Set among the glittering parties and Egyptology craze of the 1920s, young academic learns he might be the key to an ancient Egyptian tomb coveted by a powerful cabal of magicians in this enthralling adventure from the author of Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois. Ezra Bright has returned to London after serving in World War I but, like many returned soldiers, he is haunted by his time on the front lines and the loss of his adoptive brother. He attempts to put the nightmares behind him and focus on his dissertation, but a chance encounter with his sister, Biz, introduces him to the Bright Young Things, a group of socialites famous for their elaborate costume parties and treasure hunts spanning London. At one such party Ezra meets Celia, a young socialite who introduces him to a world of magic and secret societies. Unbeknownst to many, a powerful cabal of magicians known as the Order has been stealing magical artifacts in the hopes of impressing its mysterious leader. The ultimate prize is said to bestow immortality on its bearer and Celia suspects Ezra may be in possession of the powerful, ancient magic key to locating it. When Biz mistakes a note from Ezra’s mother for the start of another scavenger hunt, the Order is alerted to Ezra’s presence forcing him, Celia, Biz and her fiancé on a race across Cairo to find the treasure before the Order does.
