The chase continues as 14 year-old Amy Cahill and her 11 year-old brother Dan rush off to Cairo, Egypt in search of the next clue. You can feel the heat and smell the exotic spices as we catch up with the duo at the Khan market. Two new characters are introduced in this book, Theo, an Indiana Jones-type Egyptologist and Hilary, who is the childhood best friend of Grace, Amy and Dan’s dead grandmother. Instantly likable, they play an important part in the story.
Amy and Dan learn a little about Grace’s past through Hilary who gives them a card with a message from their grandmother. But the message seems so detached they begin to question why their grandmother (whom they miss terribly) would send them on such a dangerous hunt. This doubting causes pain and friction between the brother and sister, adding internal conflict as the team escape a scary crocodile encounter, a submarine disaster, being buried alive in an Egyptian tomb, and the clutches of the Ekaterina branch members. Alistair Oh makes a brief appearance, but it is Irina Spasky who is close on their tail this time.
In addition, it is Irina’s vulnerable side that is revealed in this book. She has a painful history attached to that of Grace, making the reader wonder what exactly happened. I’m getting really curious about Nellie Gomez, too, the children’s au pair who has the uncanny ability to get them out of scraps time and time again. She has very convenient talents. I am certain this isn’t coincidence, and I look forward to seeing how it all plays out in the next books. Finally, I was somewhat disappointed with the way things ended up with Hilary. I would have liked for this relationship to end differently.
I must add that the titles of the books have double significance. For example, Beyond the Grave is a good indication the next clue is somewhere in a grave, but also hints at Grace’s message coming from “beyond the grave” since she is already dead when they receive it. It's a cool play on words, which, by the way, is how the clues are discovered in all the books.
This book was another exciting adventure that has me waiting to read the next book in this fun series suitable for all ages.