If you’ve ever wished The Mummy had more historical artifacts, a snarkier more capable heroine, and an ensemble cast you want to personally hug and/or throttle, welcome to your next obsession!

The Setup

This time, our ragtag crew of scholars, fighters, and danger-magnets are bamboozled (the only appropriate description for it!) courtesy of Constance’s royal grandmother, into a race across India .

There’s an artifact of terrifying power buried deep in the jungle: the legendary Arrow of Fortune, tied to the Ramayana and capable of mass destruction of entire races.

Naturally, a British colonizer is trying to get to it first.

So what do our heroes do? They run headfirst into the forest, of course. Tigers, snakes, and one very memorable giant man-eating catfish stand between them and saving an entire royal state.

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The Characters

  • Ellie Mallory is back, and as always, she's a delightful mess of logic, bravery, and borderline reckless optimism. Her chemistry knowledge is top-tier, her ability to get in trouble even better.
  • Adam Bates is still shirtless, still wielding a machete, and still working through his deeply repressed feelings. We love to see it.
  • Constance Tyrrell has new daggers, a mission, and no time for her exasperating chemistry with Neil Fairfax.
  • Neil, meanwhile, is trying his best to keep the magical sword from being cursed and/or accidentally stabbing him. Good luck, buddy.

Also: a high-strung dog, a scheming colonel, and the mysterious Mr. Jacobs, who’s as unsettling as ever.

“A well-behaved lady historian ought to avoid haunted Indian forests… not plunge into them seeking an invincible weapon of the gods.” — and that's exactly why we love Ellie!

Why I Loved It

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and a giant man-eating catfish)

Raiders of the Arcana, Book 3

This installment is packed with everything I love about the Raiders of the Arcana series! Banter, heart, high-stakes puzzles, ancient magic, colonial takedowns, and women who are so over everyone else’s nonsense.

The pacing is tight, the jungle setting richly described, and the action sequences as cinematic as ever. The historical/mythological layering of Indian lore and the Ramayana is deeply respectful and adds so much richness to the quest.

Also: Book 4 is headed to Korea?!? You better believe I’m preordering that immediately!

Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan of:

  • The Mummy (especially Evie’s chaotic librarian energy)
  • Found family + slow burn romance
  • Artifacts with world-ending consequences
  • Historical fantasy with a side of jungle mayhem then Arrow of Fortune will be your next 5-star read. This series just keeps getting better.