About the Book
Book: The Cairo Curse
Author: Pepper Basham
Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical Fiction / Romance / Adventure / Mystery
Release date: February 1, 2023
Clue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide.
Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their
fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the
mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is
prepared for the dangers in store. From an assortment of untrustworthy
adventure-seekers to a newly discovered tomb with a murderous secret,
Frederick and Grace must lean on each other to navigate their dangerous
surroundings. As the suspects mount in an antiquities’ heist of ancient
proportions, will Frederick and Grace’s attempts to solve the mystery
lead to another death among the sands?
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Pepper Basham
is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and
humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and
contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards,
Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer,
was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap
series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for
humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of
Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language
pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats,
and Jesus.
You can learn more about Pepper at her website http://www.pepperdbasham.com or connect with her on FB, IG, or Twitter
Read an Excerpt from the Book!
February 1914, Havensbrook
Gunfire erupted from outside, sending Frederick Percy, Earl of
Astley, leaping from his chair. The seat crashed against the floor
behind him in time with another shot. What on earth! He grabbed the
first weapon-like item he could find—his grandfather’s cane—and dashed
toward the sound, nearly colliding with his butler moving in the same
direction.
“Did you hear the gunfire, Brandon?”
The older gentleman’s brows rose as high as they could go without
becoming part of his snowy hairline. “Indeed, my lord. From the south
garden, if I guess correctly, sir.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Frederick tapped the cane against the floor
and took a step in the direction of the garden door. Then stopped, a
sudden sense of dread forming a lump in his stomach. His butler’s
response was much too cavalier for an emergency. “Have you seen Lady
Astley of late, Brandon?”
“Not since after breakfast, sir.”
“Well, then.” Frederick returned to his office for his own pistol and
prayed whatever inspired a gunshot near his home would prove more
benign than dangerous. After surviving several near-death experiences
over the past Christmas season, Frederick was quite finished with drama
for a while. Though drama seemed to follow his new bride in spades.
He met the butler back in the hallway.
“Might I offer an insight, sir?”
Frederick pivoted in his approach to the door and turned back to Brandon. “Insight?”
“Yes, sir.” The man released a deep sigh which pulled his pristine
posture into a slight slump. He then sent Frederick a look which somehow
inspired a grimace before Frederick even heard the man’s words. “Her
ladyship was speaking with Mr. Blake after breakfast, sir.”
“Mr. Blake?” Frederick rolled his gaze heavenward, the tension in his
jaw uncoiling into a slight annoyance that manifested in an ache over
his right eyebrow. He loved his cousin. There was no man Frederick
trusted more. But for some reason, the idea of Blake and Grace together
followed by the sound of gunfire did not bode well.
For anyone.
“About pistols, my lord.”
And the answers emerged, along with an increased throbbing in Frederick’s head. “Thank you, Brandon.”
Setting a slower pace, he moved toward the south side of his manor
house, another shot reverberating nearer. Within a month since
Christmas, his American wife had learned how to drive the car and throw
knives, two skills she appeared to excel in more than knowing the
fashion of the season or how to address the complicated hierarchy of the
aristocracy. His lips almost split into a grin as he recalled her
stumbling over addressing the Duke of Westonbridge two weeks ago by
calling him “Your Honorable Lord” and then in quick correction, “Your
Grace, or at least I hope you are since I fumbled your title so
atrociously.”
Of course the duke had fallen under Grace’s spell within five
minutes, as everyone else who met her seemed to do since she’d moved to
his crumbling Derbyshire estate two months earlier. Well, everyone
except the villainess who’d tried to kill them just before Christmas.
But that was hopefully a distant story, and their next chapter would be a
lovely, peaceful belated honeymoon—he increased his steps at the
idea—with a little surprise tagged on for his lovely Lady Astley.
Frederick nodded a good afternoon to the police officer
inconspicuously posted near the house so that Frederick’s mother could
work out her sentence of house arrest in connection with his father and
brother’s deaths. He released a sigh. No, she was no murderess, unless
glares and harsh words counted, but she’d harbored information that
could have protected others. The law had been gracious with her due to
her age and status, merely revoking her freedoms from leaving
Havensbrook, so his mother’s life stayed very much as it had since
Frederick’s father’s death; however, the added blemish of “criminal” to
her reputation ensured she spent her days away from the public eye.
And if the police officer appeared in no great distress over the gunfire, Frederick knew all too well what must be happening.
Just around the edge of the house, a large garden opened to the
south, its walls still well intact, though ivy-grown and tangled.
Another shot reverberated through the damp air, followed quickly by
laughter and his wife’s exuberant exclamation of “I hit it.”
Frederick’s lips pinched into a frown. Why he ever expected his
cousin Blake to mind Frederick’s subtle requests was beyond him! The
garden gate stood open, welcoming him forward into an even more tangled
array of vines and twined greenery, the winter roses, a remnant of the
garden’s healthier days, sleeping until spring.
He hadn’t had the means to make things right with Havensbrook before
but, with Grace’s wealth and her generous heart, he could now. Another
way to make amends for the past, he hoped, though
God had already bestowed on him much more than he deserved.
His cousin stood to the right, hands on the hips of his gray suit
jacket, but Frederick’s gaze followed Blake’s focus to the woman in the
center of the garden. Her bright auburn hair was twisted up beneath a
deep purple hat that matched her coat, both in contrast to her pale
skin. Her laughter echoed toward him, so filled with joy and hope. Two
things he’d thought lost forever before he’d met her.
Yes, God had given him much more than he deserved, and sometimes, he wondered if God had given him more than he could manage.
Blog Stops
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 23
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 23
Bigreadersite, February 23
By The Book, February 24
Just Your Average reviews, February 24
Remembrancy, February 24
Sylvan Musings, February 24
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 25 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 25
Mary Hake, February 25
Worthy2Read, February 26
Christina’s Corner, February 26
Texas Book-aholic, February 26
Betti Mace, February 27
The Sacred Line, February 27
deb’s Book Review, February 27
Lily’s Book Reviews, February 28
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 28
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 28
Labor Not in Vain, February 28
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 1
Cover Lover Book Review, March 1
Daysong Reflections, March 1
Hebrews 12 Endurance, March 2
Wishful Endings, March 2
Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 2
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 3
Simple Harvest Reads, March 3 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Rebecca Tews, March 3
Connie’s History Classroom, March 4
Blogging With Carol, March 4
To Everything There Is A Season, March 4
Cathe Swanson, March 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 5
Artistic Nobody, March 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Where Faith and Books Meet, March 6
For Him and My Family, March 6
Holly’s Book Corner, March 6
She Lives To Read, March 7
Splashes of Joy, March 7
Pause for Tales, March 7
Back Porch Reads, March 8
Blossoms and Blessings, March 8
Through the Fire Blogs, March 8
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving
away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback
copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
GIVEAWAY
My Thoughts
Oh what a story this book holds! I love Pepper Basham's writing and this story takes the reader on quite the adventure. It very much reminded me of the movie The Mummy and that made me smile the whole way through. We first met Freddie and Grace in The Mistletoe Countess so this book takes up a little bit after that one. Grace's character is truly one of a kind and she just made me giggle. I love the fun romance and the slight mystery that threads through the pages. The setting of Egypt is unique and I was excited for something new! While I didn't love this book so much as the first one it was still a fun read.
Four Stars.
" I received this book from the publisher for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
An Appalachian Girl Seeks a Place to Belong
Pepper Basham
