Dig Into These 7 Addictive Egyptian Mysteries

Must-read stories of deadly deeds in the desert. 

covers of 'Death Comes as the End', The King's Ransom', 'The Shape of Sand', and 'The Serpent and the Scorpion' over a desert background.
camera-iconPhoto Credit: Sergey Pesterev / Unsplash

The shifting sands of Egypt have swallowed centuries of secrets—and sometimes, they give them back.

From the sun-baked court of an ancient Pharaoh to the politically eruptive streets of 1909 Cairo and the archaeological digs of the Victorian era, the country has long been a perfect backdrop for buried mysteries. 

Uncover these seven enthralling novels that span over 4,000 years of history, featuring everyone from strong-willed heiresses and ancient Egyptian lords to modern recovery agents, all racing to uncover the truth before the desert claims another victim. 

The King's Ransom: A Novel (The Recovery Agent Series)

The King's Ransom: A Novel (The Recovery Agent Series)

By Janet Evanovich

Gabriela Rose, a world-class recovery agent, can find anything—except a way to lose her infuriating ex-husband, Rafer Jones. Now Rafer needs her help: his cousin is being set up as the fall guy for a global conspiracy involving priceless, missing artifacts. 

To save his family and a too-big-to-fail bank, Gabriela must travel the world with Rafer on a mission to hunt down the missing art. They follow a trail to Egypt, where they unearth of a web of secrets involving a mysterious dark force and a global conspiracy bent on ruining the world's economy.

The Girl in the Nile

The Girl in the Nile

By Michael Pearce

"Where's the body?" That's the first question Captain Gareth Owen, Head of the Cairo Secret Police, must answer. When a girl vanishes after being spotted lying on a sandbank in the Nile, the trail leads Owen straight to the Khedive's court. 

Under heavy pressure from political rivals and his own powerful mistress, Owen must navigate the treacherous currents of 1909 British-ruled Cairo, a city swelling with nationalism and royal intrigue, to find a murderer who left no physical trace.

Death Comes As the End

Death Comes As the End

By Agatha Christie

In 2000 B.C. Egypt, where death gives meaning to life, the concubine Nofret is found dead, a fate most believe the "venomous" woman deserved. But the priest's daughter, Renisenb, is certain it was murder. 

Trapped within her powerful family's household on the Nile, Renisenb grows increasingly convinced that a killer lurks among them, and she can only watch as her family's dark passions ignite a shocking series of murders.

The Shape of Sand

The Shape of Sand

By Marjorie Eccles

In the wake of World War II, the three daughters of the Jardine family still live under the shadow of a decades-old Edwardian scandal that violently shattered their idyllic childhood at Charnley.

When builders finally uncover a shoebox containing a diary that details their mother’s mysterious voyage to Egypt, the sisters begin to unravel the truth of that fateful night. 

Their investigation takes a shocking turn when they discover the mummified body of a brutally murdered woman hidden beneath the ruins of their ancestral home, forcing them to confront a secret far darker and more dangerous than the original scandal.

The Serpent and the Scorpion

The Serpent and the Scorpion

By Clare Langley-Hawthorne

Edwardian textile heiress Ursula Marlow is an independent woman whose wealth makes her the ultimate outsider in London society.

When two seemingly unrelated murders—a Russian financier's wife in Egypt and a factory worker in her own mill—are linked, Ursula must risk her entire empire and her reputation to expose a killer targeting the women she employs.

Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing

Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing

By Lynda S. Robinson

From the royal court to a lavish country estate, the world of Ancient Egypt, 1324 B.C. comes to life around Lord Meren, the Eyes and Ears of Pharaoh. 

Though Meren has been ordered to rest, his country home is filled with relatives for the compulsory Feast of Rejoicing—an ill-timed party, as he is secretly guarding the vulnerable remains of Akhenaten and Nefertiti from scheming priests. 

When the body of a relative is found in his granary, Meren is forced to steer a dangerous course between the considerable charms of Lady Bentanta, the command of his king, and the necessity of unmasking a murderer among his own kin.

Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody Book 1)

Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody Book 1)

By Elizabeth Peters

A self-proclaimed spinster and heiress, Amelia Peabody, travels to Egypt to take on the Victorian-era world of Egyptology.

But on her way to Cairo, her sharp wit compels her to rescue the beautiful, abandoned Evelyn Barton-Forbes, drawing both women into a remote archaeological camp rife with suspicious accidents, strange visitations, and veiled enemies. 

When a botched kidnapping confirms a plot is afoot, Amelia must work against the clock to unmask the villain before the perilous forces lurking along the Nile make this thrilling adventure her final resting place.

Featured image: Sergey Pesterev / Unsplash