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By Murray Bailey
☆ Blog Tour ☆
Review
A 2026 Top Rated Read
Although I always recommend reading series books in publication order, don't be put off if you haven't read book one, The Heretic Cypher. In my opinion book two, The Mark of Eternity, works well on its own. However, I strongly urge you to read book one because it's flipping excellent and you'd be daft to miss out! Enough said and on with my review. . .
Female protagonist FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb is on the trail of a serial killer, dubbed The Surgeon. Her investigation takes her to Cairo, Egypt. Meanwhile, in Egypt, archaeologist Alex MacLure has been contacted by a student who is convinced the pyramids are part of a conspiracy theory. He enlists MacLure's help to piece together an ancient message using the Amarna Letters.
An ancient code. A deadly killer. A truth buried beneath the sands of time.
FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb thought the Surgeon - a notorious serial killer - was a ghost from the past. But when a new series of murders erupts, each marked with strange, arcane symbols, the trail leads Rebb across continents to Egypt... and to a chilling revelation: the Surgeon has returned, and this time, his killings follow a pattern—one tied to a purpose more terrifying than anyone imagined.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, Alex MacLure has uncovered more encoded messages in ancient tablets. An ancient Egyptian was searching for a forgotten symbol. His name appears in a programme written by a brilliant AI student. The student reaches out with a wild theory - but before MacLure discovers the truth, he’s arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.
Thrown together by fate and hunted by forces beyond their understanding, Rebb and MacLure must unlock an ancient secret. They must stop the Surgeon before he unleashes a plan, millennia in the making.
Before long, Special Agent Rebb crosses paths with MacLure when it's discovered The Surgeon desperately needs information contained within the Amarna Letters. Events quickly spiral out of control when MacLure's girlfriend goes missing and is presumed to be in the clutches of The Surgeon.
This is a fast-paced twisty thriller with an intriguing plot. It's very well-written with plenty of shocking surprises. The archaeology and symbology, of which there is a good amount, is fascinating (move over Robert Langdon, there's a new kid on the block!) and I was transfixed. I'd describe Alex MacLure as a modern day Indiana Jones who finds himself plunged into perilous situations with ruthless adversaries.
This a fantastic read by an author whose storytelling and depth of knowledge leaves me astounded every time. It goes without saying I highly recommend it.
★★★★★
- Print Length: 381 pages
- Publisher: Three Daggers
- Publication Year: Hardcover 2025, Kindle 2026
- Author: Murray Bailey
- Genre: Thriller
Synopsis
FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb thought the Surgeon - a notorious serial killer - was a ghost from the past. But when a new series of murders erupts, each marked with strange, arcane symbols, the trail leads Rebb across continents to Egypt... and to a chilling revelation: the Surgeon has returned, and this time, his killings follow a pattern—one tied to a purpose more terrifying than anyone imagined.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, Alex MacLure has uncovered more encoded messages in ancient tablets. An ancient Egyptian was searching for a forgotten symbol. His name appears in a programme written by a brilliant AI student. The student reaches out with a wild theory - but before MacLure discovers the truth, he’s arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.
Thrown together by fate and hunted by forces beyond their understanding, Rebb and MacLure must unlock an ancient secret. They must stop the Surgeon before he unleashes a plan, millennia in the making.
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