The Museum Detective by Maha Khan Phillips

THE MUSEUM DETECTIVE by Maha Khan Phillips is an intriguing mystery set in Karachi, Pakistan. The main character is Gul Delani, an archeologist who is called upon to assist with police inquiries when a mummy is discovered. Phillips notes, “studying history was always like this, Gul had learned: you had to piece together narratives that were conflicting, and biased, and human if you were going to create a logical arc.” Readers will learn quite a bit about antiquities and the forensics involved; plus, they will likely sympathize with Gul who is saddened and frustrated by her niece’s disappearance three years earlier. Frankly, some of that plot tangent did not totally coalesce for me (including references to broken fingers on different hands) but overall, the characters were likeable, the suspense was maintained, and the setting added significantly to the appeal. I am looking forward to more in this new series which received a starred review from Library Journal (“Inspired by true events, this series opener … contains chilling, heart-pounding twists … There is a delicate balance between Gul’s professional investigation and her personal crisis regarding her family, all while being aided by a stalwart crew of friends and colleagues.”).