Picked by Dead Egyptians fans

Here are 9 books that Dead Egyptians fans have personally recommended once you finish the Dead Egyptians series. Book DNA is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of The Blue Rat

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a background in academia, in the finest liberal arts tradition. Although I am a retired professor in the field of Information technology, I have read extensively in military history, sociology, economics, Buddhist philosophy, mythology and all manner of fantasy fiction. This list of books reflects my favorites, in large part because of their solid writing - as an author, I can no longer tolerate mediocre prose. I am always eager to share my favorite fantasy fiction with other readers who love deeply complicated stories with unforgettable characters.

Ross' book list on underappreciated books that defy categorization (which is why they don’t have a bigger audience)

Ross Hightower Why Ross loves this book

Again, not a fantasy, but I still think it fits the category because it defies easy categorization.

What separates this from the standard noir thriller are the wacky characters and whip-smart plot – part Dashiell Hammet, part Carl Hiassen.

What elevates it is the author’s willingness to explore how his protagonist can stop evil without compromising his basic human values in the process. Another deeply weird, deeply satisfying read. 

By Michael Hartnett ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Blue Rat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

El Buscador has long been legendary for revealing, to select visitors, New York's secrets. Now he confronts his greatest challenge: the real estate mogul Timothy Terrance Tolland has been erecting skyscrapers at an alarming rate. Tolland's mysterious construction at Canal Street threatens to tear the city's fabric. Aided by a group of investigative reporters, El Buscador looks to bring Tolland down before his building forever transforms the skyline.

But the battle also goes on below the street as Tolland has initiated a campaign of dyeing the city's rats blue so that the vermin become as much of his brand as…


Book cover of Mother of Trees

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a background in academia, in the finest liberal arts tradition. Although I am a retired professor in the field of Information technology, I have read extensively in military history, sociology, economics, Buddhist philosophy, mythology and all manner of fantasy fiction. This list of books reflects my favorites, in large part because of their solid writing - as an author, I can no longer tolerate mediocre prose. I am always eager to share my favorite fantasy fiction with other readers who love deeply complicated stories with unforgettable characters.

Ross' book list on underappreciated books that defy categorization (which is why they don’t have a bigger audience)

Ross Hightower Why Ross loves this book

What I loved most about this book is its unusual approach to story structure.

The first chapter read like the script for an indie arthouse film, a monologue that was disconnected to the point of incoherence. Some readers gave up on the book at that point, but I’m so glad I didn’t.

By the end, the author sharpens the image, pulls together all the various subplots, and provides a deeply satisfying conclusion. I am ready to fall into the next book in the series.

By Steven J. Morris ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mother of Trees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A mythical deity. A hidden prophecy. Will fighting her destiny herald death for everyone she loves?

Elliah knows she shouldn't be alive. A youthful wood elf bereft of magic, she's spent her long-lived childhood drifting from town to town as her mother conceals her from those who believe she needs to be culled. Sick of feeling like an outcast, she's intrigued when she meets a young half-breed who encourages her to view her odd nature as a gift instead of a flaw.

When a misstep draws undue attention, Elliah and her mother quickly leave the village in the company of…


Book cover of Vibrations in the Field

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a background in academia, in the finest liberal arts tradition. Although I am a retired professor in the field of Information technology, I have read extensively in military history, sociology, economics, Buddhist philosophy, mythology and all manner of fantasy fiction. This list of books reflects my favorites, in large part because of their solid writing - as an author, I can no longer tolerate mediocre prose. I am always eager to share my favorite fantasy fiction with other readers who love deeply complicated stories with unforgettable characters.

Ross' book list on underappreciated books that defy categorization (which is why they don’t have a bigger audience)

Ross Hightower Why Ross loves this book

While not a fantasy, this book is another genre-bending novel that I could not put down.

It starts out as a straightforward psychological thriller, but quickly expands to include discussions of religion, mental illness, and (no kidding) a treatise on quantum field theory. How it manages to do this while maintaining the tension of a thriller is quite a feat.

Fair warning, the end is very brutal.

By Daniel Burke ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Vibrations in the Field as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Daniel Burke's VIBRATIONS IN THE FIELD is a surprising, scintillating, and hard-hitting blend of intrigue, spirituality, and quantum physics that makes for a truly compelling journey." –IndieReader

Good men take the Hippocratic oath, and evil ones break it. Sweet Jane learned that firsthand.

Young, beautiful, and brilliant, Jane Carter was on the verge of achieving her PhD in quantum physics when they first appeared, visitors from other universes that no one else could see. Desperate to hold on to her dreams, she turned to a psychiatrist whose controversial treatment promised to rid her of the hallucinations and restore her sanity.…


Book cover of Dionysus in Wisconsin

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a background in academia, in the finest liberal arts tradition. Although I am a retired professor in the field of Information technology, I have read extensively in military history, sociology, economics, Buddhist philosophy, mythology and all manner of fantasy fiction. This list of books reflects my favorites, in large part because of their solid writing - as an author, I can no longer tolerate mediocre prose. I am always eager to share my favorite fantasy fiction with other readers who love deeply complicated stories with unforgettable characters.

Ross' book list on underappreciated books that defy categorization (which is why they don’t have a bigger audience)

Ross Hightower Why Ross loves this book

Another fantasy novel that defies expectations.

Is it historical fantasy, urban fantasy, magical realism, or queer romantasy? Once again, the answer is yes. When I try to explain this book to someone, I find myself stuck between what it is and what it is not.

It is simultaneously unrealistic, oddly relatable, and weird. Very, very weird. It is not predictable. That is why I love it.

Book cover of Winged Pharaoh

Del Blackwater Author Of Dead Egyptians

From my list on books about Egyptology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a novelist and travel writer specializing in Egyptology. My research has taken me to Egypt many times, and I write both fiction and nonfiction related to my studies. Like all Egyptologists, I understood from a young age that ‘They that drink of the Nile always return.’ When not hopping across continents, I can be found in Wisconsin, enjoying something I call porch time. 

Del's book list on books about Egyptology

Del Blackwater Why Del loves this book

The debt owed to Joan Grant for her contribution to fiction and Egyptian mysticism is incalculable. On the surface, it is a novel about a young woman training to take her place in Ancient Egyptian society (dynasty one) and learning what it takes to be an acolyte, priestess, and initiate. 

Later in life, Joan Grant implied a shocking amount of the narrative came from her past life memories. Believe what you will. Winged Pharaoh paints a vivid picture of both an era and sect of society little talked about in Egyptology circles. The academics can’t touch these subjects. Luckily for the human race, Joan Grant did.

By Joan Grant ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Winged Pharaoh as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As a child, the astonishing Joan Grant became aware of her uncanny "Far Memory," the ability to recall past incarnations who had lived in long-ago times and far-flung places. Her seven historical novels stand out for their vividness and rich detail. For Joan, these books were not works of the imagination but personal recollections of her previous lives. In Winged Pharaoh, Joan Grant tells the story of Sekeeta, the Pharaoh's daughter. The ancient Egyptians reserved the title of "Winged Pharaoh" for ruler-priests who possessed extra-sensory powers. When Sekeeta demonstrates psychic abilities, she is sent to the temple and trained to…


Book cover of The Ring of Thoth

Del Blackwater Author Of Dead Egyptians

From my list on books about Egyptology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a novelist and travel writer specializing in Egyptology. My research has taken me to Egypt many times, and I write both fiction and nonfiction related to my studies. Like all Egyptologists, I understood from a young age that ‘They that drink of the Nile always return.’ When not hopping across continents, I can be found in Wisconsin, enjoying something I call porch time. 

Del's book list on books about Egyptology

Del Blackwater Why Del loves this book

This book is one of two mummy stories penned by the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He brings his usual mix of scholarship, horror, and romance to this fabulous story of an unauthorized mummy unwrapping in the Louvre Museum after hours. 

A true classic of early horror and the inspiration for countless mummy films in the century to follow.

By Arthur Conan Doyle ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Ring of Thoth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of detective Sherlock Holmes, is the father of crime fiction. Originally published in The Cornhill Magazine in 1890, 'The Ring of Thoth' sees an Egyptologist visit the Louvre and witness a strange event. Many of the earliest occult stories, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.


Book cover of The Shabti

Del Blackwater Author Of Dead Egyptians

From my list on books about Egyptology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a novelist and travel writer specializing in Egyptology. My research has taken me to Egypt many times, and I write both fiction and nonfiction related to my studies. Like all Egyptologists, I understood from a young age that ‘They that drink of the Nile always return.’ When not hopping across continents, I can be found in Wisconsin, enjoying something I call porch time. 

Del's book list on books about Egyptology

Del Blackwater Why Del loves this book

The might of Ancient Egypt, even in the form of one little Shabti, should never be questioned. This book charmed me on so many levels. The haunted artifact in the museum's collection is a force to be reckoned with and provides more than enough intrigue to carry the adventure forward. The two protagonists, Dashiel and Hermann, are flawed, past their prime, and used to living on the fringes of society. I fell in love with both of them, as I did with the larger cast of characters–flim flam or otherwise.

The emotional story is very sweet, which suits the characters perfectly and which is still with me. The setting (greater Chicagoland in the 1930s) is expertly recreated down to the regional and period dialect, which is always delightful. I would absolutely relish a sequel, and this hardcover will never leave my shelf.

By Megaera C. Lorenz ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Shabti as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Can you flimflam a ghost?

It's 1934. Former medium Dashiel Quicke travels the country debunking spiritualism and false mediums while struggling to stay ahead of his ex-business partner and lover who wants him back at any cost. During a demonstration at a college campus, Dashiel meets Hermann Goschalk, an Egyptologist who's convinced that he has a genuine haunted artifact on his hands. Certain there is a rational explanation for whatever is going on with Hermann's relics, Dashiel would rather skip town, but soon finds himself falling for Hermann. He agrees to take a look after all and learns that something…


Book cover of The Mummy

Del Blackwater Author Of Dead Egyptians

From my list on books about Egyptology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a novelist and travel writer specializing in Egyptology. My research has taken me to Egypt many times, and I write both fiction and nonfiction related to my studies. Like all Egyptologists, I understood from a young age that ‘They that drink of the Nile always return.’ When not hopping across continents, I can be found in Wisconsin, enjoying something I call porch time. 

Del's book list on books about Egyptology

Del Blackwater Why Del loves this book

Written in the style of Victorian mummy stories, this is a perfect standalone tale for lovers of Anne Rice or gothic fiction in general. Is the mummy a brilliant philosopher who can teach the modern world wisdom lost to history? Or is the mummy a threat to modern society whose vengeance becomes more severe as time passes? 

Anne Rice tackles the subject of Ancient Egyptian mysticism with style, depth, and, of course, her signature sex appeal. 

By Anne Rice ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Mummy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Ramses the Great returns in this “darkly magical” (USA Today) novel from bestselling author Anne Rice

“The reader is held captive and, ultimately, seduced.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Ramses the Great lives!

But having drunk the elixer of live, he is now Ramses the Damned, doomed forever to wander the earth, desperate to quell hungers that can never be satisfied—for food, for wine, for women.

Reawakened in opulent Edwardian London, he becomes Dr. Ramsey, expert in Egyptology. He also becomes the close companion of voluptuous, adventurous Julie Stratford, heiress to a vast shipping fortune and the center…


Book cover of Crocodile on the Sandbank

Anne Louise Bannon Author Of Death of the Zanjero

From my list on mysteries for evoking a sense of place.

Why am I passionate about this?

Not a lot of guys would appreciate having their wives dump a stiff into the middle of a perfectly lovely lecture. My husband, the archivist, was a little nonplussed. But that’s what happens when you’re married to a mystery writer. And since I write historical mysteries, and the lecture was about the history of Los Angeles, that’s how The Old Los Angeles series happened. I also have the Freddie and Kathy series, set in the 1920s, and the Operation Quickline series, set in the 1980s. And being married to an archivist is not only a blast, it’s a big help.

Anne's book list on mysteries for evoking a sense of place

Anne Louise Bannon Why Anne loves this book

The story may evoke the rip-roaring thrillers of yore in terms of probability, but dang, from the first lines, I was hooked. There is nothing like seeing 19th-century Egypt through the eyes of Amelia Peabody.

I could practically hear the calls of the crowded streets of Cairo, feel the warmth of the desert sand and the spookiness of a night in a canyon. It was not intentional, I promise, but Miss Peabody’s voice may have had the tiniest bit of influence on a certain Victorian lady that I write about–and this book is why.

By Elizabeth Peters ,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked Crocodile on the Sandbank as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters' most brilliant and best-loved creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeology by storm with her shocking men's pants and no-nonsense attitude!

In this first adventure, our headstrong heroine decides to use her substantial inheritance to see the world. On her travels, she rescues a gentlewoman in distress - Evelyn Barton-Forbes - and the two become friends. The two companions continue to Egypt where they face mysteries, mummies and the redoubtable Radcliffe Emerson, an outspoken archaeologist, who doesn't need women to help him solve mysteries -- at least that's what he…