Secrets of the Nile

Alexander’s 16th “Lady Emily Ashton” escapade finds Emily, her dashing husband Colin Hargreaves, and his precocious teenage daughter Kat at a house party at Lord Deeley’s lavish home in Luxor, Egypt. After an elaborate dinner on the first night of the party, their host drinks a poisoned tisane and dies. The Egyptian police are convinced that one of Lord Deeley’s servants killed him, but Emily and Colin take it upon themselves to investigate other possibilities. In true Agatha Christie style, Alexander spins a sophisticated tale with a convoluted story line and an eclectic cast. The novel highlights murders in two distinct timelines: Lady Emily’s present-day 1904, and a marvelous mystery set in ancient Egypt. As always, Lady Emily shines in her unconventional, leave-no-stone-unturned approach to sleuthing; she’s a standout character: a doting wife and loving mother, both feminine and feminist. The novel’s mystery is self-contained, but Alexander’s long-running series is best read in order.