I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A chance at studying the ancient history and culture of the Egyptians leads Dr. Hope Sze and her fiancé to Egypt, where they become embroiled in a shocking mystery as they search for fabled treasure and must outwit a dangerous criminal mastermind in author Melissa Yi’s “Scorpion Scheme: Death and Danger on the Nile”, the eighth book in the Hope Sze Medical Mystery series.
The Synopsis
PHARAOHS’ TOMBS. ANCIENT MYTHS. MODERN-DAY MURDER
Dr. Hope Sze doesn’t need a free trip to Egypt.
She can’t afford the flight to Cairo, or the cruise down the Nile, so she’d keep studying in Canada—except her fiancé, Dr. John Tucker, yearns to patrol the pyramids and confront the curse on King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
So when a company offers them both a free stay in Cairo in exchange for a month’s work in an emergency department, Tucker lobbies for a pre-honeymoon in the Valley of Kings and Queens, investigating the windswept temple of Hatshepsut, or scuba diving in the Red Sea.
Instead, within 90 minutes of arrival, Hope drops to her knees outside the Grand Egyptian Museum, desperate to save a now-comatose 87-year-old Johannesburg man who’d raved about Kruger and treasure after receiving a nail through his skull.
Tucker fixates on their one chance at the legendary Kruger Millions, a rumored fortune that many believe lies secretly stowed somewhere in South Africa.
Since their combined student debt load totals half a million dollars, Tucker can’t pass up the possibility of a treasure trove in buried gold.
Hope launches into her first mystery based in a birthplace of human civilization.
Where the evil god Set battled righteous Horus and Isis in an 80-year war.
Where wealth and power clash with political revolution.
Where Antony fell in love with Cleopatra.
Where Hope and Tucker must outwit, or fall prey, to a ruthless criminal mastermind.
The Review
A fantastic blend of medical drama and an action-packed mystery like no other, this novel was a massive draw for this reader, especially as a fan of Indiana Jones and his films. The author does a great job of bringing their own authenticity to Hope’s character as the author is also a medical doctor, and from the book’s first chapters readers are treated to the protagonist’s heroic call to action to help others with her skills.
The big draw of course is the amazing historical mystery and action-packed heroics against this criminal mastermind. The author does a fantastic job of not only making this book accessible to both newcomers and fans of the series alike, but of crafting a character that feels authentic and brings history and its many mysteries to life, especially in such a short read.
The Verdict
A masterful, entertaining and engaging medical drama and action & adventure novel, author Melissa Yi’s “Scorpion Scheme” is a must-read novel! The motivations behind the characters are very reminiscent of classic mystery adventure novels, while the action keeps readers on the edge of their seats as the thrilling conclusion comes full circle. Be sure to grab your copy of this wonderful read today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
I read, therefore I am. I’ve been reading since my parents used to abandon me at the library.
When I was ten years old, we moved to Frankfurt, Germany, to a relative dearth of English books, and I started writing stories instead.
We moved back to Canada, and I started reading voraciously again, abandoning my pen and word processor for a few years before picking them up again. Nowadays, I read and write whenever I can, although my day/night jobs of emergency medicine and motherhood whisk me away regularly.