Heart of the Nile

Barker & Llewelyn #14

by Will Thomas

London, 1893 - deadly doings are afoot in the British Museum and private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn must unravel a mystery involving a mummy, a giant ruby and a murder, in Will Thomas's Heart of the Nile .

Cyrus Barker, along with his former assistant and now partner Thomas Llewelyn, is the premier enquiry agent in all of 19th century London, and beyond. They've thwarted the designs of villains and crooks off all sorts, helped Scotland Yard crack their most challenging cases, and worked for the Her Majesty's Government at the very highest levels. But nothing has been quite as challenging and dangerous as the latest case that comes to find them.

In 1893, a volunteer at the British Museum makes a startling 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 well be Cleopatra. The following morning, the volunteer is found floating in the Thames and the ruby has gone missing. Hired by the victim’s wife to learn the truth behind his death, Barker and Llewelyn find themselves in the crosshairs - now they must avoid a violent street gang, a ruthless collector, and the British Museum itself in order to find the killer and safeguard the gem.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Audiobook, Suspense

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Will Thomas, born 1958 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is a novelist who writes a Victorian mystery series featuring Cyrus Barker, a Scottish detective or "private enquiry agent," and his Welsh assistant, Thomas Llewelyn. The Barker/Llewelyn novels are set in the 1880s and often feature historical events, people, and movements. Martial combat is a recurring theme throughout this hardboiled series.

Prior to writing novels, Will Thomas wrote essays for Sherlock Holmes society publications and lectured on crime fiction of the Victorian era.

Will Thomas' first novel, Some Danger Involved, was nominated for a Barry Award and a Shamus Award, and won the 2005 Oklahoma Book Award. In 2015, he won the Oklahoma Book Award a second time for Fatal Enquiry. Will Thomas has been featured on the cover of Library Journal, and was the Toastmaster at the 2007 Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave in Manhattan, Kansas. His fifth novel, The Black Hand, was nominated for a 2009 Shamus Award. He is married to author Julia Bryan Thomas.

Series:
. Barker and Llewelyn

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The private enquiry agents the eccentric Cyrus Barker and his young partner Thomas Llewelyn try to solve the murder of an Egyptologist who has just found a huge uncut ruby hidden in the chest of a mummy, which may or may not be that of Cleopatra. Their investigations involve them with the widow, a newly formed street gang, the British Museum, a representative of an Egyptian museum and a mystery writer searching for a new plot.

This is the 14th book in the series, and I have read all of them. By now I am just really comfortable with the relationship of the characters and I know all of their backstory. The stories always include various ethnic, religious and economic components of English society that you don’t typically find in mysteries. There is definitely a sameness to these books, and I think that the earliest books were the best, but I still enjoy reading them. This book can be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading the first book, “Some Danger Involved”, which was a great introduction to the characters.

My only problem with the book is that it had about 5 endings. Every time I thought that Barker had explained the mystery there was another loose thread that he needed to address. It really began to drag on.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 14 of the Barker Llewelyn series is another good mystery set in 1893, the heart of the Victorian Age. Here our private Enquiry Agents (don't call them detectives!), are contacted by a woman whose wife has disappeared after he failed to come home from his nighttime volunteer job as the British Museum. This leads us to the mystery of the throw-away mummy at the museum, which on closer examination may actually be the mummy of Cleopatra. Not only that, inside the mummified body there is a large and heavy object (a massive ruby), which may even have come from the legendary King Solomon Mines. Lots to get one excited about Egyptology in this book as our intrepid enquiry agents must try and figure out multiple murders, stolen Egyptian artifacts, as well as both a gang of thugs and Scotland Yard. A rousing read, and certainly a worthy successor to the works of Sherlock Holmes. Even though it is Book 14, it is not problem to read it as a standalone mystery. Very good work by author Will Thomas.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a museum volunteer disappears after making a potentially ground-breaking discovery in one of the collection's mummies, Barker and Llewelyn step in to find him and make sure a priceless artifact does not fall into the wrong hands.

This is a fun, fast-paced, action-packed Victorian mystery. Think Sherlock Holmes where every other scene is like the Reichenbach Falls.

I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. It was a quick listen and really kept my attention.

The characters were quirky and intriguing. The content was good, clean fun. I would have no problem recommending this series for younger readers as well as old.

This was the first book I read in this series, but I'm definitely going to go back and read the rest now.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barker and Llewelyn, how I love you!

• I love you for Barker's rigid, but not conventional morals—and his ever-present black lensed glasses.
• I love you for including gay characters in mysteries set in late 19th Century London that acknowledge the risks they face, but that also treat them as fully human.
• I love you for the mix of faiths and the successes and eruptions these mixtures produce, depending on the individual believers.
• I love you because your central characters are smart without being pompous and kind without being condescending.
• I love the way you mix action and ratiocenation.
• I love the way your community of regular characters form an unusual, highly supportive family for one another.
• I love that you are not cozy, that bad things sometimes happen to good people, but that the violence is never gratuitous or overly detailed.
• I love the way you highlight a range of London communities, wealthy to poor, blue-blooded to recently arrived immigrants.
• I love the fact that you will leave me absolutely flummoxed at some point in every story.

Most recently, I've been loving Barker and Lleyelyn in the context of a mystery set within the Egyptology Department of the British Museum. We have a mummy that may be that of one of Egypt's most famous rulers, a museum volunteer, a ruthless collector, a fabulous gem, gang fights, and an unexpected denouement. Heart of the Nile offers a very satisfying ride.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss+; the opinions are my own.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Barker and Llewelyn #14
Publication Date: 4/11/23
Period: Victorian London - 1893
Number of Pages: 320

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.

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victorian mystery complete with Egyptian mummies and murder!

London, 1893. Thomas Llewellyn and Cyrus Barker have their hands full with an intriguing investigation of a disappeared gentleman who was last seen at midnight, with hints of a major discovery in an unto-now looked at mummy. One of a glut of mummies the British Museum has bought or been gifted by those English travellers who’ve done their Grand Tour, and now find that so desirable artefact has lost its sheen back in England. Most find their inglorious way to the Museum basement needing to be catalogued.
Phillip Addison had taken on the task. Unpaid, a volunteer, often working through the night, as a way to further his interest in Egyptology, perhaps even to be part of a dig one day. He was an Oxford man, ancient history enthusiast by night, and a school teacher by day. He’d developed a new and applauded system for designating information about the mummies.
But now Addison’s riveted by the discovery he’s made. In rushing off (at midnight) to tell his superior he manages to lock himself out of the museum. Now he looks like a thief. His superior Clive Hennings refuses to see him, and that’s the last we see of Addison.
Missing, Elizabeth Addison hires Llewellyn and Baker to find her husband.
What they will uncover is stunning! As is the ending!
Turning my attention to the mummy. The question is whose remains are they? Possibly a cleopatra, the Cleopatra, as there were several others. A romantic guess by Llewellyn is all we have.
An absolutely startling finish to a torrid investigation, the heart cleverly played in the end by Barker.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC invitation via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

[Ailie Vuper · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I liked the concept of this book (a take on Sherlock and Holmes just with two different characters) and I thought that the mystery was fun but ultimately not something I would pick up again. That is quite possibly due to coming in at book 14 of a series. The writing was good and even coming in so late, enough background information was given about Barker and Llewelyn that I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. My biggest critiques are:
I didn't really like Llewelyn's little aside comments and opinions (he was the POV for this book). I didn't feel like they added anything to the story and became a bit annoying as the book progressed.

The women characters are basically non-existent or are shrieking anytime they're in the scene.

The end of the book felt rushed. The build up to the climax of solving the crime was ok but it all ended really quickly and I felt wasn't fleshed out as much as I would have liked/wasn't hinted at throughout the book. Maybe I just missed the clues.

I think this is a good read if you are already a Barker and Llewelyn fan and like Sherlock Holmes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC of Heart of the Nile!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun Victorian mystery with an Egyptomanian theme.

This is my first foray into this series, and from what I can tell, it doesn’t much matter if you read them out of order.

This isn’t exactly Charles Finch caliber stuff (though really, what is?) but it’s a fun story with a solid sense of humor and a decent plot.

The ending felt a bit silly and contrived, but the fun part was getting there, and there’s plenty of entertainment along the way. I loved the focus on the British Museum and Egyptomania, though I wish the book had spent more time in the museum and with its staff instead of devoting so many pages to the detectives going around interviewing petty criminals.

Given that, the theme and sense of place weren’t quite as good as they easily should have been with such a promising premise, hence a rating of three stars here rather than four.

But Barker and Llewelyn are both capable and likable, and their banter helps with the less well-executed sections of the book. I’d read another.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Anns Bibliotherapy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[☕Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ratings:

Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 4
Impact 3

Overall rating 3.75

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won an advanced reader copy thru a Goodreads giveaway. I really had no idea what to expect since I had never read any of the Barker & Llewelyn books but I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I am a huge fan of all things late 19th century London. Add murder, mystery, museums, mummies, and I'm all in! The story was very interesting. I really love the main characters of Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn, and all the minor characters were good too. There were some good twists and turns I didn't see coming, and a few I did, but a very enjoyable read. I will be picking up a few more of these Barker & Llewelyn mysteries in the near future.

[Jane Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this continuing adventure of the Barker and Llewelyn Enquiry Agency, they are called upon by Mrs. Addison. Her husband, Phillip, didn't return home after his volunteering at the British Museum. As the pair work toward finding him, it turns out that when he was cataloging a mummy in the archives, he found something unusual. Unfortunately Phillip was found murdered and it made them more determined to find his killer. As they traveled a wintery London gathering information, Barker started to put all the pieces together to unmask the murderer.
An intriguing and well plotted murder mystery with all the familiar characters and diverse locations and people.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-galley of "Heart of the Nile".

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Autumn Brimm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one more than I did. The concept seemed fun and interesting but it just fell flat for me. It probably doesn't help that this is book fourteen in a series and it's the only one I've read. The plot had really slow pacing but did have a nice ending. I just felt bored listening to this one. The writing was still really well done and I liked the atmospheric prose. So while this one wasn't for me I'm sure someone else will love it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Barker and Llewelyn. So much! Antony Ferguson’s reading is perfection. He captures Thomas and the Guv with wonderful style and humor. Thomas is so very droll. Whether he is being shot at or reuniting with his wife after a month, his delivery is the same (he didn’t even kiss her!). He’s more passionate with Mac trying to get him out of bed. Those scenes are fabulous! Victorian England with mummies! What’s not to love? The mystery is wonderful. We have enough information to know who started the chain of events from the beginning, but not enough to link the chains together until the very end. I’m actually glad this one is less emotional. The last couple of books have been exhausting, so intense. Even with Thomas’s matter of fact delivery, I was weeping through them. This one is just good fun. Very good fun! But, honestly, these two could sit in their office and read the phone book and I would be happy just spending time in their world with them. There is a scene where they go to visit Barker’s Chinese ward ( I won’t even try to spell her name) and her three year old daughter, Su. He fills his pockets with blocks and a doll and she climbs into his lap and falls asleep. Brought me to tears. That scene is worth the whole book if you love these two as much as I do. The cherry on a really tasty sundae.

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn are hired to find a missing person. Philip Addison was working late at the British Museum, cataloging the mummies. He never returned home. He was a staid responsible young man who taught school and loved his wife. Barker and Llewelyn find his body almost immediately, but the reasoning behind his murder is harder to ascertain. Has Addison found the mummy of Cleopatra? All they know is that a massive ruby was found inside her body and everyone wants to know where it is. Barker has given it to someone and he refuses to tell either the police or the British Museum where it is. Between the violent street gang, a rapacious collector of Egyptian artifacts, and the British Museum itself, Barker and Llewelyn are engulfed in a very difficult case...and it's Christmas.

[Art Schicht · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fine example of the Victorian crime novel. I personally enjoy this genre. Reading such a fine presentation as this is like talking with an old friend. Research into this era is important to make a believable and interesting plot. Will Thomas sets a high standard that shows up in a well written story line.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A jolly good read!

[Glynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 14th book of a series whose main characters are Thomas Lewellyn and Cyrus Barker (called Guv,) two “enquiry agents” who are hired by private citizens to get to the bottom of mysteries, in the late 1800s where the word “detective” doesn't quite exist yet? This book concerns a mummy who might be Cleopatra, a giant ruby inside her mummified body, and a bunch of murders.

I really enjoyed the last 60 pages or so where the action speeds up and the story is winding to a conclusion. Prior to that the story was entertaining but dragged on a bit. I think if I had read any of the previous books in this series I might have enjoyed this one a bit more. I would have given it 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Heart of the Nile.

I looked to review this book as I enjoy mysteries and I really like all things Egypt and turn of the 20th century as a time period is my jam. This book howerver, is not for me. I had not previously read and books in the series and I don't think I will. There is clearly a depth of chracterization that has been built up over time and I think this entry in the series is likely to appeal to those who have read previous installments.

I found the lack of women (particularly in the first half) to be off-putting. I know the client is a woman and we also meet three other women. The only one with any character development is the client and her arc is non-sensical. I am avoiding spoilers. What really made this not for me was a discussion of the Rosetta stone where a character who would actually know said the British should keep the stone because they found it. Llewelyn rebuts this so it isn't the colonialism that bothers me - it is how things were done - but the that the British did not find the Rosetta stone. They took it from the French as part of a peace treaty in 1801. A few pages later the originally murdered person was described as having been shot but he was stabbed. This made me feel stabby.

A decent read, but not my thing.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a copy of Heart of The Nile: A Barker & Llewelyn Novel in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for an opportunity to read and review this book.

Will Thomas writes a great, gripping detective novel. I am adding the rest of his catalog to my TBR.

I do have to call out Phillip Addison's comments in 1893 for which I'm not super chuffed. (Prologue, page 3 -- Did Addison, really body-shame a mummy?) He commented on the female mummy putting on weight and suggested that the extra weight could be a possible impediment to her ability to attract a pharaoh? (Cringe) Yes, I realize the character was making these comments in 1893, however our more cringeworthy members of society are still body-shaming. (sigh)

Hmm. Perhaps it is an ethical debate to leave to the Egyptologists, however I've always hoped that human remains/mummies would and should be treated with dignity and respect.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Victorian Enquiry Agents Barker and Llewelyn are hired to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a British Museum volunteer…

I loved the Egyptian historical undertones set within a Victorian context, and the fast paced detective work. Though this is the 14th book in the Barker and Llewelyn series, this is the first I have read. I was able to pick up on everything very quickly and don’t think any readers would have trouble understanding the story starting with this book. Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes!

[Julie Gerbino-Horowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Janet McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not guess who killed the victim until it was revealed in the last chapter. The book takes place in the 1890s London, England. It is a bit of a slow read in places, but so worth it. Great characters, plot, storyline and writing. It is the 14th book in the series; which I did not know until I went to review it. I will be looking for the first 13 by writer Will Thomas. I won the book in a Goodreads give away. It was a joy to read.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of the Nile by Will Thomas is another Barker and Llewellyn 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 Llewellyn, 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.

Llewelllyn 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

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Heart of the Nile is the 14th Barker & Llewelyn Victorian historical mystery by Will Thomas. Released 11th April 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well established series and the characters are quite finely drawn in a well written whole. The background research is impressive and the descriptions really do call up Victorian London. The story is fictionalized but written around a real historical framework and intertwined so skillfully that it's not always easy to tell where real history shades over into fiction.

The denouement and resolution are well done and satisfying. My only quibble (and it's a fairly minor one) is that the dialogue feels anachronistic in some places. It isn't clunky or awkward, but there is some modern vernacular and a most egalitarian (and non-period) mixing of social classes. The mystery itself is quite convoluted and the climax and denouement were full of twists I hadn't foreseen.

I enjoyed the inclusion of archaeology, Egyptology, and the British Museum especially. The eccentric and intellectual staff and hangers-on were compassionately done and not at all sarcastically or cruelly written. There are some moderately graphic descriptions of blood and violence included, so readers who are very sensitive to bloodshed should be aware. All in all it's a very well written and engaging historical mystery.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 59 minutes and is superbly narrated by Antony Ferguson. He has a rich baritone voice and the quick switches in dialogue from Barker's brogue to east London Cockney thugs without a wobble is a thing of beauty. The sound and production quality is high throughout the recording.

The books are self contained stand-alones, so it's not necessary to have read the books in order to understand what's going on.

High quality historical mystery. Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.