Book of the Dead by Michael Northrop

Tombquest series, Book 1. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781743629246
(Age: 10+) Themes: Egyptology, Adventure stories, Good & Evil, Museums. Another series from Scholastic where the reader has to wait patiently for the next instalment to be published. This is a dark story more suited to readers over 10 than the recommended Year 3 audience. Over five novels the two young protagonists are caught in a dark adventure, as an ancient Egyptian evil is unleashed, mummies are awakened and a plague of scarabs invades the underground tunnels.
Alex Sennefer's suffering from a fatal illness, nothing can help him. He leaves the hospital and very quickly is embroiled in the mysteries at his mother's work place, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is an Egyptologist, involved in a secret society, who carries a powerful magic amulet at all times. She knows that the answers to Alex's getting better is hidden in the Lost Spells of the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
Alex and his best friend Ren are drawn in to fight a Death Walker, who has 3000 years to plan his revenge. There is a real darkness to this story, as they fight evil, are confronted by a thousands of stinging scarabs killing the animals in Central Park and engage in a battle in abandoned underground railway tunnels.
This a confronting story, the bad guys are violent and scary and Alex and Ren are so caught up in the battle, the reader knows little about their characters and their friendship.
For readers over 10 years.
Rhyllis Bignell