Breakaway Books

Authored by Maha Khan Phillips; Published April 2025; Mystery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🏖️🏖️🏖️

I can’t help but notice that in today’s murder mysteries, a lot of crime-solving heroes are… not detectives, or even affiliated with law enforcement. Instead, they’re well-motivated, curious civilians with the drive to untangle the puzzles in front of them. The Museum Detective features one of these heroes, Gul, an archaeologist invited to solve the mystery of a shocking Persian mummy.

In The Museum Detective, Gul is called in to consult on a drug bust in which a mysterious mummy is discovered, not in Egypt, but in Baluchistan. Gul is one of few expert Egyptologists in Pakistan, and the lore surrounding the case, a myth about an alleged missing Persian princess, quickly draws her in. Investigating the true nature of the mummy sets Gul on a crash course with a notorious gangster and his violent cronies and brings back memories of her missing niece Mahnaz. Faced with rampant government corruption and a less-than-cooperative museum staff, Gul will not allow herself to be deterred from finding the truth. 

This novel is best suited for those with at least a passing interest in archaeology. That’s not to say that the mystery contained within the pages isn’t good–it certainly is, and the red herrings are diverting enough that I didn’t quite guess all the twists and turns. Plus, this mystery is less about discovering the identity of the killer and more about the victim and how she is being used in a larger scheme, which in and of itself os a nice break from the norm for mysteries. However, I was easily able to deduce which characters are villains hiding in plain sight, and it made the ending somewhat anticlimactic. But, if you love Egypt, mummies, or ancient Near Eastern history in general, these flaws are just not that important. A lost Achaemenid princess mummified by a rogue Egyptian priest? That’s a cool story.

But, like all novels I read, it’s the characters that make the difference for me. It’s hard not to love the women in this book, many of whom creatively fight Pakistan’s patriarchy. Whether it’s Rana, who DJs on the weekend and exhibits a form of rebellious road rage, or Mahnaz, who participated in every possible feminist protest before her disappearance, these women have spirit. Gul herself, of course, is dedicated to pursuing her scholarly achievements, despite her parents’ objections. At moments, I found Gul just a touch too naive and her perspective on her brother immature. Largely, though, her dogged pursuit of the truth sets her apart as an example of integrity and heart. The male characters, unfortunately, come off as far less interesting–flat villains at worst, just flat at best. Even the honest police officer with whom Gul works has little to distinguish him.

Overall, The Museum Detective is a fun installment in the collection of mysteries that center civilians rather than police officers–and fans of ancient archaeology will adore it!