The Egyptologist

By: Arthur Phillips

Narrated by: Gianfranco Negroponte, Simon Prebble, Gerard Doyle, Bianca Mato

Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Critically acclaimed author Arthur Phillips won the L.A. Times First Fiction Prize for his debut novel, Prague, which landed on top 10 lists across America and was a New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Chicago Tribune best seller. In The Egyptologist, Phillips displays his gift for brilliantly constructed, labyrinthine stories infused with imaginative wit.

Howard Carter has just made one of the great discoveries of all time, the unveiling of Tutankhamun's tomb. At the same time, Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush finds himself in a slightly less spectacular position. He has staked everything on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Halfway around the world, an Australian detective sets off on a globetrotting quest to find a murderer. Or two. Or three. These events, seemingly unrelated, are about to collide in a spectacular yet utterly unpredictable fashion.

©2004 Arthur Phillips (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Witty." (The New Yorker
"Vastly entertaining." (Publishers Weekly)
"Phillips proves himself once again to be a wildly creative storyteller." (Booklist)

Charming and fun, read to perfection...

I enjoyed this book as much as any lately. It was a little bit lightweight in the mystery and historical fiction genre, but researched and presented with affectionate enthusiasm, much like the Dan Brown amusement parks of "Angels and Demon" and "DaVinci Code". Told in diary and letter excerpts, the three actors who read the characters do a flawless job as British dandy, Australian PI and American heiress, in addition to managing to "do" other characters in the voice of the one who is telling the the tale. The mystery reveals itself in exquisite droplets, and is something almost unique in this type of drama. I will enjoy listening to this book several more times, and have bought paper copies for family and friends. For fans of Dan Brown, Elizabeth Peters, Sharyn McCrumb and F. Paul Wilson - those who are willing to try something new - this is a lot of fun.

Enraptured

This was a clever book of intrigue and mystery. It keeps you guessing until the end and at time you wonder what the mystery is! It is wonderfully narrated and one of my fastest listens ever with audible. I thoroughly enjoyd this novel.

A Keeper

I really enjoyed this audio -- the various readers helped distinguish the various voices and perspectives. The "actring vs reading" balance was just right, I immediately went out to buy the book itself -- a KEEPER !

A fantastic “read”!

Just a wonderful performance of an artfully twisted and delectably literary novel—one you enjoy so much that you’re hesitant to read anything else by the author, lest the next work fail to live up to your sky-high expectations.

I gave it another chance and WOW.

I gave up the first time, but having spent the money on this book, I tried again. I think I wasn't paying attention the first time and the australian detective's voice was grating. But once it clicked in my mind what was happening, I couldn't stop listening. I have also bought the book in print and pick it up to read "the good parts" . Stick with it and you won't be dissappointed. This would be a great movie! The final scenes would be riveting. Even knowing how it ends, I am now re-reading/listening to it. Simon Prebble is brilliant in portraying the mental state of the egyptologist. Stick with it.

Yawn

I should have paid more attention to the reviews. The book sounded very intriging, but in reality it was the worst book I have listened to. I refused to just delete it and listened to the bitter end, but it was all I could do to NOT throw my ipod out the car window. When I finally got to the end all I could think was ????

Not my cup of tea

Too sordid. I think I'll stick with Grisham and Agatha Christy.

The Egyptologist is poor

I couldn't get into this story. I listened to about 80 minutes and stopped.

Quite Satisfying

You'll figure out one twist early on, but before the end, it twists again. The best part of the narrative is when Ralph is the most delusional, he is also the most truthful.
Read "The Time Traveller's Wife" after this one and time traveller was so dismally bad, I wished I had another one like this one.

AWFUL!!!!!

This book is truly one of the worst I have ever listened to or read. The author was so enamoured of his main character's desire to lecture and pontificate that it dragged on and on and on. Worse it dragged on to no purpose. I would have rated it into negative numbers if possible.