Disappearance of a Scribe is the latest mystery by Dana Stabenow. This second of a planned trilogy is set in Ancient Egypt, 47 BCE in the capital of Alexandria, where Cleopatra is Queen. Her dearest, lifelong friend Tetisheri is her new “Eye of Isis,” a title with the royal authority to investigate mysterious matters that are linked to the Queen. After solving the murder of her predecessor in the series starter, Death of an Eye, Tetisheri isn’t sure she is cut out for the role, but finds herself called to the scene after the bodies of two young men are found drowned in the Mediterranean Sea with their feet set in concrete.
Tetisheri enlists the help of Vitruvius, a famous architect, who identifies a rare additive in the concrete reserved solely for special projects for Cleopatra. As Tetisheri tracks down the people responsible for the murders, her investigations take her to many atmospheric and vibrant locations in Alexandria and put her own life in danger along the way. This historical mystery kept me turning pages with its strong female lead, plenty of political intrigue, atmospheric depictions of Egypt’s bustling capital, some steamy romance between Tetisheri and her handsome bodyguard Apollodorus and of course, its front seat journey through time to the Hellenistic Age. Maybe some crime-solving in Egypt is in your future, too. Pick up Disappearance of a Scribe, or better yet, start with Death of an Eye.
-Carol
Read it or Weep 