The Case of the Purloined Pyramid

The Masked Man of Cairo #1

by Sean McLachlan

An ancient mystery. A modern murder.Sir Augustus Wall, a horribly mutilated veteran of the Great War, has left Europe behind to open an antiquities shop in Cairo. But Europe’s troubles follow him as a priceless inscription is stolen and those who know its secrets start turning up dead.Teaming up with Egyptology expert Moustafa Ghani, and Faisal, an irritating street urchin he just can't shake, Sir Augustus must unravel an ancient secret and face his own dark past.Kindle Scout Winner in 2017

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller

239 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2018

About the author

Sean 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!

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE CASE OF THE PURLOINED PYRAMID (THE MASKED MAN OF CAIRO Book 1)
by Sean McLachlan is a book I won from Kindle Scout. It's the kind of mystery I enjoy best, an ancient item or artifact/paper/etc, and exotic places, colorful characters, and a great mystery. Enjoyed it and will look for more from this author.

[E.B. Roshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's not an entire pyramid that goes missing, of course, but a key feature of one--a mysterious and valuable feature some people out there are willing to kill for...

I was very intrigued by the premise for this story, so I grabbed it up on a free promotion, and I was not disappointed. I've been a fan of Sherlock Holmes, Lord Peter Wimsey and Father Brown for as long as I can remember. Augustus Wall is an amateur detective who need not be ashamed to join those ranks, and his assistant, Moustafa Ghani al Souwaim, may possibly be even cooler than he is.
Best of all, the mystery is set in the Middle East--and it's one of those rare books where the (I assume) non-Muslim author seems to have a real understanding of, and respect for, mid-Eastern/Muslim culture. The Muslim POV characters (including Moustafa) seem like real people, not like bizarre, two-dimensional stereotypes dreamed up by someone who has only the foggiest notion of what he's trying to write about.
But enough about that. Sean McLachlan created a page-turning mystery with fascinating insight into both Ancient and Colonial Egypt. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of this author's work.

I'm a picky reader--one of those insufferable people who rarely goes above three stars--but this delightful mystery deserved it.

[Katie Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to try and review more of the books I read this year (though we'll see how long that lasts, haha!) The Purloined Pyramid was a lot of fun--more of an Indiana Jones adventure than the murder mystery it's billed as, but that wasn't a problem for me. I was Very Here for a disfigured British WW1 veteran with crippling PTSD fighting evil proto-Nazis in colonial Egypt. On that note, I will say this was one of the most vivid representations of PTSD that I've seen. I almost want to use the word "immersive," if that's not disrespectful... immersing the reader in what a flashback feels like.

I also appreciated the nuanced exploration of imperialism and anti-imperialist protests. Our British hero supports Egyptian independence, but doesn't really help the protestors in any meaningful way and has only a limited understanding of the native culture. His native assistant Moustafa, the self-taught linguistics expert, has mixed feelings about independence because colonial rule has benefited him personally in certain ways, and he hasn't felt the full brunt of the exploitative policies. But then Moustafa starts to feel guilty about ignoring the sufferings of his fellow Egyptians, and... yeah. Very thoughtful, very juicy stuff.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book with an interesting setting. The main character is a vet of WWI in which he had half his face torn to shreds by a mortar, forcing him to wear a partial face mask wherever he goes. He is an antiquities dealer in 1919 Cairo, mostly a loner who does not very much like people, but an expert in his field.

He also dabbles in investigation, although he's not really a detective, but more an adventurer. He suffers significant PTSD from the horrors of the war, and sometimes loses himself into his past and his memories.

The book is rich with historical and cultural details, but is a big flawed in that the writer seems to truly despise Europeans and Americans, considering the Muslim people of Egypt to be more noble and heroic.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indiana Jones With a Stiff Upper Lip

Excellent, intelligent writing full of period detail that tells a great story as well as establishing an oddball team of adventurers for future action. British post-WWI colonial attitudes and the Egyptian independence struggle provide the background for a story that blends elements of Conan Doyle, Henty, Agatha Christie, and Indiana Jones. Great, and informative, entertainment.

[Annette Mordec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a story.....

Easy read, interesting storyline and characters.
Also a little side trip to understanding a human mind, shell-shocked after fighting in World War I. Today it'll be called PTSD.

[Paul Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining pulp of the Robert E. Howard variety, all secret tombs, esoteric inscriptions, antiquities that hide secrets, villains both domestic and international, a motley crew of heroes, all set in a bubbling revolutionary Cairo in 1919. It probably took me so long to pick up on this because these things are usually just not done with the requisite panache, but this one was pretty close.

[Cedar Sanderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Limping dialogue

The premise is interesting. The setting is not fully fleshed out, but enough to start to draw you in. Only for the dialogue to throw you right back out. Limp as week-old lettuce left on the counter. I’m a sucker for competent archaeologists with street-urchin sidekicks, but I couldn’t read any more wooden exchanges.

[Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully charming

I was so worried that this book was going to be yet another 1920s-30s romp through Egypt focused on rich, white archaeologists and completely ignoring the political context that makes that time period so interesting. But I'm happy to say that could not have been further than the truth. While Augustus is a rich, white Egyptologist, McLachlan never refrains from pointing out his privilege and lends more credence and respect to the Sudanese Moustafa and Egyptian Faisal than most would lend even screentime.

The main characters are all well-thought out, intriguing, interesting people - especially Faisal, who is one of the most well-written twelve-year-olds I've seen in years (adults tend to be terrible at writing children). These characters, combined with fantastic descriptions of 1919 Egypt pulled me head-over-heels into the story - and a sharp tongue and quick wit on McLachlan's part makes the book a wonderfully charming romp, perfect for cheering up rainy days or bad weeks.

Would read again. Will absolutely get my hands on the next one in the Masked Man of Cairo series as soon as possible.

[Rick Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just returned from a trip to Egypt, I appreciated Mr. McLachlan's knowledge and descriptions of artifacts and tombs. Based upon that knowledge, I believed his characterization of Cairo in early 1900s.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what this book was. The foreshadowing was that the masked Englishman would solve a mystery. Suddenly, there were Germans spouted Aryan slogans, gun fire and an erudite "Indiana Jones" episode broke out. Sir Augustus, the masked man, was completed by a genius Sudanese (Moustafa) to complete the character who needs to stop the Germans - from something. No one knows from what until bullets have flown and blood has been shed.

The two main characters, Moustafa and Augustus were good. Even better was the little beggar conniver, Fausal, who has been set up to show up in the next episode. He added a nice touch of humor.

This book was okay, I just wasn't sure what it was meant to be. It went in some many directions at once.

[Ruby Bibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both historically enlightening and a very well written mystery

-In this initial book for a new series, which takes place in Cairo, Egypt in 1919, the author introduces us to the character of Augustus Wall, a British antiquities dealer. In the opening scenes of the book, an old palatial home that had fallen in a serious state of disrepair in one of the more run down areas of Cairo, is now being restored. Local police have protected the home, which made the native Egyptians of that area believe the new owner was some sort of dignitary. When Wall did make his appearance, he was definitely a European, but there was an unusual mask that he wore which covered one side of his face. More unusual was the fact that when he spoke, it was in perfect Arabic.
-We don’t learn of his family, but the chief of police, Sir Russel, who becomes an acquaintance of Wall, lets on that he’s aware that Augustus Wall is not the man’s real name but a name he has taken in order to hide his identity. Wall was in the army during the Great War, and, while in a trench with two others, a bomb hit. The other two men died instantly, while half of Wall’s face was heavily damaged. Despite surgeries, without the custom made mask that was fashioned for him, Wall’s face would be a grotesque sight. His fiancé left him and he decided to isolate himself from others by moving to Egypt, where he had a knowledge of antiquities anyway, and he set up shop as a dealer.
-On one of Wall’s first trips from his new home, a group of thieves who were feared in the area decided that this lone European would be ripe pickings. This group attacked him, but thanks to the warnings of a young child street beggar, Faisal, Wall deftly uses his cane, which conceals a sword, to beat back all 4 of his attackers. Wall’s kindness to Faisal results in Faisal attaching himself to Wall. Unknown to Wall at the time, this association ends up being of great benefit to him later.
-Wall was known to the head of police in Alexandria where Wall previously lived. He appeared to have solved certain crimes as past investigations that he was involved with were brought up by Sir Russel. There was a minor puzzle facing the police that Sir Russel believed would require Wall’s assistance. A slab was stolen from an antiquities dig and it sounded to Russel that it would be something of interest for Wall to investigate, as the police were short staffed, due to many who were rioting to achieve independence from Britain. Wall quickly solves the crime with the culprit being the foreman, but it was a Soudanese under-foreman who was being blamed by the foreman and all others, simply because he was Soudanese. This Soudanese, Mustafa, was well versed in reading hieroglyphics, with a deep knowledge of Egyptian history and could speak multiple languages. When he left his previous employer because of the suspicions against him, he was quickly hired by Wall as an assistant.
-The theft that occurred turned out to be part of a much larger plot. The foreman of the dig sold the slab, which was a polished limestone piece with an inscription carved into it, to a German. During a grand unveiling of his collection to the public in his home, Wall was shocked to see the fired foreman enter his home and zero in on a particular German. The German, upon seeing the foreman, opened fire and killed the man, and then quickly fled the scene but not before he dropped a notebook, which was picked up by Faisal.
-Wall now had to discover what it was that led to this killing and was pulled into a plot hatched by the German government to discover long dead secrets of the ancient Egyptians, which the Germans believed would assist them in regaining the respect of the world by giving them dominance over all others. But this is not a quiet investigation. Wall must arm himself as several battles ensue, which reveals a peculiar psychological result of Wall’s injuries, where, when guns are firing, he believes himself to be on the battlefield during the war commanding troops under him during 1917, instead of in the current 1919 of Egypt.
-The author provides us with a wealth of Egyptian history and also takes incidents that actually occurred during the Egypt of 1919 as a backdrop to the story. The many characters introduced have depth and believability to them, from Wall to Mustafa, to the attractive antiquities dealer who, despite being a woman in this male dominated society, handles herself extremely well. This story proceeds quickly with easily flowing writing and with characters that interact very well.

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Case of the Purloined Pyramid” by Sean McLachian is a Kindle Scout-winning historical mystery set in Cairo after WWI, and is the first in “The Masked Man of Cairo” mystery series. The main character, Sir Augustus Wall, is a man haunted by nightmares and waking flashbacks from his time as a soldier in the brutal WWI trenches. He must wear a mask to hide the battle scars covering one side of his face. When he buys and restores a decaying mansion Cairo’s old town as both his home and antiquities shop, the locals gossip. Why does he not want to live near other Europeans? Why does he wear the mask? He hires an immigrant from Sudan, Moustafa Ghani, as his assistant. Not only does Moustafa have a gift for languages, but he is a rare expert in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Even so, he endures being dismissed and ignored by most of the ruling Colonials because he is not one of them. Moustafa is the level-headed “Watson” to Augustus’ troubled “Sherlock.” Neither of them appreciates the help from Faisal, a twelve-year-old street beggar. Nonetheless, Faisal, always hoping for a place to belong, continues to help, especially to rid Augustus’ home of Jinn. The trio are drawn into a murder mystery as riots erupt in Cairo over the Colonial era oppression. Along with the history and serious issues addressed by the novel, readers are also treated to “Indiana Jones” style fun with stolen artifacts and a lost temple. The machine gunning does get over-the-top in places, but apart from that, this is an excellent choice for those who enjoy historical mysteries.

[E.L. Haines · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reader living in Cairo, the title and premise of this book immediately intrigued me. And after reading it, I was not disappointed.

The story focuses on an English veteran of the Great War who has moved to Cairo to pursue the collection and study of antiquities away from his countrymen. He quickly makes some local friends, including a Nubian scholar and a young street beggar, and gets involved in the race against the Thule Society to discover ancient Egyptian arcane secrets.

The background seems fairly well-researched. Apparently the author has some archaeological experience, and it's also apparent that he has spent some time living in Cairo. Only the most careful observers and researchers will notice a few minor discrepancies or anachronisms, but nothing that distracts from the story.

While I loved the plot and the background, I was a little disappointed in the reversed character arc of the protagonist, Sir Augustus. He begins the book as an interesting, amiable character with a mysterious past and slightly anti-social tendencies. But he ends the book as an Ahabian investigator of archaeological secrets who doesn't seem to care about anyone else around him. It was frustrating to watch him downslide in this manner.

Even so, I highly recommend this book, and I'll be checking out the rest of the series immediately!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, which was well-researched, but it was rather formulaic. It resembles a cross between Indiana Jones with traps, plots, and Nazis and the upper-class British explorer ex-pat adventure. This makes it fun to read, but I kept feeling like I'd seen it before. While the main characters were interesting and shaping up with some depth, I couldn't escape from some standard tropes. A physically and psychologically maimed survivor of the trenches, a brilliant and self-educated, multilingual Sudanese servant/friend/sidekick, and of course, a juvenile street urchin make up the core cast. They were likable, but not very original. When the pacing started to lag, there was always another shoot out, street brawl, or explosion to wake things up. It was fun but not unique. I may eventually try the next book in the series to see if the story development improves.

[David Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy through the Kindle Scout program.

Sir Augustus Wall is horribly wounded in the trenches of World War I. He turns his back on England and the rest of Europe to open an antiquities shop in Cairo. He wears a mask to cover his facial scars. When a priceless inscription is stolen and people are being killed, Sir Wall investigates with the help of his servant and Egyptology expert Moustafa Ghani, and Faisal, an irritating street urchin he just can't shake.

This is one of those mysteries where the setting is just as important as the characters. Egypt after World War I was a hotbed of revolution as the Egyptian people tried to break out from under British rule. The British (and to a certain extent, the other Europeans) treat the Egyptian natives with very little to no respect.

Wall is a mix of contradictions. He has turned his back on Europe and still makes his living off them. He also still claims the privilege that all of the Europeans fill entitled to. He keeps enough weapons to supply a platoon but suffers from PTSD.

The mystery is solid. The charactersare believable. The history mixed into the story helps to make it that much more believable and gives it another layer to enjoy. It reminded it a lot of an Indiana Jones story.

[Monte Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel, the first in a new series for the author, is great fun, reminiscent in style to the adventures of Indiana Jones, though its central figure, Augustus Wall, is a bit more austere and damaged. Wall, a disfigured veteran of the Great War, has come to Cairo to open an antiquities shop. He, a gifted Soudanese laborer named Moustafa, and a pesky young boy of the streets named Faisal, wander into a battle of wits against an array of diabolical Germans who believe the Aryan race is descended from rulers of ancient Egypt. Wall and his cohorts battle for truth, justice, and archeological research amid the post-war revolutionary violence of the Cairo streets. Wall fights both the Germans and the demons that linger from his wartime trauma.

[Felicity Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ripping yarn with pulp elements. While there is a fun cartoonish feel to some of the parts of this story - a masked protagonist in an Indiana-Jones-style adventure - McLachlan clearly knows his terrain, namely Cairo post First World War and this really brings the novel vividly to life. I loved the descriptions of the people who occupy the city - the water seller, the snake charmer, the cheeky street boys, the men gossiping in cafes - and of the city itself. A story about Egypt told not from an imperialistic perspective, but with great understanding and sympathy for the locals. Will delight lovers of murder mysteries and history buffs alike.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the book, using "the case of," made it seem like it would be some quirky, perhaps even humorous, take on a mystery like a Pink Panther story. However, the book is so much more than that. It digs into the dirt of political unrest in Cairo in 1919. Add into that the cultural differences between the inhabitants, and you get a book with a lot of depth. I quite enjoyed reading this. The characters have a lot of depth, and Faisal, the street urchin, adds so much color to the story.

I received a copy of this book through the Kindle Scout program.

[Norine Luker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical mystery

Cairo 1919 is a place at the boiling point. Into the unsteady mixture of unhappy Egyptians and arrogant foreigners comes Augustus Wall, a man who has had half of his face and mind stolen by the Great War. Augustus just wants to be left alone but when a man is murdered in his shop he goes about solving the mystery with the help of his brilliant assistant and a street smart young beggar. Well written, full of fascinating historical details, this is a great read.

[Hunter Byram · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with many pulp mysteries, there are some things you have to push past in order to truly enjoy it. McLachlan freely admits to playing with some of the history (which I’m fine with) but there are indeed some elements that I found almost too unbelievable to push past - namely, The Thule society is written to closely resemble the Nazis from Raiders of the lost Ark, but it is highly unlikely that they would’ve had access to military accommodations, and even less so in 1919. There were also a lot of typos in the Kindle edition. Overall, this was an enjoyable book, despite my nitpicking

[Judith Favia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing Characters

I was hopeful about this book since I love historical novels and colonial Egypt was a fascinating time. The characters are interesting as is the description of Cairo street life. What made it less successful was the lengthy and detailed fight scenes. They took up a lot of plot space without actually adding a great deal. After reading the author’s back list, I am less surprised about that, but it really doesn’t appeal to me.

[C.G.Koens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I Kept Waiting to Get Hooked

Indiana Jones meets WWI (I had just read about the masks made for wounded soldiers from WWI, so that was a nice touch of reality)...and they fight and fight and fight and in the end...have nothing. I only continued reading it because I don't like to give up. The series might get better as it's developed, but I got this one for free through the Kindle library and I won't buy the next book to find out if it improves. Lots of potential, but pass.

[Annag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollicking story in post WWI Cairo

Very good page turner with Sir Augustus Wall (the name is assumed but the title is genuine) as a WWI veteran setting up shop as an antiquities dealer in Cairo. French archaeologists and German occultists are looking for the tomb of Cheops and its esoteric secrets. The minor characters, interestingly, are given a more rounded interior presence than the central character. Definitely will be reading the next in the series.

[Kathy Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat less than 3 stars.

This book squanders its promising premise and is just not good. A few different plotlines are going and don't intersect or resolve satisfactorily. Worst of all for me is the excessive number of pages devoted to a character who is obviously meant to be an adorable street urchin but in reality is exttemely annoying. He also looks set to appear in future books in the series.

On the plus side, the book is short. Next!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of the same feel as one of Agatha Christie's spy thrillers. I appreciated the accuracy of the historical elements. The beginning was a bit slow, I thought, but the plot soon drew me in and charmed me. The characters were well developed and the settings creatively described without becoming rambling. Looking forward to Book 2.

[Rachel Stephenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an enjoyable romp as far as it goes. Some things jarred slightly, like the americanisms coming out of the mouths of Englishmen - could have been a bit better researched. Also the episodes of PTSD and flashbacks are a bit overdramatic, not particularly sensitive. But the story is a good one, and atmospheric. I'll be reading the next in the series.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Very Unusual murder mystery with interesting "heroes". Place is Cairo immediately after end of World War I. It
involves Egyptian nationalists, German former soldiers, and the ruling English government. Hunt is on for a hidden entrance to the great pyramid of Cheops and all the exciting escapades such a search generates! Fun, entertaining adventure!!

[Elizabeth M Houlihan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming novel. Since I have visited Cairo, the Valley of the Kings, The Pyramid of Giza and the great Cairo Antiquities Museum, I especially enjoyed this mystery. McLachlan brought me back in time and I fell in love with his 12 year old rag-tag homeless boy Faisel. The lead characters are well-written and easy to identify. Highly recommend if you love Egypt!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this mystery. It took place at a time when life in Egypt was very different then it is today. Although I can't say I liked the way things were there right after WWI, I did get a glimpse of the many facets of life in the desert. The Masked Man of Cairo was an unusually likable character and so were his two cohorts. I will definitely go on to read the next in the series.

[Cherie Waggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. The main character isn't a very pleasant person but his desire to just be left alone doesn't go anywhere. He reminds me of Indiana Jones/Rick O'Connell and there are elements of humor in the book. Not to forget the little 12 year old boy who kind of reminds me of Short Round. It's a good read.