Tutanchamun - Das Buch der Schatten

Rai Rahotep #2

by Nick Drake

Ägypten im 10. Regierungsjahr von Tutanchamun. In Theben wird ein junger Mann grausam ermordet. Das ruft Rai Rahotep auf den Plan, den Obersten Wahrheitssucher der Stadt. Aber Rahotep muss nicht nur einen Mörder fangen: Jemand hat in den Gemächern von Tutanchamun ein Relief hinterlassen, auf dem eine schwarze Sonne eingekratzt wurde - eine eindeutige Drohung gegen den König.

Rahotep tappt zunächst im Dunkeln. Als jedoch ein weiterer Mord geschieht und beim Opfer ein persönlicher Gegenstand Tutanchamuns gefunden wird, ahnt der Wahrheitssucher, dass die beiden Fälle zusammenhängen ...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Egypt, Historical, Thriller, Crime

513 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 27, 2009

About the author

Nick Drake was born in 1961. He lives and works in London. His first book-length collection, The Man in the White Suit (Bloodaxe Books, 1999), was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation, won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection in 1999, and was selected for the Next Generation Poets promotion in 2004. From The Word Go was published by Bloodaxe Books in 2007. His most recent projects include a stage adaptation of Philippe Petit’s To Reach the Cloud; the screenplay for the Australian film Romulus, My Father, starring Eric Bana, which won Best Film at the Australian Film Awards; Success, a play for the National Theatre's Connections project; and a trilogy of historical novels (Nefertiti, shortlisted for CWA Best Historical Crime Novel, Tutankhamun and Egypt: The Book of Chaos which Mammoth Screen are developing for TV). He is a screenwriter, and is also working the composer Tansy Davies and director Deborah Warner on an opera for ENO. In September 2010 he was invited to join Cape Farewell's trip to the Arctic to explore climate change, and from that journey arose a commission from United Visual Artists to create poems and texts for their ground-breaking installation High Arctic at the National Maritime Museum (2011). Those poems, together with others inspired by the Arctic and its voices, are gathered in his collection The Farewell Glacier (Bloodaxe Books, 2012).

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I haven't read the first one and as I had gotten this part of the series from a second hand O figured I'd try to start here. It's an entertaining read and liked that it was a murder mystery sett in ancient Egypt, with some well known characters. However at parts it felt a little to modern. I have to admit that I don't know a lot of the time period to know if it was modernized to make it a more engaging story or if it was more historical correct then it felt. Not a new favorite but definitely an entertaining and enjoyable read

[Marilyn Saul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't QUITE finished it yet, but, in all honesty, I hate to see it end and am putting off the inevitable until bedtime. Drake weaves a fantastic recreation of what it may have been like during Tut's reign, and this book is packed full of colorful descriptions of what are now ruins. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought the mystery engaging. Can't wait to read his other books! [As a caveat, my love of archaeology blossomed when, as an adolescent, I read "The Lost Queen of Egypt", the love story of Tut and Ankhesenpaaten. My prized book possession.]

2021 update after re-read. Goodness gracious, I read this back in 2016! You'd think SOME of it would sound familiar, but nope!

[Jenks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a slow start. I struggled to get into this book as much as the first novel.

However once the pace picked up I enjoyed following rahotep and his journey. At times I held my breath waiting for him to suss out the mystery

[Stacie (MagicOfBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will also do a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks

"Tutankhamun" is book 2 in the "Rai Rahotep" series by Nick Drake. Just as young Tutankhamun is ready to claim his birthright, a series of horrific gifts begin appearing in the royal palace. Someone does not like the soon-to-be new king and queen. Chief detective Rai Rahotep's assistance is called for once again to discover who is behind these unsettling gifts and how they connect with a series of gruesome murders of mutilated young people. Rahotep vows to protect the king-and-queen-to-be, but there are many in Tutankhamun's political circle who have ambitions of their own.

I enjoyed book 1 in this series, and I think I liked book 2 quite a bit more. Getting introduced to Rahotep is out of the way, as well as the key political figures who were already introduced back in the first book. So things get going very quickly in this installment. Rahotep helped the royal family in the past, so he is a known loyalist and will do everything he can to protect the family and look out for their interests. This time around, some pretty graphic, gruesome "gifts" show up at the palace, clearly threats against the new king-and-queen-to-be. Alongside that, several young people wind up horrifically mutilated and murdered. Rahotep starts to see connections between the palace gifts, the murders, and the political unease that intensifies the atmosphere.

The big historical figures that Nick Drake focuses on in this book are King Tut, obviously, and his wife, his half-sister, Ankhesenamun. I really loved their portrayal in this book. Tutankhamun is young and sickly, but determined to prove himself as a capable, reliable leader. He has his moments of child-like behavior, having been coddled and secluded for most of his life, but he also has moments where his fierceness and kingliness shine through if something rubs him the wrong way. A pleasant surprise for me was Ankhesenamun. She is very much her mother's daughter. She is a calming presence for her brother-king (that feels all sorts of weird writing out, haha). She's also very politically intelligent and able to outwit ambitious men like Ay, the regent, and Horemheb, a military general. Both men have designs for the throne and for power. That combo of those four real historical figures absolutely made this book as compelling as it was. And of course, Rahotep is our eyes into that world, as he tries to figure out what is going on and who is behind all the craziness.

Again, I enjoyed Nick Drake's research. As I said in my previous review, I'm no expert on ancient Egypt, so I can't speak for the historical accuracy. What I am reading sounds believable. I'm sure there are liberties taken in places for the sake of telling a compelling story. But I felt immersed in the detail and the atmosphere. I continue to recommend this series for fans of anything taking place in ancient Egypt. Seriously, I don't think I've read a single book where King Tut features as a main character. It's also a pretty great mystery/thriller if that's also your cup of tea. On to the third book! Crossing my fingers for a great finale.

[Syazwanie Winston Abdullah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating fiction reading.

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Rahotep returns and finds himself in another mystery where the stake are higher.

The author did a wonderful job in incorporating Tutankhamun’s history in a detailed manner with the plot. In some ways this story was even better than the first book because of its multiple plots. While the main mystery is about the dead boy, Rahotep finds himself involved in other mysteries like the shocking incident that happens to the King and Queen at the Opet festival, and the figurine that Ankhesenamun shows him.

Moreover, I liked that Rahotep is more confident and self-assured in this novel. Similarly, Tutankhamun is wonderful in the role and the author wrote him in a complex way. I loved the philosophical dialogues between Rahotep and Tutankhamun as they embark their political trip and hunt. Ay and Horemheb are interesting as the darker character. However, I missed seeing few memorable characters like Mahu and Ramose from Nefetiti . But, we do get some new characters in the canvas like Khay and Simut, who are equally interesting.

However, while the story is very nice, it was not as compelling as the first book. Mainly, the story seemed to shift focus in between from the murders to the trip they take for the hunt. The book felt disconnected from the previous book Nefertiti. This is good in a way as it you can read it as a standalone. However, I had hoped there was some continuation from the previous book.

The climax is gripping at the catacombs, and sets pace for the next book in the series. Overall, this was very entertaining and a good addition to the series.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't completely convinced by this book to start with as it felt very much like a modern crime thriller that had just been set in Ancient Egypt, using the usual big names to grab some attention. But as I continued to read, I did find myself enjoying it more and more, and even getting used to the oddly modern feel despite the ancient setting. I'm still not totally convinced of the accuracy or the artistic licence applied but the story Drake does weave is packed full of conspiracy and intrigue that is surprisingly gripping with a good bit of gore thrown in and a very tense finale. Overall not a bad read.

[Gail Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a good mystery is always enjoyable, when that mystery is mixed with history it's even better. Such is surely the case with TUTANKAMUN. Intrigue, rich atmospheric detail, and more twists than are found in the narrow streets of ancient Egypt are seamlessly woven by Nick Drake (Nefertiti) to produce a can't-put-down tale.

Our narrator is Rahotep, a detective in ancient Egypt's police force. Happily married he is the father of four, three daughters on the cusp of womanhood and a young son. Yet despite the many blessings life has given him he still cannot resist intrigue, a mystery to be solved. In fact, he is known as a “Seeker of Mysteries.” He need not look far in our story. Rahotep is first called upon to investigate a truly sadistic murder – a young man's bones have been broken and his eyes removed. It is a particularly gruesome crime.

At the same time Tutankhamun, the young king, is the recipient of frightening gifts which more than disconcert him. Ankesenamun, daughter of Nefertiti now not only Tutankhamun's queen but his half sister, calls upon Rahotep to find out who is responsible for these terrifying gifts and also protect the king and queen. Not an easy task as there are enemies within and without. The actual power in the palace is an evil man, the elderly Regent Ay. His enemy is Horemheb – obviously, the political climate is highly charged .

When another equally ghastly murder is committed Rahotep begins to believe that somehow the killer and the implicit messages in the king's gifts are related. Tutankhamun and his wife want to claim the power that is rightfully theirs but unknown forces are aligned against them, using fear as a major weapon.

It is not long before Rahotep realizes that what he is learning may very well place his family in jeopardy.

TUTANKHAMUN is alive with vivid descriptions of daily life, beliefs held at that time, political factions, and more. For this reader those descriptions sometimes seemed so lengthy that the narrative movement was hampered. Nonetheless, for those interested in ancient Egypt, particularly at the time of Tutankhamun, will find much to satisfy them.

- Gail Cooke

[Naga Sravika Bodapati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy-king or a remarkable ruler ? Learn about Tutankhamun and his rule while also solving some mystery thriller with Rahotep the detective.

3.5/5

https://sravikabodapati.wordpress.com...

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tutankhamun is the novel of the Rai Rahotep mystery series by Nick Drake set in ancient Egypt. A handful of years have past since the first novel and Rahotep is back home in Thebes. A series of horrendous murders and a number of mysterious gifts left for the king and queen seem to be unrelated at first, but soon are found to be integral to each other.

Drake packs quite a bit of detail into his novels and for some readers, this overburdens this mystery thriller. I would have to disagree. The author has obviously researched the time period and pulled together a realistic setting filled with characters that inherent of the genre. So, the narrative formula is there, with added flourishes that add to the story.

Rahotep is joined by some returning characters such as Kherty and Nakht. The royal house is represented this time by Tutankhamum. I thought Drake wove in the boy king personality well, including an event that may have resulted in his death. The author even speculates the tomb for the king had originally been in preparation for another high ranking royal official.

As with the first novel, readers who are fascinated by Ancient Egypt are going to be more drawn to this story than probably those who are more interested in a straight up mystery thriller story. I would like to hope that Drake will extend his trilogy and continue the series past the three novels, since he has a fantastic voice and gift for writing historical narratives.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book in this series is much like the first, an interesting historical mystery that too often - at least for me - gets bogged down in description and language to the detriment of pace and plotting.

Rahotep is a melancholy poet turned investigator who gets pulled into the intrigue of the palace during the reign of the famous Tutankhamun. What seems a simple investigation into mysterious objects found in the palace turns into a mystery that may cost Rahotep everything and puts the future of Egypt at risk.

The characters and backdrop are interesting but too often Drake - a poet and playwirght - insists on detailed descriptions of both interior (ie emotional) and exterior scenes to the point that the story loses its pace. Rahotep is supposed to be a unique perspective - agnostic when it comes to the gods, introspective and prone to question everything - too much musing and description means less tension and action.

Those who like historical mysteries with lots of details may disagree.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was honestly not impressed with this book. It moved way too slowly, and I didn't care about any of the characters, or what happened to them. Even the King and Queen were extremely dull. The two storylines seemed completely disjointed, and not connected, as they supposedly were. Tutankhamun's death was anticlimactic and disappointing. The reveal of the serial murderer at the end was also anticlimactic. The only good thing I can say is that it was very historically accurate- and that is always appreciated. If I had not gotten this book from a family member and encouraged to finish it, I wouldn't have.

[Jessie · Rating 1 out of 5]

03/18 page 85 "Slogging along. Perhaps I'm just not in the mood for Egyptian mysteries. I haven't particularly liked any others and I'm not really a fan of Amelia Peabody either."

03/24 page 174 "This is proving impossible for me to finish. Sigh."

03/26 page 186 "I give up ... I am just not in the mood to trudge to the end of this book. I don't care about anyone in it. It's not that it takes place some 2300 years ago or that I know how it all turns out in the end. Its that this author doesn't have the talent to make me care."

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story based on historical knowledge of the reign of 19 year old Tutankhamun. It is both historical fiction and a thrilling detective story which shows that people and politics are not so different now from then. Several murder descriptions are grim but are only elaborated as much as is necessary for the plot development.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boy king is brought to life in this mystery from ancient Egypt.
Enjoyed this read

[Ratforce]

You might enjoy Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows by Nick Drake. It combines historical fiction and a good mystery.

[Nicolas Shump · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second volume of his Egyptian trilogy, Nick Drake is in a groove when it comes to his narrative, material, and protagonist. In Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows, Drake gives us another adventure and complex mystery that the determined Medjay detective, Rahotep endeavors to solve. At the end of his first volume, Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead, we are briefly introduced to two of the main characters in this story- Tutankhamun and his queen and half sister, Ankhesenamun.
In the previous text, Ankhesenamun is a young girl who is one of several sisters who is upset over the disappearance of their mother, Nefertiti. However, in that story she is not even the most prominent of the sisters. Tutankhamun is introduced in one of the last scenes of the book, though as the son of the King Akhenaten, he is then known as Tutankhaten. What makes the dynamic intriguing at the opening of this narrative is the fact that as a dynastic couple, Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun represent two strands of the royal family. He is the son of Ankhaten and she is the daughter of Nefertiti. So while they are a couple, they are much more companions and survivors then a typical romantic couple. Of course, given that it was much more common to arrange marriages for dynastic purposes then for love, this arrangement is not surprising.
Drake brings back most of the characters from the first book, but adds a few too. Rahotep now has a son, Amenmose, and his three daughters, Sekhmet, Thuyu, and Nedjmet. His assistant from the last book, Khety, has been brought back by Rahotep to Thebes, where he serves Rahotep still. Drake adds a new character, Nebamun, who is the Head of the Thebes Medjay. Drake adds this petty and heartless bureaucrat as a nice foil for Rahotep. Drake indicates that this position as Head of the city Medjay was something that Rahotep could have earned, however, Rahotep claims that he would not want such a boring desk job. Nevertheless, by adding Nebamun, Drake provides another obstacle that Rahotep must navigate in pursuit of his latest mystery.
The book begins with Rahotep being summoned to the scene of a gruesome murder. Before he can really have an opportunity to investigate this crime, there is an incident during a public ceremony involving the young royal couple. Rahotep is discouraged from investigating the cause of this public act of rebellion by his supervisor Nebamun. The real action of the novel begins when Rahotep returns home late after this public disturbance to encounter an official from the Royal Household who asks Rahotep to accompany him to meet someone who he cannot name. Rahotep agrees and eventually finds himself in the company of Ankhesenamun, the Queen and daughter of Nefertiti.
In this second installment, I sense a confidence in his writing and in the handling of Rahotep that I did not sense in the initial novel. Drake seems to me to have figured out who Rahotep is and how he is going to act and respond in various situations. I had the nagging feeling in the first novel that Drake didn't quite know what a Theban detective would sound like or how to portray him in his surroundings. Drake has allowed himself to also expand some of his discussions behind the mere exposition of plot or the rather mundane and formulaic action found in most detective/mystery novels.
During light dinner party banter, Rahotep has the following dialogue: "'Why don't you accompany me one night, and find out?'" I said. 'I could show you the back streets and the shanties where honest but unlucky people survive on the rubbish we throw out without thinking. And I could introduce you to some very successful career criminals, experts in viciousness and cruelty, who trade in humans as a commodity. Many of them have fine offices in the city, and beautiful wives and children set up in lovely homes in the comfort of the new suburbs. They throw lavish dinners. They invest in property. But their riches are made in blood. I can show you the reality of this city, if that is what you are looking for.'"
There is an honesty and credibility to this speech that shows Drake firing on all cylinders in this novel. Rahotep is asked by Ankhesenamun to help investigate the appearance of some odd objects that are being left around the royal household despite guards and other safety measures. At the same time, a series of grisly murders are being perpetrated by someone who might be connected to the events in the royal household. All the while Drake is providing a credible portrait of what life could have been like for a young monarch like Tutankhamun.
At the center of the political action in the novel is the issue of who is the true ruler of Egypt. Ay, who we met in the previous volume of this series, is still serving as regent and de facto ruler of Egypt. However, age and bad health are taking their toll on him and Tutankhamun is chafing under his regency. The young rising general, Horemheb, is asserting himself too since he has already married into the royal family as the husband of the unstable and mysterious Mutnodjmet, the sister of Nefertiti. A power struggle is playing out with the King and Queen seemingly being more witnesses than actors in this drama. However, Drake deftly shows that these two young rulers have more ability and bravery than they are given credit for. Their marriage is often compared, though not necessarily directly, with the marriage of Rahotep and his wife Tanefert. Drake writes:
It often seems to me that all troubles and all crimes begin with families. . . . And so it is with marriage. We have a good marriage. If I have disappointed Tanefert by my lack of worldly success then she has disguised it well. She says that she did not marry me for my fortune. And then she gives me one of her knowing smiles. But I know there are half-understood things between us that we keep in silence, as if words would somehow make them too painfully real. Perhaps it is so between all couples whose relations have survived for many years; the unnoticed influences of habit, and the perils of domestic tedium. Even the familiarity with each other's bodies, once so obsessively desired, leads to an undeniable hunger for the surprise of a stranger's beauty. The beauty and the contempt of familiarity . . . perhaps that is what I need to escape, when I relish the excitement of my work?" There is some real understanding of humanity in that passage and it is so elegantly written.
In Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows, Nick Drake has created a rich and intriguing work of mystery. He makes excellent use of the historical backdrop of the life and death of King Tutankhamun. From this historical scaffolding, Drake builds an intricate puzzle that Rahotep works to solve going through secret societies, astronomical phenomena, professional jealousies and disappointments, and the often ultimately unfathomable mysteries of desire, cruelty, and passion. It was a great read and I would highly recommend it.

[Maura Heaphy Dutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nicely done: Drake has clearly done his homework on the reign of the Boy King, the dynastic circumstances that brought him to the throne, and the political plots and machinations that may have resulted in his untimely death.

The mystery that brings detective Rahotep, “Seeker of Mysteries” for the Medjay (the pharaonic Eqyptian equivalent of a police force) into professional contact with young Tut and his teenage Queen, Ankhesenamun, is a satisfying one, suitably nasty and threatening, and drawing on the politics and religion of this dangerous time in Egyptian history. SPOILER The solution to the mystery is less satisfying: I felt that Rahotep could have done just as well finding his perp if he had taken a beautifully crafted scarab pin and stuck it in the list of characters that appears at the beginning of the book.

But I say, so what? I enjoyed this as a historical novel, more than as a mystery: a satisfying attempt to introduce a reader into the company of some familiar names from history, and to share the lives of the nameless, forgotten individuals who were the witnesses to great events. Like all novels based on well-known true events, you read it knowing how it’s going to end, and I particularly liked the way that Drake acknowledges the bittersweet reality of that. When Rahotep is waiting for an audience with the King, he admires a beautiful alabaster cup. And the Reader knows immediately that, three thousand-odd years later, another man who wanted to solve the mystery of Tutankhamun will hold that cup again, one item among the many in Carter’s horde of “beautiful things.”

It’s because Tutankhamum died so painfully young, and (for reasons of political plotting) was given a shamefully hurried burial that he is more famous, and we know more about him as a person, than Phaorohs who had far more successful reigns, and lived many decades longer. The eternity he was promised, and his tomb provided for, was delivered in the most ironic way possible – something that Drake, and his pleasingly modern detective, clearly appreciates.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

AS soon as I had finished the first book, Nefertiti, I went immediately onto this one, the second in the series. As I still had the characters so fresh in my head it was very easy indeed to slip straight back into Ancient Egypt.

The previous book left off with a young Tutankhamun making an appearance. This book jumps forward a few years and I liked how the author made me aware of Rahoteps ageing, not old but slower and a bit achy than he used to be. Something we are all aware of! His mind is still sharp and once again his skills as a detective have been requested once again, and again he doesn't have a choice int he matter!

This book was similar to the previous in some ways, as Rahotep is called to solve the mystery of objects being left in the palace to upset Tutankhamun. Even though he is the King it is Ay, the regent who runs the show. Ay is a character who is very unlikeable, he is cold, ruthless and conniving in every aspect possible. So, while the story had similarities as far as the mystery-solving went it was also different due to the power wrangling and the politics. It seems that everyone is out for their own benefit and this builds a wonderful feeling of distrust.

Another brilliant story in the series, this felt like a much quicker read compared to the first, but I think this is because I was already aware of the characters and also how the writer includes a good amount of detail about the way of life. Not just the way of life, but also politics, foods, social class and hierarchy.

I have enjoyed the first two books and so I have also bought the next one and I am looking forward to reading that as well. This is a really good series and one that would appeal to readers of historical fiction set in Ancient Egypt, as well as readers of mysteries. Ideal for me as it mixes two of my favourite genres and it is one I am more than happy to recommend.

[Kaitlin Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give this book a 3 for setting and a 2 for pacing.

I LOVE ancient Egypt, and I really enjoyed the way the author brought the setting to life. I enjoyed the mundanity of Rahotep’s familial life…but the pacing of the mystery was quite slow, and the eventual solving of the mystery was a bit too early, leaving too much falling action that dragged by.

Also, it really should have been a different character who did it. I’m not sure how to block out spoilers so I won’t go into it further, but the lack of clues made it really unsatisfying.

I ended up skimming the last 50 pages or so, and it took me almost a month to read because I kept putting it down and felt no impetus to pick it up again.

[Sabina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick Drake takes the mysterious history of one of the most famous Egyptian rulers and turns it into a fascinating story. While reading it you get a glimpse into Egyptian way of living, not only of the elite but also of the ordinary people, whose lives we discover through Rahotep and his investigation of their death.
I especially liked the detailed approach the author took in describing the thrilling mystery, but I also appreciated the voice under the mask of Tutankhamun since Drake turns him from a young insecure boy into a king before our eyes. Truly incredible. Worth reading.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the second story time has moved on and Akhenaten’s son Tutankhamun is king, and is struggling to cope with the problems he has inherited from his father. There is much corruption and poverty, and when the young king’s life is under threat, once more Rahotep is called up to the Royal Palace. Rahotep is very likeable and the characters in the books are well drawn. I especially like the ideas of a hunting cat and a guard baboon! Set in a time and place I previously knew very little about, these are both certainly intriguing and interesting stories which I enjoyed a lot.

[Ramakrishna Appicharla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading the book because I am fascinated by King Tut (while playing Assassin's Creed Origins DLC) but at the end book is more of a political view rather than dealing with mystery surrounding king's death. To be honest I find more information in "Author's Note" than the rest of the novel. Narration is very slow and uninspiring. If you want to read it then be prepared for disappointment...

[Paula Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I love anything to do with Ancient Egypt be it fact or fiction. This book brings to life a world long past. Tutankhamun is a look into a possible life and death of the boy king. Richly told the reader is drawn into the world of politics,mystery, deceit,murder,ambition and friendship along with the love of family. Well worth reading and a book that held my attention. This is the second book of the trilogy but could be read as a stand alone.

[Bogdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction combined with a thriller for power in Ancient Egypt. Nice combination and quite well written. The only draw-back, in my opinion, and sole reason for not rating it higher is the fact that it extrapolates certain modern concepts over Ancient Egypt, like detectives and police force in a similar fashion as it exists today.

[Neil Basnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book especially with the author's interpretation of how Tutankhamen actually died which is shrouded in mystery. The plot itself was quite simplistic and the book was longer than it could really have been. I did find the author's sentences to be far too long and not always well punctuated. It did however retain my interest to the end so I have to say that I enjoyed it!

[Jill White · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun reading a mystery during the days of the ancient Egyptians. The author did a good job melding in the details of the times and making me feel like I was there without smothering me with blanket descriptions.

[peter david mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protecting the boy king.

Rahotep is appointed to protect Tutankhamun from unknown enemies. There are also gruesome murders to investigate. Are they both connected? Another well plotted and tense storyline.

[Gary Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boy King

Another excellent story by Nick Drake about his detective in ancient Egypt.
The drama set amongst known events are brilliantly interwoven, and could easily be true. Can't wait for the next book!

[Briansmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than some works of fiction on the subject of King Tut, and what happened to him. I especially liked the character of Raj Rahotep, Seeker of Mysteries. His character added an interesting dimension to the old tale, and injected some life into it.