What do you think?
Rate this book
The Collector's Daughter
A Novel of the Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb
Bestselling author Gill Paul returns with a brilliant novel about Lady Evelyn Herbert, the woman who took the very first step into the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and who lived in the real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, and the long after-effects of the Curse of Pharaohs.
Lady Evelyn Herbert was the daughter of the Earl of Carnarvon, brought up in stunning Highclere Castle. Popular and pretty, she seemed destined for a prestigious marriage, but she had other ideas. Instead, she left behind the world of society balls and chaperones to travel to the Egyptian desert, where she hoped to become a lady archaeologist, working alongside her father and Howard Carter in the hunt for an undisturbed tomb.
In November 1922, their dreams came true when they discovered the burial place of Tutankhamun, packed full of gold and unimaginable riches, and she was the first person to crawl inside for three thousand years. She called it the “greatest moment” of her life—but soon afterwards everything changed, with a string of tragedies that left her world a darker, sadder place.
Newspapers claimed it was “the curse of Tutankhamun,” but Howard Carter said no rational person would entertain such nonsense. Yet fifty years later, when an Egyptian academic came asking questions about what really happened in the tomb, it unleashed a new chain of events that seemed to threaten the happiness Eve had finally found.
Bestselling author Gill Paul returns with a brilliant novel about Lady Evelyn Herbert, the woman who took the very first step into the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and who lived in the real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, and the long after-effects of the Curse of Pharaohs.
Lady Evelyn Herbert was the daughter of the Earl of Carnarvon, brought up in stunning Highclere Castle. Popular and pretty, she seemed destined for a prestigious marriage, but she had other ideas. Instead, she left behind the world of society balls and chaperones to travel to the Egyptian desert, where she hoped to become a lady archaeologist, working alongside her father and Howard Carter in the hunt for an undisturbed tomb.
In November 1922, their dreams came true when they discovered the burial place of Tutankhamun, packed full of gold and unimaginable riches, and she was the first person to crawl inside for three thousand years. She called it the “greatest moment” of her life—but soon afterwards everything changed, with a string of tragedies that left her world a darker, sadder place.
Newspapers claimed it was “the curse of Tutankhamun,” but Howard Carter said no rational person would entertain such nonsense. Yet fifty years later, when an Egyptian academic came asking questions about what really happened in the tomb, it unleashed a new chain of events that seemed to threaten the happiness Eve had finally found.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2021
370 people are currently reading
10705 people want to read
About the author
Gill Paul
52 books1,827 followersGill Paul is the international bestselling author of thirteen novels, many of them reevaluating extraordinary twentieth-century women whom she believes have been marginalized or misjudged. Her novels have reached the top of the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail charts, and have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 569 reviews
September 8, 2021
The Collector's Daughter brings a fascinating story of Lady Evelyn Herbert, who took the very first steps into the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
London, 1972. Eve is in her early seventies, and after another stroke she is working to regain her speech at a rehabilitation center. It’s here that she receives a visitor from Egypt - Dr. Ana Mansor. Mansor has been engaged in a research project and has found some anomalies in archives around the finds of the Tutankhamun’s tomb. The memory of the discovery gives Eve a spark and motivation for improving her speech, but there is something she doesn’t want to reveal.
Luxor, 1919. Eve comes from a privileged family, a daughter of Lord Carnarvon, who funds the exploration of the Tutankhamun’s tomb. While her mother plans to marry her well, meaning to a man of certain social standing, Eve dreams of an equal partnership, a man who will share a passion for travel and who will accept her being a lady archeologist. She has been coming to Egypt with her family since she was six year old, but never had a chance to visit Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. At eighteen, she is here at last and Howard Carter, who with her father indulged her curiosity from a young age, shows her how to dig during her first winter in the Valley. It is the beginning of an extraordinary journey, which also has some questionable events afterwards. After the discovery of the Tutankhamun’s tomb, there is a chain of illnesses experienced by different people. Some claim it’s due to the disturbance of the spirits in the tomb. Is it?
Egypt becomes an independent state shortly before the discovery of the Tutankhamun’s tomb. Thus, the rules regarding the finds in any tomb are changing constantly. It is fairly normal for archeologists to keep some mementos.
It’s a wonderful experience to be right there when the discovery happens and how it all leads to it and what happens afterwards; and to get to know all those who were involved in this discovery. It is a lifetime experience that we’re granted through this story. Nevertheless, keep in mind that most of the story is set in England.
The story is revealed in flashbacks switching between two timelines. It beautifully gains depth, both in character development and in keeping readers in suspense around the discovery of the tomb. The flashbacks are woven artfully having a smooth flow and carrying enjoyable storyline. This is an engaging story written with depth and suspense.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
London, 1972. Eve is in her early seventies, and after another stroke she is working to regain her speech at a rehabilitation center. It’s here that she receives a visitor from Egypt - Dr. Ana Mansor. Mansor has been engaged in a research project and has found some anomalies in archives around the finds of the Tutankhamun’s tomb. The memory of the discovery gives Eve a spark and motivation for improving her speech, but there is something she doesn’t want to reveal.
Luxor, 1919. Eve comes from a privileged family, a daughter of Lord Carnarvon, who funds the exploration of the Tutankhamun’s tomb. While her mother plans to marry her well, meaning to a man of certain social standing, Eve dreams of an equal partnership, a man who will share a passion for travel and who will accept her being a lady archeologist. She has been coming to Egypt with her family since she was six year old, but never had a chance to visit Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. At eighteen, she is here at last and Howard Carter, who with her father indulged her curiosity from a young age, shows her how to dig during her first winter in the Valley. It is the beginning of an extraordinary journey, which also has some questionable events afterwards. After the discovery of the Tutankhamun’s tomb, there is a chain of illnesses experienced by different people. Some claim it’s due to the disturbance of the spirits in the tomb. Is it?
Egypt becomes an independent state shortly before the discovery of the Tutankhamun’s tomb. Thus, the rules regarding the finds in any tomb are changing constantly. It is fairly normal for archeologists to keep some mementos.
It’s a wonderful experience to be right there when the discovery happens and how it all leads to it and what happens afterwards; and to get to know all those who were involved in this discovery. It is a lifetime experience that we’re granted through this story. Nevertheless, keep in mind that most of the story is set in England.
The story is revealed in flashbacks switching between two timelines. It beautifully gains depth, both in character development and in keeping readers in suspense around the discovery of the tomb. The flashbacks are woven artfully having a smooth flow and carrying enjoyable storyline. This is an engaging story written with depth and suspense.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
August 18, 2021
Lady Evelyn Herbert’s the only daughter of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, she and her brother Porchy were born at Highclere Castle. Evelyn wants to be an archaeologist, she’s traveled to Egypt numerous times with her father Pups, they work with famous archaeologist Howard Carter and they search for the elusive tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
In November 1922, they found it, crammed full of gold and priceless artifacts for the boy King to take with him on his journey to the afterlife, it’s an amazing discovery and receives a lot of attention. The newspapers later went on about “the curse of Tutankhamun” and anyone who visited his sacred burial place or had entered the tomb would be forever cursed.
Evelyn marries the love of her life, Sir Brograve Beauchamp, they have a daughter Patricia, and an elderly Evelyn has a number of stokes over the years. Her most recent stoke has affected her speech, she can’t walk and her memory is rather fuzzy. When an Egyptian academic, Ana Mansour starts asking Evelyn questions about what was in Tutankhamun’s tomb, it causes her a lot of distress and Brograve becomes very concerned for her health. Evelyn tries to remember exactly what happened fifty years ago, should she keep the secret or finally reveal the truth and can she trust Ana Mansour?
A fascinating dual timeline story, set in the 1920’s and the 1970’s and it takes you from Egypt to England. I enjoyed reading about Evelyn traveling to Egypt with her father, the adventures they had together and it was exciting when they found King Tutankhamun’s tomb with Howard. A story full of intrigue, superstitions, history, and the relationship between Evelyn and Brograve is wonderful and so is the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gill Paul for my copy of The Collector's Daughter, I loved every page and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
In November 1922, they found it, crammed full of gold and priceless artifacts for the boy King to take with him on his journey to the afterlife, it’s an amazing discovery and receives a lot of attention. The newspapers later went on about “the curse of Tutankhamun” and anyone who visited his sacred burial place or had entered the tomb would be forever cursed.
Evelyn marries the love of her life, Sir Brograve Beauchamp, they have a daughter Patricia, and an elderly Evelyn has a number of stokes over the years. Her most recent stoke has affected her speech, she can’t walk and her memory is rather fuzzy. When an Egyptian academic, Ana Mansour starts asking Evelyn questions about what was in Tutankhamun’s tomb, it causes her a lot of distress and Brograve becomes very concerned for her health. Evelyn tries to remember exactly what happened fifty years ago, should she keep the secret or finally reveal the truth and can she trust Ana Mansour?
A fascinating dual timeline story, set in the 1920’s and the 1970’s and it takes you from Egypt to England. I enjoyed reading about Evelyn traveling to Egypt with her father, the adventures they had together and it was exciting when they found King Tutankhamun’s tomb with Howard. A story full of intrigue, superstitions, history, and the relationship between Evelyn and Brograve is wonderful and so is the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gill Paul for my copy of The Collector's Daughter, I loved every page and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
September 28, 2021
In a Nutshell: If you are looking for a historical fiction novel woven mostly around facts and with something other than WWII for a change, this is an interesting one.
Story:
The blurb makes it sound like the book is entirely about the discovery of the Tutankhamun tomb. But while this is a significant event in the book, the actual discovery itself is just a few pages long. The focus is more on the life of Eve, especially after the discovery when a series of unfortunate events (Sorry, Lemony Snicket!) creates rumours of an ancient malevolent curse on those who breached the tomb. There is also a lot of detail on Eve’s parents and brother and their personal problems, and on Eve’s life with Brograve, and of course on Anna’s interactions with Eve. Not that all this takes away anything from the narrative, but if you are looking for a dominant Egyptian theme in the plot, you might be disappointed. Egypt has an important role to play in the plot, but the book isn’t about Egypt per se.
The plot includes a lot of flashbacks set in the 1920s, which enable us to know what actually happened. The dual timeline isn’t written in the typical format of alternating past and present chapters. I don’t know how to describe it exactly. But imagine you are watching a movie set in the 1970s. The characters are talking or lost in some thought, and during the course of their conversation/musing comes a reference to something that happened in the past. The screen then fades into that specific historical point and you get to see what they were talking/thinking about. That’s exactly how the past events are interspersed in the 1970s timeline of the book. After a while, I could easily guess when the narrative would shift to the past: all that was needed was a trigger that mentioned a past event. It was an unusual method of writing dual timelines, and I’m still not sure if I enjoyed it or not.
The characters are a typical representation of the British upper class of the 1920s but with an atypical heroine. As most of the British characters are actual persons, I looked up some information on them and was happy to see a great level of accuracy in their portrayals. In the book, they come across exactly as they might have been in real life, based on the information available online. However, I wasn’t happy with the portrayal of the fictional Anna. She was the only Egyptian character in the plot, yet her depiction was somewhat demeaning. There seemed to be an undertone of praising British techniques while looking down on everything Egyptian except the artefacts. While this must be an accurate depiction of upper-class Britishers’ thoughts at that time, it felt awkward to read.
Overall, the book flows fairly smoothly once you get used to the writing structure. The characters are interesting, the writing is neat, and the pace is quick. The secondary arcs are also taken care of neatly and they maintain faithfulness to facts. The ending made me push up my otherwise 3.75 rating to 4. It was a fitting finale.
I heard the 11 hrs 32 min audiobook narrated by Imogen Clark and she was fantastic. I really enjoyed her performance as she was lively and emotional as required by the narrative. Full marks to her reading.
Recommended for all lovers of historical fiction who are looking for a great story on an atypical topic.
Thank you, HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
The book is based on the life of Lady Evelyn Herbert, who is known for being one of the first people in modern times to enter the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun in November 1922 along with her father Lord Carnarvon and archaeologist Howard Carter.
The story begins in 1972, fifty years after the above event. Eve, now in her 70s, has suffered yet another stroke and after some touch-and-go days in the hospital, is recovering at home with her beloved husband of almost 5 decades, Lord Brograve Beauchamp. When an Egyptian academic named Anna comes to visit her to enquire about something anomalous in the documentation of the discovery, Eve’s guards go up. But how can she save the reputation of Howard Carter, her father, and herself, when her stroke has left her memory in tatters?
The blurb makes it sound like the book is entirely about the discovery of the Tutankhamun tomb. But while this is a significant event in the book, the actual discovery itself is just a few pages long. The focus is more on the life of Eve, especially after the discovery when a series of unfortunate events (Sorry, Lemony Snicket!) creates rumours of an ancient malevolent curse on those who breached the tomb. There is also a lot of detail on Eve’s parents and brother and their personal problems, and on Eve’s life with Brograve, and of course on Anna’s interactions with Eve. Not that all this takes away anything from the narrative, but if you are looking for a dominant Egyptian theme in the plot, you might be disappointed. Egypt has an important role to play in the plot, but the book isn’t about Egypt per se.
The plot includes a lot of flashbacks set in the 1920s, which enable us to know what actually happened. The dual timeline isn’t written in the typical format of alternating past and present chapters. I don’t know how to describe it exactly. But imagine you are watching a movie set in the 1970s. The characters are talking or lost in some thought, and during the course of their conversation/musing comes a reference to something that happened in the past. The screen then fades into that specific historical point and you get to see what they were talking/thinking about. That’s exactly how the past events are interspersed in the 1970s timeline of the book. After a while, I could easily guess when the narrative would shift to the past: all that was needed was a trigger that mentioned a past event. It was an unusual method of writing dual timelines, and I’m still not sure if I enjoyed it or not.
The characters are a typical representation of the British upper class of the 1920s but with an atypical heroine. As most of the British characters are actual persons, I looked up some information on them and was happy to see a great level of accuracy in their portrayals. In the book, they come across exactly as they might have been in real life, based on the information available online. However, I wasn’t happy with the portrayal of the fictional Anna. She was the only Egyptian character in the plot, yet her depiction was somewhat demeaning. There seemed to be an undertone of praising British techniques while looking down on everything Egyptian except the artefacts. While this must be an accurate depiction of upper-class Britishers’ thoughts at that time, it felt awkward to read.
Overall, the book flows fairly smoothly once you get used to the writing structure. The characters are interesting, the writing is neat, and the pace is quick. The secondary arcs are also taken care of neatly and they maintain faithfulness to facts. The ending made me push up my otherwise 3.75 rating to 4. It was a fitting finale.
I heard the 11 hrs 32 min audiobook narrated by Imogen Clark and she was fantastic. I really enjoyed her performance as she was lively and emotional as required by the narrative. Full marks to her reading.
Recommended for all lovers of historical fiction who are looking for a great story on an atypical topic.
Thank you, HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
September 7, 2021
What happens when you combine an ancient Egyptian tomb, the real Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle), and the notorious Curse of the Pharaohs? An enthralling, dual time-line novel full of history, intrigue, and suspense.
In 1972 Lady Evelyn Herbert, the daughter of the Early of Carnarvon known as Pups to his children, is recovering from a series of strokes that have left her struggling to regain her speech. She is visited by an Egyptian academic, Ana Mansour, who has discovered discrepancies in the records of the treasures of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Eve, along with her father, and the famous archaeologist, Howard Carter discovered the tomb in November 1922, and Eve was the first to enter the untouched burial place full of the riches and priceless artifacts.
Revealed in flashbacks, the story of Eve’s desire to become an archaeologist, her marriage to Sir Brograve Beauchamp, the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and the curse that seemed to haunt those who entered, is a fascinating fictionalized account of this intriguing time. Can Eve trust Ana Mansour with her secrets or will they be buried with her?
This was a wonderful work of biographical fiction which will appeal to fans of that genre as well as fans of Egyptology. I highly recommend this novel!
Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House, as well as NetGalley for the e-ARC.
In 1972 Lady Evelyn Herbert, the daughter of the Early of Carnarvon known as Pups to his children, is recovering from a series of strokes that have left her struggling to regain her speech. She is visited by an Egyptian academic, Ana Mansour, who has discovered discrepancies in the records of the treasures of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Eve, along with her father, and the famous archaeologist, Howard Carter discovered the tomb in November 1922, and Eve was the first to enter the untouched burial place full of the riches and priceless artifacts.
Revealed in flashbacks, the story of Eve’s desire to become an archaeologist, her marriage to Sir Brograve Beauchamp, the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and the curse that seemed to haunt those who entered, is a fascinating fictionalized account of this intriguing time. Can Eve trust Ana Mansour with her secrets or will they be buried with her?
This was a wonderful work of biographical fiction which will appeal to fans of that genre as well as fans of Egyptology. I highly recommend this novel!
Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House, as well as NetGalley for the e-ARC.
October 18, 2021
I would rate this 2.5 if I could. I typically enjoy historical fiction, and I was very excited to read this one due to the setting and the connections to Egypt and Downton Abbey (a story about the true inhabitants of Highclere Castle!). Unfortunately, and much to my surprise, I found the novel very difficult to get into - it may have something to do with the back-and-forth narrative, which moves between the 1920s and 1970s. I really wanted to "stay" in the 1920s and always felt let down when we returned to the sections set in the 1970s, which were less interesting to me. The book was clearly well-researched and provided a lot of insight into the lives of the characters, but I found it slow-moving and ultimately anticlimactic. Thank you to William Morrow and Goodreads for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 14, 2021
It’s 1972. Lady Evelyn “Eve” Herbert is recovering from a stroke. Her husband Sir Brograve Beauchamp is close by. While trying to regain her memory, Eve is visited by Ana Mansour, an Egyptian who is researching the treasures of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. When Eve was twenty-one-year-old, she and her father, the Earl of Carnarvon, accompanied archaeologist Howard Carter as the tomb was opened in 1922. Ana believes that valuable treasures were taken at that time and she is trying to locate them and return them to Egypt. The dual timeline shifts to Egypt, 1922 and the story of one of the greatest archaeological finds in history. Years before, Eve’s father had obtained a concession to excavate sites in Egypt and Carter was hired to supervise. Their years of work had finally paid off. Following the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and its worldwide notoriety, the rumors of its curse started to spread.
Beyond the history of King Tut’s tomb, this is a story about a woman from a very priviledged background (Eve was raised in Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey) who marries for love. Eve comes from a complex family filled with lots of drama. While this book is fiction, its major characters are all historical figures and the circumstances surrounding King Tut’s tomb are based on the author’s impressive research. It had been common practice for archeologists to be able to keep some of what they found but the guidelines were shifting at the time King Tut’s tomb was discovered which leads to the search for missing artifacts.
The Collector’s Daughter is a very interesting look at a compelling part of history adapted into this appealing fictionalized version. Author Gill Paul does a good job weaving the two time periods together. While the history of King Tut's tomb is fascinating, the 50-year love story between Eve and Brograve provides the book's true appeal.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Beyond the history of King Tut’s tomb, this is a story about a woman from a very priviledged background (Eve was raised in Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey) who marries for love. Eve comes from a complex family filled with lots of drama. While this book is fiction, its major characters are all historical figures and the circumstances surrounding King Tut’s tomb are based on the author’s impressive research. It had been common practice for archeologists to be able to keep some of what they found but the guidelines were shifting at the time King Tut’s tomb was discovered which leads to the search for missing artifacts.
The Collector’s Daughter is a very interesting look at a compelling part of history adapted into this appealing fictionalized version. Author Gill Paul does a good job weaving the two time periods together. While the history of King Tut's tomb is fascinating, the 50-year love story between Eve and Brograve provides the book's true appeal.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
November 17, 2021
I wish I could give this wonderful book more stars. As with all the books I e read by Gill Paul this one was just as good as the others. It was interesting as well as sad in places and it was based in actual people who I’ve learnt about from tv documentaries about Egypt and the tombs. This was a dual time-line and it was easy to follow. I learnt a lot of things that I didn’t know before.
September 19, 2021
Meet Gill and her characters in Luxor and Tutankhamun's Tomb
Visit the locations in the novel
Transports the reader to Tutankhamun’s tomb via Downton Abbey!
Gill Paul is a genius in my eyes. She has only gone and taken one of the most fascinating stories in history and brought it to life. Not only that, she has taken an overshadowed character and made her centre stage. What other author could breathe fresh air into a well-known story but make it unique, compelling and quite unlike anything else you have read before!
I’d read a fair bit about Tutankhamun like everyone else and thought I knew the story quite well. Nope. This story really shines the light on the whole affair and I was fascinated to read the detail and history surrounding it. You can tell Gill has taken a great deal of care and attention to get this right as the novel shines with authenticity and an immersive quality that you will really feel as if you’ve travelled back in time.
The leading lady of this story is Lady Evelyn Herbert who lived at Highclere Castle ie Downtown Abbey. She wanted to be an archaeologist and has traveled to Egypt numerous times with her father. They both work with famous archaeologist Howard Carter who is desperate to search for the most elusive of treasures – the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
To bear witness to such a historic event must have been indescribable. I honestly felt I was there thanks to the author and her careful crafting of the characters and their stories. Just wait until the day comes in November 1922 when the party find the tomb. The moment when they open it and the second they see the treasures before them. Breathtaking in more ways than one. The events itself must have been quite something and Gill Paul gifts you this moment across the pages for the reader. Stunningly brilliant.
That’s just the start of this amazing novel as we are then transported several years after that grand event. An event that was celebrated and much discussed in the media of the time. It got so much coverage but so too did its dark side – the fact that there was supposed to be a “curse of Tutankhamun” and anyone who visited his sacred burial place or had entered the tomb would be forever tainted by having entered the tomb.
Gill takes this story further by introducing an Egyptian academic who starts asking Evelyn about what was in Tutankhamun’s tomb. Having suffered illness and strokes since, history has faded and certain memories might be coloured. However, could it be that there are just some things that Evelyn never wants to reveal?
A fascinating story. Immersive and so well crafted. I enjoyed reading about Evelyn and her husband traveling to Egypt and the build up to the moment when they all enter King Tutankhamun’s tomb with Howard Carter. This is a cinematic read and gives a fresh take on a infamous story. This is by far the most interesting angle on this historical event that I have ever read.
September 30, 2021
This was an expertly written, poignant story about the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt during the 1920s. Paul is a thorough writer and I immensely enjoyed unravelling the mystery of Eve’s memories.
It does make for a difficult read, particularly if you have witnessed a relative or close friend who has suffered from a stroke. This is how the novel opens and we watch Eve’s confusion at trying to recollect memories that are prompted by her husband, Brograve. Paul vividly describes the rehabilitation process and it feels like the author has done a lot of research to demonstrate Eve’s difficulties – both emotional and physical – as she struggles to regain the person she was before being ill. The hurdle of trying to remember is a theme throughout the novel and I was heart-broken over how much Brograve struggled by Eve’s side; he is the faithful, loyal and loving husband to the very end.
However, let’s forget the key part of this story. With a love of history, I knew I would enjoy Paul’s exploration of Egyptian discoveries. The novel moves from the 1970s (present day for Eve) back to the 1920s where, post-war, Eve is experiencing the innocence of a young woman with privileges you expect from a family of money. Eve’s father is a known collector and, friends with Howard Carter, Eve soon develops a hunger for archaeological discoveries. Being present at the uncovering of Tutankhamun’s tomb, I could really grasp a sense of anticipation, mystery and even the supernatural. This continues throughout the story as, in present day, Eve attempts to remember what happened to some key artefacts.
What I loved most about this story was how thorough the writer is in their portrayal of such an interesting period of history. Not only do readers see the influence of class and wealth with Eve’s mother trying to make a tactical marriage for her daughter, but also the impact of colonisation in Egypt. We learn about the Egyptian government’s move to ensure archaeological finds remain in the country. Yet, often this was conflicting with the person who found it in the first place. The secrecy surrounding these findings was particularly fascinating and, even though museums were able to locate most items, I loved the mystery around Eve’s experiences.
Paul is a fantastic writer and I was immediately immersed in Eve’s story. A lot of research has been undertaken and, whilst it is based on historical fact, this was not a dense read. Eve is such a lovable character and, whilst it was difficult to read of her deteriorating memories, the love that comes through with her relationships is particularly endearing.
The curse of Tutankhamun’s tomb remains a mystery and one that delights fans of the supernatural. Paul lets the reader decide for themselves about this tale and I think this adds an extra layer to the story.
I really enjoyed my first read from Paul and this latest release did not disappoint either. I think this is a very talented author who can bring modern history alive in such an engaging way. For fans of historical fiction, I think Paul is an author you simply must consider.
With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It does make for a difficult read, particularly if you have witnessed a relative or close friend who has suffered from a stroke. This is how the novel opens and we watch Eve’s confusion at trying to recollect memories that are prompted by her husband, Brograve. Paul vividly describes the rehabilitation process and it feels like the author has done a lot of research to demonstrate Eve’s difficulties – both emotional and physical – as she struggles to regain the person she was before being ill. The hurdle of trying to remember is a theme throughout the novel and I was heart-broken over how much Brograve struggled by Eve’s side; he is the faithful, loyal and loving husband to the very end.
However, let’s forget the key part of this story. With a love of history, I knew I would enjoy Paul’s exploration of Egyptian discoveries. The novel moves from the 1970s (present day for Eve) back to the 1920s where, post-war, Eve is experiencing the innocence of a young woman with privileges you expect from a family of money. Eve’s father is a known collector and, friends with Howard Carter, Eve soon develops a hunger for archaeological discoveries. Being present at the uncovering of Tutankhamun’s tomb, I could really grasp a sense of anticipation, mystery and even the supernatural. This continues throughout the story as, in present day, Eve attempts to remember what happened to some key artefacts.
What I loved most about this story was how thorough the writer is in their portrayal of such an interesting period of history. Not only do readers see the influence of class and wealth with Eve’s mother trying to make a tactical marriage for her daughter, but also the impact of colonisation in Egypt. We learn about the Egyptian government’s move to ensure archaeological finds remain in the country. Yet, often this was conflicting with the person who found it in the first place. The secrecy surrounding these findings was particularly fascinating and, even though museums were able to locate most items, I loved the mystery around Eve’s experiences.
Paul is a fantastic writer and I was immediately immersed in Eve’s story. A lot of research has been undertaken and, whilst it is based on historical fact, this was not a dense read. Eve is such a lovable character and, whilst it was difficult to read of her deteriorating memories, the love that comes through with her relationships is particularly endearing.
The curse of Tutankhamun’s tomb remains a mystery and one that delights fans of the supernatural. Paul lets the reader decide for themselves about this tale and I think this adds an extra layer to the story.
I really enjoyed my first read from Paul and this latest release did not disappoint either. I think this is a very talented author who can bring modern history alive in such an engaging way. For fans of historical fiction, I think Paul is an author you simply must consider.
With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2021
Thank you to NetGally for the digital ARC of this in exchange for my honest review.
This book was...odd. It was well written, clearly researched, but it just...it didn't satisfy? It tried to be mysterious but...wasn't? I finished the book and then kept searching for additional parts. That was it? THAT was how it ended? It all felt so anticlimactic. It was like Paul tried to play on plot twists that other authors have done successfully, but watered them down. I liked the description of the book, quite a lot-but to me, it overpaints what actually happens in the book. Evelyn isn't an archaeologist. She's a well-bred upper class girl who's father finances Howard Carter's expeditions. She flouts traditional society standards, sort of. But she still isn't an archaeologist, she does work out there for a day or two. There were all sorts of tantalizing directions this story could've traveled, but Paul just...didn't. I didn't hate this book, but it certain left me feeling let down and perplexed at how it ended.
This book was...odd. It was well written, clearly researched, but it just...it didn't satisfy? It tried to be mysterious but...wasn't? I finished the book and then kept searching for additional parts. That was it? THAT was how it ended? It all felt so anticlimactic. It was like Paul tried to play on plot twists that other authors have done successfully, but watered them down. I liked the description of the book, quite a lot-but to me, it overpaints what actually happens in the book. Evelyn isn't an archaeologist. She's a well-bred upper class girl who's father finances Howard Carter's expeditions. She flouts traditional society standards, sort of. But she still isn't an archaeologist, she does work out there for a day or two. There were all sorts of tantalizing directions this story could've traveled, but Paul just...didn't. I didn't hate this book, but it certain left me feeling let down and perplexed at how it ended.
August 7, 2021
As a huge fan of The Secret Wife, I was very excited for Paul’s newest book. While I’m less captivated by the curse of Tuktankhamun than I am by the Romanovs, the idea of it interested me enough to read (not to mention that Eve lived at Highclere, the real Downton Abbey!). While it was certainly an interesting story, I felt unfulfilled anticipation, like the story was building and building to a big reveal or climax that never came. Ultimately, it’s the story of a fascinating life that didn’t translate into an epic story in a way that really captivated me.
October 24, 2021
Started out promisingly enough as a tale about Lady Evelyn Herbert, archaeology enthusiast and daughter of Lord Carnarvon who funded Howard Carter’s expedition to find Tutankhamun’s tomb. But the fractured narrative structure cannot hide the rather sentimental storytelling and the second half which devolves into slightly tabloidy evocations of spiritualism and the famed curse just annoyed me.
October 27, 2021
A wonderful look at a woman who was present for one of the most fascinating archeological finds of the twentieth century. Paul takes an interesting take on a dual timeline historical fiction book and weaves through the narrative fascinating characters you can’t help but root for. A fresh take on a fascinating moment in history and the woman at the centre of it.
April 30, 2023
About 3.5 stars
Evelyn “Eve” Beacham was a real person and one of the very first to enter the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. This historical fiction documents all the major events in her life, much of which comes back to the tomb and the supposed curse.
I don’t know how accurate this fictionalized account is, but I suspect much of it is true to life except Anna.
Despite being a drama, I was gripped by the story the whole way through. Eve was such a detailed character and generally likable. Her marriage is a normal, healthy relationship with challenges handled maturely.
The timeline switches between 1972-73 and the 1920s. Old Eve is recovering from a series of strokes that impact her memory. Then we get a 1920s memory at random; the time switches are not organized and it took me a while to get used to it.
It ended rather abruptly; not sure what to think of that.
*Reader’s Choice Nominee Spring 2023*
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Descriptions of painful sex in marriage.
Violence/Gore: Mild
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Evelyn “Eve” Beacham was a real person and one of the very first to enter the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. This historical fiction documents all the major events in her life, much of which comes back to the tomb and the supposed curse.
I don’t know how accurate this fictionalized account is, but I suspect much of it is true to life except Anna.
Despite being a drama, I was gripped by the story the whole way through. Eve was such a detailed character and generally likable. Her marriage is a normal, healthy relationship with challenges handled maturely.
The timeline switches between 1972-73 and the 1920s. Old Eve is recovering from a series of strokes that impact her memory. Then we get a 1920s memory at random; the time switches are not organized and it took me a while to get used to it.
It ended rather abruptly; not sure what to think of that.
*Reader’s Choice Nominee Spring 2023*
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Descriptions of painful sex in marriage.
Violence/Gore: Mild
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
September 6, 2022
Wow, what a story!
If you have any interest in reading about the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, and the lives of the people involved, this book is for you! It’s absolutely un-putdownable; the wondrous archeological find, a beautiful love story about the woman who first viewed the treasures, and a direct connection to Downton Abbey!
If you have any interest in reading about the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, and the lives of the people involved, this book is for you! It’s absolutely un-putdownable; the wondrous archeological find, a beautiful love story about the woman who first viewed the treasures, and a direct connection to Downton Abbey!
September 12, 2021
Elegantly written in a british-sorta way, it had a full cast of likable characters. Told in a dual POV of the past and present, Lady Evelyn Herbert tells of her struggles and adventures. It was her love story of ancient Egypt and Brograve. There were secrets about Tutankhamun tomb she had only shared with a few close people and a mystery to solve.
I thought it done quite well and recommend for those you love historical fiction.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and the narrator was excellent. It was 11 hours and 23 minutes of easy listening.
Thanks to Harper Collins Audio via Netgalley.
I thought it done quite well and recommend for those you love historical fiction.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and the narrator was excellent. It was 11 hours and 23 minutes of easy listening.
Thanks to Harper Collins Audio via Netgalley.
September 29, 2021
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
If there’s a time period that absolutely fascinates me is Ancient Egypt, so I love reading stories about archaeology and egyptology and the discovery of the pharaoh’s tombs and so on. If you add some real life characters I can google and that they lived in Highclere Castle (the real Downton Abbey), you have a novel that has my name written all over it.
Lady Evelyn Herbert, daughter of the Earl of Carnavon, always wanted to be an archaeologist. Her father worked along and financed Howard Carter’s excavations so, when he discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Eve was one of the first people to enter.
Fifty years later she has suffered a stroke that has affected her memory when an Egyptian academic visits her asking questions about Tutankhamun’s tomb and her role in its discovery. Can she reveal the truth of what happened then? Was “the curse of Tutankhamun” real?
I found this story fascinating. The dual timelines worked seamlessly and the back and forth between Egypt and England made for some gorgeous scenarios. I had the pleasure of visiting Egypt a few years back so it was nice reading about places I could picture in my mind. I would hace loved the tomb discovery part to be longer cause I found it truly engaging.
The 70s timeline was equally interesting. Eve’s sequels after her stroke were really well portrayed and it was such a delight reading about her relationship with her husband Brograve. You could feel how much they loved each other.
There was also a bit of mystery in the figure of the Egyptian academic that added a nice touch to this historical fiction.
A story of intrigue, the past, curses and superstitions that will appeal to Egyptology fans and will discover you some fascinating characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
If there’s a time period that absolutely fascinates me is Ancient Egypt, so I love reading stories about archaeology and egyptology and the discovery of the pharaoh’s tombs and so on. If you add some real life characters I can google and that they lived in Highclere Castle (the real Downton Abbey), you have a novel that has my name written all over it.
Lady Evelyn Herbert, daughter of the Earl of Carnavon, always wanted to be an archaeologist. Her father worked along and financed Howard Carter’s excavations so, when he discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Eve was one of the first people to enter.
Fifty years later she has suffered a stroke that has affected her memory when an Egyptian academic visits her asking questions about Tutankhamun’s tomb and her role in its discovery. Can she reveal the truth of what happened then? Was “the curse of Tutankhamun” real?
I found this story fascinating. The dual timelines worked seamlessly and the back and forth between Egypt and England made for some gorgeous scenarios. I had the pleasure of visiting Egypt a few years back so it was nice reading about places I could picture in my mind. I would hace loved the tomb discovery part to be longer cause I found it truly engaging.
The 70s timeline was equally interesting. Eve’s sequels after her stroke were really well portrayed and it was such a delight reading about her relationship with her husband Brograve. You could feel how much they loved each other.
There was also a bit of mystery in the figure of the Egyptian academic that added a nice touch to this historical fiction.
A story of intrigue, the past, curses and superstitions that will appeal to Egyptology fans and will discover you some fascinating characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2021
Lady Evelyn Herbert was the daughter pf the Earl of Carnarvon, brought up in the stunning Highclere Castle. Popular and pretty, she seemed destined for a prestigious marriage, but she had other ideas. Instead, she left behind the world of society balls and chaperones to travel the Egyptian desert, where she hoped to become a Lady archaeologist, working alongside her father and Howard Carter in the hunt for an undiscovered tomb.
The story has a dual timeline: 1772 where Evelyn is in the hospital recovering from a stroke, she's now 71. And 1922: when Eve and her father discover the tomb of Tutankhamun.
The two timelines are woven seamlessly together. The story is descriptively written. Eve is trying to remember everything she can about the dig and soon realises that some secrets should remain hidden. Throughout the book the curse of King Tut is frequently mentioned. There is just enough history told behind this enjoyable story. The chapters alternate between the two timelines.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #GillPaul for ny ARC of #TheCollectorsDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
The story has a dual timeline: 1772 where Evelyn is in the hospital recovering from a stroke, she's now 71. And 1922: when Eve and her father discover the tomb of Tutankhamun.
The two timelines are woven seamlessly together. The story is descriptively written. Eve is trying to remember everything she can about the dig and soon realises that some secrets should remain hidden. Throughout the book the curse of King Tut is frequently mentioned. There is just enough history told behind this enjoyable story. The chapters alternate between the two timelines.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #GillPaul for ny ARC of #TheCollectorsDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2021
A historical fiction with a mystery and love story spanning generations.
Eve is a young woman and aspiring archeologist drawn to Egypt. Having grown up in a sheltered privileged life, Egypt is like a new world. Her father and friend Howard are determined to find Tutankhamun's tomb. During one of their planned digs Eve stumbles on the entrance to a tomb. That moment changes their lives.
This is my second Gill Paul novel and I wasn't disappointed. The historical aspect was interesting but the love story of Eve and her husband Brograve made the story extra special. Eve suffers from multiple strokes throughout her life and the way Paul explores the deterioration of her access to memories was terrifyingly brilliant.
Eve is a young woman and aspiring archeologist drawn to Egypt. Having grown up in a sheltered privileged life, Egypt is like a new world. Her father and friend Howard are determined to find Tutankhamun's tomb. During one of their planned digs Eve stumbles on the entrance to a tomb. That moment changes their lives.
This is my second Gill Paul novel and I wasn't disappointed. The historical aspect was interesting but the love story of Eve and her husband Brograve made the story extra special. Eve suffers from multiple strokes throughout her life and the way Paul explores the deterioration of her access to memories was terrifyingly brilliant.
November 28, 2021
This one fell short for me. Interesting premise but the story lost focus, like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a memoir of sorts, historical fiction, the study of a long-term marriage, the curse of Tutankhamun, women archaeologists, issues with aging and suffering multiple strokes, or the deception of someone hunting down missing antiquities. The plot somewhat meandered along.
I was waiting for something a little more dramatic to happen with the gold box from the tomb but it fizzled out into a side note that was anticlimactic.
Rounded up to 3 stars for an interesting look back at the circumstances surrounding King Tut's tomb.
I was waiting for something a little more dramatic to happen with the gold box from the tomb but it fizzled out into a side note that was anticlimactic.
Rounded up to 3 stars for an interesting look back at the circumstances surrounding King Tut's tomb.
September 30, 2021
Originally published at Reading Reality
Once upon a time, there was a crocodile on a sandbank. While that particular crocodile doesn’t make an appearance in this book (although there is A crocodile), it’s still the reason I picked this book up. I’m referring to the first Amelia Peabody book by Elizabeth Peters, Crocodile on the Sandbank, published only three years after the more modern parts of The Collector’s Daughter take place. I still miss Amelia, and I still look for books that remind me of her. I hoped that this book, wrapped around famous ( or infamous) events in Egyptology featuring people that Amelia would have known and had firm opinions about – as she always did – would scratch my itch to hear Amelia’s rather forthright voice in my head one more time.
Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn Herbert and Howard Carter at the top of the steps leading to the newly discovered tomb of Tutankhamun, November 1922.
The lovely thing about this particular story, however, is that at least the bare bones of it are true. Lady Evelyn Leonora Almina Beauchamp (née Herbert) was the daughter of Lord Carnarvon. THE Lord Carnarvon who sponsored Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Evelyn, along with her father and Howard Carter, was truly one of the first people to see the inside of the famous tomb in modern times. Even if those modern times were nearly a century ago.
Howsomever, the way that the story split its timelines between the 1920s and the 1970s meant that it wasn’t exactly the book that the blurb would lead one to expect. Because that blurb, along with the book’s subtitle, gives every impression that the more significant part of the story revolves around the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. And unfortunately it doesn’t.
Instead, the larger part of the story takes place in the 1970s, just after the latest in a series of strokes that Eve suffered throughout her real life, after a severe automobile accident in 1935. Whether this particular stroke mirrors reality or not, it is true that the threat of another stroke hung over her life very much like the curse of Tutankhamun – even if that curse was entirely a creation of the press looking for sensationalism.
So most of the book takes place in the 1970s, and much of its time, its mystery and its pathos are wrapped around Eve’s months of recovery, her flashbacks of memory during that recovery, her husband’s love for her and his fears about the future as they are both in their 70s, and the attempts by an unscrupulous archaeologist to get a compromised Eve to reveal secrets that she has been keeping for 50 long and tumultuous years.
Escape Rating B+: The issue with this book is that it is a much quieter and gentler book than the reader has been led to expect from the blurb and the subtitle. I was expecting, honestly, a bit of Amelia. A woman perhaps a bit ahead of her time who overcame obstacles and had adventures. Because, let’s face it, being one of the very first people to see the inside of Tutankhamun’s tomb in thousands of years should have been a great adventure. The adventure of a lifetime. I was expecting to read a story about that adventure.
But that’s not what this story is about. Partially that’s because it is wrapped around Eve’s real life, and Eve is, as her Wikipedia entry puts it, “known for (being) present at the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb. She didn’t discover it. She didn’t work on the team that made the discovery. She was not an archeologist – and neither was her father Lord Carnarvon. Eve was present because her father provided the funding for Howard Carter’s expedition, and she was the first in the tomb because she was able to fit through a much smaller hole than either her father or Carter.
Then her father died, the lurid story of the curse was born, and Eve left Egypt for home, never to return, although she and Howard Carter remained friends for the rest of Carter’s life.
This story isn’t really about the discovery. It’s really about the way that the discovery has haunted her life and the way that the secrets she kept hidden loomed in the background. The secrets really existed, as revealed in her uncle’s diary many years after she returned to England. There had always been rumors that she, her father and Howard Carter had made a surreptitious visit to the inside of the tomb before the officials came down from Cairo to certify the find. And that while they were inside the tomb, a few small items made their way into all of their pockets. In a way, this is a story about the way that the thing that Eve stuck in her pocket has hung over her life rather like a bad smell. Still it seems to have been a good life, a comfortable life, and even if it was visited by tragedy, it seems like no more than any other – curses notwithstanding.
But readers expecting something like the 1999 film The Mummy, where Rachel Weisz plays a character named Evelyn Carnahan who is based on Eve Herbert, are going to be a bit disappointed. As I was in Eve’s lack of resemblance to the redoubtable Amelia Peabody. Or even to amateur detective Jane Wunderly in Murder at the Mena House. But if you’re looking for a quiet, lovely book about a woman who did not transcend her time but lived in the shadow of her one great adventure, there’s plenty of charm and a great deal to enjoy in The Collector’s Daughter.
It just wasn’t quite the book I was looking for.
Once upon a time, there was a crocodile on a sandbank. While that particular crocodile doesn’t make an appearance in this book (although there is A crocodile), it’s still the reason I picked this book up. I’m referring to the first Amelia Peabody book by Elizabeth Peters, Crocodile on the Sandbank, published only three years after the more modern parts of The Collector’s Daughter take place. I still miss Amelia, and I still look for books that remind me of her. I hoped that this book, wrapped around famous ( or infamous) events in Egyptology featuring people that Amelia would have known and had firm opinions about – as she always did – would scratch my itch to hear Amelia’s rather forthright voice in my head one more time.
Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn Herbert and Howard Carter at the top of the steps leading to the newly discovered tomb of Tutankhamun, November 1922.
The lovely thing about this particular story, however, is that at least the bare bones of it are true. Lady Evelyn Leonora Almina Beauchamp (née Herbert) was the daughter of Lord Carnarvon. THE Lord Carnarvon who sponsored Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Evelyn, along with her father and Howard Carter, was truly one of the first people to see the inside of the famous tomb in modern times. Even if those modern times were nearly a century ago.
Howsomever, the way that the story split its timelines between the 1920s and the 1970s meant that it wasn’t exactly the book that the blurb would lead one to expect. Because that blurb, along with the book’s subtitle, gives every impression that the more significant part of the story revolves around the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. And unfortunately it doesn’t.
Instead, the larger part of the story takes place in the 1970s, just after the latest in a series of strokes that Eve suffered throughout her real life, after a severe automobile accident in 1935. Whether this particular stroke mirrors reality or not, it is true that the threat of another stroke hung over her life very much like the curse of Tutankhamun – even if that curse was entirely a creation of the press looking for sensationalism.
So most of the book takes place in the 1970s, and much of its time, its mystery and its pathos are wrapped around Eve’s months of recovery, her flashbacks of memory during that recovery, her husband’s love for her and his fears about the future as they are both in their 70s, and the attempts by an unscrupulous archaeologist to get a compromised Eve to reveal secrets that she has been keeping for 50 long and tumultuous years.
Escape Rating B+: The issue with this book is that it is a much quieter and gentler book than the reader has been led to expect from the blurb and the subtitle. I was expecting, honestly, a bit of Amelia. A woman perhaps a bit ahead of her time who overcame obstacles and had adventures. Because, let’s face it, being one of the very first people to see the inside of Tutankhamun’s tomb in thousands of years should have been a great adventure. The adventure of a lifetime. I was expecting to read a story about that adventure.
But that’s not what this story is about. Partially that’s because it is wrapped around Eve’s real life, and Eve is, as her Wikipedia entry puts it, “known for (being) present at the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb. She didn’t discover it. She didn’t work on the team that made the discovery. She was not an archeologist – and neither was her father Lord Carnarvon. Eve was present because her father provided the funding for Howard Carter’s expedition, and she was the first in the tomb because she was able to fit through a much smaller hole than either her father or Carter.
Then her father died, the lurid story of the curse was born, and Eve left Egypt for home, never to return, although she and Howard Carter remained friends for the rest of Carter’s life.
This story isn’t really about the discovery. It’s really about the way that the discovery has haunted her life and the way that the secrets she kept hidden loomed in the background. The secrets really existed, as revealed in her uncle’s diary many years after she returned to England. There had always been rumors that she, her father and Howard Carter had made a surreptitious visit to the inside of the tomb before the officials came down from Cairo to certify the find. And that while they were inside the tomb, a few small items made their way into all of their pockets. In a way, this is a story about the way that the thing that Eve stuck in her pocket has hung over her life rather like a bad smell. Still it seems to have been a good life, a comfortable life, and even if it was visited by tragedy, it seems like no more than any other – curses notwithstanding.
But readers expecting something like the 1999 film The Mummy, where Rachel Weisz plays a character named Evelyn Carnahan who is based on Eve Herbert, are going to be a bit disappointed. As I was in Eve’s lack of resemblance to the redoubtable Amelia Peabody. Or even to amateur detective Jane Wunderly in Murder at the Mena House. But if you’re looking for a quiet, lovely book about a woman who did not transcend her time but lived in the shadow of her one great adventure, there’s plenty of charm and a great deal to enjoy in The Collector’s Daughter.
It just wasn’t quite the book I was looking for.
August 27, 2021
I love a book that sends me to google. About mid way through this story of Eve and her role in the discovery of King Tut's tomb, I was looking up names and pictures to get a better view of what really went down when the tomb was uncovered. I love when the bones of a story is real, but the details are fiction. It is such a good gateway to learning more about a time in history. I read a lot of HF, but this setting just drew me in and kept me reading. The intrigue behind the curse rumors, the idea of the relationships between the people at the site and the dual time line were compelling and exciting to read about. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!
October 1, 2021
Eve Herbert lives a lavish life as part of the British aristocracy. Her father is the Earl of Carnarvon and they live at beautiful Highclere Castle. The Earl of Carnarvon has always been interested in archeology and is the financial backer of archeologist Howard Carter. Eve longs to be an archeologist, which is a much different life that is expected of her. Nonetheless, Eve travels to Egypt and accompanies her father and Howard Carter on their latest dig. This one will be life changing though. Spoiler: They find King Tutankhamun's tomb. The novel also takes place during the 1970s when an archeologist, Ana, is on the hunt for Eve in the hopes that she can answer some questions about what exactly happened when they found King Tutankhamun's tomb as well as the location of some missed artifacts. However, when Ana encounters Eve as a much older woman, her memory isn't what it used to be. Plus, there's always the age-old question hovering in the periphery of this story: is the tomb really cursed? Gill Paul's The Collector's Daughter has a great combination of everything readers enjoy about a historical fiction novel as well an adventurous mystery.
Read the rest of the review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of the review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
January 4, 2022
Many of my readerly favorites unite together in this book: King Tut (discovery of), Curse related to discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, Egypt, Highclere Castle (think Downton Abbey), Carnarvons and the 1920's. The Collector's Daughter is about the point in history where all these subjects have an intersection when Howard Carter is funded by Lord Carnarvon in his quest to discover the ancient tomb of the boy Pharaoh of Egypt.
Eve, a feisty young woman who has been a favorite of Howard Carter's throughout her life, gets invited along with her father to witness it all. . .who could turn that down???
This historical fiction considers the beginning to the end of that great discovery, including the mysterious "curse" printed all over Tutankhamun's grave and burial chamber - that whoever broke open the seal, they and all associated with them would suffer. A compelling read, to the very end.
A sincere thank you to Gill Paul, William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #The CollectorsDaughter #NetGalley
Eve, a feisty young woman who has been a favorite of Howard Carter's throughout her life, gets invited along with her father to witness it all. . .who could turn that down???
This historical fiction considers the beginning to the end of that great discovery, including the mysterious "curse" printed all over Tutankhamun's grave and burial chamber - that whoever broke open the seal, they and all associated with them would suffer. A compelling read, to the very end.
A sincere thank you to Gill Paul, William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #The CollectorsDaughter #NetGalley
March 26, 2023
I really wanted to love this book but I found the story hard to get into and I struggled to warm up to the character. The premise of the book, finding the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun intrigued me. However, the love story that dominated the first part of the book bored me. The latter part of the book was much better, and I really liked the ending.
February 24, 2022
How have I not read a Gill Paul book until now. I love learning about ancient Egypt and King Tutankhamun’s tomb. I listened to this on audio and I just loved it.
Dual timelines of the 1920's and the discovery of the tomb in Egypt with Howard Carter and forward to the present where Eva is the lone surviving member of the expedition. Was there really a curse on the people who entered the tomb? She is getting older and has suffered a stroke and memory loss. With her husbands help, she starts to remember her time in Egypt at one of history's most exciting discoveries.
It was sad, it was interesting and was a lovely change from the usual serial killer books that I read. I will absolutely be checking out more books from this author.
Dual timelines of the 1920's and the discovery of the tomb in Egypt with Howard Carter and forward to the present where Eva is the lone surviving member of the expedition. Was there really a curse on the people who entered the tomb? She is getting older and has suffered a stroke and memory loss. With her husbands help, she starts to remember her time in Egypt at one of history's most exciting discoveries.
It was sad, it was interesting and was a lovely change from the usual serial killer books that I read. I will absolutely be checking out more books from this author.
September 26, 2021
Like so many people, ancient Egypt is a source of endless fascination for me. When I saw this one was coming out, it was a no brainer—I had to read this one. I actually listened to the audio version on my commutes in Arizona. The narrator had a pleasant voice and made the book interesting while I was stuck in the desert traffic. Not to mention the story was equally interesting.
A few years ago I read a non fiction novel on the Countess of Carnarvon and I had a deep affection for Lady Almina when I finished it. This book does not portray the Countess in a favorable light though, at times that rankled but considering the era, the way she was portrayed in this novel would probably be a bit more accurate. In actuality, this book made me want to know more about the Countess of Carnarvon so maybe I will look for more books on her not just about her castle and charitable works.
This book alternates between Lady Evelyn Herbert’s accounting of her life as a young girl and as an older woman. If you love ancient Egypt and your historical fiction with some glamour and a hint of the occult then this is a wonderful novel to pick up and spend some time with. While I enjoyed the audio version, I think I might have been happier if I had read the book rather than listened to it. I like the narrator and found her soothing but I also wanted to devour the book faster than she could read to me. That was my only regret in choosing the audiobook over the hard copy.
I can’t decide if I like the romance part of this book or not. Eve and Brograve meet in Egypt and it is practically love at first sight for Eve and Brograve but they have a long way to go before they make it to the alter. I liked their romance and at times found it tender and sweet but I was so intrigued by the larger story about Howard Carter and Egypt that I didn’t really feel as invested in their romance as I normally would have been. It was ok but for me it wasn’t the highlight of the story. The star of the show is really King Tuts tomb and finding out if Howard Carter did in fact ‘loot’ the tomb before the Egyptian authorities arrived to secure it—oh and if it was truly cursed or not.
I have read quite a bit on King Tut’s tomb and life and of course the suspected murder of the boy king, but I haven’t read much about Howard Carter. Now I certainly want to read more about him. I really liked how the author examined his character and made readers wonder if he was maybe a tab bit of a villain. The author also did a really great job explaining some of the difficulties that the British encountered with the Egyptian government as well as some of the logistical issues. For example, it wasn’t as if anyone could just barge into the tomb and start excavating the second it was discovered. I think it was like 6 months before anyone could actually get into the tomb. It also took Eve and her father 2 weeks to arrive once they received word from Carter of a discovery. I mean think about that……you invest your entire life and money into discovering a tomb and when you do you have to wait 2 weeks to get there and another 6 months before you can even see what’s inside. The author did a great job with his historical research and presentation in this book. If you love historical fiction and Egypt you will devour this book!
While I enjoyed the narrator and her performance, I also struggled with her rendition of Eve’s character. The narrator did a great job making Eve come alive, but when she was reading the parts with Eve post stroke, she even added in the stutter. It was sometimes hard to listen to but I did think it added a lot to the performance. If I had been reading it physically I would have probably skipped over the stutter parts but listening to is made the story come alive even if I felt frustrated and wanted it to move long. Overall this was a fascinating story and a wonderful piece of historical fiction! I really enjoyed it and the audio version. I have read many books by Gill Paul and have loved many of them but few in the way that I loved this one. Great read!
A few years ago I read a non fiction novel on the Countess of Carnarvon and I had a deep affection for Lady Almina when I finished it. This book does not portray the Countess in a favorable light though, at times that rankled but considering the era, the way she was portrayed in this novel would probably be a bit more accurate. In actuality, this book made me want to know more about the Countess of Carnarvon so maybe I will look for more books on her not just about her castle and charitable works.
This book alternates between Lady Evelyn Herbert’s accounting of her life as a young girl and as an older woman. If you love ancient Egypt and your historical fiction with some glamour and a hint of the occult then this is a wonderful novel to pick up and spend some time with. While I enjoyed the audio version, I think I might have been happier if I had read the book rather than listened to it. I like the narrator and found her soothing but I also wanted to devour the book faster than she could read to me. That was my only regret in choosing the audiobook over the hard copy.
I can’t decide if I like the romance part of this book or not. Eve and Brograve meet in Egypt and it is practically love at first sight for Eve and Brograve but they have a long way to go before they make it to the alter. I liked their romance and at times found it tender and sweet but I was so intrigued by the larger story about Howard Carter and Egypt that I didn’t really feel as invested in their romance as I normally would have been. It was ok but for me it wasn’t the highlight of the story. The star of the show is really King Tuts tomb and finding out if Howard Carter did in fact ‘loot’ the tomb before the Egyptian authorities arrived to secure it—oh and if it was truly cursed or not.
I have read quite a bit on King Tut’s tomb and life and of course the suspected murder of the boy king, but I haven’t read much about Howard Carter. Now I certainly want to read more about him. I really liked how the author examined his character and made readers wonder if he was maybe a tab bit of a villain. The author also did a really great job explaining some of the difficulties that the British encountered with the Egyptian government as well as some of the logistical issues. For example, it wasn’t as if anyone could just barge into the tomb and start excavating the second it was discovered. I think it was like 6 months before anyone could actually get into the tomb. It also took Eve and her father 2 weeks to arrive once they received word from Carter of a discovery. I mean think about that……you invest your entire life and money into discovering a tomb and when you do you have to wait 2 weeks to get there and another 6 months before you can even see what’s inside. The author did a great job with his historical research and presentation in this book. If you love historical fiction and Egypt you will devour this book!
While I enjoyed the narrator and her performance, I also struggled with her rendition of Eve’s character. The narrator did a great job making Eve come alive, but when she was reading the parts with Eve post stroke, she even added in the stutter. It was sometimes hard to listen to but I did think it added a lot to the performance. If I had been reading it physically I would have probably skipped over the stutter parts but listening to is made the story come alive even if I felt frustrated and wanted it to move long. Overall this was a fascinating story and a wonderful piece of historical fiction! I really enjoyed it and the audio version. I have read many books by Gill Paul and have loved many of them but few in the way that I loved this one. Great read!
October 25, 2021
As soon as I saw this book I was really intrigued. It has everything I love, a great story about a strong woman in history, about whom not much has previously been told; a 1920’s setting and the finding of Tutankhamun’s tomb. This is a dual timeline book, with part set also in the 1970’s after Lady Evelyn has suffered several strokes, and her memories and recollections are not all they once were. Gill has told this story with great sensitivity, compassion and insight and it is all beautifully told, carrying the reader seamlessly from one timeline to the other. I also loved the character of Brograve, and the love story between the two. Meticulously researched - bravo to the author!
October 17, 2021
2.5…but regardless just did not do it for me. The book was too long and then suddenly just ended really. And I wasn’t fond of most characters either.
September 27, 2021
I was not familiar with the connection between Highclere Castle (known to many as Downton Abbey) and the discovery of King Tut's Tomb, so it was really fun to read this and then browse Wikipedia about the real connections between Howard Carter and the Earl of Carnarvon (of Highclere Castle). I especially liked this that story focused on Carnarvon's daughter, Eve, who played an interesting role in the historic find, and really should have had a career in Egyptology. I really enjoyed taking my time reading this story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 569 reviews