Layton Green's Second in Series Makes Me Permanent Fan!

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Al-Miri spoke again. “You have broken the only unbreakable rule. The man I hired will lead me to what you’ve stolen. I will return to Egypt, and the only thing that will have changed will be that you are dead. Why have you done this? For money? What is money compared to that which I have? That which you were promised?”
“Please.”
Al-Miri motioned again, and Nomti opened the door. Siti screamed and clawed at Nomti. Nomti dragged him through the door into a small room.
Siti gurgled and sobbed as he beat his fists against Nomti. Nomti delivered another blow to Siti’s midsection, crumpling him. Nomti glanced at the sole object in the room: an ornate sarcophagus, standing eldritch and mute against the far wall.
Nomti thrust him forward, and Siti stumbled against the sarcophagus. He recoiled as if touched by a gang of lepers.
“No,” Siti whispered.
Nomti grinned, and Siti lunged for the door.
Nomti slammed the door and turned the lock.


The Egyptian


By Layton Green




If you didn't become a fan of Layton Green after his Debut of the Dominic Grey series, then you're already missing a suspenseful thriller with a lot of interesting horror thrown in for good measure. Check out my review of The Summoner while you're here at BRH if you haven't already read it, because I recommend you start with it and get The Egyptian at the same time so you don't have to wait! Highly recommended if you love all those things that these books provide!

Two main characters are brought forward in this second novel. Dominic Grey, of course. He had left his last job and was immediately offered another...to assist Viktor Radek. Radek has many professional credentials but, so far, he has been called upon as professor of religious phenomenology, as a consultant to investigate cults--or, perhaps it is better to say this time, that he had assigned a job to Dominic, knowing he could handle it, but it ultimately turned out to involved a cult. A cult following eternal youth...

I was grateful that the author provided more about Dominic Grey's background in The Egyptian--it certainly gains the attention of the readers and allows us to absorb what he went through in the past, at the same time we marvel at what he does--with no weapons! He is a man that both men and women will admire, of course in different ways!

And Veronica is the female who falls for Dominic this time! She's an investigative reporter specializing in the field of biotechnology. And her path crossed Dominic via his latest job...

Viktor had been approached by the head of New Cellular Technologies, who had had an important vial stolen from his company. A simple theft--corporate espionage seemed to be just the type of job that he could turn over to his new assistant, Dominic...

But what was stolen was more that just a sample... The head of the company who had bought the sample had three expert scientists in the field who had not been able to break the contents down into something they could recognize. One of them declared that it had to have been made by God!

Perhaps, but the one who had first stolen the sample had screamed when he saw the one that he knew was going to kill him--"the foot stepping around the base of the crypt, bandaged toes turning to point towards Siti" and he looked upward to something that could not be...

Dominic followed the move of the vial successfully, keeping his employer as well as the one who had hired them, Al-Miri, up to date on what he was finding...but before he could investigate the place where he thought the stolen vial was, the location had already been invaded and the scientists killed! And it appeared that those that had done it worked for Al-Miri! Dominick could have assumed that his job was done, although he was upset about the deaths. Indeed, he soon discovered that he had been paid in full!

But something had happened during his investigation. He had met the president of the company who had bought the stolen vial and Dominic had liked him, so much so that when he learned more about his story, he agreed to help him find out what had happened! Oh, By the way, Victoria had proven her investigative skills, having followed Dominick and meeting him at various points of his own activities. Finally, she had convinced him to let her work with him. Dominick hoped that agreement would keep her from being killed...but...

I love stories that merge history with new research. Obviously there are many companies working to prevent aging, slow it down, or eliminate it completely. Personally, I'm not sure why, but it is hypothesized in the novel that those who do not fear death are normally those who are based in their faith... At the same time, Viktor noted that many cultists could be shrouded by various ways to bring together like-minded people, including those disgruntled, fearful or outcasts for some reason... The material brought through Viktor's knowledge adds greatly to my personal enjoyment as these issues are explored through an expert's eyes.

Green has created two characters that both contribute to the intrigue flowing out of Professor Radek's work. It's hard for me, after just two books, to wonder how the Professor every completed his projects before Dominic was there to support him--a true testament to how well the author has merged the two in our minds and hearts! I'm looking forward to the next in this series!

Also important is Green's ability to move readers through the suspense into explosive endings that are edgy, unpredictable, and thrilling conclusions! In this one, he even added an epilogue that, in itself, was a statement like no other! Highly recommended!


GABixlerReviews

Layton is a mystery/suspense writer and the author of the Kindle best-selling and award-winning novel The Summoner. In addition to writing, Layton attended law school in New Orleans and was a practicing attorney for the better part of a decade. He has also been an intern for the United Nations, an ESL teacher in Central America, a bartender in London, a seller of cheap knives on the streets of Brixton, a door to door phone book deliverer, and the list goes downhill from there.

He has traveled to more than fifty countries, lived in a number of them, and has a burning desire to see every country, city, beach, moor, castle, cemetery, twisted street and far flung dot on the map. Religion and cults, as well as all things spiritual and supernatural, have also been a lifelong interest. Combine the travel and the religion with fifteen years of Japanese Jujitsu training, and the Dominic Grey series was born.

Layton lives with his wife and son in Miami. Please stop by his website at www.laytongreen.com.