The Scarab Heart

'Powers like yours expect to be used! Who knows what will happen if you choose to ignore them?'

Egypt, 1885. Theft and murder are afoot at an archaeological dig in the Valley of the Kings. Lizzie Blaylock, a young materializing medium of some renown, and her mentor, Miss Otis, thought they were there to vacation, especially as Lizzie has decided she wants nothing more to do with her powers. Her powers, however, have other things in mind.

Cover photographs by Neithsabes, Marc Ryckaert, Daniel Csörföly, Harris & Ewing,
Inc, and whatsthatpicture
Cover design by Negative Negative
Published by Seventh Rainbow Publishing, London
RRP: US$2.99; UK£2.99

Praise for The Scarab Heart:

5 of 5 stars “As much as I loved The Bridge of Dead Things ~ I adored The Scarab Heart! These books are marvelous, really and truly something special!”
—Paula Fetty-King Goodreads Reviewer

5 of 5 stars “...The author did his homework, I'm a bit of a Victorian buff and reenactor, and the details, dialog, and characters are all appropriate to the period...My initial interest was...[as] designated "pre-reader" for my 8 grandchildren, this book has plenty of depth and complexity to keep the adults interested as well. The action flows smoothly, the plot develops nicely, and all the loose ends are tied up in the end as they should be in a well written whodunnit.”
—Emilious Tarr Smashwords Reviewer

5 of 5 stars “How Lizzie gets herself in, and out, of encounters with the far past and the present, is a captivating escape from everyday life. The imagery is fabulous, the characters are likeable, and the story is believably enthralling.”
—Nightwing Goodreads Reviewer

5 of 5 stars “I have got to say, these books are unlike any other I have read...almost impossible to put down.”
—Helene Gårdsvold Amazon.com Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “Wow...I don't know what I was expecting, but not that...Scarab Heart totally sucked me in. It was fast paced and very fun to read.”
—Kelly LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “Having read a lot of mysteries, I pride myself on being quick to know the guilty party. I will say that I had a brief idea, but was still taken by surprise with the reveal...Overall, a really nice read. I look forward to reading more about Lizzie.”
—Sherri S LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The combination of Lizzie (a bridge to souls) and the Egyptian dig, and the Queen of Egypt manifestation through Lizzie’s dreams, was totally cohesive and enjoyable. Throw in the murder & theft of artefacts…and my attention was taken. It's a light read, but very enjoyable…I will go back and read the first one, and the one to come.”
—M M Plante LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “…the mythical portion of the book [is] absolutely captivating, so I guess I'd be sold even if I was not biased right from the start…It's as if Gallagher was deliberately dangling one 'mystery' that screamed loudly in our face so that we won't see the other one coming.”
—sinxnite [Profile now deleted] LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “This is a great vacation read. It has a thought out plot and twists to keep it interesting. It was a quick read for me but kept my interest. I look forward to reading more.”
—bella55075 LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “...I did enjoy the book and especially thought Lizzie's talent as a ghost bridge is a super neat twist on the usual psychic/medium. The mystery was more than what I expected-not your average tomb raiders plot and was very neatly wrapped up with all clues accounted for and the culprits apprehended. I do look forward to reading more from Michael Gallagher.”
—Chris Keen LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “I did find myself drawn to the story and not wanting to put the book down…I do not often read for pleasure, but I would definitely recommend this book as I did enjoy it very much.”
—Michen LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “An interesting mix of the Victorian Era and Egyptology. Definitely gave a different perspective on all those archeology digs! The mystery was a bonus for me.”
—NitaneeLyon LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “The book kept me guessing as to the thief and killer right to the end. Lots of twists, turns and suspense! I would definitely read more in this series.”
—Suzy Schettler LibraryThing Early Reviewer

4 of 5 stars “It kept me guessing till the end, which I suppose is the hallmark of a good mystery.”
—labrat35 LibraryThing Early Reviewer

3 of 5 stars “I especially enjoyed how Gallagher used Egyptian history and mythology to suit the needs of his plot. I’m no scholar on ancient Egypt, but I knew enough going in that I was very impressed.”
—Robb Flynn robflynn.com LibraryThing Early Reviewer

3 of 5 stars “...I'd have devoured the series in grades 6 & up...”
—L Kamsin LibraryThing Early Reviewer