The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson

The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller by James Patterson and Martin Dugard

A secret buried for centuries

Thrust onto Egypt's most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut's reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace's veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King's most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.

The keys to an unsolved mystery

Enchanted by the ruler's tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life's mission to uncover the pharaoh's hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The clues point to murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence--X-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages--to arrive at their own account of King Tut's life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

I finished this last night and loved it. I have to be honest, and wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I had even taken it off of my wish list. I, like everyone else I’m sure, would be expecting something along the lines of the Alex Cross or Women’s Murder Club books. And I’m sure the people that were expecting that were disappointed. However, I’m glad I went into it with an open mind because it helped me enjoy the book more. Granted the names of all the Pharoah's were a tad confusing to keep straight, but I learned more about that time in history than I think I ever did in High School. Or maybe this time I was paying more attention? It was a fascinating new way of looking at a very old, and what seemed to be straightforward piece of history. It definitely had me thinking.

The amount of research that went into the retelling of this story was very evident. The authors spent a great deal both in the "field" and online tracing the history of Howard Carter and his quest to find the greatest tomb ever.

And I LOVED how he incorporated the present day chapters – talking about how he had the 24 manuscripts laying around, etc. It was really interesting to see another side of him, the real side of him.