Rich historical detail with strong feminist themes.

Marie Benedict’s Daughter of Egypt is a vivid, atmospheric blend of archaeological suspense and feminist reclamation. By pairing the overlooked accomplishments of Lady Evelyn Herbert with the visionary rule of Hatshepsut, Benedict draws a sharp parallel between two women constrained by patriarchal memory. The excavation scenes pulse with dust, heat, and political tension, while the dual storyline structure adds momentum and emotional resonance. Benedict excels at illuminating the hidden labor behind famous discoveries and the politics of artifact ownership. At times, the novel favors exposition over deeper character interiority, but its pacing, mystery elements, and richly textured setting compensate beautifully. Ultimately, this is a compelling narrative about legacy: who is written into history, who is erased, and who dares to recover the truth. Fans of historical intrigue and women-centered rediscovery will find it deeply satisfying.

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Love all authors previous books but this one so far has been my favorite. Reading it transports you to Old Egypt and you really feel like you're experiencing its culture and its history. Taking such an unknown person from Egypt in telling their story gives a whole new perspective. She makes you root for her and you get swept up in her life story.

Marie Benedict does an amazing job highlighting the incredible women history tried to forget, and Daughter of Egypt is another incredible story she tells. I love how her historical fiction always teaches me something new while giving these overlooked women their rightful place in the spotlight. This time, I learned about Hatshepsut, a female Egyptian ruler who dressed like a male and seemed to be erased from history, and Lady Evelyn Herbert, a self-taught archaeologist who played a major role in discovering King Tut’s tomb along with her father and Howard Carter yet barely got any credit.

The book slips between two timelines, and I loved how each woman faced her own version of erasure, one from ancient record-keepers determined to wipe out her legacy, and the other from a male-dominated archaeological world that treated her like a footnote.

I also appreciated the focus on Egypt’s fight against colonialism and the way England claimed ownership over Egypt’s treasures. It made me root for Evelyn and her family while still feeling this deep sadness and anger over Egypt’s history being pillaged and displayed in foreign museums like trophies.

Benedict’s books make you care, helps you learn, and makes you think about how many women we never read about in textbooks. Daughter of Egypt is a perfect blend of history and forgotten female strength in a beautifully told story. I Loved it.

This is another good novel by Marie Benedict. The story features dual timelines and tells the story of two historic strong women who both face constraints by society and culture. We have a tale of ancient Egypt with a female pharaoh, and England, where young women are expected to ‘come out’ into Society, and most definitely not to go on archeological expeditions. I loved learning about ancient Egyptian history. A definite must read.

Daughter of Egypt is a testament to the power of historical fiction to illuminate the past and inspire contemporary readers. Benedict's evocative prose and rich character development make this novel a standout in her oeuvre and a must-read for those interested in the untold stories of history's women. Always love Marie Benedict's writing and storylines.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the Advanced Review Copy!

I absolutely loved this dual-timeline story. I especially connected with Lady Evelyn’s perspective—her determination to defy her mother’s expectations and pursue her dream of excavating in Egypt was both inspiring and deeply relatable. The Egyptian storyline was vivid, creative, and completely satisfying through to the final page. Daughter of Egypt is a beautifully written and thoroughly enjoyable read that blends history, passion, and adventure in the best way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Marie Benedict has done it again. She’s written a well-researched book with dual timelines and both historical eras are realistically and accurately portrayed.
The two protagonists are the daughter of an earl and the daughter of a pharaoh who moves from princess to queen to pharaoh herself. Both are historical characters with the daughter of the earl being one of the first people into the tomb of King Tut.

The Earl of Caernarvon was deep into Egyptology during his lifetime and collected many artifacts and participated in digs every year for a long while. He was the patron of Howard Carter, archeologist and being in the home with these two men, the earl’s daughter, Lady Evelyn, called Eve by the family, became fascinated with Egypt as well. She was very interested in the female pharaoh, Hatshepsut and dreamed of finding her tomb and uncovering why almost all of the history of this pharaoh had been wiped out.

Hatshepsut herself was a strong woman ahead of her time. Born the daughter of Thutmose I, she was the God’s Wife of Amun. When her father died, she married his heir and her half-brother, Thutmose II and ruled with him as queen. When he died in his turn, she was regent for his infant heir, Thutmose III. Eventually, she ruled with him. She dressed as a male pharaoh and became a pharaoh herself in this co-ruling era. When Thutmose III’s son became pharaoh in his own turn, Amenhotep II tried to erase Hatshepsut from history by destroying her monuments and statues. He ascribed the trade routes, buildings, and other advances she made in her reign to other pharaohs.

The novelization of these two true historical figures is very well done and humanizes the female pharaoh in a wonderful way. I admit I didn’t know much about her, if anything, but I found myself fascinated by her as written in this book.

Both women faced obstacles as females in their worlds and each were strong and fought for what they wanted even when they had to disguise their strong spines behind a gentle exterior.

This was a great set of two stories showing how women in history were able to find fulfillment despite the odds against a woman in their respective time periods.

A bit of romance was sprinkled in for the Lady Eve as well as Queen Hatshepsut.

This is a great book with a lot of interesting history along with compelling stories. It moves well and isn’t dry or tedious as one might expect with the dry, dusty setting of Egypt for a lot of the book. Two enthralling stories in one with a tie to each other, not only in the history of Egypt, but in obstacles women have faced in history with finding their place in the world against strong odds.

Five stars.

Another stellar performance by Marie Benedict, who always seems to put the bar higher and then easily surpass it. These are two of my favorite time periods so I was already very interested in Ms. Benedict's take on them. I really enjoyed the first-party narration of ancient Egypt, but it was truly Lady Evelyn's story that I kept being drawn to. This story was engaging and informative, highlighted by Ms. Benedict's quintessential display of deep research and knowledge of the time periods. The pyramids and the story of those who rediscovered them will probably always be a fascination for modern readers, and it was truly a delight to be immersed in this captivating story.

What do 1919 England and Egypt in 1486 BC have in common? Surprisingly quite a bit it would seem. In 1919 England, Lord Carnarvon and archeologist Howard Carter embark on archeological expeditions in Egypt as they search for lost treasure and hidden tombs. Lord Carnarvon’s daughter, Lady Evelyn adores archeology at a time when women are all but blocked from entry into the profession. Determined to be taken seriously, Lady Evelyn, is obsessed with finding the tomb of Hatshepsut, a woman who dared to tread where women were not only unwelcome but not allowed.

Alternating between 1919 England and 1486 BC Egypt, Daughter of Egypt introduces the reader to a fascinating historical figure—Princess Hatshepsut. The author does a wonderful job weaving together two timelines, 1486 BC Thebes and 1919 England, and highlighting the surprising parallels between Hatshepsut and Lady Evelyn Herbert as they attempt to take their place in history by having a positive impact on society.

The story balances rich historical detail with engaging character development, making both eras come alive. Ms. Benedict connects the challenges faced by women across such different times and places, giving the story depth and resonance. Definitely a book worth reading.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC. Planned publication date 23 March 2026

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book!!

This is such an inspiration historical fiction novel highlighting two very different women/timelines and their courage to pursue things that were not common during there time. This book transported me to Egypt, which isn't hard as I already had a deep fascination with the Egyptian culture. Highly recommended!