I started this series after I ran out of Amerotke books by Paul PC Doherty. I REALLY liked the Amerotke books, and when I found the Lord Meren series, it seemed like a good substitute. In fact, before I started reading Meren, I thought that this author just kind of copied Doherty - then I saw the publication dates, and realized Doherty came after.The thing I always enjoyed about the Amerotke books was the historical setting. Even when the mysteries weren't top shelf, the setting made up for it.The first tale of Lord Meren wasn't bad - it just wasn't that great either. A man is murdered, the detective gets on the trail, and as more bodies pile up, things unfold. I didn't mind that the mystery was off - I won't ruin it, in case you find it more of a twist than I did - but the thing that seemed missing was the ancient life in Egypt. Saying they ate roast duck and bread and beer each chapter, seemed like a letdown after some of the rich vibrant descriptions in the Amerotke books. It is most likely NOT FAIR to feel letdown by a completely different author, for an expectation set in a whole different series. And I will definitely be trying the next few, since I have them on my shelf already.
Goodreads put this book on my list of mysteries I might find interesting, and when I located it in a used book store, I snapped it up. Since I'd just read Rick Riordan's THE RED PYRAMID, I thought I was already in Egyptian reading mode, so an ancient Egyptian mystery appealed to me. Reading the two close together was a definite plus since I understood more of the mythology and culture, but one doesn't have to read both to enjoy Robinson's clever mystery.I will definitely look for more of Robinson's Lord Meren series. He and his son Kysen are able investigators in the court of King Tut, and the detailed presentation of court life and ancient Egyptian life blends well with another of my favorite mystery series, the Amelia Peabody series. The murderer is not who the reader guesses, and the clues are cleverly misleading, plus there is a pressing deadline for solving the crime before another type of crime occurs.
Do You like book Murder In The Place Of Anubis (1994)?
Enjoyable and well-executed gritty detective tale from the Egypt of Pharaoh Tutankhamen's reign. Somebody finds a freshly-murdered stiff in the undertaker's sacred workshop and it's up to Lord Meren,Pharaoh's chief investigator to figure out who committed such a downright sacrilegious act. He's aided in his quest by his adopted son, Kysen, and the story switches smoothly between their two vantage points as they head toward a showdown with some satisfyingly unsavory characters. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
—Holly Lindquist
The story moves along at a quick clip and doesn't demand much from you. Meren and his adopted son, Kysen, work together to investigate different angles of a murder committed in a sacred place; Meren's close relationship with Tutankhamun puts Meren in danger and Kysen is nervous about returning (incognito) to his childhood home and abusive father. Characters aren't terribly complex, and the writing is very direct. If someone is fat or has a big nose, everything they do will be done in a fat or big-nosed way. One sympathetic/compelling female character would have been nice. I'm no expert on ancient Egypt, although I've always been interested in it, but to me the research seemed very thorough and thoughtful. Robinson portrays the characters' beliefs in spirits, curses, and gods without skepticism or hesitation, and there are lots of little details about clothing and food and wigs and burial customs and class distinctions.
—Rage
