Covert in Cairo by Kelly Oliver


 Fiona Figg, Kitty Lane, and Clifford Douglas are all spending Christmas 1917 in Cairo. Following an invitation from spy Frederick Fredericks, Fiona and company are sent to stop him and whatever dastardly deed he has planned for the Suez Canal.

Unfortunately, the group is pulled into a murder investigation when a French archaeologist is found dead at his own site. To make matters worse, a British agent has gone missing.

Can Fiona navigate these shifting sands? Or will she sleep with the mummies?

I have read previous Fiona Figg novels by Kelly Oliver. 

I still think Fiona allows her initial overall feelings to cloud her better judgment, but it is nice to see that she is growing professionally. There was less need for the costume and more investigation. I still don’t like Archie Somersby, nor Kitty Lane. I think there is too much secrecy with these two characters, secrets that Fiona doesn’t want to see. I implore Kelly Oliver to put me out of my misery and reveal all. Is Archie a double agent? Who is Kitty Lane? And what exactly is Frederick Fredericks intentions with the war and with Fiona?

The mystery got me. I couldn’t figure out the code or the message until Fiona did, which made me happy. I had pretty much all the same questions as Fiona about the canal, and what Fredericks had planned. As always, I love the historical fragments that the author includes like T.E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell. Though I would have liked their interacting more. 

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars. 

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