Lead Review (The Nile Cruise)

• Book: The Nile Cruise
• Location: Upper Egypt
• Author: Caroline James

Review Author: tripfiction

In a rainy and cold Lake District, Hattie Mulberry is pondering a holiday, escaping the mayhem and noise which are inevitable with the installation of a new bathroom. She alights upon a Nile Cruise, as she and her husband Hugo used to enjoy the odd maritime excursion. Yet somehow Egypt had never made it onto their list, surprising, as she is very fond of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile. She preps herself well by viewing glossy videos and stocking up on indispensable medication – after all, she muses, “..you never know what life is going to throw at you..” You certainly do not.

Meanwhile in Clitheroe, Peter Bully is eyeing up the holiday brochures for solo travellers.

And as fate would have it, they are on the same flight from Manchester to Egypt and their boat, the SS Nefertari, moored by the Corniche in Luxor, is ready to depart. Once on board, Peter continues his cosplaying of a secret service character (inspired by his favourite novels) but he certainly isn’t fooling Hattie, who had already, by chance, overheard is rather colourful fantasies and rolled her eyes at them (and him). She chums up with a Canadian woman, she sniffs out a troublesome marriage and supports a young man with his relationship dilemma. She is after all a private investigator, so her nose for drama and intrigue is acutely tuned, and there might even be a bit of romance on the horizon for her.

There are visits to all the sites you might expect on a Nile cruise, all beautifully brought to life, including a trip to the Crocodile Museum, which turns out to be much more interesting than expected. There are liaisons and flirting, curious characters, and perhaps a story about second chances and the courage to begin again… and she really comes to understand why Agatha Christie loved Egypt. A highlight of the tour, of course, is a visit to the Old Cataract Hotel and a tour of Agatha Christie’s lodgings.

Although the author may have played a little with the geography of the Nile, the pertinent sites and experiences are a great way to indulge in a bit of literary travel.

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