What the River Knows

Set in 19th century Buenos Aires, Inez yearns for her parents, whose long travels to Egypt make her believe their love for a faraway land is greater than their love for their daughter. But when she receives a letter saying that her parents have gone missing and are presumed dead, she has no hesitation in boarding the first ship to Egypt. Upon arriving, she meets a number of new people: an uncle, who is adamant she be sent back home; her uncle’s assistant, who possesses a devilish charm and secrets of his own; a crew of archaeologists; British ambassadors; and more. All of these people are on the hunt to unearth the greatest Egyptian mystery of all: the missing tomb of Cleopatra, the last pharaoh.

When Inez begins to see visions of Cleopatra, and finds past memories trapped in objects by the touch of magic, she pieces together the clues of her parents’ demise. She also learns that some people are, like the River Nile, glittering and beautiful on the surface, but hiding monsters lurking beneath.

As an ancient history lover, I adored that this book showcased how politically, militaristically, and linguistically intelligent and well-educated Cleopatra was. Through Inez’s visions, we see how the stories of women in history have been manipulated and changed, and how we owe it to them to bring the truth to light.

Death on the Nile meets The Mummy in this enchanting adventure that captures the lengths to which people would go to discover the truth, and the price they paid for that knowledge. For ages 13+.