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Summary
Summary
Year of the Hyenasis a brilliant, original, and unique murder mystery, set in ancient Egypt at the height of that kingdom's glory and power. It is at once a strikingly insightful portrait of a mysterious, complex, and sophisticated society, reminiscent of Norman Mailer'sAncient Eveningsin its wonderful detail and feel for the past, and a fast-paced detective story that reads like the best of twenty-first-century thrillers.From the oldest known court transcripts in history, Egyptologists have long known about the mysterious death of Ramses III, involving intrigue, ambition, greed, and crimes of passion on a huge, though hidden, scale. InYear of the Hyenas,Brad Geagley takes this event -- a struggle that nearly brought ancient Egypt to its knees -- as the backdrop for a story that is every bit as captivating as the distant civilization it resurrects.At the heart of the novel is Semerket, the so-called Clerk of Investigations and Secrets, a detective half-paralyzed by problems of his own, with a reputation for heavy drinking and tactless behavior toward the great, the powerful, and the holy, a kind of Sam Spade of the ancient world, deeply (and dangerously) addicted to the truth. Hard-bitten, deeply flawed, he is retained by the authorities to investigate what is considered an insignificant murder of an elderly, insignificant Theban priestess. They fail to inform him, however, that they don't expect him to solve the case. In fact, they don't want him to.But Semerket is not so easily fooled, and this is hardly an "insignificant" murder. As he delves deeper for the elusive truth, he uncovers a web of corruption so vast that it threatens the life of the last great Pharaoh, Ramses III, and the stability of the kingdom. Even worse, uncovering the conspiracy means more than just putting his own life on the line -- for, unbeknownst to Semerket, his adored ex-wife Naia has fallen afoul of those who would bring down the reign of Ramses, and he soon finds himself having to choose between saving her and saving Egypt....Merging historical fact and speculation with a nail-biting crime story that could be taking place in the present,Year of the Hyenasis a riveting and remarkable achievement.
Reviews (3)
Kirkus Review
A debut historical mystery about foul play among the Pharoahs. The time: 1153 b.c., some thousand years before Cleopatra. All hell is about to break loose in the city of Thebes, and an embittered, self-loathing, near-alcoholic named Semerket will be its reluctant instrument. The Clerk of Investigations and Secrets is a cop charged with nailing the killer of beloved local priestess Hetephras. The job is tough and success is actively discouraged. Semerket learns soon enough that responsibility has fallen on his shoulders precisely because the powers-that-be expect him to collapse under its weight. But despite his serious character flaws, despite his deplorable private life, Semerket is a prototype of the crime-sniffing bulldog with personal issues. In western Thebes, he discovers a gang of bold tomb-robbers. Could they somehow be connected to the murder of the priestess? As Semerket pounds Theban streets in pursuit of Theban thieves, he begins to squirm with anticipatory dread. What he's in the middle of is not just brazen larceny, not just a straightforward case of brutal murder, but a gigantic conspiracy endangering both the Pharoah and the woman Semerket loves. Interesting protagonist, vivid evocation of the mean streets of Thebes, but a prose style that can be jarring: "Semerket could hear the lioness's fangs in the queen's voice." Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A woman is murdered. The authorities hire a down-and-out investigator, a boozer who is still hung up on his ex-wife, to solve the case. Except that they don't expect him to solve it; in fact, they want him to fail. But our hero is a lot smarter than his employers suspect, and he uncovers a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of government. Sound like a fairly typical private-eye yarn? Well, it isn't. Because the dead woman is a priestess; the authorities are the feuding mayors of Thebes; the down-and-out investigator is Semerket, former clerk of Investigations and Secrets; and the whole sordid story takes place in Egypt, circa 1153 B.C.E. Some mysteries set in ancient Egypt are pedantic, fact-intensive tomes. This one, a first novel, avoids that trap. It's a solid, fast-paced mystery that's never overwhelmed by the author's research. Geagley is a multifaceted fellow--video-game designer, virtual-reality theme-park consultant, Jeopardy champ, film historian (he's an authority on the 1963 film Cleopatra)--and now, novelist. Let's hope he sticks with it for a while. --David Pitt Copyright 2005 Booklist
Library Journal Review
When an unnoteworthy, nearly blind Theban priestess of Osiris from the west side of the Nile turns up dead on the east, investigation of her death involves rival mayors. Semerkhet, the full-of-attitude scapegoat consequently chosen to be chief investigator, is pursued by a personal demon or two involving his still beloved ex-wife but searches diligently for the truth. Although meeting resistance at all levels, he ultimately uncovers a conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the current pharaoh, Ramses III. Historically motivated plot and authentic, rich cultural detail will endear this first novel/series start to fans of historicals. Geagly lives in San Diego. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.