The Scarab Murder Case

When philanthropist Benjamin H. Kyle is found dead in the private museum of Egyptologist Dr. Bliss, amateur detective Philo Vance is called to the scene by a distraught acquaintance. The body lies crumpled at the feet of a statue of Anubis, god of the underworld, while a diorite figure of Sakhmet, goddess of vengeance, has been used to crush his skull. A rare blue scarab beside the victim seems an obvious clue—but Vance is not so easily led.

The museum is a treasure trove of ancient artifacts and a cast of suspects, each with their own secrets: the brilliant Dr. Bliss, his mysterious half-Egyptian wife, his devoted assistant, the nervous technician, and an enigmatic Egyptian retainer. With the police baffled, Vance must untangle a web of archaeological passion, hidden motives, and ancient symbolism. But the killer is cunning, and the clues point in all the wrong directions, testing even Vance’s analytical powers to their limit.