Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced copy of Daughter of Egypt in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: March 24, 2026
Summary:
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Benedict comes an extraordinary story of the woman who helped uncover Tutankhamun’s tomb and the mystery behind Egypt’s first woman Pharaoh.
1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.
The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.
Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.
My thoughts:
I have long been a fan of Marie Benedict and was thrilled to find out her latest book was taking us to Egypt! I have a slight obsession with books set there, especially when it involves archeology, which this one does!
What I love about Marie Benedict’s books is how she takes one woman from history and brings her story to life…often someone who’s story has been overshadowed and here, she gives us two women whose histories have not been well recorded and brings their stories to life. Both Lady Evelyn and Hatshepsut deserve their moment and they get it.
I always love a dual timeline, and I was equally invested in both here. I found that there were so many parallels between the two women. I loved being able to get the viewpoint from Hatshepsut herself. She is a force!! And Lady Evelyn Hernert was no shrinking violet herself. These were two strong women who refused to be dictated by society’s norms. These two women might have been separated by thousands of years, but they were united in their determination to define their own path.
This was an equally fascinating and thought-provoking read and reminds me why this author is a must-read!
Audio thoughts:
I paired the print copy with the audiobook, which was narrated by Bessie Carter and Suehyla El-Attar. Both did a great job bringing the story to life, infusing just the right amount of personality, emotion and tension into their voices as needed.
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