These are the life stories of Tutankhamun and Howard Carter and the Norfolk archaeologist’s obsessive search for the young pharaoh’s tomb. The discovery, along with its accompanying riches, became the climax of Carter’s career; its clearance a ten year labour of love. But could this immense achievement truly be attributed to the vision, determination and effort of one man? Or could he have been driven by forces the presence of which we suspect but rarely observe, much less comprehend? To answer these questions we must re-examine the archaeologist’s early development and search for evidence that could link the ancients to Carter’s life story. Clues lie in the archived records of ancient Egypt. It is in this storehouse of knowledge that we find scope for fresh interpretation.

Adventure, intrigue, an evil curse, religious dogma, gods, pestilence, discovery, treasure beyond belief, the hereafter, humour, love, sex, avarice, murder, war – this novel contains all these elements, and the central stories are true.

“My objective has been to tell the life story of arguably the most famous archaeologist of all time set against the backdrop of the lives and times of those he sought to discover – to leave the reader with some real historical knowledge, and a wish to learn more.”

M. J. Marfleet