Part of Amelia Peabody, book 17
First published 2006
A desperate widow arrives at the Emerson family home beside the Nile carrying a golden statue shaped like an ancient king. She begs Amelia Peabody and her family of archaeologists to take the cursed relic, claiming it killed her husband after he stole it from a tomb. The woman insists that unless they return the statue to its rightful resting place, more deaths will follow. Amelia and her loved ones find themselves drawn into a web of deadly secrets as they investigate the widow's claims. Each discovery brings new dangers, and the evidence suggests the curse may be real rather than mere superstition. As the mystery deepens, any member of the close family could become the golden king's next victim, including Amelia herself.
Genres: 20th-century, adventure, mystery, crime, archaeology, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, family-drama
Setting: Egypt, Nile
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
496 pages · Mass Market Paperback · William Morrow Paperbacks