The River of Eternity: Book 1 of The Harem Conspiracy, A Novel of Ancient Egypt (ancient historical fiction)

2024 Pacific Book Award WINNER, Best Historical Fiction 1184 BCE. Ramesses III, the crown prince who will become the last of the great pharaohs, is returning home from battle. He will one day assume the throne of the vast Egyptian empire, but the plots against him and his children have already started. Ray has been raised with the teenage children of Ramesses as their friend, but his own mysterious past exposes him to threats both inside and outside of the Egyptian court. Ray hopes to become a comfortable bureaucrat, maybe even settling down with Princess Tentopet, but when one of the princes is killed inside the palace, Ray finds himself framed for the murder and forced to run to protect Bull, the oldest surviving son of Ramesses. So begins Ray’s dangerous journey from the snake pit of royal palace intrigue into a violent world of treachery and enemies that will take years to overcome if he can survive. Khait, daughter of the noble Overseer of Cattle, works in the palace harem as a dressmaker to the two queens. Given the opportunity to become a Priestess of Hathor and learn to dance to serve the goddess at her temple in Thebes, Khait leaves the palace for two months. When she returns, she witnesses a conspiracy to kill the reigning Pharaoh Sekhmet, becoming the target of a powerful queen. Even a god can die. An Ancient Egyptian historical series for fans of Wilbur Smith, J.K. Swift, Steven Saylor, Paul Doherty, and Keith Moray. "Intricate historical fiction with lots of action, danger, and deceit." --KIRKUS REVIEWS