THE FACE IN THE CEMETERY

It's 1914, and the first rumblings of WWI are being felt in Egypt. Foreign nationals with German on their passports are being rounded up and interred by the British, who have the controlling power in Cairo. Gareth Owen, the Mamur Zapt (head of the secret police), is given this unpleasant task, which in some cases means losing valuable members of his own team. But the unpleasant becomes grim when one German ends up, not just dead, but wrapped like a mummy in a cemetery for cats. Nigel Carrington handles accents superbly, capturing the range of personalities in Pearce' story--from strident, hot-tempered girlfriend to gentle, mild-mannered civil servant. The mystery takes a backseat to the evocative, lush setting and exotic view of British history. Perfect escapism. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]