Murder at the God's Gate: A Lord Meren Mystery (Walker Mystery) - Hardcover

Robinson, Lynda S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0802731988 ISBN 13: 9780802731982

Publisher: Walker & Co, 1995

Synopsis

In year five of his reign, fourteen-year-old Pharaoh Tutankhamun is beset by problems: The Hittites are encroaching, and several of Egypt's vassal states have fallen because of the neglect of his late brother, the heretic Akhenaten. The priests of Amun, whose power rivals that of the pharaoh, are bitter, filled with resentment against the young king whose dead brother tried to destroy them.
For Lord Meren, the pharaoh's confidential inquiry agent, the unrest and whispering are clear threats to Tutankhamun's life. When Meren's spy at the temple at Thebes dies in a spectacular accident, the threat takes on new force. While Meren's son, Kysen, leads the temple investigation, the Eyes and Ears of Pharaoh embarks on a dangerous enterprise, not only challenging the priests but protecting Tutankhamun from the traitors scheming within the walls of his own court.

About this title

Reviews

More than the sum of its parts, this second (following 1994's Murder in the Place of Anubis) in the series featuring ancient Egypt's Lord Meren, advisor to the court of Tutankhamun, is a compelling narrative comprised of vividly depicted background and characters and a well-plotted mystery. When Unas, a priest at the Temple of Amun, falls to his death from a colossal unfinished statue of the young king, Meren sends his adopted son Kysen to investigate. Unas's death, although raising suspicions in the deeply political court, appears to be accidental until another priest is killed by cobras hidden in his box of writing materials. As Meren tries to determine why someone would kill holy ones, Tut confirms his intention to lead his army on a campaign to secure the country's borders. His advisors, including Meren, wonder how they can tell the 14-year-old god that he is too young to go into battle. Breathing life into her scholarship through deft characterization and lucid plotting, Robinson frees her cast from frieze-like immobility, allowing Meren and Kysen to solve the murders and ferret out the source of the unrest at court.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Young King Tutankhamun's chief adviser/agent Lord Meren, known to some as the Falcon, investigates the murder of a priest in a temple dedicated to the teenaged Tut. Robinson (Murder in the Place of Anubis, LJ 2/1/94) surrounds Meren with palace and temple intrigue, authentic details of daily life, and frequent mention of a wide assortment of indigenous animals, such as hippos, elephants, crocodiles, vultures, etc., which are often used to denote character traits. Fans of historical mysteries should enjoy Meren's investigatory techniques and will welcome the reappearance of his adopted son, Kysen.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Walker & Co
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0802731988
• ISBN 13: 9780802731982
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 236