I had such fun reading She who returns by Audrey Driscoll, you could definitely also start reading this final instalment, and then, like me, be sure to head off to the first part called The Friendship of Mortals. A good reason not to do that is starting at the beginning makes more sense. Otherwise you will end up with a lot of questions like I did.
The blurb
“Every decision has consequences, and logic gets you every time.
France Leighton is studying Egyptology at Miskatonic University, hoping to return to Egypt via a field school offered by that institution. But France has a talent for rash decisions, and things are complicated by the arrival of her twin half-brothers from England. Edward and Peter are contrasts—one a rational scientist, the other a dabbler in the occult—but they are equally capable of persuading France to help them with dubious schemes.
France does return to Egypt, if not quite the way she intended. She meets old friends, former colleagues, and challenges rooted in her family’s complicated history. Accusations of antiquities theft drive France and her companions into hiding in the Theban Hills west of Luxor, where an attack from an old enemy in a new form turns an adventure into a desperate predicament. On the brink of yet another failure, France must make hard choices that may demand the ultimate sacrifice.”
The blurb intrigued me and the book did not let me down. I could follow the story without any trouble, which is no mean feat of the author. I loved France and how she thinks, the description of Egypt and Luxor took me down memory lane. In 1995 I spent about four weeks on a tour in Egypt, traveling through the western desert for three and ending up in Luxor was nothing short of a fairy tale, worth its own blog post. For now it suffices to say that without any effort, I could imagine things occurring like they do in She Who Returns.
Troublemaker
The beginning of the book grabbed me at once, the setting a university I would have loved to study at, with all its nooks and quirky parts like The Library Bar. I have never had a troublemaker but not only does the name suit France to a tee, it also sounds delicious. This weekend I am off to Amsterdam and I hope to try one.
The banter between France and her newly found half-brothers is also entertaining. I can see a spin-off on the horizon after this book comes to an exhilarating final.
As mentioned in the post Writing is reading I only wrote yesterday, I mentioned She Who Returns was one of four books I was reading. But this one took over, had me completely forgetting the others. It happens, and when it does I am only to happy. Because I like books taking control, and if you like adventure books, you will love this one too!
Have you read any books by Audrey Driscoll, maybe this one or another from the series. Let me know what you think! And while you are here, why not join my email list, I only email once a month and then you will be all set up to receive my free prequel in a couple of months.
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