Monday With Kaye: "The Pyramid of Doom" by Andy McDermott

Kaye George kicks off the first Monday in April with a review of a book that, surprising, has nothing at all to do with the IRS or the 15^th…

The Pyramid of Doom by Andy McDermott

Dr. Nina Wilde, with the help of her British husband, Eddie Chase, continues to astound archeologists, and the world, by uncovering yet another unknown treasure. This one leads to the possibility of the existence of the fabled Pyramid of Osiris and a conspiracy the goes far beyond archeology.

We are introduced to college student Macy Sharif, who is bored with her summer job on the project in Egypt, even though, in just eight days, the leader of the expedition promises to reveal the existence of the Hall of Records, long thought to be mythological, amid international television hoopla. Her boredom vanished when she realizes some of the project members, even the leaders, are plotting to remove treasures without the knowledge of the International Heritage Agency sponsors. Macy, a fresh and engaging character, turns out to be resourceful as well, when she escapes from the thugs who are inexplicably trying to kill her. She appeals to her idol, Dr. Nina Wilde, the discoverer of Atlantis, for help. Nina, who has been suffering from depression after being "suspended" from IHA because of her disgrace in the Garden of Eden disaster, meets with Macy in a New York coffee shop called 52 Perk Up, and they're off!

A quest to uncover the secrets of an Osiris cult leads to a romp from Egypt to Paris, on to Switzerland, and even Monaco. A handsome, vacuous action movie star, Grant Thorn, gets mixed up in the adventure, along with a pair of murderous Egyptian brothers who have their own ideas about the legends of the gods Osiris and Set, and an American named Bobby Diamondback who favors snakeskin jackets. This eventually ties in with a plot that could kill millions.

The car chases and shoot-outs go on a little too long and are sometimes a little too contrived for this reader, but fans of Nina and ex-SAS bodyguard Eddie, will certainly expect them and will willingly suspend disbelief.

Amid the action and double-crossing shoot-em-up excitement, are the serious themes dealing with the relationship of Nina and Eddie, Nina's suffering self-esteem, and Macy's voyage of self-discovery. And, most satisfying for the fans of this series, the future is left up in the air at the end. Another wild ride is surely coming right up!

Reviewed by Kaye George for Suspense Magazine