Review of Bird in a Snare

[Emily Shultz]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Bird in a Snare" by N.L. Holmes.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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N.L. Holmes breathes the world of Ancient Egypt to life in her mystery novel, Bird in a Snare. Part political drama, part historical fiction and part classic detective mystery, Bird in a Snare follows professional scribe and diplomat, Hani, and his protege and secretary, the amiable youth, Maya, as they unravel conspiracy and murder against the backdrop of the cultural and political upheaval of Pharaoh Akhenaten's ascension to the throne of Egypt.

With vibrant prose and a cast of characters both delightfully authentic and recognizably human, Bird in a Snare is an immersive experience. N.L. Holmes masterfully engages your senses to bring you back in time in a world that is entrancingly exotic as well as surprisingly familiar. The main character, Hani, is easy to befriend in these pages. An upright citizen, smooth diplomat and steadfast family man, with a quick and witty intelligence, the reader will have no trouble enthusiastically following him on his travels amongst the lands and peoples of Ancient Egypt.

While some of the dialogue and foreshadowing can be a bit heavy handed in the early chapters of the book, I would say on the whole, N.L. Holmes demonstrates a gift for prose in the first of what appears to be a series of adventures on behalf of the middle-aged scribe. (There's an excerpt of the second book after the last chapter, hurrah!). I have little to criticize beyond that; I found Bird in a Snare to be an excellent read.

I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The writing is beautiful and precise, the characters adroitly developed and convincing, and the plot is well paced and keeps the reader guessing along with its primary character.

Due to the sophistication of the text, as well as some deftly included adult content, (nothing vulgar or gauche) I would recommend this book to readers of a high school age or older. I will definitely be recommending this book for anyone with a love of mysteries, historical fiction or just plain good literature. I found reading Bird in a Snare to be time well and pleasantly spent and am looking forward to follow Hani and Maya in their next venture.

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Bird in a Snare
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