It's the winter of 1929, and merry widow Lady Lucy Revelstoke and her pickpocket-turned-maid, Elf, are voyaging to Egypt aboard the Thalassa, alongside two rival teams of archaeologists. Old-school British scholar Doctor Phineas King and his daughter, Isla, helm one team, while the other's led by rich, flamboyant American adventurer Anton Margolis. Eager to score points against their intellectual opponents, both teams seek exclusive excavation rights over a prized tomb, despite whispers of a curse that befalls upon all those who dare to disturb the pharaoh's grave. Soon, a young archaeologist drops dead at a cocktail party. But who would have reason to kill this junior academic? Is this the work of the pharaoh's curse, or someone with a personal motive?As accusations of antiquity theft come to light and a distraught clairvoyant predicts further violence, Lucy and Elf race to uncover the fiendish murderer before they strike again.
