"Take a wonderfully compelling trip into the 1920’s in this fascinating murder mystery. "
An entirely charming, fascinating murder mystery set in the Golden Age Twenties. The Cairo Brief is the fourth in the simply fabulous 'Poppy Denby Investigates’ series. Poppy is invited to attend a country house for the auction of an Egyptian mask… murder, curses and general skulduggery await her keen investigative skills.
While this could potentially be read as a standalone, I do recommend starting at the beginning of the series with the wonderful The Jazz Files which was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association Endeavour Historical Dagger Award. Fictional characters mingle quite beautifully with historical figures such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Howard Carter and Emmeline Pankhurst.
I adore Poppy, she’s intelligent, progressive, and knows her own mind. Fiona Veitch Smith’s descriptive detailing is just gorgeous, the dresses sparkle, the cars zip (or putter) along, and historical facts pepper and blend in with the storyline. Just perfect if you love to visit a bygone era, The Cairo Brief is a teasingly delicious and wonderfully readable mystery.
Intrepid reporter sleuth Poppy Denby is invited to attend the auction of the Death Mask of Nefertiti. The auction is to be held on the country estate of Sir James Maddox, a famous explorer and Egyptologist. Representatives of the world's leading museums will be bidding on the mask which was found, in Egypt, under murderous circumstances.
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
| Recommendations: |
Win Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series So Far!
Closing date: 30/09/2026
Win a Pair of Tickets to Agatha Christie’s The Hollow at a Venue of Your Choice.
Closing date: 15/10/2026
The Cairo Brief by Fiona Veitch Smith is the fourth outing in the 'Poppy Denby Investigates' series and my first foray into this popular set of stories.
The Cairo Brief by Fiona Veitch Smith is the fourth outing in the 'Poppy Denby Investigates' series and my first foray into this popular set of stories.
Set in my favourite fictional period of time - the roaring twenties - Agatha Christie fans will be addictively drawn to Poppy Denby, being a stereotypical character she would normally incorporate in her books. The author is an excellent writer and captures the era of the time perfectly, with dialogue, actions and surroundings depicted spot on making it wholly atmospheric of the 1920's.
Egyptian archaeological digs and finds have always interested me and the fact the story revolved around the auction of the cursed Death Mask of Nefertiti made it all the more intriguing for me.... Read Full Review
A great mystery written in the 21st century but set in the roaring twenties, Poppy Denby is the new Miss Marple. A well researched old fashioned mystery.
This popped through my letterbox on Friday and by this afternoon I had snuggled down in my armchair and read this interesting mystery.
This is book 4 of the Poppy Denby books and can be read as a standalone story.
Set in the 20s Poppy is a journalist gets caught up a masks curse, then there is a murder. This is Agatha Christie written in a modern age set in the 20s.
Well researched and as a fan of the British Museum and Egyptology this was right up my street.... Read Full Review
Enjoyable cozy mystery romp, well researched and intriguing!
This book is fourth in the series of cozy period crime mysteries with leading heroine Poppy Denby investigating. Haven't read any of her adventures before, but now I wish I had! It's a very well set piece of Roaring Twenties cozy mystery with a lovely Ancient Egypt thrown in as a bonus. You really feel the time it is set in, great details and little characters you feel like you have always known. Reads very well and gives a lovely, cozy feeling indeed. Nice camp story with lots of fun bits and a gentle mystery with a bit of a twist.... Read Full Review
Intrepid reporter sleuth Poppy Denby is invited to attend the auction of the Death Mask of Nefertiti. The auction is to be held on the country estate of Sir James Maddox, a famous explorer and Egyptologist.
The Cairo Brief features in the following genres: Crime and Mystery, Books with reviews by our Reader Review Panel, Fiction, Recommendations
Paperback. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. Not Available.
The Cairo Brief was written by Fiona Veitch Smith and published by Lion Fiction an imprint of Lion Hudson Plc
The Cairo Brief has 352 pages
Yes it is part of Poppy Denby Investigates series
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. Not Available.
