City of the Muse - by Kate Hilton (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For fans of The Lost Apothecary, a gripping dual-timeline novel about the mysterious death of an indomitable female papyrologist during an archaeological dig in the early 1900s and an aspiring young female researcher's present-day quest to find out who killed her.

An ill-fated dig. An ancient city believed to be cursed. And a century-old mystery at the heart of it all.

Egypt, 1903: When renowned papyrologist Helen Gardiner arrives at an excavation site in the ancient city of Calliopolis, she learns that she has been given the job because her predecessor has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. One of the only women on the dig, Helen--tasked with restoring and cataloguing the thousands of papyrus fragments recovered at the site--soon discovers that there's more to Calliopolis than meets the eye. The archaeologists on the dig, mostly men, all have not only their own towering egos, but their own agendas, including secrets they might kill to protect.

Toronto, 2019: Archivist Maddie Sloan is at a dead end: she feels like her academic career is stalled, and she's still healing from her recent breakup with her former partner, Ben. To make matters worse, Ben still works with Maddie's father, a famous archaeologist, and with whom Maddie has had a major falling out. It feels like her father has chosen Ben over her.

When famous TV archaeologist Peter Bahar arrives at the Toronto Archaeological Museum to verify the provenance of objects from their Egyptian collection believed to be from Calliopolis, Maddie jumps at the opportunity. After all, she has her own ties to the Cursed City of Calliopolis through her grandmother, Iris, who worked at the site. As Maddie and Peter begin digging into the objects and circumstances surrounding the excavation, they learn that two papyrologists seem to have abruptly disappeared from the dig without explanation. Suddenly, a search for provenance becomes a quest to uncover a history shrouded in secrets and lies--and a murder that has been covered up for more than a century.

Review Quotes

"In City of the Muse, author Kate Hilton unites her deep understanding and passion for history, archaeology, literature, true crime, and academic one-upmanship in an all-encompassing and breathless tale set against the magical, fictional city of Calliopolis. In a spectacular imaginative feat, Hilton brings to life a site of early twentieth-century excavation that will result--curse-like--in numerous, mysterious deaths, while also creating a fascinating parallel world of scholarship to the real-life study of early Egyptian scrolls and their vast social, religious, and literary significance. Readers of historical fiction will revel in this wholly original, immersive, and gripping tale."
-- NATALIE JENNER, international bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls

"Ambition, greed and privilege collide in City of the Muse, a captivating whodunit set during the Egyptology craze of the early 20th century. Kate Hilton's richly drawn and well-researched novel reveals the all-too-often overlooked contributions made by women to archaeological research--and exposes the lengths to which some men will go in order to be the ones writing the history books."
-- BRYN TURNBULL, bestselling author of The Berlin Apartment

"An accomplished and absorbing mystery set in two timelines, Kate Hilton's City of the Muse skilfully weaves together Egyptology, a hundred-year-old murder, and a present-day dilemma to deliver a story that kept me turning the pages to reach an immensely satisfying conclusion."
-- JANIE CHANG, Globe and Mail bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon, The Library of Legends, and Dragon Springs Road

About the Author

Kate Hilton is the bestselling author of three novels: The Hole in the Middle, Just like Family, and Better Luck Next Time. She is also the coauthor, with Elizabeth Renzetti, of the Quill & Packet mystery series. When not writing, Kate maintains an active psychotherapy practice, working with individuals and couples. She has a particular interest in personal reinvention and life transitions. Kate has had prior careers in law, university administration, and major gift fundraising. She lives in Toronto with her family.