The Mamur Zapt and the Spoils of Egypt (Mamur Zapt, Book 6) - Softcover

In his sixth book in the series, Pearce offers an entertaining story, full of the ambience and mystery of old Egypt. Set in Cairo at the beginning of this century, the tale features stalwart, sensible Captain Gareth Owen, otherwise known as the Mamur Zapt, head of Cairo's secret police. Owen has been asked to keep an eye on the attractive Miss Skinner, an American whose chief reason for visiting Cairo seems to be to launch her own campaign to stop the smuggling of antiquities out of the country. At first, Owen finds the woman merely a nuisance, especially when she insists on asking embarrassing questions of the pashas, Cairo's most wealthy, influential citizens. But when two potentially fatal accidents happen to Miss Skinner within the space of a few days, Owen begins to wonder if her investigation could be exposing some dangerous truths. Pearce's book features intelligent writing and a pithy plot, a cast of eccentric and engaging characters, and an appealing blend of gentle humor, historic ambience, high adventure, and exotic settings. Emily Melton