Death of an Eye

It's always satisfying to discover a new author whose work you thoroughly enjoy.  That's the case with Dana Stabenow's latest mystery Death of an Eye (#807).  She's won an Edgar for the first book in her Kate Shugak mystery series, but here she's ventured into new territory: Egypt at the time of Caesar and Cleopatra.  The results are promising for her new series.

Tetisheri is the niece and partner of a successful Alexandrian merchant, Uncle Neb.  When a woman is murdered late one night, it would seem to have nothing to do with Tetisheri until she is summoned to the palace by Cleopatra.  The two shared classes growing up, and Cleopatra is counting on her friend's help to find out who murdered the woman and why.  Khemet was, in fact, the Queen's Eye, her personal spy investigating the theft of newly minted coinage from the royal courier's boat in the harbor of Alexandria.  Apparently Khemet was getting too close to the truth.

Tetisheri is entrusted with the pendant which identifies her as the Queen's Eye, and sets out with a select few in the queen's confidence including the dashing and enigmatic Apollodorus to find the missing coinage and track down all those behind the daring theft without it becoming common knowledge.

A mixture of political intrigue and a bit of romance are all wrapped up in a cracking good period mystery as the perpetrators and the motives are gradually revealed in a not-altogether satisfactory ending for Tetisheri.  Just who was playing whom here?

I look forward to the further adventures of the reluctant Tetisheri!