Published July 2009

When past and present collide, it's clear that some things are best left buried...


* SHORTLISTED - Leeds Book Awards 2010 *
* SHORTLISTED - Rotherham Childrens’ Book Award 2010 *

Shabti wakes in a barley field. No past. No memories. No escape from a vicious master, and dogs set to rip the flesh off his bones.

Amy arrives in Egypt to join her archaeologist father. Beyond the River Nile's safe shores lies the desert - vast red cliffs, rocks, sky. Everywhere the unblinking eye of the sun, and tombs, unearthed, opened, entered...

Why, Amy wonders, do people always have to dig up things that are best left buried?

READER QUOTES "I have to say I was quite intrigued at the prospect of reading The Glittering Eye. Having met the author quite a few times when our conversations generally turned to all things Egyptian, it soon became clear we shared a mutual fascination with the way in which Egypt’s ancient culture so often makes connections with aspects of the modern world. And this certainly comes across in The Glittering Eye. Stuffed full of vivid descriptions and historical nuggets meaning that the reader subconsciously learns while being thoroughly entertained, the novel rattles along at a cracking pace. I certainly had no problem reading the whole thing in one sitting, hooked by the mix of the ancient and modern storylines and highly realistic characters who manage to amuse and move in equal measure. With its all-action, black-clad teenage heroine driving the story along as it moves from Egyptian excavation site to Yorkshire museum collection, it’s certainly a very refreshing take on an endlessly popular subject. And with any reservation that this was a novel for ‘younger readers’ soon forgotten, my only criticism is that The Glittering Eye was not around when I was growing up!" - Reviewed by Dr. Jo Fletcher, Egyptologist, the University of York and Harrogate Museums & Arts "A compelling and mysterious book, with beautiful descriptions and a brilliant storyline" - Danielle, age 13 "Fantastic, imaginative, addictive and interesting" - Amanda, age 12

I’ve been teaching workshops on the Ancient Egyptians for several years. Like most people I’m fascinated by the art and architecture, tombs and treasures. Archaeology has uncovered so many sites and artefacts, and there are untold wonders still buried.  The original ‘glittering eye’ belongs to a tawny cat in a hunting scene from Nebamun’s tomb, on show in the British Museum. Much of the gold paint on the cat’s eye has now flaked away, but traces still remain if you look closely.  I don’t want to give away too much about the story, as it has rather an original twist. Enough to say that the very first scene that came to mind was the first chapter of the book, where a boy wakes in a barley field with no memories of how he got there or where he’s come from. He soon finds out that he’s destined for a very unenviable fate…  This boy’s story is inextricably linked with the work of a team of TV archaeologists who don’t understand the implications that their excavations may have.  This book was an absolute pleasure to write, despite all the usual difficulties of trying to create distinct character voices, manage a plot and cram in lots of fascinating facts about Egyptology. All the time I worked on it my head was full of images of animals from Egyptian tomb art work – cats, crocodiles, monsters and snakes… they’re all in the book!   Places to visit: The British Museum, of course! - look out for the cat with the glittering eye in artwork taken from Nebamun's tomb http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/galleries/ancient_egypt/room_61_tomb-chapel_nebamun.aspx. Harrogate Museum, North Yorkshire - an internationally important collection, with a special display on scientific investigation http://www.investigateegypt.co.uk/main.asp?page=0. Manchester Museum - one of the largest and most important collections of Ancient Egyptian artefacts in the UK. Amazing painted sarcophagi, and lots of shabti figurines http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk. The Metropolitan Museum, New York - one of the finest collections of Ancient Egyptian art outside Cairo http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/egyptian_art. Cairo Museum of Antiquities, if you're lucky enough to be in Egypt. You'd need a few millennia to appreciate all the artefacts on display, including the famous treasures of Tutankhamun http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Museum. The Valley of the Kings - one of my favourite places on this planet The BBC History website... http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians.   Here are some books I've enjoyed: Ancient Egyptian Animals, Angela McDonald, The British Museum Press An illustrated dictionary of Egypt's strange and wonderful creatures The Tomb of Tutankhamen, Howard Carter, Sphere Mystery, danger, adventure, treasure... and all true! The Egyptian Book of Living and Dying, Joann Fletcher, Duncan Baird Publishers A vivid look at creation, life, death and the afterlife with wonderful images Unwrapping a Mummy, John H. Taylor, University of Texas Press Scholarly but fascinating - does what it says in the title! The Cat in Ancient Egypt, Jaromir Malek, The British Museum Press Everything you could possibly want to know about wild cats, pet cats, and magic cats Ancient Egyptians, Anton Gill, HarperCollins Stunning re-created scenes of Ancient life, including a true story of ancient tomb robbers