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The Masked Man of Cairo #2
The Case of the Shifting Sarcophagus
An Old Kingdom coffin. A body from yesterday.
Sir Augustus Wall had seen a lot of death. From the fields of Flanders to the alleys of Cairo, he’d solved several murders and sent many men to their grave. But he’s never had a body delivered to his antiquities shop encased in a 5,000 year-old coffin.
Soon he finds himself fighting a vicious street gang bent on causing national mayhem while his assistant, Moustafa Ghani, faces his own enemies in the form of colonial powers determined to ruin him. Throughout all this runs the street urchin Faisal. Ignored as usual, dismissed as usual, he has the most important fight of all.
Sir Augustus Wall had seen a lot of death. From the fields of Flanders to the alleys of Cairo, he’d solved several murders and sent many men to their grave. But he’s never had a body delivered to his antiquities shop encased in a 5,000 year-old coffin.
Soon he finds himself fighting a vicious street gang bent on causing national mayhem while his assistant, Moustafa Ghani, faces his own enemies in the form of colonial powers determined to ruin him. Throughout all this runs the street urchin Faisal. Ignored as usual, dismissed as usual, he has the most important fight of all.
- GenresMystery Thriller
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2018
263 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Sean McLachlan
81 books104 followersSean McLachlan is a former archaeologist who worked for many years on excavations in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Now a full-time writer, he specializes in fiction, history, and adventure travel. In 2013 he won the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for his Iraq reportage.
Half of Sean's time is spent on the road researching and writing. He's traveled to more than 30 countries, interviewing nomads in Somaliland, climbing to clifftop monasteries in Ethiopia, studying Crusader castles in Syria, and exploring caves in his favorite state of Missouri.
Sean works in a number of genres, especially historical mystery and science fiction.
Sean is always happy to hear from his readers, so drop him a line via his blog!
Half of Sean's time is spent on the road researching and writing. He's traveled to more than 30 countries, interviewing nomads in Somaliland, climbing to clifftop monasteries in Ethiopia, studying Crusader castles in Syria, and exploring caves in his favorite state of Missouri.
Sean works in a number of genres, especially historical mystery and science fiction.
Sean is always happy to hear from his readers, so drop him a line via his blog!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 11, 2020
I'm quite enjoying this clever series from prolific writer Sean Mclachlan... This 1920s Egyptian mystery has a bit to be missed conversation between two women. There is The English protag 's dear friend, and oh doesn't he wish she wasn't married, and the police commissioner's sister who had set her sights on a quick romance and wedding held in the nick of time to prevent her spinster hood... You'll love the clever cutting remarks and backhanded compliments that these women toss over they prey's head.
October 28, 2021
-It’s 1919, just after the war, and we’re in Cairo, Egypt. Augustus Wall, a former Captain in the British army, is an antiquities dealer and has taken as his residence a large home in an area populated by native Egyptians. He has no wishes of returning to England, and has become a recluse of sorts from society. If not for his need to socialize in order to further his business, he would like nothing better than to stay away from anything that he associated with in his former life, both because of the physical
disfigurement he endured as well as the psychological trauma that he suffers from.
-In this second book in this series, Augustus Wall is confronted by a strange event that he can’t explain. During the night, a sarcophagus appeared in his home. His home was not only locked, but bolted from the inside. How it was brought into his home is a puzzle, but the puzzle is magnified when he and his assistant, Moustafa, open the lid, only to find a recently deceased body inside.
-The police commandant of Cairo, Sir Thomas Russel Pasha is called in. The night watchman is questioned and he relates that Europeans had brought in the sarcophagus. He didn’t question these men because they appeared to have access to the home and secondly, it wasn’t right for an Egyptian to question a European.
-Sir Russel disliked what he perceived as meddling when Wall had involved himself in police cases in the past. Sir Russel now calls on Wall to meet him for lunch and begins by insisting he leave police work to the police, but he then makes a request which he fully expects Wall to accept, though it makes Wall squirm. Sir Russel’s sister, Cordelia, and his aunt Pearl have come to Cairo and he needs Wall to show them the sights of the city. Cordelia has been brought to Cairo to be introduced to society for her to meet a possible husband. But Wall quickly discovers that she considers Wall himself to be her object, despite his disfigurement.
-While Wall is both trying to determine how and why the sarcophagus was brought to him, each of the other characters are going through their own issues.
-Moustafa is completing a scientific paper on the art of ancient Egypt, but because he’s not European, his work is rejected sight unseen. He’s also being offered a research job by others where he’ll be treated more like an equal rather than a servant, which causes him to consider the possibility.
-Faisal, the little orphan boy who proved so loyal and invaluable to Wall in the last book, continues to be of immense assistance to him here. Besides his involvement in the mystery, he’s also devastated because a young girl whose family was also very poor but kind, has now promised the girl in marriage to a wealthy but much older merchant. Faisal has to find some way to stop the wedding. In all of his actions throughout the book, with some in which he was danger of being killed, he shows how quickly he can come up with a plan that will turn a situation to his favor, revealing him to be a true survivor.
-Wall himself begins to learn more of the identity of the persons and group that has spirited the sarcophagus into his home. It’s an enemy that is fully aware of the past that he’s been desperately trying to run away from. Actions that he’d done during the Great War come back to haunt him as these men, who have no reluctance to slit a man’s throat, are now sending him a message and killing others in their wake. As big and powerful as Moustafa is, these men fight in a style that causes a man half the size of Moustafa to take him down in a fight.
-Filled with actual historical events and articles, this makes for a very interesting as well as educational mystery series, though it’s slightly marred by the handling of awkward situations involving the hiding of certain murders by these terror groups from Cordelia and aunt Pearl but is otherwise well written.
disfigurement he endured as well as the psychological trauma that he suffers from.
-In this second book in this series, Augustus Wall is confronted by a strange event that he can’t explain. During the night, a sarcophagus appeared in his home. His home was not only locked, but bolted from the inside. How it was brought into his home is a puzzle, but the puzzle is magnified when he and his assistant, Moustafa, open the lid, only to find a recently deceased body inside.
-The police commandant of Cairo, Sir Thomas Russel Pasha is called in. The night watchman is questioned and he relates that Europeans had brought in the sarcophagus. He didn’t question these men because they appeared to have access to the home and secondly, it wasn’t right for an Egyptian to question a European.
-Sir Russel disliked what he perceived as meddling when Wall had involved himself in police cases in the past. Sir Russel now calls on Wall to meet him for lunch and begins by insisting he leave police work to the police, but he then makes a request which he fully expects Wall to accept, though it makes Wall squirm. Sir Russel’s sister, Cordelia, and his aunt Pearl have come to Cairo and he needs Wall to show them the sights of the city. Cordelia has been brought to Cairo to be introduced to society for her to meet a possible husband. But Wall quickly discovers that she considers Wall himself to be her object, despite his disfigurement.
-While Wall is both trying to determine how and why the sarcophagus was brought to him, each of the other characters are going through their own issues.
-Moustafa is completing a scientific paper on the art of ancient Egypt, but because he’s not European, his work is rejected sight unseen. He’s also being offered a research job by others where he’ll be treated more like an equal rather than a servant, which causes him to consider the possibility.
-Faisal, the little orphan boy who proved so loyal and invaluable to Wall in the last book, continues to be of immense assistance to him here. Besides his involvement in the mystery, he’s also devastated because a young girl whose family was also very poor but kind, has now promised the girl in marriage to a wealthy but much older merchant. Faisal has to find some way to stop the wedding. In all of his actions throughout the book, with some in which he was danger of being killed, he shows how quickly he can come up with a plan that will turn a situation to his favor, revealing him to be a true survivor.
-Wall himself begins to learn more of the identity of the persons and group that has spirited the sarcophagus into his home. It’s an enemy that is fully aware of the past that he’s been desperately trying to run away from. Actions that he’d done during the Great War come back to haunt him as these men, who have no reluctance to slit a man’s throat, are now sending him a message and killing others in their wake. As big and powerful as Moustafa is, these men fight in a style that causes a man half the size of Moustafa to take him down in a fight.
-Filled with actual historical events and articles, this makes for a very interesting as well as educational mystery series, though it’s slightly marred by the handling of awkward situations involving the hiding of certain murders by these terror groups from Cordelia and aunt Pearl but is otherwise well written.
June 15, 2023
Our hero Augustus Wall wakes up to find someone has snuck a sarcophagus with a recently murdered man in the shop that makes up the front of his house. The doors are all locked, how did it get there, and why? So the book starts with great promise.
But... in the end, there was no good reason to sneak it in like that, its just setting up a locked room mystery for the sake of having a mystery, not because of reasonable cause. And again, the entire mood of the book is how terrible Europeans are, and how Americans are even worse. The Egyptian people might be criminal but they are only bad if they work with Europeans.
The character Faisal, the little street urchin petty thief is the only really likable and well-rounded person and his story was consistently great. The other storylines were pretty miserable and I'm done with this series.
But... in the end, there was no good reason to sneak it in like that, its just setting up a locked room mystery for the sake of having a mystery, not because of reasonable cause. And again, the entire mood of the book is how terrible Europeans are, and how Americans are even worse. The Egyptian people might be criminal but they are only bad if they work with Europeans.
The character Faisal, the little street urchin petty thief is the only really likable and well-rounded person and his story was consistently great. The other storylines were pretty miserable and I'm done with this series.
November 5, 2022
Better than the first book, still too violent
This is an adventure story about post WWI Cairo. Mr. Wall's character has had some development, as has that of Moustafa. The female characters are cartoonish. The violence is considerable, varied, and graphic. This is not a mystery story, but does have the redeeming feature of lush descriptions of street life in and around Cairo in 1919.
This is an adventure story about post WWI Cairo. Mr. Wall's character has had some development, as has that of Moustafa. The female characters are cartoonish. The violence is considerable, varied, and graphic. This is not a mystery story, but does have the redeeming feature of lush descriptions of street life in and around Cairo in 1919.
April 5, 2023
Faisal focus
I enjoyed this book more. Not as much description of the violence. The resolution with the girl was not well executed. Moustafa needs to be less mean to Faisal. Isn’t it obvious that he helps? I am sad Moustafa had to use a European name. But he and his friends and family will know.
I enjoyed this book more. Not as much description of the violence. The resolution with the girl was not well executed. Moustafa needs to be less mean to Faisal. Isn’t it obvious that he helps? I am sad Moustafa had to use a European name. But he and his friends and family will know.
August 10, 2025
1919 Cairo. A sarcophagus is delivered during the night to Wall's shop, containing the body of ex-Parisian policeman Alexander Legrand. Delivery by a new gang bent on taking over the others, known as the Apaches. Both Moustafa and Faisal have their own problems to contend with.
An entertaining historical mystery
An entertaining historical mystery
July 18, 2025
This is a great series. Egyptology, action, mystery, and lots of great dialogue and humor
This volume mentions Babi, the ancient Egyptian god of virility and eating the entrails of the wicked, who doesn’t get near enough credit.
This volume mentions Babi, the ancient Egyptian god of virility and eating the entrails of the wicked, who doesn’t get near enough credit.
December 1, 2021
Great follow-up to the first book. The historical accuracy of the Apaches was fascinating. I'm moving on to the third book next!
November 24, 2023
Fun hokum that doesn’t let up.
January 8, 2025
Have read and enjoyed all 6 in the series so far. Deep, complicated characters and interesting storylines. Plenty of insights into the history of the time and why culture and change is complicated.
September 19, 2020
I enjoyed The Case of the Purloined Pyramid, book one in this series, but the author truly upped his game in the following books. The character development in this book was good, and the story engaging. The choice of antagonist was unexpected, but it worked.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews