Lord Amerotke, Pharaoh's Chief Judge, is in the middle of a murder case. A young ambitious scribe, Ipumer, allegedly in love with the daughter of a powerful general, had hoped to become betrothed. Now he is dead from poisoning and the prosecution has accused Lady Neshratta - apparently tired of the dalliance - of the crime. If found guilty, she will be buried alive in the desert sands of the Red Lands. When Amerotke is summoned to the Temple of Seth by Lord Senenmut, it seems there is another grave murder to investigate. One of Egypt's great heroes has been brutally killed and Pharaoh Hatusu herself has decided to intervene, and she calls on Judge Amerotke for help. There is more to link the deaths than originally meets the eye - but can Amerotke track down the killer before he strikes again? The fourth novel in Paul Doherty's Ancient Egyptian series.