16 May N.L. Holmes Bird in a Snare Coffee Book Review Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @nlholmesbooks @maryanneyarde
FEATURED AUTHOR: N.L. HOLMES
I am pleased to host N. L. Homes as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held May 16th — May 21st, 2022. She is the author of the award-winning Historical Mystery, Bird in a Snare (The Lord Hani Mysteries, Book 1), which WayBack Press released on 21st March 2020 (425 pages)
Below are highlights of Bird in a Snare, the author bio for N. L. Holmes, and my review of her novel.
To Follow the Blog Tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
HIGHLIGHTS: BIRD IN A SNARE
Bird in a Snare
(The Lord Hani Mysteries, Book 1)
By N.L. Holmes
Narrated by Thomas J. Fria
(Blurb)
When Hani, an Egyptian diplomat under Akhenaten, is sent to investigate the murder of a useful bandit leader in Syria, he encounters corruption, tangled relationships, and yet more murder. His investigation is complicated by the new king’s religious reforms, which have struck Hani’s own family to the core. Hani’s mission is to amass enough evidence for his superiors to prosecute the wrongdoers despite the king’s protection—but not just every superior can be trusted. And maybe not even the king! Winner of the 2020 Geoffrey Chaucer Award for historical fiction before 1750.
Trigger Warnings:
Sexual abuse of children
Buy Links:
Amazon UK ♦ Amazon US ♦ Amazon CA ♦ Amazon AU ♦ Barnes and Noble ♦ Kobo ♦ iBooks ♦ Audio
THE LORD HANI MYSTERIES
Universal Links for series:
The Crocodile Makes No Sound (Book 2)
The North Wind Descends (Book 4)
AUTHOR BIO: N. L. HOLMES
N.L. Holmes is the pen name of a professional archaeologist who received her doctorate from Bryn Mawr College. She has excavated in Greece and in Israel and taught ancient history and humanities at the university level for many years. She has always had a passion for books, and in childhood, she and her cousin (also a writer today) used to write stories for fun.
Social Media Links:
Website ♦ Twitter ♦ Facebook ♦ LinkedIn ♦ Instagram ♦ Pinterest ♦ BookBub ♦ Amazon Author Page ♦ Goodreads
BOOK REVIEW: BIRD IN A SNARE
The historical mystery, Bird in a Snare, by N. L. Holmes takes you back to 1350 BCE Ancient Egypt when a Pharoah rose to power and implemented radical reforms of elevating only one god for worship. Lord Hani, the protagonist, is based on a historical figure whose travels as a royal emissary are accounted for by the Amarna Letters. The political turmoil in the region provides the backdrop to the story.
Lord Hani, a royal scribe, must deal with a troubled relationship with his estranged son, who opposes his values. The story starts when Lord Hani hosts a dinner for a charismatic leader of outlaws and renegades who has an alliance with the Pharoah and wants to be recognized as king. Later, Hani’s guest is assassinated in a siege at one of his fortresses. The elderly Pharoah sends Hani to investigate the murder. On his travels, he develops a fatherly relationship with his secretary, Maya, as the two face the political intrigues of an unraveling political empire. They are swept into a political whirlwind when the elderly Pharoah dies and his son rises to power. Although the new Pharoah orders to drop the investigation, Hani ultimately learns the scope of political machinations behind the murder through his entanglements with various players vying for power.
Author Holmes has written a meticulously researched historical mystery that has more of a flavor of an epic tale of political intrigue. The story is most engaging when the political issues directly involve his family and Maya. The sub-plot of the estrangement of Hani’s son from the family is the most compelling because it helps the reader understand how the new Pharoah’s reforms directly impact his family that serves other gods. There is an endearing, budding relationship between Hani’s daughter and Maya.
The narrative is rich in vivid descriptions of the landscape and various cities with unique cultures. The tale is at its best when historical details are woven through the story, detailing complex alliances and social and familial relationships that existed during this period. At first, I struggled to keep track of the myriad of characters with their complicated names. However, a list of characters, glossaries of gods, terms, and places, and the author’s note helped pave the way to navigate through the political intrigue. The story had a satisfying ending, tying together the pieces in the puzzle of the murder and resolving family conflicts.
Bird in a Snare is highly recommended for readers who enjoy reading complex historical fiction steeped in political intrigue and rich in authentic descriptions of the archaeology, the culture, and the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptian civilization.
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The Coffee Pot Book Club
Posted at 01:00h, 18 MayThank you so much for hosting the blog tour for Bird in a Snare.
All the best,
Mary Anne
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Linnea Tanner
Posted at 13:45h, 19 MayMary Anne–It was my pleasure to host the blog tour for N. L. Holmes’ novel, “Bird in a Snare.”
Jan Sikes
Posted at 10:44h, 18 MaySo interesting to learn that N.L. Holmes is an archaeologist. That gives her the perfect background for these kinds of stories. Thanks for sharing, Linnea!
Linnea Tanner
Posted at 13:49h, 19 MayHi Jan–Thank you for visiting and commenting on N.L. Holmes’ blog tour set in Ancient Egypt. As a result of her background, she brought in vivid details about the culture and sites where the story takes place. This insight added a rich layer to the novel which I found fascinating.
Christy B
Posted at 16:54h, 19 MayIt sounds like quite the plot! Great spotlight here, Linnea
Linnea Tanner
Posted at 13:05h, 23 MayThank you, Christy, for visiting and commenting on the book spotlight for Mary Armstrong’s novel, “The Mesilla.” Hope you have a fantastic week!