The Spies of Sobeck [Hardcover]

P. C. Doherty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 2010

“Doherty spins a rich, complex tale of murder in this gripping ancient

Egyptian mystery.”  —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Poisoner of Ptah

 

Chief Amerotke returns amidst murder and treason to solve a mystery and stave off the threat of war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ancient Egyptian cultists use modern terrorist tactics in Doherty's melodramatic seventh historical to feature Amerotke, Chief Judge in the Hall of Two Truths (after 2008's The Poisoner of Ptah). Fanatical Nubian worshipers of the hyena goddess Nema will stop at nothing to topple female pharaoh Hatusu so that their land can break away from Egypt. Soon uncertainty and fear sweep the royal capital of Thebes, as the terrorists commit inexplicable locked-room murders as easily as they muster squads of assassins. Amerotke has to protect the people he loves while also unraveling different strands of greed and treason to track down the fanatics' mysterious leader. The richly detailed picture of life in Egypt during the 15th century B.C.E. at times threatens to smother the action. Still, series fans will cheer as Amerotke use the primitive forensic tools available to him along with clever rational analysis in his efforts to solve the crimes. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Amerotke, Chief Judge in the Hall of Two Truths, returns in another richly detailed murder mystery set in ancient Egypt. After Tekreth, Guardian of the Door of Sobeck, dies under suspicious circumstances, Pharaoh-Queen Hatusu asks Amerotke to investigate. Of course, nothing is as straightforward as it initially appears, and as he delves further into the mystery, he begins to untangle a web of intrigue and deceit that reaches into the upper echelons of a clandestine Nubian society dedicated to the destruction of the holy dynasty. As in the previous entries in this excellent series, Doherty conjures up an exotic realm rife with danger, superstition, and ill-fated political conspiracies. The authentic historical foundation provides a fascinating backdrop for the unexpected plot twists that keep the pages turning. --Margaret Flanagan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1 edition (February 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312533977
• ISBN-13: 978-0312533977
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #651,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder in ancient Egypt...pretty good, March 7, 2010

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Spies of Sobeck (Hardcover)

Female pharaoh Hatusu has returned victorious over invasion in the Nile delta but the restless province of Nubia threatens to rise in revolt. Worse, an assassin cult has largely cut communications between Nubia and lower Egypt. When Nubian assassins attempt to kill Pharaoh herself, Amerotke, a judge, determines to find who's behind the rebellion and bring him, or her, to justice.

Thebes, the capital of Egypt, is filled with people from all over the world--including countless Nubians. The high priest of the Nubian church seems loyal...after all, he stopped the assassination attempt, and the former Nubian scout, Imothep cut his ties with Nubia when he helped the former Pharoah defeat it, but there are others whose loyalty is doubtful. When both Imothep and an assassin are found apparently strangled in closed rooms, Amerotke realizes that the mystery is deeper than he'd at first thought.

Author P. C. Doherty creates a believable picture of ancient Egypt, with its wealth, pride, poisons, bloody executions, and constant scheming. Amerotke finds himself dividing his time between detecting and fighting off armies of assassins...including those hired from Thebes's slums as well as Nubian forces loyal to their former royal family.

There's a lot to like about this mystery, starting with the Egyptian setting and Doherty's smooth style. I found the solution to the mystery itself to be a bit telegraphed...perhaps Doherty's readers enjoy being ahead of their sleuth rather than behind him. I would also have liked to see a bit more about the characters, their motivations, their emotions. Still, SPIES is an enjoyable read.

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME, January 19, 2012

By 

Brad "Darth Gunner" (LOGAN, UT, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Spies of Sobeck (Hardcover)

I LOVE the PC Doherty Amerotke mysteries - They are so detailed, they paint the picture of ancient Egyptain life and have a good mystery to go along with it.

5.0 out of 5 stars great Ancient Egypt police procedural, February 5, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Spies of Sobeck (Hardcover)

In the fifteenth century BC, fundamentalist Nubian followers of Nema the hyena goddess led by High Priest Khufu want their freedom from the Great House of Egypt. They feel the opportunity is perfect as the country is run by a female pharaoh so make plans to liberate their province. The Nema worshippers believe they must cause fear and panic by assassinating prominent people in their homes or key locations.

In Thebes and in the nearby Oasis of Asiwah, elite people including imperial messengers are murdered behind locked doors; the city loses faith in Pharaoh Hatusu who has recently replaced her late father. She understands who is behind the murders and why, but not how. The Pharaoh also knows she cannot cede Nubia if she wants to keep the Great House united and soonest expanded. After consulting with her lover the Grand Vizier Senenmut, she turns to the Chief Judge in the Hall of Two Truths Amerotke to find the killers and their leader. However, both objectives prove difficult as the murderous criminal Arite sect are involved and seditious avaricious activity by several prominent citizens makes his investigation more convoluted than he expected.

As always this is a great Ancient Egypt police procedural (see The Poisoner of Ptah and Mask of Ra) that contains a powerful vivid look at life in the capital city Thebes and to a lesser degree in Nubia. The story line is fast-paced even with an incredible amount of background that has the audience feel they are working the case along side of Amerotke while visiting the reign of Hatusu. P. C. Doherty provides another Great House of Egypt tale.

Harriet Klausner