Egyptologist Charles Hamilton is found dead in his hotel room, but then his body vanishes. With his wife missing too, Penny is perplexed.

Can Mr Hamilton really be dead? Or is it an elaborate ruse? Evidence is thin on the ground and to complicate matters, not everyone is who they claim to be.

Penny must navigate her way through false identities and misleading information to solve the puzzle of the missing Egyptologists. Meanwhile, the investigation brings her into conflict with family and friends. In a test of her resolve, Penny is forced to question whether the case can ever be cracked.