2025 HWA Debut Crown Award (shortlist)
‘Brilliant… I loved it.’ Santa Montefiore
A FORGOTTEN EGYPTIAN GODDESS. A FAMILY IN DANGER.
Victorian Egyptologist Clemmie’s dark talents have torn her family apart. Now she has one chance to atone for the past.
Quiet and reserved, Clemmie is happy in the background. Although her parents may overlook her talents, her ability to read hieroglyphs makes her invaluable at the Egyptian relic parties which have made her father the toast of Victorian society.
But at one such party, the words Clemmie interprets from an unusual amulet strike fear into her heart. The beautiful and dangerous glyphs she holds in her hands will change her life forever.
Five years later, Clemmie arrives in Egypt on a mission to save what remains of her family. The childhood game she used to play about the immortal sisters, Isis and Nephthys, has taken on a devastating resonance and it is only by following Nephthys' story that she can undo the mistakes of the past.
''An irresistible page-turner’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author Pandora
‘An intoxicating tale of adventure and obsession’ Emilia Hart, author of Weyward
‘A joy of a book’ Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of The Midnight Carousel
Readers ADORE Nephthys:
‘A total page-turner! ... Wow! What darkness this book holds!’
‘Unique and gripping.... this tale of Egypt and England was full of twists and turns.’
‘A captivating blend of Victorian society, ancient Egypt, and dark secrets.’
Genre: Fantasy
A FORGOTTEN EGYPTIAN GODDESS. A FAMILY IN DANGER.
Victorian Egyptologist Clemmie’s dark talents have torn her family apart. Now she has one chance to atone for the past.
Quiet and reserved, Clemmie is happy in the background. Although her parents may overlook her talents, her ability to read hieroglyphs makes her invaluable at the Egyptian relic parties which have made her father the toast of Victorian society.
But at one such party, the words Clemmie interprets from an unusual amulet strike fear into her heart. The beautiful and dangerous glyphs she holds in her hands will change her life forever.
Five years later, Clemmie arrives in Egypt on a mission to save what remains of her family. The childhood game she used to play about the immortal sisters, Isis and Nephthys, has taken on a devastating resonance and it is only by following Nephthys' story that she can undo the mistakes of the past.
''An irresistible page-turner’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author Pandora
‘An intoxicating tale of adventure and obsession’ Emilia Hart, author of Weyward
‘A joy of a book’ Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of The Midnight Carousel
Readers ADORE Nephthys:
‘A total page-turner! ... Wow! What darkness this book holds!’
‘Unique and gripping.... this tale of Egypt and England was full of twists and turns.’
‘A captivating blend of Victorian society, ancient Egypt, and dark secrets.’
Genre: Fantasy
Praise for this book
"Seamlessly blending extensive historical research and ancient Egyptian mythology with exquisite storytelling, Nephthys is an astonishingly accomplished debut from an exciting new talent." - Jessica Bull
"Gothic shivers beneath a blazing Egyptian sun. This terrific tale of a female Victorian Egyptologist battling a cursed past and uncertain future unfolds and reveals like a precious papyrus manuscript. Loved!" - Kate Griffin
"An intoxicating tale of adventure and obsession, told in prose that shimmers like the Nile. I loved it!" - Emilia Hart
"Exquisite writing...an absolute joy to read... a powerful story of self-discovery, a deft interweaving of Egyptian symbology with the beliefs of the Victorian era." - Fiza Saeed McLynn
"Brilliant and meticulously researched. . . [I]devoured it in two days. A gripping & skilfully written Victorian adventure set in Egypt & based on mythology. I loved it." - Santa Montefiore
"A glorious tale of adventure set beneath the blazing sun of Egypt... A thoroughly enjoyable read." - Rebecca Netley
"Enchanting prose married beautifully with a darkly compelling plot which flows as smoothly as the Nile, Nephthys is a dazzling debut and an irresistible page-turner. With an unforgettable heroine you cannot help but root for, I was spellbound from the very first page to the very last." - Susan Stokes-Chapman
"Gothic shivers beneath a blazing Egyptian sun. This terrific tale of a female Victorian Egyptologist battling a cursed past and uncertain future unfolds and reveals like a precious papyrus manuscript. Loved!" - Kate Griffin
"An intoxicating tale of adventure and obsession, told in prose that shimmers like the Nile. I loved it!" - Emilia Hart
"Exquisite writing...an absolute joy to read... a powerful story of self-discovery, a deft interweaving of Egyptian symbology with the beliefs of the Victorian era." - Fiza Saeed McLynn
"Brilliant and meticulously researched. . . [I]devoured it in two days. A gripping & skilfully written Victorian adventure set in Egypt & based on mythology. I loved it." - Santa Montefiore
"A glorious tale of adventure set beneath the blazing sun of Egypt... A thoroughly enjoyable read." - Rebecca Netley
"Enchanting prose married beautifully with a darkly compelling plot which flows as smoothly as the Nile, Nephthys is a dazzling debut and an irresistible page-turner. With an unforgettable heroine you cannot help but root for, I was spellbound from the very first page to the very last." - Susan Stokes-Chapman
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Used availability for Rachel Louise Driscoll's Nephthys