The museum detective

An Egyptologist stumbles into the criminal underworld in this high-energy thriller from financial journalist Phillips (The Curse of Mohenjodaro). Pakistani museum curator Gulfsa "Gul" Delani is awakened one morning by a phone call from the police, who summon her to the province of Balochistan to help identify a mummy seized during a narcotics raid. The challenge excites Gul, given that mummification is not typically part of Islamic burial traditions. She concludes that the mummy dates back to the ancient Persian empire of Persepolis, and is likely the body of one of King Xerxes's lost daughters. The discovery kicks up political furor, and after the mummy disappears from the museum where Gul was studying it, Gul gets mixed up with a drug lord who pulls strings at every level in the chaotic city of Karachi. Then Gul learns that the body did not belong a Persian princess at all, and may, in fact, be the mummified remains of someone close to her. With the help of a band of street urchins and her wealthy but estranged family, Gul attempts to uncover the truth and dole out justice. Phillips's pacing is brisk, and she peppers the action with plenty of well-timed plot twists. Readers will hope to hear more from Gul soon. Agent: Stephany Evans, Ayesha Pande Literary. (Apr.)

Inspired by true events, this series opener from Phillips (The Curse of Mohenjodaro) contains chilling, heart-pounding twists. Archaeologist Gul Delani hasn't trusted the Karachi police since they abruptly ended the search for her missing niece Mahnaz after just a couple months. That was three years ago. When they call asking for her help with something found in a remote cave, she is wary, but once she's seen the mummy, the possibility of changing the historical record is too tempting to ignore. The race is on to investigate before the criminals who were hiding the mummy steal it back to sell on the illegal market. Gul is also determined to find out why Mahnaz's name starts coming up in all of this. Readers are immersed in the Pakistani setting and given enough of the historical background to understand the potential significance of this discovery. There is a delicate balance between Gul's professional investigation and her personal crisis regarding her family, all while being aided by a stalwart crew of friends and colleagues. VERDICT Fans of Elly Griffiths's Ruth Galloway or Nilima Rao's Akal Singh will be eager for the next entry in Phillips's exciting series.--Sarah Sullivan