Death of a Poet (Ancient Egypt Murder Mysteries)
This first mystery in a new series takes us on an immersive visit to third-century BCE Egypt, a place the author shows us to be far removed from our times and customs. The Greek Ptolemys are trying to consolidate power by adopting Egyptian customs—specifically, the king marrying his sister! Resistance and resentment to this change are at the heart of this mystery. In fact, the eponymous poet has composed particularly offensive (to the ruling couple) satirical verses that result in his death in the opening pages.
Events are described mainly through the perspective of Hanufer, the newly arrived and newly appointed Egyptian Superintendent of Police. We experience places such as the Library of Alexandria vicariously as three successive murders occur, involving scholars related to the library. The poet’s verses are found at the murder site in each case, suggesting his revenge (in person or as a ghost) as a motive.
Hanufer doesn’t show much of his hand as events progress, which is both good, as there is so much of Ptolemaic Egypt to absorb, and bad, because the ultimate resolution came out of the blue for this reader. Is the author playing fair? A little more character development (especially for the women) would be good in subsequent novels in the series. Well worth reading on a Sunday afternoon!
