The Museum Detective
Maha Khan Phillips
(Author)
21,000+ Reviews
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Description
Inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal in Pakistan, this gripping series debut introduces archaeologist Dr. Gul Delani, whose investigation into the discovery of a mummy gets complicated—and personal—when it collides with her years-long search for a missing family member. Perfect for fans of Sue Grafton and Elsa Hart.
When Dr. Gul Delani receives a call in the middle of the night from the Sindh police, she thinks they may have finally found her niece, Mahnaz—a precocious, politically conscious teenage girl who went missing three years prior. Gul has been racked with grief since Mahnaz’s disappearance and distracts herself through work: a talented curator at the Museum of Heritage and History in Karachi, she is one of the country’s leading experts in archaeology and ancient civilizations, a hard-won position for a woman.
But there is no news of Mahnaz. Instead, Gul is summoned to a narcotics investigation in a remote desert region in western Pakistan. In her wildest dreams, Gul couldn’t have imagined what she’d find there: amid a drug bust gone wrong, there is a mummy—life-size, seemingly authentic, its sarcophagus decorated with symbols from Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The discovery confounds everyone. It is both too good to be true, and for Gul, too precious to leave in careless or corrupt hands.
Aided by her team of unlikely misfits, Gul will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it, even as her quest for the truth puts her in the throes of a dangerous conspiracy and threatens to collide with her ongoing search for Mahnaz. A portrait of a city fueled by corruption and a woman relentlessly in pursuit of justice, The Museum Detective is an exciting, gritty new crime thriller that announces a whip-smart and brilliant sleuth and builds to a stunning, emotional conclusion that readers won’t soon forget.
When Dr. Gul Delani receives a call in the middle of the night from the Sindh police, she thinks they may have finally found her niece, Mahnaz—a precocious, politically conscious teenage girl who went missing three years prior. Gul has been racked with grief since Mahnaz’s disappearance and distracts herself through work: a talented curator at the Museum of Heritage and History in Karachi, she is one of the country’s leading experts in archaeology and ancient civilizations, a hard-won position for a woman.
But there is no news of Mahnaz. Instead, Gul is summoned to a narcotics investigation in a remote desert region in western Pakistan. In her wildest dreams, Gul couldn’t have imagined what she’d find there: amid a drug bust gone wrong, there is a mummy—life-size, seemingly authentic, its sarcophagus decorated with symbols from Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The discovery confounds everyone. It is both too good to be true, and for Gul, too precious to leave in careless or corrupt hands.
Aided by her team of unlikely misfits, Gul will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it, even as her quest for the truth puts her in the throes of a dangerous conspiracy and threatens to collide with her ongoing search for Mahnaz. A portrait of a city fueled by corruption and a woman relentlessly in pursuit of justice, The Museum Detective is an exciting, gritty new crime thriller that announces a whip-smart and brilliant sleuth and builds to a stunning, emotional conclusion that readers won’t soon forget.
Product Details
| Publisher | Soho Crime |
| Publish Date | April 01, 2025 |
| Pages | 336 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Hardback |
| EAN/UPC | 9781641296564 |
| Dimensions | 8.5 X 5.8 X 1.1 inches | 1.1 pounds |
About the Author
Maha Khan Phillips was born in Karachi, Pakistan. She is the author of Beautiful from This Angle, The Mystery of the Aagnee Ruby, and The Curse of Mohenjodaro. She is a multiple award-winning financial journalist and editor who writes across a number of different journals and magazines. She lives in London with her husband and son and frequently visits Pakistan, where she has a keen interest in exploring archaeological sites.
Reviews
Praise for The Museum Detective
A Paste Magazine Most Anticipated Book of 2025
A CrimeReads Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2025
“The action of The Museum Detective largely unfolds in 21st-century Karachi, but it abounds in such arcane information about distant eras . . . But even as Ms. Khan Phillips fascinates us with antiquity, she fixes our attention on the modern mystery surrounding the gilded treasure and on Gul, whose investigations lead her to a very different underworld.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“Inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal in Pakistan, Phillips’s novel immerses readers in the teeming Pakistani city as she details how Delani’s quest for the truth may imperil not just her but also her family and friends.”
—The Washington Post
“A must-read.”
—The Concord Bridge
“Dr. Gul Delani, who works at the country’s Museum of Heritage, has more than a dash of Indiana Jones, as she mistrusts local police who dropped the disappearance of her activist niece Mahnaz several years prior, when they come calling for her to investigate the significant discovery of a mummy found in a remote cave. It’s the first in a planned espionage and archeology series that mixes Gul’s personal and professional investigations."
—Everything Zoomer
“Gorgeously evocative and absolutely riveting—as immersive as The Da Vinci Code, and as elegant and revealing as history itself, this unique and suspenseful thriller will keep you turning pages as fast as you can. Clever and smart, with irresistible research and deep characterization—Sue Grafton fans will swoon!—The Museum Detective is entertaining, propulsive, and, like the precious artifacts involved, an absolute treasure. I adore Dr. Gul Delani, and cannot wait for her next adventure.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The House Guest
“Maha Khan Phillips’s The Museum Detective is an extraordinary and mesmerizing blend of ancient and modern murder mysteries brought to life by the author’s profound knowledge of history and archaeology. Phillips’s intricate detail and expert storytelling lead readers into a thrilling and mysterious world where past and present collide, and truth and life hang in the balance. A fascinating novel.”
—Kwei Quartey, Edgar-nominated author of Wife of the Gods
“Maha Khan Phillips’s Karachi is a place I didn’t know, of damp alleys and grand homes, overworked cops and underfunded museums. The workaday world of archaeologists was also unfamiliar. But the crimes—corruption, murder, vicious contempt for good people—are universal. Gul Delani is a force to be reckoned with as she refuses to give in and go along. I was so glad to have her as a guide through the world of The Museum Detective.”
—SJ Rozan, bestselling author of The Murder of Mr. Ma
“What’s not to love? Mummies, murder, gangsters—and a brilliant archaeologist trying to uncover the truth of mysteries, past and present. A thrilling read.”
—Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire
“The Museum Detective is everything you want in a crime novel: twisty, unputdownable, and with a brilliant, lovable heroine who will take up permanent residence in your head.”
—Tahmima Anam, author of The Startup Wife
“A gripping plot that immerses the reader in worlds that are personal, archaeological, and political, and that had me thundering, breathlessly, to the end.”
—Gillian Slovo, author of Ten Days
“Another Maha Khan Phillips masterpiece, combining historical intrigue and emotion seamlessly in a rip-roaring yarn that explores the depths of grief, justice, corruption and family. A gripping mystery that keeps you guessing till the end.”
—Omar Shahid Hamid, author of The Prisoner
“A wonderfully compelling crime thriller that takes the reader deep into Pakistan in pursuit of a newly discovered mummy . . . In Gul, Maha Khan Phillips has created an amateur sleuth whom readers will be all too happy to meet again and again.”
—First Clue Reviews
“Phillips offers a smooth and well-paced style, with quick bursts of action, a steady stream of revelations about Karachi culture, and daring twists . . . [The Museum Detective] offers a parallel rhythm to the great mysteries of Agatha Christie.”
—New York Journal of Books
“A+ . . . That The Museum Detective is being billed as the opening book in a series is that best bookish news I’ve had all week. I loved walking beside this fascinating character through her life and her city, and I’m thrilled that I’ll have the opportunity to do so again.”
—Reading Reality
“Inspired by true events, this series opener from Phillips (The Curse of Mohenjodaro) contains chilling, heart-pounding twists . . . There is a delicate balance between Gul’s professional investigation and her personal crisis regarding her family, all while being aided by a stalwart crew of friends and colleagues.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review
“Phillips’s pacing is brisk, and she peppers the action with plenty of well-timed plot twists. Readers will hope to hear more from Gul soon.”
—Publishers Weekly
Praise for Maha Khan Phillips
“Here is some competition for Dan Brown in how to turn patchwork history into a page-turner . . . A delightful read.”
—The Times of India
“With hints of James Bond, Lara Croft, Indiana Jones and yes, it must be said, the Dan Brown novels, it is hardly surprising that there isn’t a dull moment in this frantically-paced historical thriller.”
—Newsline Magazine
A Paste Magazine Most Anticipated Book of 2025
A CrimeReads Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2025
“The action of The Museum Detective largely unfolds in 21st-century Karachi, but it abounds in such arcane information about distant eras . . . But even as Ms. Khan Phillips fascinates us with antiquity, she fixes our attention on the modern mystery surrounding the gilded treasure and on Gul, whose investigations lead her to a very different underworld.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“Inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal in Pakistan, Phillips’s novel immerses readers in the teeming Pakistani city as she details how Delani’s quest for the truth may imperil not just her but also her family and friends.”
—The Washington Post
“A must-read.”
—The Concord Bridge
“Dr. Gul Delani, who works at the country’s Museum of Heritage, has more than a dash of Indiana Jones, as she mistrusts local police who dropped the disappearance of her activist niece Mahnaz several years prior, when they come calling for her to investigate the significant discovery of a mummy found in a remote cave. It’s the first in a planned espionage and archeology series that mixes Gul’s personal and professional investigations."
—Everything Zoomer
“Gorgeously evocative and absolutely riveting—as immersive as The Da Vinci Code, and as elegant and revealing as history itself, this unique and suspenseful thriller will keep you turning pages as fast as you can. Clever and smart, with irresistible research and deep characterization—Sue Grafton fans will swoon!—The Museum Detective is entertaining, propulsive, and, like the precious artifacts involved, an absolute treasure. I adore Dr. Gul Delani, and cannot wait for her next adventure.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The House Guest
“Maha Khan Phillips’s The Museum Detective is an extraordinary and mesmerizing blend of ancient and modern murder mysteries brought to life by the author’s profound knowledge of history and archaeology. Phillips’s intricate detail and expert storytelling lead readers into a thrilling and mysterious world where past and present collide, and truth and life hang in the balance. A fascinating novel.”
—Kwei Quartey, Edgar-nominated author of Wife of the Gods
“Maha Khan Phillips’s Karachi is a place I didn’t know, of damp alleys and grand homes, overworked cops and underfunded museums. The workaday world of archaeologists was also unfamiliar. But the crimes—corruption, murder, vicious contempt for good people—are universal. Gul Delani is a force to be reckoned with as she refuses to give in and go along. I was so glad to have her as a guide through the world of The Museum Detective.”
—SJ Rozan, bestselling author of The Murder of Mr. Ma
“What’s not to love? Mummies, murder, gangsters—and a brilliant archaeologist trying to uncover the truth of mysteries, past and present. A thrilling read.”
—Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire
“The Museum Detective is everything you want in a crime novel: twisty, unputdownable, and with a brilliant, lovable heroine who will take up permanent residence in your head.”
—Tahmima Anam, author of The Startup Wife
“A gripping plot that immerses the reader in worlds that are personal, archaeological, and political, and that had me thundering, breathlessly, to the end.”
—Gillian Slovo, author of Ten Days
“Another Maha Khan Phillips masterpiece, combining historical intrigue and emotion seamlessly in a rip-roaring yarn that explores the depths of grief, justice, corruption and family. A gripping mystery that keeps you guessing till the end.”
—Omar Shahid Hamid, author of The Prisoner
“A wonderfully compelling crime thriller that takes the reader deep into Pakistan in pursuit of a newly discovered mummy . . . In Gul, Maha Khan Phillips has created an amateur sleuth whom readers will be all too happy to meet again and again.”
—First Clue Reviews
“Phillips offers a smooth and well-paced style, with quick bursts of action, a steady stream of revelations about Karachi culture, and daring twists . . . [The Museum Detective] offers a parallel rhythm to the great mysteries of Agatha Christie.”
—New York Journal of Books
“A+ . . . That The Museum Detective is being billed as the opening book in a series is that best bookish news I’ve had all week. I loved walking beside this fascinating character through her life and her city, and I’m thrilled that I’ll have the opportunity to do so again.”
—Reading Reality
“Inspired by true events, this series opener from Phillips (The Curse of Mohenjodaro) contains chilling, heart-pounding twists . . . There is a delicate balance between Gul’s professional investigation and her personal crisis regarding her family, all while being aided by a stalwart crew of friends and colleagues.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review
“Phillips’s pacing is brisk, and she peppers the action with plenty of well-timed plot twists. Readers will hope to hear more from Gul soon.”
—Publishers Weekly
Praise for Maha Khan Phillips
“Here is some competition for Dan Brown in how to turn patchwork history into a page-turner . . . A delightful read.”
—The Times of India
“With hints of James Bond, Lara Croft, Indiana Jones and yes, it must be said, the Dan Brown novels, it is hardly surprising that there isn’t a dull moment in this frantically-paced historical thriller.”
—Newsline Magazine
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