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Un cadáver mutilado aparece en las orillas del Nilo, un comerciante de antigüedades es asesinado y un eminente arqueólogo británico es encontrado muerto en la antigua necrópolis de Saqqara. Al principio, los incidentes parecen desconectados. Sin embargo, el inspector Yusuf Khalifa de la policía de Luxor, sospecha. También lo hace la hija del arqueólogo, Tara Mullray. Mientras ambos buscan descubrir la verdad, se ven envueltos en una carrera desesperada por la supervivencia. Desde un misterioso fragmento de un antiguo texto jeroglífico hasta los rumores de una fabulosa tumba perdida en las colinas de Theban, desde las resplandecientes aguas del Nilo hasta las polvorientas callejuelas de El Cairo, Khalifa y Mullray se sumergen cada vez más en un laberinto de violencia, intriga y traición.

An ancient Egyptian tomb holds the key to a grisly string of modern-day murders, in an engaging first outing by archaeologist Sussman

This is another excellent candidate for the Wasted Potential category. A good premise and an interesting setting are overshadowed at every turn by a thoroughly unlikable protagonist who's a major pain in the backside when she's not dreamy and ga-ga after sex ... with a guy who proves that she is a terrible judge of character who never learns from past mistakes. You know that it's bad when you're barely halfway through a book and you're hoping that the "hero" ends up as carrion in some deep and desolate corner of the Sahara Desert. Beyond that, there are just too many logistical problems and plot holes to mention--beyond saying that there are tons of them. And the ending? Imagine the writer turning over the responsibility for the climax and resolution to an incompetent Hollywood scriptwriter who thinks that James Bond films are the epitome of realism. And then imagine it being even sillier. A good ending might have saved this one; the ending that was offered merely served as another nail in the coffin. ( )