Dan combines the sketches of the three maps and discovers the one true map hidden in them all Theo informs them that it is a map of Queen Nefertari's tomb. Along with this treasure, Grace also delivers to them, via Hilary, a Christmas card and a travel book to Egypt filled with Grace's own notes. It is the third gold Sakhet! Dan figures out how to open it, and they discover yet a third map of an Egyptian tomb. At Hilary's house, they receive a wonderful surprise when she gives them a valuable that Grace asked her to keep for them. They suspect that the third Sakhet is a fake, since it has no hidden compartment for a secret message. The maps are clearly of Egyptian tombs, but the kids need more information. The stronghold had furnished further clues, along with its risk of doom, as it operated as a museum of Ekhat genius the children had seen three golden Sakhets on display there, along with the maps hidden inside two of them. She also happens to be Theo's mother, who they reunite with at her house.While there, they have a few moments of peace to gather their thoughts. They find out that she is Hilary Vale, an old friend of their grandmother, Grace Cahill. As they dash out of the hotel, a strange woman pulls up in car and provides miraculous transportation. Instead, they discover an Ekhat stronghold, hidden in the hotel, and narrowly escape imprisonment by Alistair's sinister uncle, Bae Oh. Palace, so they head to Hotel Excelsior, where Alistair Oh had rooms, to try and spend time pondering over their acquired knowledge. The clue is cryptic, something about an L. They agree, and find a tile in the house that bears the Lucian crest, which hides a clue behind it. He notices that they are attempting to buy a genuine (forged) golden Sakhet that Napoleon had once owned, and offers to take them to a museum that used to house Napoleon's scholars. While hiding from Irina Spasky, they meet Theo, an Egyptologist.

My spoiler heavy synopsis is to help me remember the events in the series if you are reading this review, be warned.As usual, Amy and Dan are following a vague clue that suggests Cairo could lead them to another one of the big Clues, and once there they use a combination of luck and skill to trace the trail left by their Cahill ancestors. I greatly enjoyed this book, more than any other in the series, probably helped along because I love Egypt and its ancient archaeological wonders.

Amy and Dan, with faithful au pair Nellie, travel to Egypt in the fourth adventure in the 39 clues series.

Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson