At one point in The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King by James Patterson and Martin Dugard, an overseer supervising the construction of a sepulchre addresses the pharaoh's body, saying, "'You are safe now...You were a good pharaoh.' No one would bother the pharaoh again." In a way, The Murder of King Tut is a safe story, for both Egyptologists and pharaohs. James Patterson is not concerned with tomb raider curses or sensationalized romantic encounters. Instead, he treats the story of KIng Tut much like his Women's Murder Club series: there is a mystery to be solved amid the dust of the tombs chamber.
Overview of The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King by James Patterson
There are three elements to The Murder of King Tut. James Patterson, working with Martin Dugard, creates a quasi historical fiction account of King Tut's life, although the characters are all based on evidence of Tutankhamun's life and death. Patterson rejects the theory that Tutankhamun died from malaria or a leg infection called leiomyomata. Instead, he builds a convincing conspiracy theory involving power hungry members of Tut's inner circle.
The second element of The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King is the story of archaeologist Howard Carter, and there clear, first hand accounts and photographs to support what happened when the pharaoh's chamber was discovered and opened in 1922. The intercalary chapters tell the story of the Egyptologist's unfruitful efforts in the Valley of Kings, as he spends his life chasing a big find. Because of centuries of tomb robbers, many of the tombs had been found and looted, but King Tut's name was all but erased from history, which Patterson uses as circumstantial evidence against one of Tut's advisers.
The book occasionally delves into the the writing life of James Patterson, who had about twenty manuscripts in progress, including the Alex Cross series, when he decided to take on the cause of justice for Tutankhamun. It is fun to see what a successful writer's life is like, and Patterson is undoubtedly successful for both young adult and adult literature. The Murder of King Tut is geared for adult readers, but teens who have an interest in archaeology, especially ancient Egypt, will enjoy The Murder of King Tut. The Kindle edition was published by Grand Central Publishing on September 28, 2009, and it is sold by the Hachette Book Group. The Kindle ASIN is B002O0Q70Q.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
