The Eye of Osiris

"The Eye of Osiris" by R. Austin Freeman is a captivating detective novel that starts with a medical professor, John Thorndyke, sharing a real-life mystery with his students – the strange disappearance of archeologist John Bellingham. The story revolves around Bellingham's odd vanishing act and the mess it creates with his will, causing legal problems for his family who find themselves caught up in tough talks about who gets what. Added to this mix is a mysterious scarab, hinting at deeper secrets tied to Egyptian stuff, while Bellingham's last known location was his relative’s house, where he disappeared without a trace. The early part of the book sets the stage with interesting characters and a mystery that seems to touch both regular life and something more mysterious, promising a case full of twists and turns.