Skip to main content

Review: The Cairo Curse - A Freddie and Grace Mystery #2

The Cairo Curse book cover on blue background

When I asked readers to help me choose a Christian historical fiction book to read last fall, The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham won. It took me a little longer to pick it up, but I'm glad that I had the opportunity to discover what happens with Freddie and Grace as they embark on their honeymoon. For those mentioning that this book looked adventurous, they were correct!

Book Synopsis

Clue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide.

Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is prepared for the dangers in store. From an assortment of untrustworthy adventure-seekers to a newly discovered tomb with a murderous secret, Frederick and Grace must lean on each other to navigate their dangerous surroundings. As the suspects mount in an antiquities’ heist of ancient proportions, will Frederick and Grace’s attempts to solve the mystery lead to another death among the sands?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

After reading about the adventures of Lord and Lady Astley in The Mistletoe Countess, I was excited to learn that there would be more stories of their married life. The Cairo Curse certainly provided a dose of mayhem and mystery, most notably in the second half of the book. While the first half sets up the plot and the characters including their back stories – much like a Poirot mystery – the following scenes are packed with non-stop action as the murders keep taking place and Freddie and Grace rush to solve them. Amidst everything that is happening, we get to meet characters like Elliott and Zahra, who add a sparkling dimension to an already vibrant story.

The Christian faith is clearly evident; however, as the setting of the book is in Egypt, readers should be aware that there are also references to curses (which is obvious from the title), idol worship, and palm reading. Grace only seems to have a mild curiosity in these religious practices, akin to her fascination with learning hieroglyphics and Egyptian culture, but it bears a mention. Apart from this, God's saving grace and His redemption are strong themes in the book. It is worth reading to see how Freddie and Grace fare, especially as they grow in their marriage and communication.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📖
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Christian as a Genre

I've always found it interesting that Christianity as its own genre can be used across music, film, books, and virtually most forms of artistic or creative expression. While most secular items tend to be labelled by their style, works produced by Christians tend to get labelled by the faith of the one producing it. I remember seeing an article years ago about how the Grammys  put Christian artists under the genre of Gospel and Contemporary Christian who would then be further separated out by their musical style, such as Gospel, Bluegrass, Rock, Pop, Country, etc. I can't recall the specifics of the article, but I believe that the author of the article thought it was both a little unfair that artists would be lumped together in a giant pool despite varying styles or backgrounds, and that it was also a label that didn't really tell audiences what they would be getting, other than Christian content. I wish I could remember a bit more, but as I read it in passing, the only thou...

Review: Doting on His Best Friend - Christmas at Redemption Ridge #11

It's been lovely to pick up some more Christmas titles as the weather changes! Doting on His Best Friend by Liwen Y. Ho has been fun to read as I can picture myself being by a fireplace with hot chocolate and playing board games with my best friend, my husband. What a great start to the season! I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Can two best friends overcome their age gap and the past to become something more? Phoebe Cordle moved to Redemption Ridge after experiencing loss and was grateful to find a ranching town where she could start her own equine therapy practice. She also found a confidante in a handsome and generous man nine years her junior who's captured the attention of all the single ladies in their community—including her own. However, after zero signs of interest on Milo’s part for the past six years, she’s given up hope and decides to help him find love instead. Milo Gibson wa...

Review: The Darkness Deepens - The Day Draws Near #2

If you've read  The End Begins , the first book in the  The Day Draws Near series (previously The Seven Trilogy) by Sara Davison, The Darkness Deepens takes you further as this sequel further delves into Jesse and Meryn's story. I wouldn't say that this book is a standalone book as it builds upon the previous one, but I would say that reading the first book will certainly whet your appetite for this one as you find out what's next. I am grateful to the publisher,  Mountain Brook Ink , for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Their secrets protect them... but secrets are hard to keep. No one in the army can find out that Captain Jesse Christensen has become a believer. He and bookstore owner Meryn O'Reilly are forced to meet in secret, facing imprisonment-or worse-if they are found together. As their relationship deepens, so does Lieutenant Gallagher's hatred for the Christians in their city, putting all be...