Random Reads: A Killing Among the Dead by Diana Wilder

From Goodreads: Wenatef opens his eyes to darkness and intense silence. The air is heavy with myrrh: he is in a burial chamber. Pain lances through his left side as he tries to raise himself, bringing the taste of blood to his lips. His life ebbs as he remembers how the nightmare began.. One of his men came screaming of destruction and mutilation in the tomb of Egypt's greatest king. Wenatef set out to stop the sacrilege only to find that the very people he is sworn to protect were blocking him. He dreams of judgment before the gods and awakens to find new strength and even more questions. Whose blood is pooled on the floor beneath him and caked on his side when he seems, now, to be unhurt? Wenatef lets his enemies think they have killed him and sets out to uncover who is robbing and defiling the dead. Each new discovery brings him closer to the heart of a far-flung scandal of greed and betrayal that reaches a climax in a final confrontation in the great Temple of Karnak beneath the gaze of the gods. (from the author's website) A KILLING AMONG THE DEAD is a historical mystery set during ancient Egypt's declining years. It is a tale of betrayal, revenge and redemption, and one man's discovery that no matter how alone we seem in our struggle against evil, the Great Ones are never far away.

This was a freebie on Amazon when I picked it up, but it is currently at it's normal price of $2.99, along with the other 2 Egyptian stories by the same author.

I love all things Egyptian so when I saw this as a freebie I had to give it a try. I was pleased with it, and got more from it than I expected. Wenatef grew on me, I wasn't sure about him at first, but he goes through quite a personal and spiritual transformation throughout the story. His beliefs are challenged and overthrown, but instead of becoming disheartened, he is enlightened to a greater truth. While he is comforted by this new knowledge, it comes at a price, he is changed to the point where he can no longer feel comfortable among his own people, but he has a duty to uphold and he does that before moving on to the next stage of his own life. I would really like to see a story about him as he journey's away from Egypt, and how he deals with new lands, new people, and different belief systems.

There is plenty of action as Wenatef matches wits with the graverobbers, and single handedly brings to an end a pillaging that has gone on for years. I also enjoyed his encounters in the spirit realm, and the authors descriptions of the setting. While she is the first to admit that her depictions may not be historically accurate, as an amateur Egyptophile, I found them stable enough to set the scene for me, and would recommend this to any that enjoy the ancient Egyptian world as a backdrop.

I'm looking forward to checking out Diana Wilder's other work.

Diana Wilder's Website