The Mummy Snatchers of Memphis

Natasha Narayan (author)

Quercus, UK: 2009; 296pp

ISBN: 9781847249623

Genres: adventure, fantasy, historical fiction

Issues: crime, corruption, ethics, friendship, social condition

Kit Salter comes from a proud family tradition of scholars and explorers. So when her aunt brings a remarkable mummy back from her latest journey into Egypt, Kit can't wait to see it revealed.

But the mummy has been stolen and a young Egyptian boy is found hiding in the packaging. Can Kit and her friends discover the mummy thieves in time? Can anyone stop the corrupt and powerful men who dominate the Victorian underworld? It seems that even they may have underestimated the ancient powers of Egypt.

The Mummy Snatchers of Memphis is a lively, page-turning adventure set in Victorian England. There was much competition at the time between rival explorers. The emphasis was perhaps less on true archaeological discovery and more on bringing trophies home for fame and glory - both personal and national. This was an era when racism was ‘the natural order' and a woman's only career choice was expected to be a good marriage. Kit Salter is something of a firebrand, determined to follow in her illustrious aunt's footsteps. She is also impulsive, self-centred and somewhat oblivious to the social condition of those outside her own class. Her conviction that her plans are always brilliant results in a number of dangerous situations for her friends, if not for herself. Kit, in fact, is a rather irritating character, redeemed only by her affectionate nature and vivid imagination.

As this is her first novel, Narayan's inexperience shows in the rather limited, somewhat stereotypical character roles - firebrand tomboy, conservative boy-attempting-to-be-hero, soft and kindly loyal female friend, and the mysterious stranger. Despite that it is an enjoyable light read and it will be interesting to see how Narayan's writing develops as the series continues.