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The Cult of Osiris

Author: Andy McDermott

Publisher: Headline

ISBN: 9780755354634

Year Published: 2010

Andy McDermott's novel, The Cult of Osiris, is the fifth instalment in Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase's adventure. This time, the story is set in Egypt.

After their last adventure, Nina Wilde has been disgraced and is out of work, while Eddie Chase is working as a bodyguard to movie stars. Things are looking depressing until an undergraduate on a dig in Egypt sees something she shouldn’t have and turns to Nina for help.

Soon, they are all running for their lives from a dangerous new cult.

Since a time immemorial, the Great Sphinx has been staring, unwaveringly, into an open sky and the sandy desert. Unknown to many and hidden beneath its megalithic frame lies a secret vault that holds the location to the pyramid and the tomb of Osiris.

Meanwhile, the Sphinx's other secret - the Hall of Record - is about to be unveiled on international television, as a group of archeologists prepare to break into its secret vault.

Macy Sharif is a student in archeology and a part of the team planning to uncover the Sphinx's hidden vault. Things go south when Macy accidentally stumbles upon a shocking discovery involving a religious cult - The Cult of Osiris. The cultists have raided the site and Macy soon realises that they are after an invaluable artefact - the map to the lost pyramid of Osiris.

Macy then witnesses the secret activity by the cultists on another dig. Unfortunately, they catch her spying. Although she manages to escape, the cultists bribe the corrupt Egyptian officials, framing Macy for crimes of theft. Macy realises that only two people can help her out of her predicament - Nina and Eddie.

So what is the secret that lies in Osiris' lost pyramid that's worth killing for?

Apparently, plenty. That’s what the founder of The Osirian Temple, Khalid Osir believes. He and his brother, Sebak Shaban, together with the others like Bobby Diamondback and Dr Hamdi, are all in cohort to find the pyramid of Osiris which holds treasures and the secret of immortality.

Nina, Chase and Macy manage to get into the Sphinx's hidden vault where they find a zodiac on the ceiling in the upper chamber which is a star map about six feet in diameter, featuring the constellations carved into the stone in the form of the ancient Egyptian gods.

The map shows the location of the Pyramid of Osiris, where the tomb of Osiris is located as well as the bread of life, which contains a special yeast that holds the secret of immortality. According to his research, Osir believes that the yeast will prevent the telomeres, which are part of the chromosomes in every body cell, from shortening whenever they replicate. Hence it will prevent the cells from dying.

The Cult of Osiris follows the same formula as other books by McDermott. The story itself reads like a movie script from an action adventure film. Every page dazzles readers with action scenes - from vehicle chases, gun fights, fist fights, and explosions.

Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase remain likeable characters. Their constant bickering against each other brought comic reliefs to the story. Having said this, character development is completely absent in this book. The villains reek of stereotypes and therefore unimpressive.

Despite that, The Cult of Osiris is better than its predecessors.The story reached its climax about 70% into the story which means the author prolonged the suspense in the story, and this made the book more interesting to read.