Whispers in the Sand

 

This is the first time I've read a novel by this author and it was an experience. The story is about a recent divorcee named Anna who decides to follow the path of her great-great-grandmother Louisa's journey through Egypt on a Nile cruise. To accompany her, she brings along Louisa's diary of the trip and a little glass scent bottle that was handed down to her. While on the cruise, she meets an incredibly eclectic mix of characters and together they all participate in or exacerbate the mystery surrounding the scent bottle. There is a mix of hauntings, ghostly sightings, mysterious characters, annoying characters and victorian vs. present day Egypt. 

Overall, it was a fun and engaging read. I've always been interested in Egypt so it motivated me to look into Nile cruises. Besides that, the beginning of the story started off very well with the main mystery plot line of the book showing up pretty quickly. However, it devolved into multiple and confusing story lines that affected the main characters (Anna and Louisa) in ways that I could never understand. I started off wanting to like Anna but ended up frustrated with her. If you've ever read anything by this author, you know her preference for ending novels. If you don't, I won't tell. If you're really curious, I'll let you know offline. Overall, it's a quick and easy read for those lazy days when you don't want to activate your brain