The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller    by James Patterson & Martin Dugard Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2009 (2009) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth James Patterson and Martin Dugard take on the mystery of the death of a young Egyptian king in The Murder of King Tut. The boy king only ruled for nine years. When he died suddenly, his name was purged from Egyptian history. Why? How did he die? Why did he die? So many unanswered questions. Howard Carter started his career as an archeologist in 1907 by sketching and painting the drawings on the walls of tombs other men had found and excavated. Gradually, through the years, he worked himself up to having a patron who would finance his work – looking for, finding, and excavating tombs – mostly in the Valley of the Kings. When all the other professionals claimed there were no more hidden tombs at that site, he continued, making a deal with his patron Lord Carnarvon that this would be his last dig. A young boy playing in the sand uncovered a hand-hewn step which led to the discovery of King Tut's tomb. A real feather in their caps. (I drifted over the Valley of the Kings in a hot air balloon. So desolate. It's a wonder any tombs were ever found. But beautiful for all that.) Patterson and Dugard wanted to know how and why the King, who took up his reign at age nine, died. The Murder of King Tut is their answer to the world. This thrilling book details their investigation in three parts. The first takes the reader back to 1357 B.C.. Then the authors move to the period of time Carter spent finding the tomb in the early 1900s. They finish up with the modern day. A very plausible explanation is what the authors place before your eyes. This has been a mystery for thousands of years and yet they – with exhaustive research – have given us an ending to a tragic story of a young king who never should have held power. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews