The first chapter from the third Eye of Isis novel. prologos “How deep is it?” In spite of every effort to keep it steady, Henu heard the tremor in his voice. “If you fall in you won’t care because you’ll be dead, and if you don’t fall in you won’t care because you’ll be rich,…
From the second novel in the Eye of Isis series. 4 His last remark had interfered with her dreams and was interfering again with her work the following morning. What did he mean, when, not where? She felt he was being unnecessarily cryptic. It annoyed her. Men were supposed to be simple and easy to…
The third chapter from the second novel in the Eye of Isis series 3 They parted from their new friends when they reached the Way, crossing it to walk through the Emporeum. Here, Tetisheri was obliged to stop and say hello to every shopkeeper and business rival who called out her name, which was most…
The second chapter of the second novel in the Eye of Isis series. 2 Apollodorus was waiting for her at the bottom of the marble steps that ran the length of the building. He was facing the Way, a broad boulevard stretching the breadth of the city from the Gate of the Sun in the…
The first chapter of the second novel in the Eye of Isis series. 1 The scroll was written in Greek. The hand was neat, the label tied to the scroll easily read. The sixteenth máthima of the twenty-seventh Eye of Isis By her own hand for the record Twelfth Bay, Seventh Shelf The Room of…
So…Isis3 publishes in 12 days, as you could hardly have missed if you follow this blog. On November 3rd at the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale I’ll be signing the hardcover, where people will ask me questions about the book, like where the idea for it came from (well, I’m sorry, but you do always ask…
Time. In crime fiction time is the essence of detection. If Whositz says “I was sleeping with my mistress when my wife was murdered” the first thing the detective on the case will do is verify that alibi. If Whositz is seen leaving his mistress’ house by the back alley in time to get home,…
One week after… Disappearance of a Scribe, the second Eye of Isis novel, is out there in the real world now (instead of existing just between my ears). A body in Rhakotis sandals gives a nasty shock to passing fishermen, and Cleopatra’s Eye, Tetisheri, is called to the scene to investigate. Thereby hangs a tale of…
I love the acknowledgements pages in historical novels, like the ones in Jim Benn’s Billy Boyles series. It is where the writing rubber meets the road; i.e., where the writer reveals where fact and fiction diverge (or don’t) in the narrative that precedes them. So here are the “notes and acknowledgements” from Disappearance of a…
A week and a day away! Publication of the second Eye of Isis novel, that is, aka Disappearance of a Scribe. Barbara Peters calls it “On the Waterfront, Cleopatra style,” which epigram I promptly stole for the book’s tagline. Jimmy Hoffa would feel right at home. Excerpt: “Yes, Timo?” Tetisheri turned her head to see…