At the start of this book, I thought it was going to be one of the best books I'd ever read. By the end of it, I'd enjoyed it, but the middle of it was uninspiring, and the ending felt rushed.

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future

A delightful book. This is a suspenseful novel.
The story is told in dual perspectives.
A great historical story

Well done historical fiction that moves between the 1920s, when Evelyn and her father explored tombs in Egypt, and the 1970s, when she's coping with strokes. A visitor raises questions and brings back old memories- not all good. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to love this book but I found the story hard to get into and I struggled to warm up to the character. The premise of the book, finding the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun intrigued me. However, the love story that dominated the first part of the book bored me. The latter part of the book was much better, and I really liked the ending.

Gill Paul is known for her sweeping and detailed historical fiction novels and The Collector's Daughter is no exception. This time she allows us to get to know Lady Evelyn Herbert as she discovers Tutankhamun's Tomb. Through Paul's detailed writing, it felt like we were there alongside her.

The book shifts between two timelines: flashbacks to Eva's discovery of the tomb in the 1920s and "present-day", when she's the lone survivor of the expedition. It goes into exquisite depth about the discovery and the after-effects, as Eva's life takes many sad and tragic turns. By keeping readers in suspense about the discovery, the book moved at a steady pace.

So, if you enjoy historical fiction novels with depth and a dash of suspense to keep the story moving and captivating, I recommend reading The Collector's Daughter.

“ Fr8the internationally bestselling author comes a tale of long-buried secrets and a discovery that will change everything, perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Lucinda Riley…

An unforgettable discovery
In 1922, Lady Evelyn Herbert’s dreams are realised when she is the first to set foot inside the lost tomb of Tutankhamun for over 3,000 years.
A cursed life
But the months after the discovery are marred by tragedy, when Eve’s father dies suddenly and her family is torn in two. Desperate to put the past behind her, Eve retreats into a private life with her new husband.

I really liked this one, it was better than I expected it to be! 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A brilliantly crafted book showing the delights of Egypt. Intrigue and mystery surround the past and present and lives are put at risk. Compelling, sad and definitely worth reading.

Love, love, love! What more can I say. Everything Gill Paul writes is simply fantastic and this one did not disappoint. Can't wait to see what comes next!
Being a stroke survivor some bits were hard to read - it simply resonated.

Great book. Loved the story found the history very interesting. Well written. Would definitely recommend

Gill Paul's amazing ability to reach into history and bring her characters to life has made her one of my favourite historical fiction authors. So I was delighted when I found out that the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb was the subject of her new novel, The Collector's Daughter.

I've always loved Egyptian history and although I've never been to the Valley of the Kings, I have visited Cairo and seen some of the breathtaking treasures discovered in the tomb. I knew Lady Evelyn was present in 1922, as I remember seeing the famous photo of her stood in between Howard Carter and her father Lord Carnarvon, but I didn't know that she was the first person to enter the tomb. Considering people at the time thought that there was a curse of the pharaohs, this shows precisely the type of plucky young lady she was.

Although there are flashbacks to 1922 and beyond, the story is mainly set in 1973 when Eve is recovering from yet another stroke with her adoring husband Brograve by her side. The depiction of a stroke is written so sensitively that it broke my heart in two. Just the thought of reliving your saddest memories over and over again (as you had forgotten them) brings tears to my eyes. Eve is determined not to let the stroke beat her and, when she gets a mysterious visitor asking questions about Tutankhamun's tomb, her memories of that time help her recovery. There's one special memory that she must not share though...

Simply wonderful! I adored every single page of The Collector's Daughter; Lady Evelyn is a most unexpected heroine and I now have great admiration for her. Gill Paul's beautiful writing completely swept me away to Egypt and I didn't want to leave! A poignant story woven around true facts, The Collector's Daughter is a breathtaking novel and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I chose to read a digital ARC received via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

‘Eve worked her patch with great diligence, daydreaming about the Ancient Egyptians who chose this spot as their burial ground.’

Gill always pens wonderful historical fiction stories and this is no exception. The Collector’s Daughter has everything I love and look for in such a book and she has certainly done her research with Tutankhamen and Highclere Castle taking centre stage in her latest offering.

If you are a lover of all things Egyptian with some glamour of Downton Abbey fame - Highclere Castle - added into the mix, then you are in for a treat. From the Castle to Cairo, from London to Luxor … this is a story that has it all. A dual time narrative that is overflowing with mystery, intrigue and suspense. Told through flashbacks, this is the story of Eve and her involvement in both the discovery and curse of King Tut’s tomb.

The strength of this story is in Gill’s ability to give voice to a female historical figure who was present but had not been heard until now. What it must have been like to have witnessed the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb! In this story, you have front row seats as Gill takes what little is known of Eve from history and combines this with her fictionalised account.

This is a fabulously crafted work of biographical fiction which I highly recommend to lovers of all things Ancient Egypt with the discoveries of the 1920s.

“And there’s Howard Carter.” Eve remembered Howard. “He found Tutankhamun,” she said. “And then there was a curse.” “No.” Brograve smiled and shook his head. “There was no curse. That was just a fairy story.”

I absolutely adored reading this book and was completely enthralled by it. I just love this authors books. She is a wonderful story teller.

I loved this book. The descriptions made me feel as if I was there at the entrance to King Tut's tomb with Carter and Evelyn. Although a fiction novel, the protagonists are real life figures from history which gave it a certain cache. Great story.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I'm sorry for the late review, life's been a bit crazy this fall.

This novel had a big trigger for me and I actually couldn't go on reading. In the beginning when Evelyn has had a stroke I started to cry because my father suffered from a very big stroke a couple of years ago and it felt awful reading her thoughts. So I'm sorry, I couldn't go on. I'm sure it's a great book though!

*I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review*
This is not quite what I was expecting. I had kind of hoped it would explore more of the Egyptology side but it tended more towards the romance side which kind of bummed me out

The Collector’s Daughter is completely engrossing. As always, Gill Paul combines absolutely fascinating historic events with the most interesting and fully realised people, adding an air of mystery, a hint of something menacing, a curse, as well as the joy of living.

Loved this novel, a fictional take on the well-known story of the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb by Howard Carter, backed by Lord Carnarvon. Here we are introduced to the woman in the story, Eve, the daughter of Lord Carnarvon, who was also present at the opening of the tomb. It is told in flashbacks from the point of view of Eve, now in her seventies, as she recovers from a stroke. It is very well done, and engaged me both in the mystery (and curse) surrounding the opening of the tomb, and in Eve's courageous struggle, with the support of her devoted husband, to recover from her stroke and help the insistent woman Egyptologist who is determined to unearth possibly unethical practices of the past . The characters, major and minor, were all well portrayed, and consistently believable.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital advance review copy.

Much has been written about the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the working relationship between Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, but less is popularly known about the involvement of Carnarvon’s daughter, Lady Evelyn Herbert. This novel puts her right at the centre of the story and follows two periods of her life: the time she spent in Egypt as a young adult and her later years in London during the 1970s. Born in 1901, Eve grew up at Highclere Castle, surrounded by her father’s collection of Egyptian artefacts – which developed into a shared interest with him, along with her love of horses. Although Eve longed to visit Egypt for herself, the trip was delayed due to war until she reached 18 and was able to travel there with both her parents, her mother keen to find a husband for Eve amongst the ex-pat population and her father just as keen to observe Howard Carter’s latest discoveries in the Valley of the Kings. Eve, naturally, preferred the latter, although she did also meet the man she was eventually to marry at one of the balls her mother dragged her along to.

Eve went on to enjoy a long and happy relationship with her husband, although her dreams of becoming an archaeologist were thwarted by her father’s early death – after which she returned to London, never again to visit Egypt – and her own health suffered after a serious car crash some years later. We first meet Eve in the 1970s, as she is recovering from the latest in a long line of strokes, thought to have been triggered by a head injury incurred in the accident. As those around her try to trigger Eve’s memory, she finds herself returning time and again to thoughts of Egypt, more so after she learns that an Egyptian archaeologist has uncovered new evidence about Tutankhamun’s burial. This younger woman suspects that Eve and her father took valuable items from the tomb and is keen to recover them for her own country’s museums and bolster her own flagging career in the process.

While Eve is keen to help, she is worried about the damage to her father’s reputation if she admits that they entered the tomb before its official opening, and that they took artefacts away as souvenirs. Furthermore, she remembers owning an artefact that she wants to give back, but has no recollection of where it might be now. We follow Eve through her failing health and patchy recollections of recent events, as she tries to do the right thing in spite of her husband’s misgivings.

While I liked the basic premise of the book, I found the characters difficult to warm to, fascinating as the real people on whom they were based must have been. I’d have liked to have read at least some of the story from the point of view of the more modern archaeologist and got a proper feel for what was really driving her. Likewise, I’d have liked to see more of the contrast between the excavations of the 1920s and the 1970s. Eve’s memory lapses were painful for me for personal reasons, but that’s no reflection on the book itself. I would like to read more about Eve and those around her, probably from a purely factual angle, though.

This story explores Lady Evelyn Herbert's eventful life. She was present at the opening of the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Historical details and sensory imagery draw the reader into the two eras, the 1920s and 1970s. The characters mostly inspired by historical figures are richly detailed and vibrant.
The story details Evelyn's importance at the discovery and highlights how historical female characters often go undocumented in the history books.

This story has depth and historical interest coupled with emotion, intrigue and poignancy, making it an absorbing read for those drawn to historical events and characters' personal lives and the role of women in society.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.