Murder at the God's Gate (A Lord Meren Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Unas, pure one and servant of the god, was late..." (more)
Key Phrases: hippo hunt, rush pens, lector priest, House of Life, Two Lands, Prince Tanefer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

More than the sum of its parts, this second (following 1994's Murder in the Place of Anubis) in the series featuring ancient Egypt's Lord Meren, advisor to the court of Tutankhamun, is a compelling narrative comprised of vividly depicted background and characters and a well-plotted mystery. When Unas, a priest at the Temple of Amun, falls to his death from a colossal unfinished statue of the young king, Meren sends his adopted son Kysen to investigate. Unas's death, although raising suspicions in the deeply political court, appears to be accidental until another priest is killed by cobras hidden in his box of writing materials. As Meren tries to determine why someone would kill holy ones, Tut confirms his intention to lead his army on a campaign to secure the country's borders. His advisors, including Meren, wonder how they can tell the 14-year-old god that he is too young to go into battle. Breathing life into her scholarship through deft characterization and lucid plotting, Robinson frees her cast from frieze-like immobility, allowing Meren and Kysen to solve the murders and ferret out the source of the unrest at court.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Young King Tutankhamun's chief adviser/agent Lord Meren, known to some as the Falcon, investigates the murder of a priest in a temple dedicated to the teenaged Tut. Robinson (Murder in the Place of Anubis, LJ 2/1/94) surrounds Meren with palace and temple intrigue, authentic details of daily life, and frequent mention of a wide assortment of indigenous animals, such as hippos, elephants, crocodiles, vultures, etc., which are often used to denote character traits. Fans of historical mysteries should enjoy Meren's investigatory techniques and will welcome the reappearance of his adopted son, Kysen.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st THUS edition (November 19, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034539531X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345395313
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #885,908 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #6 in

  Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( R ) > Robinson, Lynda S.

• This is item 2 in The Lord Meren Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Quick and Exciting Escape, July 3, 2001

By	D. E. W. Turner "dewt" (Hereford, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews

This is a quick read and, once Lord Meren takes the hint that there is something going on, the action really warms up. I admit that it starts out slow. The first victim is a person of no consequence and his death could have easily been an accident but it gives Kysen something to do. However, things really get rolling when the murderers start trying to cover their tracks to keep Kysen from learning something, which gets Lord Meren's attention. The setting in ancient Egypt also makes it a good escape from the everyday.

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing second novel...., January 24, 2009

By	retroredux - See all my reviews

this second novel in the Lord Meren Ancient Egyptian series, was not as good as the first. It took me a week to slog through this book, and towards the end I had to practically force myself to finish it. The storyline was much more "court intrigue" than mystery. The main problem was the author introduced so many new characters, that it was hard to tell which was which as well as taking away from the relationship between Lord Meren and his adopted son Kysen, which was the most enjoyable thing about book one.

I'll still try the next book in the series as I've already invested so much in the series, but I wouldn't suggest this particular book as a stand alone.
2 stars.

4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Read, April 9, 2005

By	J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This novel of murder and intrigue revolves around the court of Tutankhamun the young pharaoh of Egypt.

Egypt's enemies are harrying the borders, but the biggest threat to the country and the young king are from within.

A temple priest is found at the bottom of an enormous statue of the pharaoh, he had been working on a platform at the top of the statue. Did he fall or was he pushed. Meren "the eyes and ears of the pharaoh" sends his son Kysen to investigate the matter. Shortly after another priest of higher rank is murdered.

What secret did they know that made them so dangerous they had to be killed?

Meren knows that there is much bitterness and unrest among the most important men who surround the pharaoh. This bitterness reverts back to the pharaoh Akhenaten, whom many regarded as a monster. Is Tutankhamun to be made to pay for the misdeeds of his ancestor.

This book is one of a series written by the author and featuring Meren "the eyes and ears of the pharaoh."