Egyptian Enigma by L. J. M. Owen

Filled with ancient murder, family secrets and really good food, Egyptian Enigma is the third adventure in the charming Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth series. Dr Elizabeth Pimms—enthusiastic archaeologist and reluctant librarian - has returned to Egypt. Among the treasures of the Cairo museum, she spies cryptic symbols in the corner of an ancient papyrus. Decoding them leads Elizabeth and her newly formed gang of sleuths to a tomb of mummies whose identities must be uncovered. Between grave robbers, cannibals, sexist historians and jealous Pharaohs, can Dr Pimms solve her latest archaeological mystery?

What is Egyptian Enigma about?
Dr Elizabeth Pimms has put her dreams of becoming a full-time Egyptologist on hold while she earns money as a university librarian and instructor in Canberra, Australia. To slake her passion, she travels to Egypt on holiday. But while in Cairo, a woman breaks into her hotel room and steals her journal - containing nothing but her private travel notes.

Back home in Canberra, Elizabeth gets caught up in an ancient mystery: determining who built Egypt's legendary Golden Tomb. Using 3D printing to reconstruct and identify skeletal remains, she uncovers signs of violence and murder - throats cut, faces ravaged and gashed. Her inquiries, aided by visits to a mind palace populated by an avatar of Agatha Christie, alternate with flashbacks to court intrigue in 12th century BCE Egypt, as Pharaoh Seti II's rule - and life - come under threat.

Running parallel to Dr Pimms' investigation is the story of Twosret (Tausret), female Pharaoh and last ruler of Egypt's nineteenth dynasty. She was embroiled in a murder plot that succeeded in killing her brother, leaving her as the last ruler of Egypt's Nineteenth Dynasty. Both investigations intertwine cleverly, providing clues to the reader about how to solve each mystery.

Why readers love this series:

• Archaeo-biblio mysteries – puzzling crimes solved by applying archaeological techniques
• Dual timelines – present-day investigation alternating with ancient Egyptian court intrigue
• Female Indiana Jones – a smart, endearing heroine with updated technology like 3D printing
• Really cold cases – mysteries that have remained unsolved for thousands of years
• Perfect as a standalone – while third in the series, can easily be read on its own

Who should read this book?
If you love archaeological mysteries, dual-timeline historical fiction, and clever heroines who use science to solve ancient crimes, this is for you. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, SWCA's Relic, or anyone who enjoys smart, suspenseful fiction with plenty of humour and page-turning intrigue.

Author Bio:
L.J.M. Owen is a trained archaeologist and qualified librarian with a PhD in palaeogenetics. Based in Queanbeyan, Australia, Owen brings genuine academic expertise to the Dr Pimms series, blending archaeological knowledge with gripping mystery storytelling. A multi-award winning writer, Owen's novels include the chilling The Great Divide, longlisted for the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Award, and three books in the Dr Pimms archaeological mystery series: Olmec Obituary, Mayan Mendacity, and Egyptian Enigma. The first novel, Olmec Obituary, was initially crowd-funded via Kickstarter in early 2015 before being traditionally published by Echo Publishing. Owen's unique background - archaeologist, librarian, and geneticist - makes the Dr Pimms series authentically detailed and irresistibly clever.