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Book Review By Harriet Klausner
Year of the Hyenas by Brad Geagley



Simon & Schuster, Mar 2005, 23.00, 291 pp.
ISBN: 074325080X

In 1153 BC Thebes, the Clerk of Investigations and Secrets Semerket is sent to find out who killed the Priestess Hetephras. His superiors selected him because they assume that the alcoholic acrimonious loser will fail. Then they can fire him for incompetence, but not before they blame him to the masses who demand the killer face vigilante justice; the pathetic Semerket would make a fine substitute as far as his bosses are concerned.

However, shockingly Semerket digs deep and soon uncovers tomb robbers that he begins to believe may be connected to his murder investigation. As he uncovers more clues, he begins to realize that this simple murder and related robberies are just the surface covering up a conspiracy that he believes places the Pharaoh in peril. As Semerket drinks to ease his fears of what to do without losing his head, his decision making process is stolen from him when his beloved becomes a target.

Harriet Klausner


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 80%
Murder of certain profession?
Kind of investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
descript. of violence and chases - 10 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - power
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
Africa Yes
Part of Africa: - Arabic Africa

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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