Palm Trees and Poison

The Clarissa Bell Mysteries #2

by Tracy L. Higley

Step into the sultry heat of 1920s Egypt, where ancient secrets hide along the banks of the Nile River.Fresh from solving her first murder case in Egypt, archaeologist Dr. Clarissa Bell thought the most dangerous thing about her new assignment would be authenticating ancient pigments. She was wrong.

When a respected Egyptologist is poisoned at an elegant house party on the banks of the Nile, Clarissa finds herself trapped with a collection of suspicious guests—including the devastatingly competent Benedict Quinn, whose true profession remains tantalizingly unclear.

With a second body discovered and a priceless artifact missing, the local police seem more interested in preserving diplomatic relations than catching killers.

As Clarissa applies her archaeological methodology to unraveling lies, she uncovers an international conspiracy that threatens Egypt's cultural heritage—and her father's reputation. But someone is always one step ahead, manipulating evidence and witnesses with the precision of a mastermind.

With suspects preparing to scatter across three continents and a deadline looming, Clarissa must prove her expertise extends beyond ancient pottery to very modern murder. The stakes have never been higher, and trust has never been more dangerous.

Some secrets, it seems, are worth killing for—repeatedly.

"A gripping historical mystery that blends Agatha Christie's puzzle-solving with the exotic danger of 1920s Egypt—perfect for fans of atmospheric period adventures and clever heroines who refuse to stay safely on the sidelines."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Cozy

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Tracy Higley has been attempting to time travel through the pages of books since she was a child. She started her first story at the age of eight, and has since authored nearly twenty books, including the acclaimed Seven Wonders Series, and the Time Travel Journals of Sahara Aldridge. She earned a Master’s Degree in Ancient and Classical History, and has traveled to Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Italy, and Turkey, researching her books and falling into adventures. Peruse her travel journals and learn more fascinating history at www.tracyhigley.com.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written! The author keeps you guessing until the end. She has all the suspects gathered together, and your attention keeps shifting between the suspects and more importantly the evidence and motives. Throw in failed romances amongst the suspects and some shady business dealings, and you have a complete, well written mystery.

Recommended for those who value an excellent story over sleep.

[Vicki Vaught · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great second book in the series! Clarissa and Quinn return, working together to solve another series of mysterious events that could be related to the blue pigment that featured in the first book. The story is well-paced to keep you reading, with some unexpected twists and turns along the way for Clarissa to solve. Looking forward to book 3!

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book in the Clarissa Bell Mysteries just as much as the first. The story has moved from Giza to Luxor and the house party from hell ensues. Estranged fiances, curses, stolen artefacts, secrets and murder abound. Clarissa's internal cataloguing of events and characters is hysterical, along with her realisation that people don't fit into neat boxes of this or that. It's nice to see her grow as a person and to know not all is lost in her relationship with Quinn. There are revelations galore about family and close friends, and allies where one least expects them. This was a clever 'locked room' type whodunnit with a cast of characters, none of whom where what they seemed. I enjoyed it immensely. 5*

[S.K. O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong Chemistry, Weak Clues: A Mixed Bag in the Tropics

I had high hopes for Palm Trees and Poison, especially after the setup in the first book, but I came away with very mixed feelings. While the character dynamics kept me turning the pages, the "mystery" element of this archaeological mystery series felt unfortunately thin.

The Good: The absolute highlight of this series continues to be the relationship between Clarissa and Quin. Their chemistry is electric, and honestly, if this were strictly a romance novel, it would be a much stronger book. I found myself skimming the "investigation" just to get back to their scenes. I also enjoyed the "household" setting; having the characters trapped under one roof created some interesting tension and dynamics, even if the "tropical" atmosphere of the setting didn't quite come through for me.

The Bad (The "Sleuthing" Problem): As a mystery, this fell flat. There was no real procedure, no physical evidence, and no actual trail of clues for Clarissa to follow. Instead of active sleuthing, the plot relied on characters sitting around throwing theories and gossip at each other until the murderer eventually just confessed.

I also found the repetitive nature of the writing to be a struggle. Simple plot points were reiterated over and over again to the point of redundancy, which made the middle of the book drag significantly.

Missed Opportunities:

Female Dynamics: The book frequently mentions how few women are in the field of archaeology, yet in both books so far, the "accomplished women" end up being the murderers. I would love to see Clarissa form a bond or a professional friendship with another woman that is built on mutual respect rather than a criminal charges.

The "Indigo" Reveal: After two books of buildup regarding "Operation Indigo," the payoff in the epilogue felt like a total bait-and-switch. To be told it was all just a "guy who collects" with zero foreshadowing made the previous suspense feel a bit pointless.

The Shed Scene: Total missed opportunity for some much-needed character development between Clarissa and Quin!

Final Verdict: The beginning was strong and grabbed my attention, but the execution trailed off into repetitive dialogue and a lackluster resolution. I’m still curious about Clarissa’s father, but I hope Book 3 brings more "real" evidence and less gossip.

[Stephanie Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw, refreshing when book 2 is just as good as the first. Once again, 4/5 for thr continued use of more modern verbiage in a 1920’s setting…

Now onto the 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We return with Dr, Clarissa Bell and Benedict Quinn for another wild turn of events that continues to keep you guessing.

And do we have ourselves a Cludo murder mystery? Absolutely we do! Does Dr. Bell’s ex-finance show up with thoughts of bringing her home on orders from her father (and his own supposed hopes to win her back)? Yes, yes it does. Do we have multiple standoff’s between the man that lost her, and the one who sends heat all over her body? Of course!

And what is so special about the Astral Sphere (that’s more like a plate, but sphere sounds sexier) that has everyone’s rapt attention?

We get a heavier glimpse into this rather large and nefarious network of stolen Egyptian antiquities being siphoned into private donors closets, more key players in the network, and it’s bigger and more devised than anyone imagined.

It’s a beautiful slow burn romance with high stress and high stakes games afoot…

And I already preordered the next book …

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come explore the 1920s in Egypt in a battle for prized antiquities. While clients “with more money than scruples” seem to run the market—semi-legitimate to utterly black—Dr. Bell spends a holiday with a wealthy and powerful British widow who seemingly is engaged in the ongoing thefts.

Britain and Egypt share a complicated romance of love, hate, and intrigue. British fascination with all things ancient causes them to pay dearly to have other countries’ antiquities relocated to mother England, an arrogance the Egyptians find hard to overlook.

That sets the background to a tense mystery in which people are murdered and not grieved one small bit. I found the characters intriguing, the locale rich with desert dust and mystique, and the plot tangled and engaging. It will draw you back in time to a different era. That said, it was still rife with political intrigue, academic posturing, and impossible romances.

By all means read it!

[Anam Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I like this one better than the first in the series. Perhaps it is because I know the characters a little better.

Like Clarissa, I was totally thrown off, looking at one thing when I should have been aware of another.

I have been to the places in the book and walked through Karnak as they went there as a large group. I could easily imagine the towering columns. It did seem a bit unrealistic that they had a ladder there. And I guessed one thing at the end, but not the person involved. (Didn't want to spoil this. Hope I can remember what I am alluding to years from now when I revisit this.)

[Richard Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Clarissa Bell is back in Egypt after 8 months away from Benadict Quinn who is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. They are at an event at Lady Blackwell's for the winter solstice and the Astral Sphere. One of the guest is murdered with cyanide and Clarissa and Benedict are on the hunt while trying to keep their romantic interests from flairing up. Great reading with history romance and fun mixed in.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archaeologist Clarissa Bell was ready for routine work — until an Egyptologist at a Nile house party drops dead from poison. When a priceless artifact vanishes and another body turns up, Clarissa must untangle motives, hidden rivalries, and buried lies. The local police prefer etiquette to justice, so she follows the clues herself.
Smart, atmospheric, and twisty, this mystery blends classic puzzle-solving with exotic danger as Clarissa races to catch a killer before they strike again.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, second in the series. The characters are well drawn and I love Clarissa. The setting is great, Luxor at Christmas time. Having just been to Egypt, I really enjoyed seeing this mystery play out in locations like Karnak and the Valley of the Kings.

[Sandralena Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

More mystery. More humor. More swoony moments. And a love triangle.

"I'd spent months trying to file away our kiss under Professional Complications: Archaeological Romance (ill advised) but it kept sliding out of that neat mental drawer, refusing to be cataloged so simply."

[Christie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series a lot more, but book 2 did give us some character development. I am excited for book 3 in the series. I‘ve really enjoyed the overarching plot in this series, as well as the witty protagonist.

[Jacqueline Tindall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read !

If you like Egypt and mysteries this is for you. Additionally a growing romance between Clarissa and a mysterious man.

[Elizabeth Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one even more than the first. I always appreciate a whodunit when I don't know whodunit until the reveal.

[Elizabeth Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun!

This is a perfect book for escaping from real life for a while - a little romance, some mystery, no f-bombs or car chases. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, just like the first one. Enjoying this series and exited for the 3rd book.

[Virginia Adi · Rating 4 out of 5]

entertaining but not entirely engrossing.

[Anne Coghill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun read that delivers a thought provoking jab at our attitudes toward ancient civilizations!