Mystery Book Reviews

Book Review: The Murder of King Tut

By Sandy Amazeen Sep 14, 2009, 2:35 GMT

A secret buried for centuriesThrust onto Egypt\'s most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut\'s reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace\'s veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King\'s most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy. The keys to an ...more

Based upon forensic evidence, on-site investigation and no small amount of conjecture, this enjoyable read tells of life in the Egyptian royal court starting just prior to the ill-fated Boy King’s rise to the throne. This early history is juxtaposed with the life of Howard Carter, a difficult, opinionated Egyptologist who’s obsession finally paid off with the discovery of Tut’s intact tomb. Sandwiched between these two periods in history are Patterson’s present day reflections about bringing the novel to press despite having several other manuscripts already under way.

The authors did an excellent job of blending what is known of Egyptian history with Howard Carter’s trials and tribulations to create a fast paced, plausible murder mystery. Those familiar with the research into King Tut’s untimely death won’t find the conclusions drawn too surprising but that doesn’t take away from a good piece of storytelling.