The Shadow of the Pyramid by Wendy Leighton-Porter

The Shadow of the Pyramid

Shadows from the Past Book 4

by Wendy Leighton-Porter.

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Max the talking Tonkinese cat is terrified of Egyptian mummies, so is understandably nervous when he’s transported back in time to ancient Egypt, along with his owners, twins Jemima and Joe Lancelot, and their friend Charlie.
As they continue their search for the twins’ missing parents who are trapped somewhere in the past, the young time-travellers arrive at the court of Tutankhamun where they uncover a plot to assassinate the young Pharaoh.
Can they save his life and will they make it safely back to their own time before the plotters discover their true identities?

A Word from the Author

The fourth book in the Middle Grade historical adventure series, Shadows from the Past, whisks young readers back in time to the reign of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun. Time-travelling twins Jemima and Joe Lancelot, their friend Charlie, and their talking cat Max, continue their quest to find the twins’ parents, lost somewhere in the pages of history. Arriving in ancient Egypt, they soon discover a deadly plot to assassinate the young pharaoh… and the conspirators are at the very heart of his court. Danger lurks around every corner – from venomous snakes, to scorpions, crocodiles, poisoned food, sabotaged chariots, and a carefully staged “accident”. Can the children and Max accomplish the impossible and keep the pharaoh safe, or will this be a task too far for the young time-travelling heroes?

Max. the bumbling but adorable Tonkinese, comes into his own in this story. After initial hostilities between him and Ankharet, the cat belonging to Ankhesenamun, the wife of the pharaoh, the two felines work together to foil the plot. Ever the reluctant hero, Max somehow manages to rescue Tutankamun on two separate occasions, earning the pharaoh’s eternal gratitude, and a special bond develops between them. Granted the honourable title of “Max, Beloved of Amun”, Max’s name will live on for all time, a fact that puzzles modern day archaeologists when they discover an ancient inscription bearing this information.

During their visit, the twins are devastated to learn that their missing parents have slipped through their grasp once again when it comes to light that James and Isabel Lancelot had also visited ancient Egypt and had even met Tutankhamun. However, the two adults have now moved forward in time in their effort to return home to the present day, meaning that the children’s quest is not yet over and they must continue their search.

At the end of the book, the twins’ guardian, Uncle Richard, a professor of archaeology, decides to treat them by taking them with him to Egypt where he is supervising a dig. As unusual artefacts come to light on the site, the archaeologists are perplexed by their finds of denim jeans (left behind by the time-travelling youngsters), modern glasses (belonging to Charlie), and wall-paintings featuring hitherto unknown children. The experts are unable to come up with a logical explanation. Only the children know the truth!

(Wendy Leighton-Porter, 2021)