The Scorpion’s Bite
This is the third in a series featuring Lily Sampson, a doctoral student in archaeology. In the midst of World War II, Lily has been assigned to conduct an archaeological survey of Transjordan for the OSS. She’s accompanied by the director of the American School of Archeology in Jerusalem, Gideon Weil, and a German photographer. Things quickly go awry as their Bedouin guide is murdered and Gideon becomes the prime suspect. Lily soon learns that the archaeological survey is just a front for their real mission – protecting the pipeline that supplies oil to the Allies and sabotaging the pipeline that supplies the Nazis. Add to this a Nazi plot to kidnap the eight-year-old King Faisal of Iraq, and you have a fast-paced story set in a fascinating time and place.
The only criticism I have of this book is that it was not longer. For me, not knowing much about the history and geography of this area, a map would have been a useful addition, as would some more background. While I enjoyed the story, I was left wanting a little more.
