The Secret of Anu: An Archeological Thriller (The Mike Naeli series Book 2)
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If you like Archaeological Thrillers such as THE ARK FILES and THE TITANIC DECEPTION. If you like works by Authors LUKE RICHARDSON and KEVIN TUMLINSON, then The SECRET OF ANU by Author MICHAEL T. WAYWARD is a great choice for you.
Cairo, 1930
Ibrahim is tired and sleepy. He wishes he were at home with his wife and daughter, eating hummus and falafel. The end of the night shift is not far off. He inspects the museum rooms one last time, everything is in order as usual, when he suddenly hears a thud. It seemed to be coming from the basement, but nobody could have got in there, not least because there are only two entrances, one from the upper floor, just opposite his office, and another from the old cellars, walled up in 1901. Rats. Perhaps the little beasts have knocked over a few shelves. It happens sometimes.
Ibrahim eats honey cake from a dark paper bag and heats water and tea leaves in a copper pot. The flame of a small wood stove is the only company he feels he needs to fight boredom. War is just around the corner. The British have sent two battleships to Alexandria. Someone is protesting in the streets, and on the walls, people are praising Mustafa al-Nahhas, the new party leader. The newspaper al-Liwāʾ says that there will soon be new clashes, that we must prepare ourselves.
Damned British, they don’t want to know about leaving! That thud again. Now louder than before, much louder than before. Ibrahim gets up from his stool and puts his ear to the gate leading to the cellar. Silence. He carries only a well-sharpened dagger and a wooden stick so short and thin that it looks like a pharaoh’s sceptre. He tries to sit down again, but now a distant sound seems to shake the walls.
One blow after another, like thunder. Ibrahim picks up a large bundle of keys and an oil lamp with a slightly chipped handle. His hands shake and the iron creaks. The dull thud of a giant’s knuckles on a wall echo through the museum. He feels the sweat trickle down his forehead. It was not so hot in his office. He feels sick. It had never occurred to him to go down to these rooms at this time of night. Strange stories are told about them. The lamp barely illuminates the contours of the damp walls when a spider the size of a watermelon brushes against his ankle. The squeak of frightened rats at the sight of fire has always been unbearable to him. Blessed rats, no way to get rid of them! The walls sway. Dust and debris are raining down harder than usual.
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The front page of al-Ahram, the king’s newspaper, flutters in the hands of the hawkers. The main news today is not about England and Suez, but about a theft that took place during the night at the Egyptian Museum. Several papyri, including one of the most precious, depicting the Great Red Pyramid of Dahshur, have disappeared into thin air. The museum’s curator, originally from Cairo, was found dead in his office. The circumstances of his death are unclear. The man’s neck and face are marked by a large Lichtenberg figure, particularly concentrated in the periocular area. There are also traces of other electrical branches of the same type in the middle of the back. Investigators cannot rule out the possibility that the 35-year-old was struck by one or more lightning strikes while inside the museum. The ministry has ordered an autopsy.
The story unfolds with a NASA engineer finding himself embroiled in a shadowy international conspiracy led by a European organization with ancient roots. As the plot thickens, the organization unveils its audacious plan to liberate humanity from the shackles of energy slavery, challenging the existing world order.
It captivates readers with its intelligent narrative, well-drawn characters, and a plot that skillfully balances suspense and intellectual stimulation. A must-read for fans of thought-provoking thrillers that push the boundaries of conventional storytelling.