a review by Rebecca Muir
Shadows on the Nile tells the story of three siblings – Jessica, Georgie and Timothy. Jessica is a young woman with deep scars from the trauma of losing her brother Georgie as a child. He was sent away to a home and she was told to forget he existed. Now her brother Timothy, an Egyptologist, has gone missing.
With the help of Monty (that’s Sir Montague Chamford, a young and broke English lord) she goes to Egypt, convinced that Timothy has left her a trail of obscure clues leading there. In 1932, Egypt is a dangerous place for a young English woman. She needs to stay out of trouble while she untangles the mystery of what her brother is doing. She also needs to work out whether the charming and attractive Monty can really be trusted.
This is a book with a number of things to recommend it. The mystery is interesting and kept me guessing through most of the book. The characters are well written, colourful and easy to like, and there is drama which kept me wanting to read more (plus a little romance).
There are some interesting descriptions of the physical landscape of Egypt, and of the political and social landscapes of both Egypt and England in the 30’s. However, I think the strength of the book really lies in the chapters, interwoven through the main narrative, which are told through the eyes of Georgie. They are both heart-warming and heart-breaking.
This is a book for mature readers. Some of the issues it deals with, as well as the sex scenes (although they are not overly graphic) make it less suitable for young readers. Apart from that, I recommend it for a fairly wide audience. I think it is a book which will appeal to a variety of readers for a variety of different reasons. There is history, mystery, mythology, romance and social commentary, as well as the poignant story of Georgie.
