A second fabulous installment in Raiders of ghe Arcana. These books are exactly what I want in historical adventure - fast paced, clever, funny and romantic. Perfect for fans of The Mummy and Indiana Jones

Absolutely riveting from start to finish! I cannot get enough of this series! Archeological adventure, danger, humor, quirky characters and a dash of romance you really can’t go wrong. Perfect for fans of The Mummy and Indiana Jones. Alex Picard did a smashing job narrating all the accents are spot on! She really brought the book to life! (Now I want to go back and reread the first book in audio). Looking forward to the next adventure!

Listen, listen, listen! If you’ve listened to *Empire of Shadows* based on my recommendation, then you absolutely *must* grab the audiobook of *Tomb of the Sun King*, the sequel! Miss Benson has outdone herself, introducing even more incredible characters who are now just as—if not more—precious to me than Ellie and Adam, and that’s saying something.

In *Tomb of the Sun King*, we follow Ellie and Adam on a high-stakes race to Egypt, desperate to reach Ellie’s brother Neil and his archaeological dig before the villainous Jacob and his crew. Along the way, we’re treated to a mix of new and familiar voices, including Constance, who was an absolute delight to listen to!

While I felt the pacing in the first half was a bit uneven, the second half more than made up for it. The audiobook brilliantly brings to life the humor, chaos, and nail-biting tension, keeping me completely hooked. The banter, the relationships, and the vivid exploration of Egyptian history were so entertaining that I couldn’t stop listening.

If I had one minor critique, it’s that I would have loved a few more spicy moments between Adam and Ellie. But honestly, that’s a small thing compared to the sheer joy of this breakneck adventure. Expect a chaotic found-family dynamic, laugh-out-loud moments, and edge-of-your-seat tension. I guarantee you’ll be thoroughly entertained from start to finish—don’t wait, just listen!

Raiders of the Arcana is quickly becoming one of my favourite series. This new instalment definitely lives up to the high bar that the first book set. This time Ellie and Adam are on the way to Egypt to head off Dawson and Jacobs in a race to a new arcana. There’s a few new characters introduced and they all add such wonderful qualities to the story. The multi POV is so well done, and the descriptions and setting make you feel so immersed. I liked seeing how Ellie and Adam were able to work on and grow their relationship without any miscommunication. However the romance definitely takes a backseat to the action. This was fast paced and super fun and again Benson has done a wonderful job blending history and adventure. Also shout out to Alex Picard for another amazing job with the narration!

Thanks to Netgalley, Jacquelyn Benson and Vaughn Woods for this ALC

I can’t say enough about this book! I literally couldn’t stop listening. Empire of Shadows had been one of my favorite books of the year and this book completely picked up the momentum of the first and kept it going. I may have even enjoyed it more with the addition of Connie and Neil to the story. I finished this book and immediately 1. Went to look up when book three comes out because I CANNOT wait and 2. Gave my husband a full dissertation about what I had just read because I was so giddy about it.

This book picks up where the first left off with Adam and Ellie traveling to Egypt to warn her brother about the organization in search of an artifact at Neil’s dig. They meet up with Ellie’s best friend Connie who joins them and soon are all on the run trying to beat Jacobs and the organization to the lost burial of an ancient Pharaoh.

These books are witty and smart but with such a healthy dose of humor. I found the addition of Connie and Neil to perfectly balance Adam and Ellie. And although the romance is more of a subplot and not the main focus I think that it is an important aspect of the book as Adam is an amazing book boyfriend so you’re really cheering for them but it also is a way to highlight Ellie’s conflicted feelings about the institution of marriage and highlight the sexism of the time and in her culture. This book also had a strong focus on colonialism that is highlighted with interactions with Neil’s foreman Sayyid.

These books both feature magical realism and although the fact that these artifacts have significant power is a main theme there is not a lot of magic seen throughout the book.

I listened to this book and I think that Alex Picard does an incredible job in her narration of balancing the characters and various accents and making the listening experience completely immersive. I basically listened to this book straight for two days until I finished it because I couldn’t stop. I will definitely be looking for more books narrated by Alex.

I love that this book ended in a similar vein to the first and we know where the next adventure will be. I can not wait to see where these four character’s take us next. I think this may be my favorite series of the year!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ALC.

Having already read the book through an earful earlier in the year, I already loved the book. But the audio version is definitely superior for me as it helps me visualise the characters more through the accents and mannerisms.
Our narrator once again does an impeccable job and I enjoyed her whole interpretation of the whole cast of characters.

This series has been a favourite this year.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

Tomb of the Sun King is the hilarious, wildly entertaining, and brilliant sequel to Empire of Shadows that hooked me from the beginning.

I adored this book. The romance was delightful, and the characters and character development were splendid. I loved seeing new and old characters alike. The adventure and action were addictive. The pacing was fast, and the hilarious banter and interesting relationships propelled the plot beautifully. The settings and blend of history and fantasy were interesting, and the prose was lovely. I highly recommend this phenomenal series!

Alex Picard is one of my favorite narrators, and her performance of Tomb of the Sun King is one of my favorites. She captured the characters’ personalities and accents very well, making this story even more immersive and fun. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Narrated by Alex Picard

Genre: fantasy historical adventure romance
Egypt, 1898

Fantasy adventure historical romance is a genre, right? I enjoyed book 1 of Raiders of the Arcana, set in British Honduras. But I loved this one, book 2, set in Egypt.

Tomb of the Sun King picks up the overarching plot from the series - a set of objects around the world linked to a dark magic - and follows Ellie Mallory and Adam Bates from book 1, now headed to Egypt to meet up with Ellie's stepbrother, Neil Fairfax, Oxford PhD and archeologist, and accompanied by Ellie's best friend Constance Tyrell. The object they are after may link Moses to Akhenaten and Nefertiti, in an era of Egyptian history known for its monotheism rather than more traditional polytheism.

Tomb of the Sun King takes the elements from book one that I loved: Victorian era scholarship, adventure, romance, and takes them to the next level in Egypt. While Ellie might feel a little too modern for 1898 to some readers, I think Jacquelyn Benson does a great job at justifying Ellie's choices and her stubbornness towards adventure. Issues of colonialism are really carefully addressed here in a way I admire. For example, the theft of treasures by those who fund the expeditions rather than allowing the Egyptian government to keep them has historical accuracy, as well as characters who oppose this practice and some who are blind to the practice.

Like the first book, my biggest complaint is the length. At 17.5 hours/616 pages, it has the length of epic fantasy. Luckily, it moves quickly with an adventure-packed fast-paced plot and a really easy to enjoy romance. Alex Picard's narration is excellent, and I held out reading this book until I could listen because I loved listening to the first book.

I am utterly obsessed with Jacquelyn’s works and this one is no different. It was such a fun adventure and I loved that we spent so much more time with Constance. I didn’t know what to expect of Neil but he truly is Ellie’s brother (in the best way…. and in the worst I suppose). Neil brought a lot of complicated emotions to the group and it made the story all the more real for me. I cannot wait to see what happens in India. No, really. I can’t wait.. where’s the book??

"Tomb of the Sun King" is an exhilarating blend of historical fantasy, adventure, and romance that kept me hooked from start to finish. Ellie Mallory, an archivist and suffragette, takes center stage as a fresh, feminist take on Indiana Jones. She dodges villains, escapes lost tombs, and races to secure a powerful magical artifact buried in the sands of Egypt. The fast-paced plot, rich with ancient mysteries and thrilling chases, is made even more compelling by her dynamic companions—her uptight step-brother Neil, the roguish Adam Bates, and the fearless Constance Tyrrell. Their journey through ancient Egypt’s legendary sites is an absolute delight, filled with twists, danger, and humor.

What truly elevates this book is the audiobook, narrated by Alex Picard. Her captivating performance brings Ellie’s daring adventures to life, adding depth to the characters and an extra layer of excitement to the action-packed story. This is a must-read—and must-listen—for fans of adventure, magic, and strong female protagonists.