I am so glad that I won this book. I am a sucker for any book that deals in Egyptian topics. I am glad to say this is an amazing read.

When the Pharaoh decides to open a deserted and haunted city; it is up to Commander Khonsu to protect the workers. Lord Nebamun is representative of the Pharaoh and is assigned to inventory the deserted city. Lord Nebamun has his own reasons to return to the city. He wants to put the ghosts of the city to rest once and for all. ( )

I am pretty sure this book is self-published. I decided to risk it because it is historical fiction set in Armana after the fall of Akhnaten (spelling in the book similar to the Opera). I am a sucker for Akhenaten. I was not disappointed, after a bit of a bumpy start.

There were some quality issues, but nothing that was a deal breaker for me. The writing at the start was a bit overwrought. Long sentences with multiple commas and many clauses as though Wilder was afraid each sentence would be the last and had to carry way too much. She did get over it eventually though.

The other issue that could be off-putting is character development and storytelling. The good characters are a bit too perfect. I still ended up caring about them, but it felt unreal. The bad characters were pretty obvious but had some shades, so they weren't complete cartoons. The main character a smart man, is oblivious to what is going on for most of the book. In the storytelling it was very obvious who was good, and bad, and in some cases what was going to happen. It also could have been a bit tighter and shorter.

There are some anachronisms that could also be jarring, the worst was a character saying 'It boggles the mind.' - which made me laugh, but could annoy those who are purists. There are others, but I find if I am enjoying the rest of the book, I can accept them.

That said, the flaws weren't terrible, just something to know going into the book, especially if purchasing. I wasn't sorry I bought the book, and will also buy her other book: Pharaoh's Son.

The story could be called an ancient historical mystery, set during the 13th year of the reign of Horemheb. The POV character is Police Commander Khonsu (ahem). He is not rich, or aristocratic, just a working man. He is assigned to a handle security for a priestly delegation going to Armana to investigate if the city can be reopened. Pharaoh has asked the question and the delegation is acting in his name. The man in charge of the party, Lord Nebamun, is a priest of Ptah, related to the Pharaoh and second in rank behind the High Priest. He is a rich aristocrat, a man of honor, but also a man of mystery. He has no past and no immediate family. He appears to have military experience, but claims no service.

The story is of the people they encounter and what happens to them when they arrive in the city. There is a gateway city near Armana run by a man who does not want anything to change. He tells tales of the abandoned city being haunted and unsafe. Mysterious shapes and stalkers on the edge of the city at night, fatal accidents and murder stalk the party once they arrive. There appears to be looting going on in the city and the cliff tombs under cover of the haunting. Within the priestly party are clashes for power and status. The motivation for the visit also has more layers than first presented.

The characters were likable and interesting. There is Seti a General and relation to the Pharaoh who comes to support them. Also a sculptor who worked in Armana when the heretic ruled. He is a source of stories that explore Akhenaten's reign. Lord Nebamun also speaks of the past there as if he experienced it. In many ways the story is about what happened during the heretic's reign, and the repercussions both personal and political.

The story was meaty and interesting. If you are aware of the period you pick up the undercurrents and the possibilities for characters and plot. I don't know how someone with no knowledge of Akhenaten and his successors would feel about the story. If it would seem too limited or too mysterious with no context to fit everything into.

Besides the official actions of the party, the story deals with the personal relationships of the characters, we learn about Khonsu's unhappy past marriage and his sick young daughter. The story of Lord Nebamun's past eventually comes out. We learn about the headman in the gateway city, and about others in the priestly party. The book starts out jumping from the past to the present, but then stays in the same time period. I enjoyed the ending, but some may feel it is too neat.

The author speaks about her interpretation of the period in the afterward. She is much easier on Akhenaten and his behavior than others. She believes in Smenkhara as an older brother of Tut, and that both were sons of Akhenaten with Kiya as the mother. I also believe in Smenkhara, but think they were both nephews rather than sons of Akhenaten. She invents a fictional Pharaoh between Tut and Ay, so he can be the evil one, rather than slander one of the real Pharaohs. There is also an extensive bibliography.

I enjoyed the book, and would actually like to read more about the major characters in the book. ( )