like the first novel.

Also—a main character from the first novel is entirely absent in this one aside from being mentioned a few times.

Still, I will continue to read the series as I find it enjoyable and charming.

As always, thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review before release day.

3.75 Stars
This is the second book in the historical mystery series about Lucy Lawrence. Lucy has been traveling in Europe while she heals from the betrayal and death of her husband. She is also missing Phinneus Stone, the investigator with whom she has feelings for, but is uncertain of where they stan. She meets M. Moreau, a renowned archeologist who will be heading to Cairo to head up a dig and decides to be his patron and fund the dig. Lucy decides to travel to Cairo with her maid Mary and stay for the winter so that she can experience the sights and history of Egypt. As the different groups arrive to start digging, there is tension between the French and English in regards to who truly has the official rights to dig there. There is also theft at the sites and the black market. All this leads to theft of artifacts, and then murder. However, are the 2 linked?

I enjoyed reading about the rights to dig in Egypt at this time. The English have control over rights, but the French control the digs. I also enjoyed the description of the Egyptian history of kings and burial traditions. There were many characters, and it was an enjoyable puzzle to try and figure out who was involved and how it all connected. I really liked the descriptions of the markets!

This was a well paced book, and I liked the mystery. However, I figured out one part at about 75% in.

I struggled a little with Lucy in this book. She came across a little more self-righteous. She seemed to assume that since she helped solve the previous case in England, then she should be privy to information the police had, and was offended when they did not share information. She questions the ability of those around her. However, at the end she is a bit humbled, and I am hoping that the author will continue to grow Lucy in a graceful way because I do enjoy these books, and even Lucy most of the time.

I also wish that Mary had been more "plucky" in this story. She seemed a different character- fearful and worrisome. This was not the same maid that was in the previous book! I hope as they return to England she will return to who she is.

There are a few times when there is repetitiveness in conversations, especially between Lucy and the Detective.

I did like that she reconnected with Phinneus Stone, and am looking forward to see how this pans out.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with characters I like. It is a cozy historical mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I was excited to be able to read the next and the fact it takes place in Egypt was even better. I like Lucy, she fearless and strong. I’m not sure I totally believe one woman could get into so much trouble constantly. I did think the book moved slow and it felt like nothing was happening. It has some surprises along the way. I did miss that Phineas wasn’t in this book.
I hope he’s in the next one.

DNF 20%. I'm so bummed!

I read through the first book in this series, No Stone Unturned, so fast because it was SO GOOD. Major page-turner if I've ever read one. 5 hundred stars from me! Here's my raving review of that first book: https://treasureboxofbooks.wordpress.com/2024/06/25/no-stone-unturned-by-pam-lecky-book-review/

I was so excited to jump into this second book, but I was disappointed.

20% in and nothing has happened. I was bored from the beginning of this one :(. 10% in and I started skimming. Same thing different page. All it was was Lucy making small talk with a bunch of people. And Lucy is so dingy with basically everything in life that it's exhausting. (She was like this in the first book, too.) I got 20% in and it's still the same thing. Small talk with new people she meets. Nothing of importance that I can tell. Maybe later in the book all of this small talk would matter somehow? I'm not willing to tough it through the snoring to find out, unfortunately.

I'm also bummed there's nothing of Lucy and Phineas. The first book ended with them so I'd hoped there was more to their story in this book. It's as if this book could be read as a stand-alone, since seemingly not much is referenced from the first book, including Phin. Aside from Lucy's handmaid and, like, one sentence explaining why she is currently rich. That's it.

Although I left a review on Goodreads, because this was a DNF for me, I did not give a star rating on that platform.

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher, and Author for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Seeking a fresh start in Cairo, Lucy joins a daring archaeological dig. But when a man is found murdered in the Great Pyramid, Lucy becomes entangled in a deadly web of secrets.

This engrossing mystery starts with a long build-up, but the pace picks up after the murder. The Egyptian setting adds interest. Lots of possible suspects and redirections keep the reader guessing.

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

Loved book two in the Lucy Lawrence series! The setting was just *chef's kiss*! Not to mention the growth that we see in Lucy from the woeful widow to now confident traveler!
Onto book 3!

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for an ARC!

These series will keep you hooked from page one through the last chapter. Each book is a new mystery and adventure for both the characters and the readers.
The romantic part is a sideline, the real protagonist is the challenge each case will pose to Lucy and Phineas.

The second book of the series is “Footprints in the sand” Lucy decides to embark on an adventure of her own while her mourning period is still on. When she is in France, she meets this handsome archaeologist who is looking funding to go to Egypt. The temptation to go there is just too great to pass, so Lucy now a wealthy widow, proposes to go along with the team to discover new artifacts or even a royal tomb if they are lucky. Her adventure will turn sour after the archeologist is brutally murder. She will not rest until the responsible is brought to justice..

Lucy’s adventures will be surprising and interesting while you also try to resolve the case with her. I could not put the book down after I started reading it. Can’t wait for the next one.

Thanks NetGalley for my digital ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I loved this book even more than the first one. The setting of Egypt was fascinating, and I really enjoyed learning more about the history of this place through a fun novel. I had my suspects throughout, but I was surprised by the final twist - an unpredictable mystery!
4.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

This is book 2 in the Lucy Lawrence series. Like book 1 this was a good read. It was great to see the same characters again. Lucy made again some stupid decisions, which was unfortunate, but I still think she is a lovely protagonist. The world-building was as incredible as in the first book. You get suckud into Egypt and if you are a sucker for scene settings, you'll love this!! I think the world-building is this books strongest point. The plot was very well developed and kept me interested in the story. Although this book wasn’t as strong as book 1, it was definitely a good read.
3.5 rounded up

Lucy is now a rich widow thanks to the reward for finding the missing sapphires in the last book. She and Mary, her faithful Irish maid, head off to Italy but are diverted to Egypt where she in entranced by the archaeological explorations and excavations of the time. She is also entranced by a French archaeologist and provides some funds for his excavations. She loves the heat, dust, primitive conditions, and then there's the rivalry and jealousy between the British and French archaeologists plus the thievery of artefacts. Murder. She, of course, involves herself, dangerous situations, rather few suspects but all equally possible, and she both aggravates and helps the local police. Nice twists and turns, believable characters and archaeology (although Romans are my period so, honestly, I wouldn't know the details of the various sites described!).Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an advance copy.

The second book in the series focuses on Lucy's journey to Egypt and how she tries to find herself after all the events of book 1.

The research on the topic, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the excavation was very evident and I could feel transported to the place.

However the thrill I felt in book 1
was missing, maybe because Stone was not a very large part of the book.

I liked that she was gaining so much confidence and taking decisions on her own but the way she started acting like a sleuth overnight felt a little awkward to me, slow progression of her character was what I would have loved more.

Despite everything, I have become a fan of this series and will be finishing the third book very soon.

I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Looking for historical mystery read? Footprints in the Sand by Pam Lecky is your answer! This is set in Egypt and Lucy’s on an expedition turned deadly. It was a well-crafted plot with relatable characters. Get ready to be transported to the scorching desert and experience the thrill of the mystery. I highly recommend this one.
Thanks Storm Publishing via NetGalley.

Footprints In The Sand (The Lucy Lawrence Mystery Series Book 2)

By: Pam Lecky

5 Stars

This story was a great addition to this series. Lucy travels to Egypt, and for months, she plays the role of traveler as well as investigator. A friend that she meets is murdered and it sets a fire under Lucy to figure out what truly happened and who the killer is. With all the dangers, she is on a tough road, but she knows exactly what needs to be found out.

This story paints a completely different picture than book one. Here, you get the history of Ancient Egypt with the sites and descriptions to match. I have always loved Egypt, and so this book was right up my alley. I have come to really enjoy these stories. Lucy and all her companions are fun to read and follow. They bring humor and drama and history. I am looking forward to more adventures from Lucy (and hopefully Phineas).

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

I really enjoyed the first book in this historical mystery. The main character, Lucy Lawrence, demonstrated her strength and intelligence as she coped with her husband’s sudden death and solved a mystery. And she met the handsome and intelligent Phineas Stone and a romance seemed to be in the offing.

Well, in this second book in the series, Lucy has taken off to Egypt of all places. Instead of solving a mystery in Victorian London, she’s sponsoring an archaeological dig and solving a murder.

It takes about 40% of the book before the murder even happens so there is a lot of set up before our valiant, and rather foolhardy heroine leaps into dangerous situations and keeps risking her safety and trusting the wrong people. So the mystery was fine.

But I would rather have been back in London and seen her romance with Phineas progress.

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.

When Lucy Lawrence travels to Egypt with a dashing French archaeologist, she thinks she's leaving her troubled past behind. But in the shadow of the pyramids, death and deception await...

A warm welcome to book 2 in the Lucy Lawrence series by Pam Lecky. I was invited to read this immediately after finishing her first book named No Stone Unturned and it is advisable to read them in order as the first book sets up the story beautifully and reintroduces us to familiar characters. Lucy has left her somewhat complicated life in London to indulge herself in travel and meeting new people. In France she encounters an enthusiastic archaeologist in need of funding, intrigued by the idea of an adventure in Egypt, Lucy offers to fund his dig and accompany him there.
This is a great story and Lucy spends a great deal of time chasing baddies and getting in the way! An excellent heroine and I look forward to reading her third adventure. Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, Storm for an ARC of Footprints in the Sand.

There is a complete change in setting. Lucy ends up in Egypt with a handsome Frenchman and egyptologist M. Moreau. She uses her newly found wealth to fund his dig and this, starts her love for archaeology and Egypt. The book was not as good as the first one because there wasn't Mr. Stone and she's never really in charge of the investigation, so she's being overly cautious with little to no output on the questionings that she does. It was new, yes. I learnt a lot about Egypt, archaeology and the ancient funeral rituals. So, the mystery aspect was lacking but rest of it was amazing.

Lucy goes on a new adventure! Now a wealthy woman, she finds herself in Egypt. Unlike the first novel, it has a slower start - introducing the setting, new characters, etc. Lucy encounters a mystery unlike anything she’s faced before. But will she leave Egypt alive……?

I’ll admit it was difficult to not jump right back into Lucy’s life in England and her relationship with Phineas Stone but it made sense for her character development to find her own way in the world and have an adventure. Book 2 jumps into Lucy traveling to Egypt and taking part in archaeological digs alongside a possible romance with a charming Frenchman. Luckily, the monies obtained from the reward for the jewels she found in the first book, have given her the freedom and flexibility to make her own choices which leads her to explore the Great Pyramids as well as undiscovered hidden vaults. There is a race between the French archaeologists and the English archaeologists to uncover a hidden burial chamber and Lucy is caught in the middle of the warring parties. She must filter out what jealousies and grievances are professional and which are personal as there are secret romances to be discovered as well. Lucy finds her way with the help of her maid, Mary, and comes away knowing she can rely on herself when she needs to.