Niki Holmes author of "Lake of Flowers"

Nun-Turned-Archaeologist Pens Two Lively Historical
Novel Series Set In Ancient Egypt, Taking Us Behind The
Scenes of a Kingdom With Parallels To Today’s America

What kind of books would a nun-turned-archaeologist write?
Answer: Two intriguing series, both powerful historical fiction set in the fascinating period of Egyptian
rule some 3,300 years ago.
The Lord Hani Mysteries and The Empire at Twilight series rely on author N.L. Holmes’ extensive
knowledge of this period in ancient Egypt and her vivid imagination to dig up the past and present a
relevant, page-turning set of mysteries. They capture the attention of those who are curious about what
happened behind-the-scenes of one of the greatest dynasties. Her books explore the explosive dynamics
of family and power behind the kingdom, sharing adventurous stories through provocative protagonists.
“These books explore a time and people that reveal some similarities to today’s time of political unrest
and cultural change,” says Holmes. Indeed, she insightfully understands human nature and how that
drives motives and actions to create extraordinary stories.
Holmes will share the following in an interview:
 Why she left the convent after two decades to be an archaeologist and professor for 25 years.
 How historical fictions helps us gain an appreciation of history and a greater perspective of today.
 Why the kingdom of the man who was King Tut’s father is so interesting.
 What happens when there is great cultural, religious and political change in a short period of time.
 What we learn from studying the dynamics between a totalitarian regime and its servants.
 What she discovered on archaeological digs in Greece and Israel.
 The challenges and rewards of bringing ancient history authentically to life today.
“These books bring to life a long-gone era that has relevance to today’s world,” says Holmes. Those days
– and these books – possess some powerful elements, including: mysterious political assassinations,
shocking affairs with heads of state, dramatic family maneuverings, plots for rebellion and resistance.”

The Lord Hani Mysteries take place during the reign of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten (1353-1336
BC). “His reign,” says Holmes, “was quite unusual and challenged the norms of his day.”
“Akhenaten is noted for abandoning Egypt's traditional polytheistic religion and
introducing  Atenism , worship centered on Aten,” says Wikipedia. “The view
of Egyptologists differ whether Atenism should be considered as absolute monotheism, or
whether it was monolatry, syncretism, or henotheism. This culture shift away from traditional
religion was not widely accepted. After his death, Akhenaten's monuments were dismantled and
hidden, his statues were destroyed, and his name excluded from lists of rulers compiled by later
pharaohs. Traditional religious practice was gradually restored, notably under his close
successor Tutankhamun, who changed his name from Tutankhaten early in his reign. When some
dozen years later rulers without clear rights of succession from the Eighteenth Dynasty founded
a new dynasty, they discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors, referring to Akhenaten
himself as "the enemy" or "that criminal" in archival records.
“Akhenaten was all but lost to history until the late 19th century discovery of Amarna, or
Akhetaten, the new capital city he built for the worship of Aten. [18]  Furthermore, in 1907, a
mummy that could be Akhenaten's was unearthed from the tomb KV55 in the Valley of the
Kings by Edward R. Ayrton. Genetic testing has determined that the man buried in KV55 was
Tutankhamun's father, [19]  but its identification as Akhenaten has since been questioned.
“Akhenaten's rediscovery and Flinders Petrie's early excavations at Amarna sparked great public
interest in the pharaoh and his queen Nefertiti. He has been described as "enigmatic,"
"mysterious," "revolutionary," "the greatest idealist of the world," and "the first individual in
history," but also as a "heretic," "fanatic," "possibly insane," and "mad.”
“The Lord Hani Mysteries gives the reader a chance to take a vacation to a fabulous place and glimpse the
lives of the ‘beautiful people’ of yore,” says Holmes. “And we can all use a vacation right now.”