2.5 stars rounded up. The 4th book in the Regent Mysteries series.

The Prince Regent sends Captain Dryden and Lady Daphne to Egypt to retrieve a jewelled mask and find out what happened to the man that procured it for him, who has since disappeared.

Sadly this book didn't work for me, I love a good historical mystery but this book just felt a little too generic for my tastes. Daphne is the daughter of an Earl and therefore is Lady Daphne but her husband is a mere commoner who rose to the rank of Captain, so Daphne the progressive regency miss wishes to be called Mrs Dryden which nobody does of course. Nothing will do but she must follow her husband into danger by travelling with him to Egypt to solve the mystery, even bringing her younger sister with them. My problem is, what danger? they had a troop of soldiers with them the whole time, travelling with them, guarding their hotel etc. Nevertheless, they did manage to find trouble, Lady Rosemary is abducted and their travelling companion Mr Maxwell injured in her rescue.

They solve the mystery but the ring leader escapes, presumably to return in book 5, I gathered that they had been chasing the same villain through all of the previous books. There was a subplot of a love triangle between Lady Rosemary, Mr Maxwell and Captain Cooper that kind of felt it was just added to sprinkle in a bit of romance.

I'm not going to harp on about all the mistakes since this is an arc and presumably all editing mistakes will be fixed before publication but I did find them very distracting.

*Received an ARC from Netgalley2015-reading-challenge arc egypt ...more5 s Tina Miles384 5

This was an okay book for me. I was expecting an exciting mystery/romance in Egypt. The story was ok but the characters felt flat to me. They lacked the personality that would enable them to come alive.
The story was predictable, the villain and his henchmen were predictable also. Altogether it was a simple story which didn’t hold my attention at all.
There weren’t any steamy scenes, just some kissing.
I won’t bother reading the rest of the books in the series.4 s Gerrie857

3.5 out of 5 starsclass-differences heroes-in-the-military napoleonic-wars ...more1 Ellen Klock410 2

The Prince Regent has ordered an ornamental jeweled mummy funerary mask from the tomb of the Pharaoh Amun-re from a procurer of antiquities, the wealthy Indian Prince Edward Duleep Singh, who has delivered several unusual artifacts over the years. After the money and the dealer have both disappeared, the Regent's favorite detectives, Captain Jack Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne, are once again called upon to solve the mystery in An Egyptian Affair by Cheryl Bolen, Book 4 in the Regent Mysteries Series.

Traveling to Cairo are the husband and wife team along with Daphne's younger sister Rosemary who is fascinated with all things Egypt. Joining them as an interpreter is Mr Stanton Maxwell, a brilliant young Cambridge scholar who is an expert on Orientology, fluent in numerous languages, and the author of several books. Along with Habeeb, their dragoman, who assists in the cultural exchanges, plus various characters they meet along the way, the scene is set to discover the answers to their questions.

Perhaps this book could be referred to as an historical travelogue as the visitors from England travel from Alexandria to Cairo and visit the Sphinx and the Pyramids. Of course during the Regency era, Egypt was a great unknown, especially for the British as France had a more prevalent presence in that country. While there were several scholars of "The Orient", most Europeans were ignorant and viewed expensive artifacts, such as a sarcarphagus, from this area as exotic. In order to be true to the time period, the limited knowledge of the participants distracted from the storyline, with explanations more lectures than plot developments. It didn't help that the mystery was lame, the dialogue repetitive, and the characters one dimensional. The romance consisted of the developing relationship between Daphne's sister Rosemary and the Egyptian expert Mr. Maxwell with a love triangle resulting after the unexpected arrival of Captain Cooper (a former crush from Rosemary's season in London) who randomly appears on the scene, proposing marriage to a girl he barely noticed in England. Romantic feelings are limited to kissing, as the women are constrained by the mores of the times. Anything more promiscuous is only alluded to and left to the imagination. There is not much to keep ones interest resulting in a book which seems longer than its 250 pages. Better luck next time. Two and a half stars.

This ARC was poured by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.1 Leslie MarshmanAuthor 24 books532

Lord Jack Dryden and his wife, Lady Daphne, travel to Egypt on behalf of their Prince Regent on a two-part investigative mission: track down an antiquities dealer who has disappeared and find the valuable mummy’s mask the dealer had promised to procure for the Regent’s collection. They are accompanied by Lady Daphne’s sister, Rosemary, and an Egyptologist named Stanton Maxwell.

The trip involves intrigue, danger, kidnapping and murder, with a touch of humor that keeps the reader smiling. Although some of the players are revealed along the way, the story keeps you guessing up to the end. Ms. Bolen writes actions scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat, whether during swordfights or pyramid explorations. She also weaves in the sights, sounds and atmosphere of Egypt, from the desert heat to the colorful Cairo bazaar.

Besides the continuing romance between Lord Dryden and his wife, the romantic thread in An Egyptian Affair revolves around Rosemary’s infatuation with Captain Cooper of His Majesty’s Dragoons and Mr. Maxwell’s infatuation with Rosemary.

Although An Egyptian Affair is the fourth book in Ms. Bolen’s lighthearted series of Regent Mysteries, it’s the first one I’ve read and I had no trouble catching up on previously-presented characters and their backstories. Just enough information was given to help me identify everyone without bogging me down in a rehash of previous books. But now I’m looking forward to going back to the first book in the series, With His Ladies Assistance, and catching up with the whole series.
1 Inishowen Cailín817 44

Book 4 in the series but can be read as a standalone. I haven't read the others in the series.
I love historical mystery romances and I was immediately drawn to 'An Egyptian Affair' for this reason. There was just enough mystery to keep my interest but nothing very gripping. I would have d a more menacing atmosphere and a build up of tension. With the story being set in Egypt there is plenty of scope to give it a more gothic feel and I was disappointed that the author didn't use this opportunity. There was some suspense when Rosemary was abducted but this was resolved very swiftly. The love triangle between Rosemary, Captain Cooper and Mr. Maxwell was not very believable and I didn't feel that Captain Cooper was necessary to the story. I d Mr. Maxwell but I didn't care much for Rosemary. At nineteen years old she has a lot of growing up to do and her immaturity is reflected in her flighty nature and silly dialogue.1 Judith Anderson57

Tedious

Thank goodness I finally finished this mess.

I am usually a fast reader, but this book was so poor - predictable plot, one dimensional characters, and only a partial story. It took days to read.

The high point was the explanation of a mix up of what is upper and what is lower Egypt.

Otherwise, even the Egyptology is bad. I have been in the King's Chamber of the great pyramid and the sarcophagus is a very distinct red granite, not the colorless blob described. There is also no way the rock fall in that room could have occurred.

This had looked so promising - the Regency period, which I love, and an adventure in one of my favorite countries.

Instead it was a many days reading of what appears to be a series of adventures, in an ongoing battle with a Frenchman.I

This is not a real book, just a partial story about what appear to be ongoing characters. GG554 9

I was hoping to Book 4, but I don't. Jack and Daphne remain the same. They take Rosemary, Daphne 's sister, with them to Cairo on a mission for the Regent. With them is an expert in Egyptology Stanton Maxwell. I d him immediately, but Rosemary was too young to appreciate his good qualities. She is into a shallow handsome Captain who doesn't seem all that smart. The story drags in the middle. And then suddenly it was over. There is a HEA for Rosemary and Maxwell. Even that comes in the final pages. Mary746 59

This is my least favorite book in the series. On another quest for the Prince Regent finds Captain Jack Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne journeying to Egypt, along with Daphne's youngest sister Rosemary. The plotline is too convoluted and outlandish to make this a good read. I am extremely disappointed with this book because I really enjoyed the firat 3 books and hate to see a series end in a whimper instead of a bang.fiction historical literature ...more A G216

History, mystery, and romance

Love the true bits of history with the ongoing mystery and romance in this series. Love hearing more on Egypt at this time and the description of the beauty and the problems in the locale.

Romance Level: closed door for the married couple and a few kisses. Donna59 1 follower

Good book

This was a good book. It kept me turning pages. I mysteries and this book was mostly that in my opinion with some romance sprinkled here and there. The scenes described mainly described kissing. So if you are looking for a traditional Regency romance this book will probably not be your cup of tea. Kay Hudson427 6

An Egyptian Affair is the fourth installment in Cheryl Bolen’s light-hearted Regent Mystery series, continuing the adventures of Captain Jack Dryden, former spy for the Duke of Wellington, and his wife and investigating partner, Lady Daphne.

The Prince Regent has turned over a substantial sum of money to a trusted Indian dealer in antiquities, Prince Edward Duleep Singh, for the purchase of a golden mask of the mummy of the pharaoh Amun-re. Now the dealer, the money, and the mask have all gone missing in Egypt, and the Regent wants Jack and Daphne to track them down.

Jack is more than ready for the job, but he thinks it may be too dangerous for Daphne (not to mention her propensity for sea-sickness). Daphne, however, is not about to be left at home, and the Regent agrees. Jack can hardly refuse when the Regent announces he will send ten of his own House Guards as security, and Stanton Maxwell, a young but renowned Orientologist, as guide and interpreter.

With Daphne’s youngest sister, Rosemary, along for the voyage, the party arrives in Egypt, where they are welcomed by Ralph Arbuthnot of the British Consulate in Cairo. Their trip down the Nile, complete with naked farm workers on shore, serves to convince the British travelers that they’re definitely not in London any more.

Cairo swarms with suspicious characters. Habeeb, the local dragoman hired for them by Arbuthnot, disappears from time to time. Gareth Williams, a deserter from Jack’s company at the Battle of Badajoz, pops up when least expected. What does the Turkish Pasha who rules the country know about the missing antiquities dealer? Is Ahmed Hassein, a rival antiquities dealer, not quite the “friendly competitor” he claims to be? And what about rival antiquities collector Sheik al Mustafa? Or Lord Beddington, the British explorer whose location is so hard to pin down?

Before long Jack and Daphne have discovered a murder, and things only become more complicated when Rosemary disappears from her tent during a visit to the pyramids.

Jack and Daphne take the reader on a tour of early nineteenth century Egypt while searching for answers to their many questions. An Egyptian Affair combines exotic locations, mysterious disappearances, and a bit of romance into a very entertaining story.e-books mystery Eileen Dandashi542 17

I normally read Cheryl Bolen’s historical romances which are light and quite humorous. This is the first of her mysteries I've read. I wanted to read this one because I’m familiar with the Middle East and this story took place in Egypt.

I enjoyed the forward which gave me some idea when archaeological expeditions got started. The French were very prevalent in Egypt during the year when this story takes place, less so the British. Both had interest in the Suez Canal which would shorten trade routes to India and the Orient where much wealth was coveted—silks, teas, etc.

Captain Jack Dryden a man who chafed from living an unadventurous life once his time with Wellington was over, was happy to take the job Regent Prince had asked of him – to locate an Indian, Prince Edward Duleep Singh, active in the purchase of priceless art throughout the Orient. amun reThe Regent prince had purchased an ornamental mummy’s mask coming from the coffin of pharaoh Amum-re. But he seemed to have disappeared—disappearing in Cairo.

Lady Daphne, Captain Jack’s husband was quite intelligent and worked alongside her husband to solve certain mysteries in the past. This expedition was very enlightening for all parties. Ms. Bolen’s character Stanton Maxwell was quite the tour guide for the three traveling together. Things start to erode as events seemingly accidental at first, became real danger. So not only do you have a mystery needing to be solved –where is the Indian prince, but who is trying to kill Rosemary, Lady Daphne’s sister?Mosque-of-Ibn-Tulunfelucca

Stanton Maxwell is a character with many sides and interesting to follow. I enjoyed the tour, the excitement, history and danger! Westeners know so little about Cairo. Ms. Bolen takes us to Ibn Tulun Mosque, we sail on a felucca, we visit Khan El Kahlili Market, we learn what a dragoman is, we go to Ezbeekiya Square and of course enter the Great Pyramid. I’ve added khan el khalilipictures of some of these places so you can better envision the mystic of the story.
Lis Carey2,193 117

The Prince Regent asks his favorite investigators, Captain Jack Dryden and Lady Daphne Dryden, to take on another case. His long-time source of Oriental, especially Egyptian, artifacts for his collection, Prince Singh, has vanished. Even more annoying, he vanished before delivering the latest item he'd sold to the regent, the death mask of Amon-Re. So Jack and Lady Daphne will go to Egypt and attempt to find both the man and the mask. For the protection of Lady Daphne, beloved eldest daughter of Lord Sidworth, For the benefit of the investigation, he also sends with them Dr. Stanton Maxwell, speaker of Arabic and expert on Egypt and its artifacts. For reasons that make no sense at all, Lady Daphne decides to take along her youngest sister, Lady Rosemary, who is very intelligent, very interested in Egypt, and as naive and susceptible as any stereotypical young Regency miss barely past her first Season.

Their investigation not only uncovers one murder; it triggers another, as well as a booby trap in an ancient pyramid, and the kidnapping of Lady Rosemary. There is also a love triangle involving Lady Rosemary, Stanton Maxwell, and Rosemary's crush from her Season, Captain Cooper, whose assets appear to consist of an excellent physique, a handsome face, and mastery of the basics of Regency manners. They do not include either an especially charming personality or much in the way of moral character. We know exactly where this is going from the time we meet Captain Cooper, if not from the moment Lady Rosemary and Stanton Maxwell meet.

This is a light, entertaining story without much substance, and a number of errors that aren't fatal to the story, but do detract from it. A pleasant enough way to spend a couple of hours, but not memorable.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.fiction historical-fiction mystery AnnMarie1,211 34

An Egyptian Affair by Cheryl Bolen is the fouth book in her Regent Mystery series. It can easily be read as a stand alone book, but as I love this author's work, I have read the rest of the books in the series. Just so you know, they are all as great as this one.

In this story, Captain Jack Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne, who prefers to be called Mrs Dryden, such is her love for her husband, are put into service by the Prince Regent. A friend of his, who also happens to have been sent to Cairo to purchase a very expensive antiquity on the Prince's behalf, has gone missing. The Regent wants Jack and Daphne to go to Cairo to investigate what's happened to him.

Although Jack and Daphne are THE most romantic married couple, the romance in this story comes from Lady Rosemary, Daphne's sister. She's enamoured with an army soldier, but without even realising it, she starts to feel some affection towards Max Stanton who is along on the journey as an interpreter. He is also England's most imminent expert on Egyptology.

Romance, although present, takes a back seat to the main mystery aspect of this story, so if you are looking for a hugely romantic book, this perhaps isn't the one for you. BUT if you are looking for a fabulous story of intrigue, mystery, drama, and some lovely light hearted moments too, then this IS the book for you. Add to that the perfect setting of Egypt, where the author in her writing tells us a lot of fascinating facts about the place, and you really do have the most wonderful story. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I absolutely 100% recommend this book and hope that there will be another one to follow. One can never have too many Cheryl Bolen books! Dawn Pearson415 6

Note: I was given a complimentary copy for an honest review.

Primarily set in Cairo, Egypt, this story is about how Captain Jack Dryden and his wife, Lady Daphne, solve the mystery of a missing Indian Prince and a lost funerary mask.

Having read the author before, I was eager to read her work again. However, I should have paid attention to the fact that this was a mystery first / romance second and not the other way around. Nevertheless, I pressed on and finished the book as promised.

As a mystery, the plot is nicely laid out and systematic. I suspected the villain, but it wasn't until the end that everything came together. Unfortunately, it didn't draw me in I expect a mystery should. I didn't find it "gripping."

As a romance, the romantic interests were secondary characters - Lady Daphne's sister, Lady Rosemary, and their guide and interpreter, Cambridge scholar Stanton Maxwell. Their relationship was developed nicely and I didn't sense anything was rushed. Lady Rosemary was, at times, a ditz and I got frustrated with her, but she woke up to her mistakes and corrected them.

Unfortunately, the copy I was provided was riddled with typos and editing mistakes. Less than 5, and I won't say anything. But, I started casually marking them and reached almost 30 errors. I can only hope that I was provided an early copy and not the final edition that is posted.

Will I read this author again? Absolutely, but I'll make sure it's a different series. I'm not a huge fan of mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed her other book.

Romance - PG - kissing, and allusions to "dancing girls" and "white slavery."
Language - PG - some common British curse words

My rating - 3 stars eyes.2c2,785 80

regency mystery in exotic places

Captain Jack Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne Dryden are off on a dangerous mission for the Prince Regent. The place Cairo, the goal, investigating the fate of a missing antiques dealer--friend to the Prince and the artifact that was being sought on behalf of the Prince.
Jack would to keep his wife safely at home. Daphne is already picturing the romance and manifest mysteries of the alluring Egypt. The Prince Regent includes soldiers to protect the party and one Stanton Maxwell, a foremost Egyptology scholar. Daphne is persuaded to bring her younger sister Rosemary, an Egyptian enthusiast.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the hot sands of Egypt encasing the reader as events race alongside opposing reports by British inhabitants, murder, kidnapping and romance.
One can picture the bustling humanity of the bazaars and the dark threat of alleyways.
I enjoyed Jack and Daphne as a couple, their interplay and modes of address and Jack's way of covering up Daphne's social gaffes due to her innocence. Rosemary comes into her own, rather slowly one must admit. Maxwell Stanton is a wonderful character--shy yet protective, brave yet unassuming, learned yet modest. A complete contrast to the air headed, handsome Captain Cooper of His Majesty's Dragoons that Rosemary is languishing over. A plethora of fast moving action and atmosphere with light touches of romance.
I do need to read the preceding novels in the series.

A NetGalley ARCnetgalley regency-mysteries Rosemary K2,120 44

Captain Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne are embarking on another investigation for the Regent. They are going to Egypt to locate a missing prince and a valuable mummy's mask in his possession. Lady Rosemary, Daphne's sister, and Stanton Maxwell, an expert in Orientology, will be part of their party. Will they be successful? This journey is filled with danger, deadly enemies and romance. Egypt provided a perfect setting. It's filled with history and harsh conditions that test the strength of our travelers. As they investigate, they find getting the truth is difficult. Their unknown adversary will stop at nothing to derail their investigation. This story captured my attention from the first page. I needed to know if they would triumph. The characters are interesting and able. The love between Jack and Daphne is heartwarming. I, also, enjoy Rosemary's interaction with Mr. Maxwell. I did want her to fall in love with him. They had such a connection. An Egyptian Affair was a fast-paced adventure. I can't wait for the next book in The Regent Mysteries series. Psusan820 4

Having not read the other books concerning Captain Jack Dryden and his wife Lady Daphne I thought perhaps I would feel as if I was missing something. However, I did not. An Egyptian Affair by Cheryl Bolen just fine as a stand-alone.

I found the characters to be engaging but the plot is fairly predictable. A secondary character, Lady Rosemary provides a bit of extra drama keeping the story’s interest going. The plot flows as one would expect from an accomplished writer such as Cheryl Bolen.

It is historical fiction giving the reader a vivid mind’s eye picture of Cairo and Egypt in general with the attention to setting details. So while none of the events in themselves were surprising, it gives the reader a pleasant visit back in time to an exotic place. Fans of Dorothy Gilman and Barbara Michaels will want to be sure to check out this series.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.


Jen193 1 follower

I really wanted to this book. It was too similar to Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series. While I applaud Bolen's technique of staying in Victorian style and gender roles, it seemed she was also trying to make Daphne into an independent, 'modern' woman. Yet, she still 'got the vapors,' clung to/deferred to her husband. I get it; that's the way it was in that time frame and Bolen did a good job of maintaining that. I'm not beating the feminist drum here. There is a place for keeping things in historical context. I also felt that the book had a hard time bridging the gap between being a mystery or a romance. It just didn't work for me. That being said, thank you for the opportunity to try this book. Dennis Hinton69

England & Enchantment, Excitement + Egypt

I have always enjoyed reading Cheryl's books tremendously. It is wonderful to know that her writing abilities include the romance and mystery genre's. My earliest reading experience was my sister's collection of Agatha Christie mysteries. They are what initially began my lifelong pursuit of collecting and reading all manner of book and topic. (I've had to have bookshelves built to accommodate my favorites & swap, donate or sell the rest!)
Thanks for so masterfully merging two of my favorites. I will be looking with anticipation online soon to find your other "Regent Mysteries" series installments.
On to the next,... Nancy1,197 23

I enjoyed the mystery of the story. Takes place after the Napoleonic Wars in Cairo. Captain Jack Dryden and his wife, Lady Daphne are asked by the Regent to find out what happened to a mask he had purchased and was never delivered to him. In their party is Lady Daphne's sister, Lady Rosemary and Mr. Maxwell who has written a book and is very knowledgeable about Egypt. They do some exploring and then find dead bodies, Lady Rosemary is abducted and many other interesting things happen. Who is behind it all and how to stop them. Read this for yourself to find out. Leyla Johnson1,358 15

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