City of the Dead is a book that will sweep you back in time to ancient Egypt circa 2500 BC. Like T.L. Higley’s first book in the seven wonders series I let the book linger on my TBR stack a bit. Even though the Shadow of Colossus (SP) swept me back in time and captivated me, I wondered if the author could pull it off again.

Let me tell you – she did – in an even more gripping tale. Basically, I read the book in one morning while traveling.

Hemi is the Grand Vizier to the Pharaoh of Egypt and determined to make a mark on eternity for both the Pharaoh and he through building the Pyramids at Giza. His life is all about tightly controlled order, until events conspire to turn that order on its head.

I was catapulted back in time and lived the experience with Hemi. I literally did not want to put it down. The secrets and the suspense kept the pages turning as I tried to figure out what would happen and if the truth would be revealed.

The author twisted the plot practically to the last page. Each time I thought we might be closer to the truth or I assumed the perpetrator had been discovered, I learned yet again that I was dead wrong.

The other element I love about this series is the way the author weaves a faith message into the books at a time there was only limited Old Testament understanding. She doesn’t pretend that everyone understood about the Messiah. However, she weaves in enough to show the hope, grace, and love extended by the Father, all while maintaining accuracy for what the people of that time knew.

And for those of you who have to have romance in your books, you will love the romance that weaves throughout the pages. It is subtle, finely-tuned, and satisfying.

City of the Dead, Seven Wonders Series #2 By T.L. Higley / B & H Publishing Group Up from the sands of Egypt rises the Great Pyramid, where Hemiunu, Pharaoh’s Grand Vizier, commands the historic building project as he orders his life-with justice, truth, and precision. But when a series of murders at the site threatens chaos, Hemi must abandon his legacy to hunt down the killer who may be closer than he would like to think. Can he restore justice to the city before his careful life and work are destroyed, or will a mysterious people and their strange God uncover the secret past that Hemi has tried to forget?

Shadow of Colossus, Seven Wonders Series #1 By T.L. Higley / B & H Publishing Group Like Colossus overshadowing the island’s harbor, years of bondage on Rhodes have darkened Tessa’s heart. A high-priced courtesan in 227 B.C., she’s abandoned hope for liberty or love. But her wealthy owner’s death offers her a chance for both—if she can conceal his absence! Will she find God’s wholeness before the island’s peace is shattered? 400 pages, softcover from B&H.