Death in a Desert Land - by Andrew Wilson (Paperback)

About the Book

Queen of Crime Agatha Christie returns to star in another stylish mystery, as she travels to the excavation of the ancient city of Ur where she must solve a crime with motives that may be as old as civilization itself.

Book Synopsis

"Fizzy with charm yet edged with menace, Andrew Wilson's Christie novels do Dame Agatha proud. Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Jacqueline Winspear." --A.J. Finn, internationally bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

Queen of Crime Agatha Christie returns to star in another stylish mystery, as she travels to the excavation of the ancient city of Ur where she must solve a crime with motives that may be as old as civilization itself.

Fresh from solving the gruesome murder of a British agent in the Canary Islands, mystery writer Agatha Christie receives a letter from a family who believe their late daughter met with foul play. Before Gertrude Bell overdosed on sleeping medication, she was a prominent archaeologist, recovering ancient treasures in the Middle East. Found near her body was a letter claiming that Bell was being followed and to complicate things further, Bell was competing with another archeologist, Mrs. Woolley, for the rights to artifacts of immense value.

Christie travels to far-off Persia, where she meets the enigmatic Mrs. Woolley as she is working on a big and potentially valuable discovery. Temperamental but brilliant, Mrs. Woolley quickly charms Christie but when she does not hide her disdain for the recently deceased Miss Bell, Christie doesn't know whether to trust her--or if Bell's killer is just clever enough to hide in plain sight.

With Wilson's signature "strong characters, shrewd plotting and a skillful blending of fact and fiction" (Shelf Awareness, starred review on A Talent for Murder), this is a thrilling adventure set amidst the cursed ruins of an ancient land.

Review Quotes

Praise for A Different Kind of Evil

"Stellar...a crafty whodunit worthy of the queen of mystery herself."-- "Publishers Weekly"

Praise for A Talent for Murder

"[A] twisty thriller...Wilson fully realizes the potential of this ominous setup."-- "Publishers Weekly"

Praise for Death in a Desert Land

"A heart of darkness beats within this sparkling series. Fizzy with charm yet edged with menace, Andrew Wilson's Christie novels do Dame Agatha proud. Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Jacqueline Winspear."--A.J. Finn, internationally bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"[An] ingenious third whodunit... Wilson cleverly riffs on one of Christie's own novels en route to a crafty and satisfying solution. Wilson strikes gold again." -- "Publishers Weekly"

"An exceptionally intricate mystery...with so much ingenuity lavished on the hyperextended finale that everyone will find something to treasure before the curtain comes down."-- "Kirkus"

"Beautifully written. Both lyrical and compelling. I felt as though I was walking by Agatha Christie's side"--Jane Corry, author of My Husband's Wife

"Fiendishly well-plotted, hugely entertaining."

--Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party

"Mystery fans who love Golden Age crime will enjoy watching Dame Agatha herself track the truth in a puzzle of someone else's making...Readers can rejoice in the twisty plot and the curiously complex characters."-- "Booklist"

"The queen of crime is the central character in this audacious mystery, which reinvents the story of her mysterious disappearance with thrilling results."-- "The Guardian"

"The quick pace of the plot, the severe environment and general mood of the circumstances...creates a dramatic tension that quickly builds to a satisfying conclusion"-- "Shelf Awareness"

About the Author

Andrew Wilson is an award-winning journalist and author. His work has appeared in a wide variety of publications including the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Sunday Times, and the Smithsonian Magazine. He is the author of four acclaimed biographies, a book about the survivors of the Titanic, and the novels The Lying Tongue, A Talent for Murder, A Different Kind of Evil, and Death in a Desert Land.