The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb

The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb is a short story by Agatha Christie, first published in 1923, featuring Hercule Poirot.

In the wake of a celebrated excavation, a series of sudden deaths sparks rumors of an ancient curse striking from the grave. A grieving family and anxious backers turn to Poirot, whose cool head and precise methods clash with the swirl of superstition surrounding the newly opened tomb.

Rather than chase legends, Poirot follows patterns of motive, opportunity, and access—scrutinizing medical details, travel plans, and the careful staging of “accidents.” Each clue points away from the mystical and toward a human design hiding behind myth.

The truth emerges in a tightly argued reveal that dismantles the curse narrative and restores order. Christie delivers a brisk puzzle that pits reason against fear while capturing the era’s fascination with archaeology and the media’s appetite for exotic danger.

"I have always considered that one of the most thrilling and dramatic of the many adventures I have shared with Poirot was that of our investigation into the strange series of deaths which followed upon the discovery and opening of the Tomb of King Men-her-Ra."