The Seventh Scroll

Part of the 'Egyptian' series

A fading papyrus, nearly four thousand years old. Within it lie the clues to a fabulous treasure from an almost forgotten time a riddle that becomes a savage battle across the unforgiving terrain of North Africa.

Duraid Al Simmu and his young and beautiful, half English, half Egyptian wife Royan, discovered the tomb of Queen Lostris, buried there four thousand years earlier, by her devoted slave, Taita. In their excavations, they also found ten scrolls, hidden in a part of the wall.

The scrolls were meticulously translated, uncovering the extraordinary life of Taita and his Queen. But there were anomalies in Taita's account, particularly relating to the exact whereabouts in Ethiopia of the tomb of Pharaoh Mamose, which was taken from the seventh scroll. Duraid and Royan have been tirelessly sifting through Taita's riddles and dead-ends to discover the truth, and have already made some startling discoveries.

Then Duraid is brutally murdered, all their notes and the precious scroll, stolen or destroyed. An attempt is made on Royan's life, and she is suddenly forced to grasp the only thing she has left. She travels to England to meet Sir Nicholas Quentin-Harper, the man at the top of Duraid's list of sponsors for the expedition back to Ethiopia, and she carries in her heart her dying husband's wish that the tomb be found and its contents returned to Egypt where they belong.

For Duraid. For the long-dead slave Taita. And for the dreams of an ancient Pharaoh...Because others will stop at nothing to claim the prize as their own.

The Seventh Scroll is a magnificent adventure set in present day Africa, yet indelibly linked to the world of River God nearly four thousand years ago.

Reviews

"[T]he plots twists and turns with constant surprises...This old-fashioned adventure novel keeps the reader enthralled all the way to its very exciting conclusion." -- The Washington Post Book World
"Life-threatening dangers loom around every turn, leaving the reader breathless...A n incredibly exciting and satisfying read." -- Chattanooga Free Press
"A consummate sequel, The Seventh Scroll perfectly complements River God, its phenomenally popular precursor. Smith excels at action sequences, getting his attractive heroes and despicable villains into and out of hugely entertaining predicaments, all the while tossing off vivid descriptions, bits of historical detail, and classic low-key British banter." -- Booklist
"This well-crafted novel is full of adventure, tension, and intrigue." --Library Journal
"Intoxicating...A heady mix of exotic adventure, romance, and Egyptology. Smith is a master." -- Publishers Weekly

Excerpt and audio

Read Chapter One of The Seventh Scroll.

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