The best of the series so far!!

In a weird twist, I was starting this as I was finishing [this was not planned by the way. LOL] a nonfiction book about women in Egyptology [some who were mentioned in this book; I was so surprised and happy I didn't need to go look them up], and while I didn't love that book [nor would I recommend this book, but WILL be looking into the books mentioned in the author's note], I did love this one and actually learned more in this than in the nonfiction one - go figure. The notes at the end added to the story [I love hearing about all the research author's get to do] and also answered some questions I had.

This is a great story and mystery [even knowing some of what is revealed at the end; it was just a lucky guess]; the writing is just so clever and you can tell that the author both likes this time period and doing the research to make a really good book, and I am grateful and truly enjoyed it.

I have really enjoyed the addition of Bella to the team [and she makes up for the gross Jack Danskins]; she plays off of Clara very well, is anxious to never over-step [and I love how Clara encourages here and brings her into situations that will both help Clara and teach Bella about the "toffs"], and is never afraid to both speak up *OR* step up. She is the perfect sidekick to Clara and I cannot wait for more of their adventures.

Rich in history, excellently researched, and just an overall fun read, I recommend this series to anyone who loves history, women slueths, and a smart, good, mystery.

Very well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Fiona Veitch Smith, and Embla Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me just say before anything else: I loved this book! I had not yet read anything by Fiona Veitch Smith, but I am now a huge fan of this author. This book encompasses so much of what I love about books set in the Golden Age.. It reminds me of the works of Agatha Christie, with a heavy dose of glamour added in. In fact, there is a cameo appearance of Dame Agatha herself!

In the Pyramid Murders, Miss Clara Vale has inherited her uncle’s detective business, and has been invited to the launch party of a new exhibit at the museum in Newcastle. Upon opening the grand prize exhibit of am Egyptian sarcophagus they discover a fake mummy. Clara is later called back to the museum to investigate a series of stolen artifacts, which take her all the way to Egypt.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this book, and definitely the settings, from Newcastle, to London, to the cruise ship, to the early-era airplane (I don’t think I would enjoy using the “bathroom” on that tiny plane!), to Egypt. The author has clearly done extensive research into the time period and incorporates it all seamlessly into the story. History is brought to life, and I learned some new things that didn’t sink in from the dry textbooks I had read way back in school!

As soon as I finished reading this book, I immediately purchased the first two in the Miss Clara Vale Mysteries series. This author is definitely one of my new favorites, and one I will continue happily reading.

Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for letting me read and review this book. I’m happy to give my honest opinion.

A dead body wrapped up as a mummy and stolen jewels are the impetus for Miss Clara Vale's new investigation.

A launch party for its new Egyptian exhibit, which includes most of Clara's beloved Uncle Bob's Egyptian treasures, at the Hancock Museum in Newcastle turns from a fun evening out for Clara into a much darker affair when Dr. Daphne Coleman suspects the body within the sarcophagus is not a true mummy. The jewels beneath the body are even more shocking.

Daphne requests Clara's help analyzing the body, which proves to be someone murdered within the last several years, and definitely not that of someone who died over two thousand years ago.

Daphne is deeply concerned about England's political relations with Egypt, and wants Clara to not only return the jewels to Cairo, but also to try to identify the body, which they all suspect to be one of a small group of female Egyptian students, whose academic fees were paid by Bob.

Bob had been on several archaeological digs in the past, and wrote several letters home to his lover, and kept a journal, which Clara takes with her when she and Bella head to Cairo.

They find several suspects on board the ship, including various members of other museums. Once Clara arrives in Cairo, she begins asking questions. There are attempts to stop her, but she and Bella prove to be a great investigative team together.

I have been greatly enjoying the Clara Vale mysteries, and this one was a lot of fun. Conjuring images of Agatha Christie's “Death on the Nile” with its many suspects and fascinating location, author Fiona Veitch Smith's latest was a compelling mystery full of interesting historical details. I enjoyed it a lot, and I hope there are more Clara Vale mysteries to come.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Embla Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This was so fun! What a fun littler murder mystery. Every character seemed like a real person, which never happens in thrillers.

Newcastle, 1930. After donating a collection of Egyptian artifacts left to her by her Uncle Bob, Clara Vale is attending a reception at the Hancock Museum to mark the opening of the exhibition. There’s even a sarcophagus, which will be opened during the ceremony. But when the cover is removed, the mummy inside is not the one expected. Oddly, there is also a set jewels discovered with the mummy. Events take a sinister twist when, with the help of Clara’s forensic skills, it is determined that the individual in the sarcophagus was a young woman, and that she was mummified sometime in the last fifteen years!

To find out where the jewels came from, and how they are connected to the young woman’s death, Clara is soon on her way to Egypt.

I’ve read the previous two books in this series, as well as the author’s Poppy Denby series, and enjoyed them all. So I was surprised to find myself disappointed in this one.

Egyptology, archaeology, mummies and murder should be perfect for a “Golden Age” cosy mystery. Unfortunately, there was little effort to define the time period, create the atmosphere necessary, and the lack of descriptive detail made for settings that were flat and colorless.

Subplots involving Clara’s family, finances, romantic partners, Agatha Christie, a plug for the author’s Poppy Denby series, characters who are never seen, or disappeared from most of the book, or popped up at the end. There was just too much going for me and it became struggle to determine where the real focus was.

Hopefully this was just a hiccup…a short departure from the author’s usual approach to writing…and the next book in the series will bring me back around.

I've been enjoying this series so far. The Pyramid Murders is the third book in the series has a different feel to it compared to the first two books - perhaps partly because it's set in Egypt and Clara Vale seems slightly out of her depth. I think when setting a cosy mystery in 1930s Egypt, there will be some natural comparisons drawn with Agatha Christie despite Christie's books usually having very dark elements. There is some of this darkness in The Pyramid Murders too but not to the same extent.

Fiona Veitch Smith has created a fun series with likeable main characters and satisfying resolutions. Anyone who likes cosy mysteries will enjoy reading this.

The Pyramid Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith is part of a murder mystery series set in the 1930s. Our main FMC is Miss Clara Vale. For the most part the books can be read on their own and you don’t have to read the whole series to understand what’s going on. There was a few instances with some of the side characters that would’ve made more sense if you’ve read more of the series but not necessary.
This book is set around Clara giving her late Uncle Bobs Egyptian collection to a museum. At the night of the viewing, they find out that the mummy on loan from the British museum was switched. Clara and her assistant Miss Cuddy are now on the hunt of who switched it and end up being part of a big murder mystery, illegal smuggling, and secret societies.
For the most part I really enjoyed the book. Some of the phrases were quite cheesy with trying to sound like the 1930s but you get used to it. The author did a great job at keeping us guessing on who solved the crime and I never did guess correctly. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an advanced copy. I give it 3 stars.

What started a bit dull has definitely picked up and I love the descriptions and imagery of Egypt.
This turned into a real page turner and I’ve enjoyed it.

Although in the format of a cosy mystery the story gives a fascinating insight to the study of Egyptian history and the reclamation by Egypt of their cultural heritage and the change to women's roles in the 1930s. The story was fast paced with Clara travelling from Newcastle to Egypt by Cruise ship and plane. There are lots of twists and turns with multiple suspects and no one being quite who they seem the mystery keeps you guessing to the end. Another enjoyable read in this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm not often a fan of cozy mysteries and this one is cozier than I like, so I didn't find it compelling. But for those who do like cozies—particularly those who like cozies and are interested in archaeology—will find it a treat.

Another fantastic addition to the Clara Vale Mysteries. This time Clara finds herself on planes, trains and automobiles as well as a cruise ship. She follows the trail of Egyptian mummies and lost treasure on a trip around the world and even has time for tea with Agatha Christie! I love the little cameos that go into these books and I appreciate the sheer amount of research gone into making the book sound realistic. Don't forget to read the author's note at the end for all the details.

I really enjoyed seeing more of Uncle Bob through his letters and people that he met prior to his death. Clara finds out more about him and his life in this book and also has a few more run ins with her family.
The annoying as ever, Jack Danskin is hot on Clara's tail throughout the book and although he might say the best man won... he got a lot of his information from following Clara closely.

I read the book this time although I listened to the audio book of the first two. I must say, the narrator does such an amazing performance, especially with the different accents, that I really missed not hearing this title. There's always time to listen later on.

Sign me up for the next one please, it's one series not to miss!
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Pyramid Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith took Clara and Bella to Egypt as they investigated a missing mummy. The mummy was brought to the Hancock from the British Museum in London to be the cornerstone of the display of uncle Bob’s collected treasures, which Clara had donated. But when the sarcophagus was opened it appeared that the mummy was not the correct one. Upon some investigation by Clara and Dr Daphne Coleman, her uncle’s friend at the Hancock, they discovered that the mummy was a young woman. Further investigation discovered that the mummy was less than two years old and probably a student at the university in Egypt, based on a pin found on the girl. This raised questions. Where was the mummy that was supposed to be there? Where was the man from London? Where was the man that had delivered the mummy? Well, you got the idea. So Clara and Bella were off to Egypt where they felt certain the answers lay. On their tail was Clara’s nemesis, Jack Danskin, who had been hired by hired by the museum.

It was a rousing tale which included trips out into the desert, several trips to the astounding Egyptian Museum, and some interesting Egyptian meals. Clara is up for anything, but Bella is a bit more reserved. Clara is learning the investigation business quickly and Bella has a gift for it. Being woman in a man’s profession raises plenty of eyebrows, both for her and for Daphne. They both persevere and eventually reach their goals. Clara may have to concede that Jack played an important part. The story was especially interesting because of the Egypt connection. Clara is a clever young woman who knows no fear. The mystery was complicated and of course, rooted in greed and by the least expected person. It was a fun read. I recommend, it! Thanks Fiona Leitch Smith for this enticing character.

I was invited to read The Pyramid Murders by Embla Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #EmblaBooks #FionaLeitchSmith #ThePyramidMurders

Unable to read the pre publication copy as typeface was too small and my device was unable to enlarge the print.

Newcastle, 1930: Independent Clara Vale has donated some of her Uncle Bob’s collection to the Hancock Museum that she inherited from him along with his detective agency. To celebrate the opening of the exhibit, a sarcophagus is on loan; however, when it’s opened, the wrong mummy is there. The plot thickens when later that evening, a security guard is attacked and the distinguished professor who escorted the sarcophagus to Newcastle first disappears then is discovered to have been an imposter. Given some political issues between England and Egypt, the police are not involved; rather, Clara, along with her assistant Bella, is hired by the board to track down the missing mummy and figure out what’s going on.

I really enjoyed this mystery, especially with the Egyptian flavor and hints of Christie. One element I find I’m not enjoying is Clara’s family. Typically in a cozy, half the fun is reading about what the other characters are doing; in Clara’s case, her family is providing lots of tension and grief, not fun. Their behavior is more historically accurate, wanting their daughter to settle down, or give her inheritance to her brother who’s having financial difficulties, exacerbated by the collapse of the US stock market in 1929.

Recommended, although I’d prefer her family to be a tad less historically accurate.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

Third in the series, Clara Vale and her new assistant Bella, must travel to Egypt after discovering a murdered body swapped with a mummy. But first, she must sort out her strangled family relationships while staying strong to her convictions. Her journey includes many suspects, secret societies, potential suitors, enemies, and new friends that she must sort out along the way. Using her Uncle Bob’s old letters and notes, Clara attempts to connect old crimes with new ones. While continually being underestimated, the female sleuths travel by land, sea, and air, using their lockpicking and ju-jitsu skills, to stay one step away from the police and the annoying Jack Daskin. This book had twists, turns, and false leads that kept me guessing until the end.

The Pyramid Murders is the third book featuring Clara Vale by Fiona Veitch Smith. Released 13th June 2024 by Bonnier on their Embla Books imprint, it's 300 pages and is available in audio and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently on KU.

This is a light cozy set interwar London with Clara Vale, a clever young woman well situated in life and with a formidable scientific mind. This installment sees Clara and her assistant Bella (who is wonderful) on the trail of artifact and jewel thieves from Newcastle to London and even down the Egyptian Nile.

The language is clean and the plot is woven around actual historical events whimsically and successfully. It's a cozy, and without graphic, on page violence. It's not at all derivative, but it will definitely appeal to fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Catriona McPherson's Dandy Gilver books.

Four stars. Light entertainment. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home use, or a short binge/buddy read. The story is self contained in this volume, but there's some continuity between the volumes which will be spoiled if read out of order.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is my second outing with these characters and it doesn't disappoint. This is the 3rd in the series but works as a standalone mystery. Its a cozy mystery with the added visit to Egypt. I loved tge dude characters and the way the writer tried to put modern day values into a different time and also adapt historic facts to fit the novel. A quick read. I know originally only three novels were planned for this series but I really hope there is more. I have grown to really care about Clara and her assistant. This is a cracking 6 star tead. Thank you netgallery and publisher and author

Another exciting and enjoyable detective story from Fiona Veitch Smith. This time we follow intrepid detective, Clara Vale from Newcastle to Egypt, via the British Museum, to uncover a tale of murder and smuggling.
I loved all the history and the archaeology, I loved the travel and romance, I loved the cameo from a particular author, and I continue to love Clara.
It kept me guessing right up until the end - a wonderful cosy crime novel that you won't want to put down!

Newcastle, amateur-sleuth, witty, 1929, private-investigators, cozy-mystery, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, historical-figures, suspense, local-law-enforcement, smuggling, museums, murders, international-crime-and-mystery, intrigue, threats, secret-society, action-adventure, aeroplanes, jewelry-theft, artifact, relics, religious-cultism, Egypt*****

This is the third in a well written cozy series.
It's set in 1929 England with a dysfunctional wealthy family and the very independent daughter who was self-sufficiently working in a library (despite having earned a science degree at Oxford). She discovered that her uncle died and the inheritance that was left to her includes a large townhouse complete with laboratory, a lot of money, a detective agency, and her first case. Clara is learning more about the business of a detective agency and how her operatives do their work. I loved the first two, but between vision issues and more severe allergies this year I was devastated to find that the ebook is not TTS enabled and it was just too much work for me to enjoy reading it. Guess I'll have to stick a crowbar in my wallet and get the audio. I really liked the first two in series. Preordered the audio!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Embla Books via NetGalley. Thank you! 5/10/2024.
Now it is June 14 and I have finished listening to the audio wonderfully performed by voice actor Hannah Genesius.
The young woman in the sarcophagus was mummified less than 15 years ago and the wrappings contain RAYON! More irregularities are found at the Hancock Museum in Newcastle when the exhibition from the British Museum arrives. Much archaeological and museum intrigue requires Clara and her intrepid assistant Bella to take an ocean liner cruise to Egypt where even more Irregularities and threats happen. Looking forward to their next adventure!

A Clara Vale mystery taking you from Newcastle to Cairo at a fast pace. An exhibition of a new sarcophagus but with a more modern mummy!
Plenty of smuggling and danger leads Clara from one exciting incident to another. In the vein of Agatha Christie 1930 there are plenty of murders to keep you involved.
Thank you NetGalley and (Embla Books) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.