There’s a curse at Club Cairene and it’s killing people. Tangerine, the renowned Freelance Curse Breaker, is in Cairo to sort it out. What at first appears to be just another routine job quickly becomes more complicated and more dangerous than even she had ever expected. Unfamiliar earth energies and shadowy characters block her every attempt to combat the curse. And then there’s that strikingly handsome man seen leaving the club after the latest victim falls prey to the curse. Tangerine cannot understand the peculiar sensual tingling that ripples through her body when he gazes into her eyes. Curse breakers don’t have to deal with purveyors of sexual energy, do they? With the help of Club Cairene owner Leila, Tangerine sets off through the neighborhoods of exotic Cairo to track the origins of the curse and figure out a way to disarm it. Also on her agenda is hunting down that very attractive, and possibly very evil, man. Could the answer be found within the walls of the Cairo Museum? Or in a more pedestrian locale like a coffee shop? Where ever the solution lies, Tangerine must act quickly before the curse destroys a great deal more than just Club Cairene and the people around it.
Kate McVaugh writes fast-paced, fun-filled adventures, mysteries, and literary fiction. All are set in foreign countries where she has lived, worked, and traveled.
She grew up in the cold, foggy San Francisco Bay Area, but always felt that she should be living somewhere else. Preferably in a hot, tropical climate, exploring the culture and learning the language.
A two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Brazil is where she first fulfilled that desire for international adventure. From there, she went on to work as an educator both in the US and abroad. Except, that is, when she required a break from the profession. She found her respite while working in bars and running nightclubs.
Kate is also a travel essayist whose work has appeared in Lonely Planet.
I was lucky enough to get this book for review and I'll admit, I'm a cover whore lol and this cover hmm kind of turned me off to the book, enough that it took me awhile to actually pick it up to read it...but let me tell you that old age saying, "Never judge a book by its cover." I've had other covers that were gorgeous and I picked them up and couldn't finish them because the writing was awful.... You have an awful cover here that is hiding a gorgeous story inside. Fans of Paranormal Romance/Myth will really enjoy this novel.
Tangerine breaks down curses, literally connecting with the energies in her mind and following the strands because how else can you unbreak something unless you know where its coming from? She's hired to look into some things in a local club in what I believe is Egypt ;) She meets with the club owner and begins to explore the negative energy of the club.. you see the club owner believes in the magic as well, which is why she sought out Tangerine to hire her to break it. Bad things are happening in her club and Tangerine is just the one to go about fixing it.
From the beginning she meets a mysterious, sexy, dangerous man Habib and the chemistry sizzles from their very first meeting. You see Habib has his own secrets and works for a special Goddess as his family before him... don't want to tell you TOO much as that would ruin it.
Anyways, I really enjoyed this book, enough that I will re-read it again and again and it will get a home on my keeper shelf. Kate manages to weave a very believable world that is full of fantasy but you could totally see something like that really happening... I like stories that are far-fetched but I could actually picture it and Kate delivers. Do not make the mistake I made and judge the book by its cover, it is well worth the read and will keep you wondering for hours... when I found out everything, lets just say I was surprised LOL! :) Check it out! :)
P.S. Kate, don't mind me on my cover comment, it really is a good book, I just think the cover is unattractive and might put some readers off, though hopefully after my review they won't judge it by its cover lol :)
Kate McVaugh comes up with a very imaginative premise here. I have never seen Egyptian mythology handled quite the way she does it. The characters also have interesting backgrounds, particularly the curse breaker herself. Setting is also interesting, as McVaugh does a good job creating her interpretation of a modern, but clearly alternate, Cairo. There is also more than one unexpected twist. So why not five stars? This one is close, but for me the difference is the resolution of personal conflicts (and ultimately the resolution of the basic issues within the plot) strikes me as a little too easy. I can't say more without risking spoilers. That said, I definitely intend to read more work by this author as it becomes available, and I would certainly recommend the book despite my one reservation.
If you are looking for a well-written, compelling and satisfying read then you will enjoy this book. The writing is excellent and I particularly loved the way the author describes Tangerine’s psychic journeys when she is investigating the curse. I’ve never read a book where the character’s psychic abilities were described so clearly and it really helped me to relate to the character.
The vivid descriptions of Cairo also help the book to come alive for me. I could see the bustling streets of modern-day Cairo clearly, but the author also invokes the ancient Cairo at the same time, showing how it is always just below the surface. The character of Habib unites the ancient and modern worlds. He is enigmatic, exotic and very sexy, and the manner in which the sexual tension builds between him and Tangerine is masterfully done.
My favourite part of this book is the way in which ancient myth is weaved in with the modern story. I have never been to Cairo but this book captures exactly what I imagine it to be like: a contemporary city with deep roots in an ancient and mysterious culture which continues to exert its influence on the present in a myriad of ways. I highly recommend this book.
I’ll admit to being a little bit skeptical about reading “The Curse Breaker of Cairo” by Kate McVaugh due to the fact that it is a Paranormal Mystery/Romance. However, I had loved Kate’s writing in her first mystery, “Murder, Jaz and Tel Aviv”, so I thought I would give it a try.
The story takes place in Cairo at Club Cairene where a curse is killing people, especially the musicians. Tangerine has been hired to break the curse. Her first step is to investigate the curse and in so doing ends up traveling throughout Cairo. She meets two very interesting men along the way. She also learns more about the ancient Gods of Egypt.
Generally, writing should show, not tell you things, at least with fiction. This book doesn't do that. It's awkwardly written, poorly paced, the characters are wooden and unengaging, even the sex is passionless and almost clinical. It is at least a fairly original concept, or I'd give one star.
I greatly enjoyed this story. It was quite the page turner for me. I loved the background and the scenery of the book. I loved the interaction between the characters.