January 2016 started with reading Kate Furnivall’s Shadows on the Nile. Recommended by a friend who knows her books, it was as
promised, a tale of mystery and adventure as well a touching reminder of how
powerful and precious family ties can be, especially sibling bonds. Set mainly
in the 1930s when Britain was experiencing the Great
Slump and unemployment benefits were subject to a Means Test, the book
throws some light on the unrest in London at the time with workers protesting
against the same. It also shares the conditions in Egypt with the Land of Pharaohs echoing a political turmoil of its own.
The story starts with the disappearance of Tim, Jessie’s
younger brother, who hasn’t been seen since he last attended a séance at the
Chamsford house. Jessie has already gone through the pain of losing a younger
sibling when she was seven and her five year old brother Georgie was taken away somewhere in the middle of the night. Her parents have never shared the ‘why’ and ‘where’ of this with her, leaving a guilt-ridden Jessie to wonder and fret about Georgie's fate all her growing-up years. It is not surprising, therefore, that the
thought of never being able to see Tim again fills her with dread and starts
her on an immediate search for her missing brother. Enter, the charming
and titled but impoverished, Montague Chamsford or ‘Monty’, the owner of the
Chamsford estate and among the last few people to have seen Tim alive. Jessie soon
discovers that Tim has been using their mutual passion for Sherlock Holmes
stories to leave clues that will guide her to him. And then begins the chase, taking us from London to Cairo where Tim is supposedly staying, since missing from London. This brings us to Shepheard's Hotel,
one of the world’s most celebrated hotels in the 19th century, and
Pyramids, and excavation sites and artifacts (all of which are also frequently included in the very
addictive and good fun ‘Amelia Peabody’
series).
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| Shepheard's Hotel (Image Source: Wikipedia) |
Jessie, accompanied by the gallant Monty, teams up with a new
friend Maisie to look for Tim and bring him to safety. Will she be able to do so? Or, has fate conspired against her again and intends to take away Tim too?
While Jessie can be quite irritating at times with her penchant for
getting embroiled in unpleasant and dangerous circumstances due to her
impulsive and reckless nature, she does get full marks for the deep
loyalty and concern she shows for her brothers. Monty easily charms and
impresses with his admirable ability to balance action and caution intelligently when facing adversities. Add a dash of courage, and he quite succeeds in finding a place in our hearts. Tim is brave, loyal, compassionate, and noble. Some of his actions, though, seem questionable even as they are guided by good intentions. And it is these coupled with some hasty poor decisions that make him oh so very human. Georgie quickly endears himself to the readers, and Maisie wins our admiration for her strong personality.
The synopsis on the back cover does mention séances and mystics but they hardly find any place in the plot and seem to be included just to hint at a supernatural element in the mystery. For books that interweave Conan Doyle and his creation Holmes in the plot, however, I have yet to read a book better than The Sherlockian.
Overall, Shadows on the Nile is quite an interesting book written in a fluid and engaging style and will
succeed in keeping readers happily hooked to the story. And, needless to say, an exciting adventure is easily favored reading for many of us!