Step into the sultry heat of 1920s Egypt, where ancient secrets hide beneath the shadow of the Great Pyramid.

Dr. Clarissa Bell came to Giza to prove herself a serious archaeologist, not to sort pottery while her male colleagues claim the glory.

But when she discovers a mysterious scribe's palette stained with rare blue pigment, she uncovers more than just an artifact-she stumbles into a deadly conspiracy.

Armed with nothing but her Cambridge education, an alarming tendency toward sarcasm, and a talent for finding trouble in supposedly empty tombs, Clarissa navigates a world where British imperial power meets ancient Egyptian mysteries, taking her from the bustling streets of Cairo to the steaming bathhouse and glittering auction houses of the colonial elite.

And what about the enigmatic Benedict Quinn? Charming, mysterious, and far too handsome for her peace of mind. Her carefully ordered world is beginning to crumble like ancient limestone.

But when professors pack pistols and black market dealers have government connections, the only thing Clarissa can trust is her own sharp wit-and her ability to sort pottery under pressure.