The Cairo Curse, the sequel to the Mistletoe Countess was very enjoyable! I loved the continuation of Grace and Fredricks story and hope there will be more!

Grace and Freddie are as absolutely irresistible as I have come to expect, but a few random events have them venturing from the English countryside and into Egypt. There they are thrust into a superb ensemble of characters who might either be great friends, sworn enemies, tomb raiders, garden variety thieves, or completely insane. It’s difficult to tell their friends from their enemies but as the story develops and the hijinks and mystery ensue, people wind up missing, reappearing, or dead…and anyone could be next! There is always an opportunity to rely on God’s grace and guidance, sort out the good from the evil, and learn more about your newest favorite couple. This book is a follow up to The Mistletoe Countess but could easily be read as a stand alone. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and was not obligated to leave a positive review.

I really enjoyed this second Freddie and Grace mystery!

Indiana Jones meets Clue is the perfect description for this Egyptian adventure. Complete with conjecture, conflict, camels and a curse, this mysterious trek will drop the reader into the midst of a vast array of eccentric characters. In fact, this series would make great movies!

I must say, I did not see this romance coming! I would never have guessed this character would be the new romance of this story!! So unexpected but loved learning more about him and his past. He is such an endearing character.

Freddie and Grace are such the perfect pair! Freddie is the grounded husband who adores his wife and allows her to be her fiction loving self while Grace brings so much joy and freedom to his life. Their love story proves to be a bit more fiery since they are a married couple, but I can always trust that these “sizzlingly romantic” scenes do not cross the sweet and clean romance boundaries.

My only question is where do Freddie and Grace go from here? I hope I find out soon!

This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.

Grace is on another mystery with her husband of 3 months, Fredrick, "Freddie", but this time they are headed on their honeymoon with a deter to Egypt. Add in camels, which Grace is very interested in and in tombs, mummies, and all that comes with a archaeology dig and it's going to be a incredible journey with Grace and Freddie! We are off to Egypt with Grace, Fredrick, and don't forget Elliott, Fredrick's valet. Full of mystery and with Grace in her true to form American charm in a British world. As the mysteries unfold and Grace charges into each with her compassionate heart but also her American joy of life. As they work through the mysteries that keep Freddie and Elliott on their toes trying to keep track of Grace's exploits in Egypt.
Once again, Pepper Basham has done it. What a great sequel to the first story, " The Mistletoe Countess" and it is a great growth of our characters! If you loved Grace and Freddie in the first, then grab and read this great sequel about them.

Fantastic! I'm not much of a mystery reader, but I was totally drawn into this one. Really enjoyed all the aspects and thought it was a fun part 2 of Grace and Freddie's story!

So much fun to be on an adventure to Egypt with Frederick and Grace. This left me turning the pages to find out who the villains were. My favorite characters were Grace, Zahra and Elliott.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Cairo Curse is book 2 and highly anticipated for fans of Pepper Basham. I know many who will enjoy this book for the setting, characters, and plot. Her books are always fun, centered on the gospel, and character-driven (things I always appreciate). Definitely recommend, esp for fans of The Mistletoe Countess!

The Cairo Curse by talented author Pepper Basham is Book Two in her Christian historical romance mystery series A Freddie and Grace Mystery. Book One is the Mistletoe Countess. I have not read Book One yet and wish that I had. I was a bit confused when beginning The Cairo Curse, but it got easier to follow the more I read. It may be read as a standalone, but I would recommend Book One be read first.

In this novel we join Frederick and Grace in 1914 England as they prepare to take their honeymoon in Italy via Egypt. These two characters are adorable and absolutely meant for one another. I love married couple romance in books, and author Basham is a pro at that. Minor characters are brilliant. I loved Mr. Elliott, Blake, Ms. Sinclair, and all of the others.

Author Basham has a way of delivering captivating novels. This one is no exception. I was riveted to the story. It had everything I wanted, romance, humor, mystery, twists, inspiration, intrigue, history, and animals. In this case, the animal was a camel! The descriptive way of her writing makes it easy to become invested in the story and characters. Obviously she did extensive research before writing this, and I was able to glean some knowledge from that.

This is a wonderful trip to the land of sand, mummies, and camels that I definitely recommend. I laughed, tried to solve a mystery, and became friends with lovely characters. It gets a 5 star rating from me. A copy was provided by CelebrateLit but these are my honest words.

3.5 stars.
Tombs in Egypt have warnings on them, but they aren't connected to real curses, right?

Newlywed couple travels to Egypt to visit family as a pre-honeymoon getaway. But they get a little more than they ask for!

An exciting read!

Bringing to mind fond memories of reading Nancy Drew books, I could not stop reading at the end of each chapter! I simply HAD to turn the page to find out how Lady Astley would get herself out of her present calamity. Lady Astley, an amateur sleuth with a loveable sense of innocence reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables, views the world through the lens of the fictional novels she so enjoys. Her new husband, Lord Astley finds himself increasingly drawn into mysterious circumstances as he attempts to keep his wife out of trouble during their delayed honeymoon trip to Egypt. Stolen jewels, runaway camels, and sandpit traps are just a few of the calamities Lady Astley encounters as she attempts to solve the mystery of the Cairo Curse. Once again, Pepper Basham does not disappoint.
I received a free ARC copy of Cairo Curse. This review is my own opinion.

This was an excellent sequel to _The Mistletoe Countess_! (And yes, they should definitely be read in order. :D)

It's funny, with plenty of literal LOL moments; it's nerve-wracking, with excellent plot development and tension; and it contains scads of references to other books, including plenteous assessments on Grace's part based on things she's read in a book (sounded _all_ too familiar; Grace continues to be an excellent fictional representation of ... myself, haha!).

Similar to _The Mistletoe Countess_, I wished a couple scenes had faded to black a tad bit earlier, but it certainly could have been worse, and I defo recommend the read, that note aside. A lot of fun!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Looking for an adventurous romp in turn of the century Egypt?
This book picks up right after Mistletoe countess and follows Fredrick and Grace in more of their story.
We are introduced to new characters and a mystery. All while surrounded by the mustique of Egypt.
For me the really interesting story line was Elliot. I was definitely intrigued by him and kinda wished he got his own whole book. But I loved the glimpses of him that we got. The mystery is in a classic "who-done-it" style and I couldn't help but think of Death on the Nile. My favorite in the series so far is still book 1, but this book carried much of the same energy with a rambunctious heroine and honorable heroes.
So of you are looking for a book with the egypt setting with a mystery that doesn't get too heavy, this may be the book for you.
I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All thoughts and opinions are honest and completely my own.

I’d like to think that unusual for all the right reasons is still a good thing. This statement fits this wonderful book so well. Another Freddie and Grace mystery that keeps you guessing all the way through, wondering if our intrepid investigators will be able to figure this one out. Freddie has improved so much in those very important skills and Grace, if anything, figures out the answers with more skill than fiction.

This most enjoyable book will have you laughing out loud at times and at others, just giving a sigh at how well these two seem to fit together. Their trip to Egypt brings plenty of excitement with possible murders, pyramids, tomb raiding and even the discovery of a long lost - you really must read it to find out!

This early copy was received through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

Why I chose this book: I fell in love with Pepper's work when I read Hope Between the Pages. I read Mistletoe Countess and, well--it was fine...cute...but not the same as other books I've read of hers. I wanted to give this book a try to test the waters again.
Type of Book: Funny how this book is catagorized as Fiction / Christian Romance and not mystery. I mean, the front of the book says "A Fredrick and Grace Mystery" and advertised as "Clue meets Indiana Jones." So...you chose. :)
Overall: Overall, I didn't like it, but remember--I am coming at this from an Editor's POV. The storyline itself is okay. I didn't feel like the main characters really had anything to lose. They are developed enough to carry the story but I wanted more tension. I think the editor could have done more for Pepper. Also, there are many characters that bump in and out and it pulled me out of the story (like, "wait, where's ____?" or "wait, where did he come from?")
There are multiple mistakes that a good editor should have caught. For example:
"Grace reached up to rub an absent hand across her errant curls....Long gone was the well-styled bun adorned with her broad-brimmed hat from the train; although, at least the hat wasn't a lost cause as many of his bride's other hats became."--two things, what is an "absent hand" and if it's absent, how can you rub it? And why would you refer to yourself in third person ("at least the hat wasn't a lost cause as many of her other hats had become")? Again, these are things an editor should have caught.
There are other things I highlighted that needed fixing but I won't repeat them all here. You want to know if you should read the book. Yes, I think it's a fine story to read. I enjoyed the overall story idea. The end of the story picked up the pace as well as my interest--once I knew who the characters were and I could then care about them and their interactions with the main characters.
There is a large cast of characters--think Agatha Christy's Death on the Nile or the more modern Knives Out--and I got confused on who was who, especially when their names started with the same letter. Instead, I would have suggested creating a mini scene with each one so we, the reader, can have a mental picture of who's who. There was a small scene later in the book with Smallwood at the museum that did just this--made a mini scene to see him interact with our MC, Grace. This was well done.
I know Pepper Basham has the capability to write a story that draws you in and captivates you. Is Fredrick and Grace what she loves to write? Or is it at a publisher's request? I don't know. I would love to see more from Pepper, in quality and depth, as Hope Between the Pages was. I first found Pepper when reading My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge- Laurel's Dream. I enjoyed that "slow-cooker romance" as she calls it.
Favorite Quotes/Characters: I did not have a favorite character. On the personal side, I didn't "get along" with the main character, Grace. She comes off too "light headed" for me; ditsy? Ditsy is a difficult character to cast as a lead character. You need to write her well. I think she's supposed to be sweet and naïve and I believe she could be a very likable character with a little more development.
Bookshelf worthy? It will not be on my bookshelf but read it for yourself and see.
Teenability: Not appropriate for teens. This is a married couple's story and there are definitely scenes that I skipped. (And yes, I'm a married woman). I would not suggest this book for my teen daughter, another reason it will not be on my bookshelf. There are scenes that could have been lighter instead of describing how she unbuttons her shirt and it falls to the floor. Or how she's undressing her husband. I know Pepper loves to write romance, but there is a difference between Romance and Show-mance. Romance will draw your heart with a tension that makes you swoon. Show-mance will just be stuff that you'd skip if it was on TV because you don't need to see that and won't miss anything if you do skip it.

(I received a copy of this story via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

The Cairo Curse is the sequel to The Mistletoe Countee. Hopefully by now Frederick realized that life will be full of adventure with Grace by his side! They are now Egypt bound on their honeymoon and of course calamity and adventure follow wherever they go! Grace is hoping to see mummies and Frederick just wants to keep her safe by his side. There is danger among the pyramids and thieves lurking in the shadows! This is another fun read by Pepper Basham. She never fails to make me grin as I'm reading !

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 1 February 2023.

"Of course, we'd all be in terrible trouble if Christ hadn't taken our many horrible actions on Himself so that we don't have to worry about the curses." She chuckled and then stopped. "Do you think it's rong to mention one religion while climbing through a tomb for a very different one?" Frederick would have laughed if the thick air didn't require focus on breathing."

Freddie and Grace are headed to Egypt for a delayed honeymoon. The trip was supposed to be a simple one that involved visiting family and exploring the pyramids and other sites. But where Grace is involved, nothing is very simple. Especially when she thinks that there might be a mystery to solve.

When they arrive, trouble has been happening at the archeological site. Plus the whole operation seems to cost too much. Can Freddie and Grace get to the bottom of what might be involved?

This is a sequel to the Mistletoe Countess. I do recommend reading that one first as you will connect to the characters more thoroughly. Grace is a delight even if she is a bit foolhardy at times. This is a historical fiction book, but I think it almost reads like a contemporary book other than with their modes of transportation and dress. Romance is another element, but nothing is unseemly at all. Faith overrides the whole plot.

I did read an advanced copy through NetGalley. I loved the first book and really enjoyed this one as well. All opinions are my own.

I so enjoyed Freddy and Grace's first adventure in the Mistletoe Countess and was eagerly awaiting its followup. Our newly weds head off for their belated honeymoon in Venice, with a stopover in Egypt. Venice will have to wait for a future book because our two lovebirds are thrown into some murderous mayhem soon after arriving in Egypt to meet Frederick's cousins, Georgia and Timothy. The latter are part of a group on an archaeological dig, sponsored by Georgia's elderly husband, Sydney.

Grace, our voracious reader, continues to frequently communicate using her fictional knowledge which is both endearing and for some, a little odd. Frederick continues to be dazzled by his wife and when she gets caught up in the mayhem which happens very quickly, soon plays the heroic husband seeking to rescue his girl.

There is much to love about this story. The positive marriage role model is well demonstrated by Grace and Frederick. Frederick's friendship with his man servant, Elliott, is lovely to read. Elliott, in fact, is one of my favourite parts of the story: he has a vulnerability, grace, kindness and courage that Basham portrays well. The fact he is a reformed individual from his past life is special. His innocent affection for Amelia Sinclair is beautiful to read and I'm so hoping Ms Basham has a story where they feature as the stars.

It was fun being caught up in the sand and colour of Egypt and being thrown into a tomb or two. Once again, our favourite couple become amateur sleuths which leads them, well, Grace, into danger forcing Frederick to play the heroic husband a few times.

Grace's fictional monologue becomes a little tiresome at times and I hope if we see more books with these two we see a little less of that and more of a Miss Marples/Jessica Fletcher inquisitive mind at play. One of the exciting elements of this dynamic duo is actually the spinoffs that are available to Basham: Elliott/Amelia as I mentioned above, charismatic Blake I expect will get a story or two, and then of course, there'd have to be a Havensbrook collective where they all come together to solve a mystery. What fun that would be.

I was delighted and feel very fortunate to have received an early ebook copy from Barbour via NetGalley but this had no influence over my positive recommendation of The Cairo Curse.

I absolutely adore this book. Grace and Freddie need a thousand books, because I just know that Grace is having adventures every minute. Pepper does an amazing job of creating characters that are lovable, hate-able, and everywhere in between. I'll just go absolutely crazy while waiting for book three. I can't wait to see what trouble Grace will get herself into. And I am super nosy and want to see what Elliot is going to do with his new romantic prospects. Overall, stunning. I didn't think anything could be as funny as Mistletoe Countess, but I was wrong. Grace kept me laughing still.

This book was even more delightful than I expected, though how can you not adore a main character who sees the entire world through the lens of the fiction she has read? Following immediately after the events of The Mistletoe Countess, we dive into a new adventure in Cairo. Grace’s love for learning and Frederick’s relations see the two of them into the middle of a mystery surrounding ancient artifacts, scorned affection and modern greed. Though the novel contained many serious themes it was fast paced and mostly lighthearted. Somehow, Basham gives us a story with a flair for the dramatic that is also relatable. I’m not usually a reader of murder mysteries, but this novel had many different mysterious twists and I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Freddie and Grace mystery series.

This was such a fantastic book! I loved the characters, from Grace and Fredrick to Zahra and Miss Sinclair. All the artifacts and insides of the pyramids were so fascinating to read about. So much action and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what would happen next. There were many pages that had me laughing but then the next minute I'm white-knuckling the book reading with held breath at what would happen. I kept guessing until the end as to who the nefarious villain was. The action and white of the comments thrown back and forth, in the end, were thrilling! I was entranced from the first page to the last. Another 5 star read from Pepper Basham.
I was given a complimentary copy. All opinion are my own.