Shadows on the Nile

Written by Kate Furnivall
Review by Chiara Prezzavento

Jessie Kenton traumatically “lost” her autistic little brother when she was seven. Twenty years later, when Georgie’s adopted replacement, the brilliant Egyptologist Tim, goes missing, Jessie is determined: she will find him. But 1932 Egypt, where all clues point, is no place for a lone woman, so Jessie travels with charming Sir Monty Chamford, who may or may not know something about Tim’s disappearance. Now, this book boasts a vivid, evocative language, and a few very engaging characters, and I really wanted to like it. But a plot relying for the most part on coincidence, unlikelihood and far, far, far-fetched Holmesian clues, the characters’ penchant for educational exposition, and a general preachy tone annoyed me more than a little, spoiling what otherwise could have been a pleasant read.