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Lieutenant Bak #5
A Place of Darkness
Some transgressions may never be forgiven -- as Lieutenant Bak remains out of favor with the powers of Kemet. While in transit from his exile in Buhen to a new posting, the disgraced policeman stops at the capital in hopes of investigating a troubling case of relics plundered from ancient tombs and smuggled through the southern frontier. Instead, he is sent to the partially built memorial temple of the divine Queen Maatkare Hatshepsut, where a series of fatal accidents and whispers of a malign spirit are plaguing the construction effort. Can the thefts and these deaths somehow be connected? The clues are leading the ever-loyal investigator to a magnificent tomb. But this realm of the dead threatens to become Bak's own place of burial when he must confront the source of the spectral malevolence.
285 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2001
6 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Haney
15 books34 followersThis is a pseudonym for Betty Winkelman.
Lauren Haney, a former technical editor in the aerospace and international construction industries, is the author of several ancient Egyptian mysteries featuring Lieutenant Bak. She lives in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and travels to Egypt at every opportunity.
Haney's novels have been published in German, English and French, and in the Czech Republic. The german editions of her novels have been published unter her real name Betty Winkelman.
Lauren Haney, a former technical editor in the aerospace and international construction industries, is the author of several ancient Egyptian mysteries featuring Lieutenant Bak. She lives in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and travels to Egypt at every opportunity.
Haney's novels have been published in German, English and French, and in the Czech Republic. The german editions of her novels have been published unter her real name Betty Winkelman.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 20, 2013
Another solid ancient Egyptian mystery. She keeps you guessing to the last page, and her history is accurate.
June 30, 2017
To me this was not up to par to the other good books in this series. I believe it was because of the change of location with several of the main characters barely mentioned. Still if you enjoy this series you will probably want to read this. Not bad, just not really good. Worth about 3.5 stars.
April 27, 2019
Good mystery with interesting detail of the palace of Hatshepsut - check it out on youtube and see where the story takes place. I have enjoyed these Egyptian mysteries and will finish the series (also enjoyed Paul Doherty's series as well)
May 7, 2022
third reading
The first two readings left me grateful for this book. This time the flaws made me wonder how I could have been impressed. My guess is that the intensity carried me beyond what now is wry smile
The first two readings left me grateful for this book. This time the flaws made me wonder how I could have been impressed. My guess is that the intensity carried me beyond what now is wry smile
July 30, 2018
good adventure
May 21, 2008
Writing instructors will tell you that the most important elements in mysteries are great plots and memorable characters. In Lauren Haney’s enjoyable novel, A Place of Darkness, setting is equally important. Her ancient Egypt setting is so strong, in fact, that it outshines most of her characters. The primary story takes place at the construction site of Djeser Djeseru, a memorial temple for divine Queen Maatkare Hatshepsut. Lieutenant Bak is asked to investigate the cause of a series of accidents at the site, supposedly brought on by a malign spirit, or so the frightened workers believe. When one of the temple’s senior architects is murdered, Bak’s quest takes a sinister turn. He also realizes that stolen artifacts he’d confiscated a few days earlier in Buhen might have come from ancient tombs beneath Djeser Djeseru. The victim wasn’t a nice guy, and no one, including this reader, minds that he’s gone. Bak, however, is a conscientious man who cares about his reputation, so he risks life and limb to find a killer who also might be causing the accidents.
Haney provides plenty of geographical detail in this story. For someone who knows almost nothing about Egypt, I found the descriptions educational, although I did become a little bogged down with all the site names and references to previous royalty. Also daunting was the long list of characters provided (36 in all) before the first chapter. Although Haney does a great job of introducing people at a measured pace, I had to consult the list several times to keep them straight. Having said that, Haney’s talent for detail also portrays such a gritty portrayal of life for construction workers in ancient Egypt that I could almost feel their aches and pains and smell the sweat.
A Place of Darkness sits in the middle of this eight-book series, but it works well as a stand alone. Haney provides just enough casual references to past events in Bak’s professional life to pique my interest in reading the earlier books. If you’re curious about temple building and want a close look at the immense amount of toil involved, A Place of Darkness is the book for you.
Haney provides plenty of geographical detail in this story. For someone who knows almost nothing about Egypt, I found the descriptions educational, although I did become a little bogged down with all the site names and references to previous royalty. Also daunting was the long list of characters provided (36 in all) before the first chapter. Although Haney does a great job of introducing people at a measured pace, I had to consult the list several times to keep them straight. Having said that, Haney’s talent for detail also portrays such a gritty portrayal of life for construction workers in ancient Egypt that I could almost feel their aches and pains and smell the sweat.
A Place of Darkness sits in the middle of this eight-book series, but it works well as a stand alone. Haney provides just enough casual references to past events in Bak’s professional life to pique my interest in reading the earlier books. If you’re curious about temple building and want a close look at the immense amount of toil involved, A Place of Darkness is the book for you.
June 25, 2012
While reading A Place of Darkness, I was overwhelmed and bored simultaneously. I felt that it was the author’s meticulous attention to detail that was so overwhelming and boring. The imagery of the Egypt, the building of Hatshepsut’s temple, and their lifestyle strongly overshadowed the story of the book, making the emphasis more on their surroundings than the plot itself, which was subpar.
I truly believe that Lauren Haney wonderfully depicted the ancient Egypt period and made you feel like you were a part of the building of Hatshepsut’s temple. On the other hand, she left me wanting so much more out of a main character and story line and less of their backdrop.
When reading a mystery, I want to be surprised. In A Place of Darkness, the plot was what everyone expects: Lieutenant Bak survives to continue on with the series of mysteries. I did not finish the book due to boredom. Yet, I know that the malign spirit that Bak was after was indeed a man. No question there, it was just a matter of whom. I didn’t find Lieutenant Bak engaging. In fact, I found him to be very flat. I wanted excitement, emotion. Instead I got a level-headed, calm, and meticulous officer.
As mentioned before, I did not finish this book. I completed about 50% of it and still had to drag myself to pick it up and go on. I went online to compare my feelings with the book to others who read and finished the book. I appear to be outnumbered. Most readers really enjoyed the book and have plans to continue reading the Lieutenant Bak series. My opinion may be a little biased due to the fact that I enjoy and rarely branch away from literary classics. Lieutenant Bak comes nowhere near any classic story in writing or plot. When comparing him to the great Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lieutenant Bak doesn’t stand a chance. Perhaps my expectations were high when reading this book, but I have read amazing literary classics that set the standard for authors everywhere and A Place of Darkness does not make the grade.
I would not recommend this book to a friend.
I truly believe that Lauren Haney wonderfully depicted the ancient Egypt period and made you feel like you were a part of the building of Hatshepsut’s temple. On the other hand, she left me wanting so much more out of a main character and story line and less of their backdrop.
When reading a mystery, I want to be surprised. In A Place of Darkness, the plot was what everyone expects: Lieutenant Bak survives to continue on with the series of mysteries. I did not finish the book due to boredom. Yet, I know that the malign spirit that Bak was after was indeed a man. No question there, it was just a matter of whom. I didn’t find Lieutenant Bak engaging. In fact, I found him to be very flat. I wanted excitement, emotion. Instead I got a level-headed, calm, and meticulous officer.
As mentioned before, I did not finish this book. I completed about 50% of it and still had to drag myself to pick it up and go on. I went online to compare my feelings with the book to others who read and finished the book. I appear to be outnumbered. Most readers really enjoyed the book and have plans to continue reading the Lieutenant Bak series. My opinion may be a little biased due to the fact that I enjoy and rarely branch away from literary classics. Lieutenant Bak comes nowhere near any classic story in writing or plot. When comparing him to the great Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lieutenant Bak doesn’t stand a chance. Perhaps my expectations were high when reading this book, but I have read amazing literary classics that set the standard for authors everywhere and A Place of Darkness does not make the grade.
I would not recommend this book to a friend.
November 24, 2008
For me, the Lieutenant Bak series by Lauren Haney suffers in comparison to Paul Doherty's and Linda Robinson's series about the same general period. Those books have more compelling and fully drawn characters and, I think, a better grasp of the history and action of the period.
That is not to say this is a bad series. In fact, I have enjoyed the earlier three works in the series more than I did this one. "A Place of Darkness" just seems kind of all over the place, unfocused, and I had a hard time getting into it.
I have three more books in the series waiting on my to-be-read shelf and I will definitely read them, but I hope for a more coherent plot and more engaging characters.
In this story, Bak is on his way from his post in Buhen to a new assignment in Mennufer. The early part of the story is taken up with explaining how he manages to get his entire entourage sent to Mennufer as well, but, here, he is in transit to the new posting and winds up investigating a series of mysterious deaths that have occurred during the construction of Hatshepsut's memorial.
What an interesting time that must have been in Egyptian history but this fictional telling of it just seems a bit bland. Of course, in the end Lieutenant Bak gets his man and lives to solve more crimes in future adventures.
That is not to say this is a bad series. In fact, I have enjoyed the earlier three works in the series more than I did this one. "A Place of Darkness" just seems kind of all over the place, unfocused, and I had a hard time getting into it.
I have three more books in the series waiting on my to-be-read shelf and I will definitely read them, but I hope for a more coherent plot and more engaging characters.
In this story, Bak is on his way from his post in Buhen to a new assignment in Mennufer. The early part of the story is taken up with explaining how he manages to get his entire entourage sent to Mennufer as well, but, here, he is in transit to the new posting and winds up investigating a series of mysterious deaths that have occurred during the construction of Hatshepsut's memorial.
What an interesting time that must have been in Egyptian history but this fictional telling of it just seems a bit bland. Of course, in the end Lieutenant Bak gets his man and lives to solve more crimes in future adventures.
April 13, 2013
Lieutenant Bak is being transferred! After making Buhen his home so successfully, he's moving north. A stop-off to visit his father places him in the path of a deadly prankster. Mischief, smuggling and murder together won't stop Pharaoh Hatshepsut from building her memorial temple, but clearly someone considers Bak a threat.
I can't understand why Haney's editor didn't take forcible measures. In the middle of her good plots, when the story is hurrying along finely, she keeps dropping in detailed descriptions that are irrelevant to the action and draw the excitement right out of it. I've read this tendency referred to as info-dumps. I don't think Haney is actually thinking, "See, I did my research." It seems to me she loves everything about ancient Egypt just as much as she loves her story, so she stops to savor the scenes and artifacts whenever she feels like it. I gave it 3 stars anyway, because it really is a good plot.
I can't understand why Haney's editor didn't take forcible measures. In the middle of her good plots, when the story is hurrying along finely, she keeps dropping in detailed descriptions that are irrelevant to the action and draw the excitement right out of it. I've read this tendency referred to as info-dumps. I don't think Haney is actually thinking, "See, I did my research." It seems to me she loves everything about ancient Egypt just as much as she loves her story, so she stops to savor the scenes and artifacts whenever she feels like it. I gave it 3 stars anyway, because it really is a good plot.
June 24, 2015
Good mystery - good plot - good characters - the author Lauren Haney paints wonderful picture of life in 18th dynasty Egypt. She gives a real feeling what it would have been like living during that time.
AND - Lt. Bak continues to get beat up proving he is just a human as the next guy.
I am so happy I found the author and her series of mysteries in ancient Egypt.
AND - Lt. Bak continues to get beat up proving he is just a human as the next guy.
I am so happy I found the author and her series of mysteries in ancient Egypt.
December 18, 2015
Lt. Bak is sent to the construction site of Queen Maatkares memorial temple to solve a mystery involving a malign spirit who causes accidents and is impeding the temples construction. The smuggling of ancient relics may have a connection.
This is another great mystery in the series.
This is another great mystery in the series.
Read
February 5, 2019Not my kind of book
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews