The Egyptologist

The historical novel, The Egyptologist (2004), is Arthur Phillips’ second novel.

Set in 1922, archaeologist Ralph Trilipush has traveled to Egypt to find a previously unknown pharaoh’s tomb. As the book opens, Ralph has already discovered what he believes to be the entrance to the tomb but has had to leave Egypt in order to secure funding for another expedition. Estranged from his fiancée, Margaret Finnaran, on account of her father’s disapproval, he writes to her frequently, seeking to reconcile with her.

Ralph makes a presentation about the tomb to potential investors, men from Boston who have mostly made their fortunes in construction. The men are skeptical that there are any more treasures to be found in Egypt. There is a rumor circulating around Ralph’s alma mater Harvard that the pharaoh Atum-hadu is a hoax, but Ralph assures them that he has enemies at Harvard who are invested in him not succeeding. Convinced, the investors agree to fund one final expedition. One of the investors is CCF, Margaret’s father, who is in dire financial straits and desperately needs Ralph to find the treasure to recoup his investment, though he is still suspicious of Ralph’s true intentions toward his daughter.



Meanwhile, Harold Farrell, a private investigator in Australia, receives a case that brings Ralph to his attention. He quickly learns that there are some discrepancies in Ralph’s story; he may not be who he says he is. Ralph was presumed to have been killed in Egypt during World War I, along with a British Army officer who was his lover.

Harold believes that the man claiming to be Ralph is actually a conman Paul Caldwell who was stationed with Ralph. Though his investigative technique is lacking, Harold believes that Paul observed Ralph well enough to imitate him and then either murdered Ralph or assumed his identity after Ralph died accidentally.

At the same time that Ralph is searching for Atum-hadu’s tomb, the real historical figure, Howard Carter, uncovers the tomb of King Tutankhamen, which becomes an overnight sensation. Ralph opens his own tomb and finds only a series of empty rooms and doors that each requires lengthy preparation to open. Many of Ralph’s diggers lose patience and go to work on Carter’s dig site instead.



Ralph finds a chamber with twelve pillars and still no treasure. Beginning to go mad from the stress, he paints the chamber with hieroglyphics and figures, telling the story of the life of Atum-hadu, which mirrors Ralph’s own life. However, his deception is not convincing, and his investors stop sending funds.

When Ralph opens the final room of the tomb and finds it empty, he begins to make his own artifacts. He kills a stray cat and wraps it in a sheet, presenting it as a mummified cat. Frustrated by Ralph’s growing obsession, Margaret writes to him to end their relationship. She is frustrated by the way Ralph and CCF have both been using her to further their financial gain.

CCF comes to Egypt to see the tomb. Ralph has been sending him letters describing gold and other treasures, none of which are present in the tomb. He is shocked to see the state Ralph is in, as well as the rudimentary artwork and hieroglyphics on the walls. In order to avoid being uncovered, Ralph murders CCF with a piece of digging equipment and then composes a story to cover up his guilt.



Injured while digging, his wound infected, Ralph still manages to hike to Carter’s dig site to steal essentials and ridicule Carter’s find as inferior to his own. Harold makes his way to the dig site in pursuit of Ralph, trying to get him to confess to murder. Ralph eludes him, and Harold knows he doesn’t have a case unless he can find a body.

The truth about Paul and Ralph comes to light. While in the army, Paul blackmailed Ralph’s lover, Hugo Marlowe, into giving him lessons on Egyptology. However, Hugo fabricated much of the knowledge he passed on, making up an account of a tomb he and Ralph had discovered in Egypt. When he grows tired of being blackmailed, Hugo tries to kill Paul, but Paul kills him instead. He then assumes Ralph’s identity and goes to look for the fictional tomb.

In the last chapter, Ralph continues to decorate the empty tomb with various possessions. He then goes into the final chamber, wraps himself in a sheet, and pours chemicals over himself to preserve his body. He has become the mummy of Atum-hadu and the empty tomb has become a monument to him.