City of the Dead: A Seven Wonders Novel
When Pharaoh’s chief wife is found dead, Hemiunu, the Grand Vizier who oversees the building of the Great Pyramid, is suspected of murder. It does not help that they were once in love and that Pharaoh knows it. Hemiunu must prove his innocence, and in the process he forges a bond with Neferet, a young woman who believes in one true God. This book is a Christian historical, the second in a projected series, each connected to one of the Seven Great Wonders of the ancient world. From time to time, Neferet voices what seems remarkably like modern Protestant theology. There is no hint of the actual historical roots of monotheism, and as pyramid builders talk about “timelines,” and explain that they must “rework all the numbers,” it’s hard to believe you’re in ancient Egypt. However, Hemiunu is a likable and complex character. As he uncovers the connection between the queen’s killing and a long-ago suspicious death, he also confronts his own imperfections as a man. The mystery has enough twists and turns to satisfy any reader and builds to a suspenseful climax.
