Review by Booklist Review
In a remote cave in western Pakistan, the carnage from a raid on a drug baron reveals a gold-plated mummy whose cuneiform-embellished sarcophagus bears tales of untold riches. For archaeologist Dr. Gul Delani, the opportunity to examine the rare find of a mummy prepared in the Egyptian manner should be a career-defining achievement. Instead, she becomes the drug lord's target. As her inspection progresses, Delani's mind stays dually focused on the three-year-long, unfruitful investigation into the disappearance of her beloved teenage niece, Mahnaz, who is approximately the same age as the young woman preserved before her. The tale of the lost princess, the alleged daughter of King Xerxes, fascinated Mahnaz, but could it also have caused her death? Delani's quest for justice for both young women takes her from Pakistan's desert caves to its sinister street world to its fetid underground sewers. Inspired by an actual antiquities scandal, Phillips introduces a sleuthing archaeologist in a debut thriller and series starter that efficiently combines the historian's thirst for research with a criminologist's pursuit of retribution.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
An Egyptologist stumbles into the criminal underworld in this high-energy thriller from financial journalist Phillips (The Curse of Mohenjodaro). Pakistani museum curator Gulfsa "Gul" Delani is awakened one morning by a phone call from the police, who summon her to the province of Balochistan to help identify a mummy seized during a narcotics raid. The challenge excites Gul, given that mummification is not typically part of Islamic burial traditions. She concludes that the mummy dates back to the ancient Persian empire of Persepolis, and is likely the body of one of King Xerxes's lost daughters. The discovery kicks up political furor, and after the mummy disappears from the museum where Gul was studying it, Gul gets mixed up with a drug lord who pulls strings at every level in the chaotic city of Karachi. Then Gul learns that the body did not belong a Persian princess at all, and may, in fact, be the mummified remains of someone close to her. With the help of a band of street urchins and her wealthy but estranged family, Gul attempts to uncover the truth and dole out justice. Phillips's pacing is brisk, and she peppers the action with plenty of well-timed plot twists. Readers will hope to hear more from Gul soon. Agent: Stephany Evans, Ayesha Pande Literary. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Inspired by true events, this series opener from Phillips (The Curse of Mohenjodaro) contains chilling, heart-pounding twists. Archaeologist Gul Delani hasn't trusted the Karachi police since they abruptly ended the search for her missing niece Mahnaz after just a couple months. That was three years ago. When they call asking for her help with something found in a remote cave, she is wary, but once she's seen the mummy, the possibility of changing the historical record is too tempting to ignore. The race is on to investigate before the criminals who were hiding the mummy steal it back to sell on the illegal market. Gul is also determined to find out why Mahnaz's name starts coming up in all of this. Readers are immersed in the Pakistani setting and given enough of the historical background to understand the potential significance of this discovery. There is a delicate balance between Gul's professional investigation and her personal crisis regarding her family, all while being aided by a stalwart crew of friends and colleagues. VERDICT Fans of Elly Griffiths's Ruth Galloway or Nilima Rao's Akal Singh will be eager for the next entry in Phillips's exciting series.--Sarah Sullivan
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The city of Karachi turns out to be a hotbed of criminal activity in this series opener. When Pakistani museum curator and Egyptologist Gulfsa Delani receives an urgent phone call in the middle of the night from Deputy Superintendent Farhan Akthar, she assumes he has news about her niece, Mahnaz, who's been missing for three years but is never far from her thoughts. Instead, she's escorted to the site of a drug bust, which incongruously includes an ornately carved wooden sarcophagus with a female mummy inside. Gul is excited by the prospect of examining the artifact further in private, and she insists that only by taking the mummy to the museum will she be able to keep the valuable artifact--and piece of evidence in the drug case--from deteriorating. Acknowledging its value, Akthar provides her with a police escort to protect her from the criminals he's sure will try to get it back. Gul's examination of the sarcophagus and its contents involve analysis of the accompanying cuneiform writing and consultation with several experts. Not long after, Gul is indeed attacked and lands in the hospital, and the sarcophagus is stolen. In this first installment in a new series, Phillips spends considerable time presenting a full picture of her heroine's life and of Karachi's notable features. Gul teaches English at a homeless shelter run by her friend Manora Fernandes and has a contentious relationship with her brother and sister-in-law, Bilal and Sania. Readers are taken to Parsi Colony, a Zoroastrian enclave; the picturesque Cantt railway station; and City Central University. Phillips, who lives in London, was born in Karachi and her attachment to the city is infectious. At length, she offers surprising solutions to both the theft of the sarcophagus and the disappearance of Gul's niece. A deep dive into a fascinating city complete with multiple menacing mysteries. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
