A Face Turned Backward [Mass Market Paperback]

Lauren Haney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 1999

The many and mighty deities of Egypt must be given their due. All commerce is conducted under the watchful eyes of the functionaries of the great Queen Maatkare Hatshepsut. Death faces any and all who could rob the royal hose of Kemet of its rightful share. Lieutenant Bak, commander of the Medjay police, willingly accepts his assignment to search all Nile River traffic for contraband -- for rumors are rife of valuable elephant tusks passing unlawfully from the south to the north. But greed has spawned death, hideous and unexpected, and someone who would become rich illegally is dealing in far more than precious ivory. Whoever threatens to expose a lethal cache of secrets will not live to see a new dawn -- and loyal Bak could be the next, as he heads relentlessly toward a grim confrontation, a shocking revelation, and very possible doom in the realm of the dead.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lieutenant Bak and his Medjay police at Buhen fortress?southern Egypt during the 18th Dynasaty?are called in to investigate the stabbing of farmer Penhet. The likely suspect, according to the wife, is Penhet's neighbor, Netermose, who swears his innocence. While at the crime scene, Bak and his second, Imsiba, are summoned to Commandant Thuty's office. Goods are moving up the Nile without the appropriate fees being paid, and a large ivory tusk has disappeared. Bak and his men must inspect all incoming and outgoing shipments. The stew thickens when the investigators discover an abandoned, cargoless ship and hear rumors of sightings of a headless man. The plot is fairly simple and, as all good detectives throughout the ages, Bak solves his case with wits and careful investigation. Haney (The Right Hand of Amon) makes up for what is otherwise a fairly routine story with colorful characters and glimpses of daily life and romance in this ancient world.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Elizabeth Peters and Lynda S. Robinson will need to 'move over' to make room for Lauren Haney. . .I'm sure the author will gain a legion of fans." -- KMT: A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt

"A pleasure. . .Haney's Egyptian police lieutenant is appealing, sympathetic, and totally convincing in a setting drawn with expert skill." -- Dr. Barbara Mertz

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Avon; First Edition edition (January 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380792672
• ISBN-13: 978-0380792672
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,250,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best I've read..., June 29, 2000

By 

"xboingox" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Face Turned Backward (Mass Market Paperback)

A Face Turned Backward had my attention all the way through. I couldn't put it down. It's a strong follow-up to the Right Hand of Amon. This book should not be passed by! If you even remotely liked Right Hand of Amon, get A Face Turned Backward, you won't regret it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life and Death in Ancient Egypt, September 6, 2001

By 

Arahila "asrd1" (Lincolnton, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Face Turned Backward (Mass Market Paperback)

Haney combines a character who must rely on his wits and instincts with a vivid picture of daily life in Kemet. Lt Bak is a common man and moves among people of a different strata than Robinson's Lord Meren making her series a good counter point to the former.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love ancient Egypt, you'll love Lauren Haney!, January 12, 1999

By 

Biography Fan (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Face Turned Backward (Mass Market Paperback)

Another great book from Lauren Haney who is quickly becoming the best ancient Egyptian mystery writer since Anton Gill quit his series. If you are fascinated by details of daily life of the common folk during the reign of Hatshepsut well mixed in with a good mystery, this is the book for you. And if you are a minor bureaucrat in a modern City of Cubicles (whether public or private sector), you will find great comfort in knowing that your ancient brethern had the same problems! Bravo to Ms. Haney for giving us good scholarship well integrated into a good story with characters who are both realistic and interesting.