Publisher's Synopsis
Autumn 1921. The Peabody-Emerson
family are enjoying a fruitful period of
excavation in Egypt. But when they hear
the alarming tale of a man's mysterious
death their digging turns to detecting. His
widow is convinced her husband was the
victim of a curse and implores the Emersons
to find and return the small 'deadly' statue
that killed him to the tomb from which it
was stolen - before it claims another life.
From bitter experience, the Emersons know
it would be a serious mistake to start
chasing tomb robbers. But Amelia and co.
soon start to find that the curse may be
more real than they ever imagined . . .
'She asks us to come directly to her room. She's
afraid to open the door, she says!' Ramses took
his mother's arm. With the skill of long practice
they wound their way through the procession of
camels, donkeys and carriages that filled the
street. 'Which room?' Nefret asked, looking up
at the long façade of the hotel.... 'The one with
the balcony? I'm surprised she didn't.... Oh
Good Lord! What's that?' There was no
mistaking what it was, despite its distance from
the ground. Sunset shone with theatrical
intensity on the stone balustrade of the balcony
and the form leaning over it. Man-high,
shrouded, dead black, it seemed to drink the
sun's rays. As they stared in disbelief, the
shape slowly bent forward and fell, 40 feet,
toward the terrace below.