This was my favorite book in the series so far. It was still filled with some of the same zany antics and cheesy dialog from the previous books, but I really liked the way the story unfolded. Dan and Amy had some serious sibling things to work out between them, and Nellie, their au pair, really took a step up in my estimation too. I appreciate more and more the scenes shown now and then from the perspectives of various opponent Cahills, as we get to see that they're more than just evil villains. And frankly, I'm glad the Holts weren't in this one, because so far, they're just an annoying family of meatheads. Maybe some future book will give me a different view of them though.

You know what I would love? A recap of what clues have already been found, because when I think back on the previous books, I'm not sure I can accurately remember which things they found were official Clues and which things were clues to the clues. But while I'm not sure that the mystery and clue part of these books actually make any kind of logical sense and would really work out in real life at all, I'm still enjoying the ride and look forward to continuing the series. ( )

This was fast paced and action packed and it was wickedly good. Unlike Alex Rider it's not overly sad and unlike Cherub - I like the main characters. As a reader, I relate to Amy but I love Dan's way of looking at things. They're a great team. Nellie, the au pair, is hilarious. She's laid back and loyal and can speak a seemingly million different languages. The rest of the Cahill family kind of suck, but what's an adventure story without a villain? Or ten? The plot is riveting - the mix of fiction and history is fascinating and I'm flying through the series. They're not particularly long - but then this kind of book never is - or at least never feels like it is. I can't wait to read the rest. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.


Irina's backstory is teased at but unlike when I felt momentary feeling for Ian, I still don't like her. I hate that Dan and Amy fight in this one - I wish they'd just have it out instead of being all passive aggressive. As much as I enjoyed the book though, I would've liked to see more of Egypt - tomb raiding and archaeology details/facts/anecdotes, etc. I felt that it was kind of bland on that aspect of the quest - there was lots of danger and action but not as much substance as the previous three books.
( )

Hm, this one lacked a climax, too. :( ( )

Beyond the Grave is definitely one of the better books in the series so far. Irina's character arc has me hooked for sure, and I find myself more and more drawn into Alistair's backstory. A little suspension of disbelief is required with this book, like most adventure novels, and the alternate spelling of Sekhmet threw me off a bit, but otherwise this was a strong installment in the series.

The set-up for the Madrigals was excellent as well and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. ( )

Children's fiction/adventure-mystery. The chase continues in this satisfying seque (though the formula is getting somewhat tired). Click here to watch Jude Watson read an excerpt from the book. ( )