Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep Book Review

About the Book:

The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .

In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.

After eight years in India, Oxford's most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor's determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin--rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk--surfaces, and they're left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . .

My Review:

Griep introduces us to a female heroine at a time when women were not supposed to be so intelligent and bold. It was a time when Egypt artifacts were all the rage. We learn a bit about that topic but the characters by far make this novel fun. Ami is one who “preferred dusty tomes and skeletons to the company of female society.” (127) That she does have to, in fact, be in the presence of a senseless female at some functions yields some good humor. The handsome and wealthy Edmund who has hired her to evaluate a shipment from Egypt provides potential romance.

There is a little spookiness with one of the artifacts supposedly holding a curse. There is some suspense as Ami wanders into danger pursuing artifacts on the black market. I am not sure the villains ring true. That the black market seller, Budge, would spend such time and resources chasing Ami seems unreasonable. Also, we are given the true facts of the other villain near the end of the book. That twist came out of the blue and was disappointing to me. That Edmund did not know this fact seemed unreasonable to me.

This is a good book for readers who like an interesting historical setting, a feisty heroine and other intriguing characters, a good faith message, some humor and a plot that works most of the time.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Michelle Griep has been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayola. She is a Christy Award-winning author of historical romances that both intrigue and evoke a smile. She's an anglophile at heart, and you'll most often find her partaking of a proper cream tea while scheming up her next novel . . . but it's probably easier to find her at MichelleGriep.com or on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Photo credit: Lydia Toll

Bethany House, 368 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)