Death Shall Come

A Country House Murder Mystery featuring Ishmael Jones

By Simon R. Green

“Death shall come on swift wings to whoever desecrates this tomb.  .  .”

The Colonel has contacted Ishmael and asked that he join him and his wife, at the opening of a sarcophagus long hidden and believed contain the mummy of the first Cleopatra.  The unveiling will take place at the isolated Cardavan estate.  There are no security personnel on site, only electronic.  There are nine attendees at this scheduled unveiling, mostly family members.  What can go wrong?  

This fifth installment of mysteries involving Ishmael Jones is a true mix of genres, my first Ishmael Jones novel and my first reading of a Simon R. Green novel.  I was highly intrigued with the premise as it had an Agatha Christie feel to it.  Green’s skill at mixing up genres is atmospheric, entertaining and a lot of fun.  Did I mention creepy, suspenseful and fully intense?  It’s nice that the story isn’t bogged down with a ton of techno babble.  He gives you just enough information to keep you moving through the story, leaving you with enough curiosity to consider the other Ishmael Jones novels.  It moves rapidly and there are obvious holes within the ‘telling’ as there would be in Ishmael’s world.  This series is right up teens alley.  They love books that take liberties and look at situations differently.  Looking for a rapid ride of a story? I heartily invite you to jump right in.  

I wish to thank the publisher for generously providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy through NetGalley for my honest review.

Pub:  Severn House

Pub Date: September 1, 2017

ISBN:  9780727887214

Genre:  Mystery/Sci-fi