I am taking a trip down memory lane, looking at treasured photographs of my travels in Egypt, since it’s not currently possible to visit for real due to the global pandemic. Many of the fabulous places to see in Egypt have formed the backdrop location for key scenes in my fiction series following Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt. Merry is good at getting herself into scrapes. She’s also good at unlocking secrets from ancient Egypt’s mysterious past. Set in the present-day, I think of my books as ancient mysteries wrapped up in modern adventure stories.
Book 4 in the series, Farouk’s Fancies, moves the action on from where we left Merry at the end of Book 3. She is now living onboard a dahabeeyah. These are traditional Nile sailboats, pioneered by Thomas Cook when he first started taking paying tourists to see the splendors along the Nile. He took the basic design from prototypes carved onto the tomb and temple walls in Egypt. Smaller and more intimate than the modern cruise boats, they are able to visit more sites along both banks of The Nile, offering an alternative for discerning travellers.
Much of the action in Farouk’s Fancies taken place in the wonderful Winter Palace Hotel. Dating from the 1880s, this is where the Earl of Carnarvon stayed while he and Howard Carter were searching the Valley of the Kings for Tutankhamun’s Tomb. I don’t imagine much has changed in the public areas since their day. I imagine they could walk into the Lobby through the big wooden revolving door and still recognize it and feel very much at home.
Merry attends a lecture held in the huge Victorian Lounge, given by an author who is setting out his theories about how Pharaonic Egypt links to the Old Testament of The Bible.
There is a mystery attached to an illusive old lady who lives in a suite of rooms at The Winter Palace, leading off one of the lofty corridors.
When a visitor to Luxor goes missing, Merry and her companions meet in the beautiful grounds of The Winter Palace hoping he might put in an appearance.
One of the key scenes in the book takes place in The Western Valley, a remote branch of the famous Valley of the Kings. Merry is good at marching in where angels would fear to tread, and this is no exception! There are a few royal tombs in the Western Valley, including that of Pharaoh Ay, who came to the throne after the death of Tutankhamun.
The action shifts back to The Winter Palace hotel, where Merry inadvertently spends a rather uncomfortable afternoon outside on a window ledge, from where she has to be rescued.
Finally back on board the dahabeeyah, Merry realists she has all the pieces to wrap up this latest puzzle. I hope you’ve enjoyed looking at my Egyptian photo album, and that you might consider reading my books, all available on Amazon. If so, I suggest you start with Book 1, Carter’s Conundrums.
Fiona Deal, Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt, fiction books all available on Amazon. To join Merry on her adventures please click on each picture for the link.
Cover of Carter’s Conundrums. Book 1 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Tutankhamun’s Triumph. Book 2 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Hatshepsut’s Hideaway. Book 3 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Farouk’s Fancies. Book 4 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Akhenaten’s Alibi. Book 5 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Seti’s Secret. Book 6 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Belzoni’s Bequest. Book 7 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Nefertari’s Narrative. Book 8 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Ramses’ Riches. Book 9 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.
Fiona Deal 
Hi Fiona These bring back memories. We had a room overlooking the garden, it was beautiful. Happy days, hopefully they’ll come again soon 😁 Jenny
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Hi Jenny, yes, I love looking at the photographs as a way of bringing it all flooding back. The Winter Palace gardens are beautiful. Thanks for your comment 🙂 Fiona
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