The Year of the Cobra

Last in the trilogy of the tragic years of these kings and the chaos in which Egypt was thrown during those years. Many powerful factions fought for the throne which the teenage Tutankhamun had inherited, and his death at 18, unexpectedly, remains a mystery.

Paul Doherty has made a big name for himself as an author by writing medieval mysteries. He is a very prolific author but strangely his books do not suffer from this. They are always very fresh and extremely well researched by an author who knows his subject. This new venture into books on Ancient Egypt, this being part of a trilogy are also well researched. The man is a headmaster, a medieval historian and now to cap it all an Egyptologist as well. It makes me feel tired just thinking about it. It is a mark of the author if he can capture the spirit of the time he is writing about and of course make is characters come alive, make them believable, though not necessarily likeable. Paul Doherty does all of this with ease. His plots are always excellent, making it almost impossible for the reader to prempt the way the book will conclude. The previous book in the trilogy ended with Mahu being recalled to court because of the increasing instability of the mind of the Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. This book continues the tale. The young pharaoh is still unwell, but there is no one to take his place and the Hittites, sworn enemies, are advancing on Egypt. There is much plotting and counter plotting. Traps for the unwary are being set . . .