Hello everyone! Today I am so thrilled to welcome the fabulous Jordan L. Hawk to the blog. Jordan is here as part of the Rainbow Con blog tour to talk to us more about her latest release, Necropolis, the fourth in her popular Whyborne & Griffin series. She has brought us an exclusive excerpt, as well as the chance to win a copy of the book. So please join me in giving her a big welcome!
Blurb
Introverted scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has spent the last few months watching his lover, Griffin Flaherty, come to terms with the rejection of his adoptive family. So when an urgent telegram from Christine summons them to Egypt, Whyborne is reluctant to risk the fragile peace they’ve established. Until, that is, a man who seems as much animal as human tries to murder Whyborne in the museum.
Amidst the ancient ruins of the pharaohs, they must join Christine and face betrayal, murder, and a legendary sorceress risen from the dead. In the forge of the desert heat, the trio will either face their fears and stand together—or shatter the bonds between them forever.
Excerpt
The setup: January, 1899. Whyborne & Griffin’s friend, the Egyptologist Dr. Christine Putnam, has sent and urgent telegram summoning them to join her in Egypt. In this scene, our heroes have just via steamer.
Port Said offered as different a scene from the quays of Widdershins as I could have imagined. The heat, the swirl of colorful robes, the shouts in a dozen languages, combined to make my head spin. Scores of men and boys crowded the pier, shouting at the passengers in broken English as we disembarked.
“Donkey, effendi! To the rail station, yes?” one of the impertinent fellows offered, practically in my face. He stood almost as tall as me.
I took a step back. “No, thank you,” I replied in Arabic. “I have arrangements already made.”
He seemed surprised I’d addressed him in something other than English, but it worked to dissuade him, and he began yelling his offer at the passengers behind us.
“I don’t see Christine, do you?” Griffin asked, tilting his hat to better shade his eyes against the glare of the sun.
“No.” Had she encountered some delay? We’d been out of contact since a hastily wired telegram from England more than ten days ago. Anything could have happened since. “Let’s get away from this crowd. I can’t hear myself think.”
It was much easier said than done. Everywhere boys and young men confronted us with offers to act as tour guides, donkeys to rent, or pleas for baksheesh. Our fellow passengers milled about, collecting their luggage and hiring porters from among the swarm of natives.
I glimpsed the Grafin de Wisborg in the crowd, a parasol shading her pale skin from the fierce sun. To my surprise, she snapped her fingers and issued orders in brisk Arabic. A number of strong-looking young men leapt at once to her command, and within moments, she and her luggage had vanished. Would we encounter her again at Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo? According to Christine, practically every foreign tourist lodged there, whether partaking in one of Mr. Cook’s tours or on an excursion of their own, or at least came to enjoy the view from the famous terrace.
“Are you deaf?” yelled a portly man Englishman, his red face covered in a layer of sweat. “I want a coach! Now go get me one, or no baksheesh, understand?”
He berated a tall, slim Arab dressed in a summer weight suit and hat. A striking example of Egyptian manhood, his nose and mouth could have served as the model for one of the ancient statues of the pharaohs. “I understand you quite well, sir,” he replied with an English accent. “But I fear I’m already engaged.”
The portly man turned away in disgust. “It’s true what they say about how lazy the natives are,” he said in a loud voice to his wife.
The man he’d callously dismissed stiffened slightly, mouth tightening in anger. But an instant later, the expression vanished, smoothed away into a neutral mask. As he turned to scan the crowd, his gaze found me, and recognition flashed in his eyes. “Dr. Whyborne?”
“Er, yes?”
“Permit me to introduce myself. I’m Iskander Barnett, an associate of Dr. Putnam’s.”
I recalled his name from Christine’s descriptions of her various adventures. I stuck out my hand; he looked vaguely bemused as he shook it. “Dr. Percival Endicott Whyborne—oh, you already know that, don’t you?—and this is my traveling companion, Mr. Griffin Flaherty.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Barnett,” Griffin said, shaking his hand in turn. “Do you assist Dr. Putnam often?”
“Yes, I—”
“Oh good, Kander, you found them.” Christine’s familiar tones cut through the noise of the crowded dock. I turned to see her striding through the throng toward us. Her costume came as a bit of a shock. Although I knew she always adopted rational dress in the field, and had seen her in bloomers before in the course of our adventures, her working outfit proved even more radical than I’d supposed. The dusty tan trousers were quite mannish, and paired with a plain white shirt, tan vest, and coat. Her hat befit any explorer of the land, of whatever gender.
“Whyborne,” she said crisply, thrusting her hand at me. “Good to see you.”
I shook it more out of reflex than anything else. “Christine,” I said, doing my best to convey I didn’t appreciate her dragging me halfway around the globe without explanation.
“Griffin.” She shook his hand heartily. “Excellent. I assumed Whyborne would bring you.”
“What is this all about?” I asked, feeling I’d waited far too long for enlightenment already.
“I’ll tell you in full later, away from these crowds,” she said. “Now hurry it up, we don’t want to be late for the train to Cairo.”
“Christine!” I set my heels and folded my arms across my chest. “No. I’m not going another step until you offer me some word of explanation.”
“Murder,” she replied. “Murder most foul, as the bard says. Now stop being dramatic and find your luggage.”
Giveaway
Jordan has brought a copy of Necropolis to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Friday, April 18th at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
OMG I’m so excited! Between this teaser, and the chapter she posted on her website, I’m salivating! Now I need to carve time to read all previous W+G (and Remnant), in order, the night before it’s released…so I’m completely and truly prepared.
Oh I need this…please Mr Random Number-Thingy…
I’m so excited for Necropolis, especially after the excerpt! I love this series. Thanks for the chance to win!
I can’t wait to read Necropolis! I love this series!
I can’t wait for this book!
Love this series and looking forward to Egyptian adventures.
The first three were so amazing; I can’t wait to see what this one holds!
Oh my gosh, I so look forward to reading this one!
OMG… is this already out? I wanna, please!
So looking forward to reading this one
Wow! I can’t wait to read Necropolis. It will be the highlight of May in my opinion
Love Wyborne and Griffin so count me in pleaseeeee!
Maaaaaaaaaay is too far awaaaaaaaay! Need me some more Whyborne and Griffin! ?
Is it June yet? Since I am lucky in love (thank god!!!) and not in material things, I probably don’t have a chance. But wait! Jordan Hawke does write of things esoteric. Soooo… maybe!!!
I would so love to read this! Please count me in… =:))
I have the previous books in my tbr pile…need to curl up and read them soon
Oooh! I just bought the first three and am 1/3 of the way through the first. Spell-binding storyline! I adore Whyborne, Griffin, and Christine 🙂
I am sooooooo looking forward to this book! 😀
Can’t wait to read the whole book! I adore Whyborne!
Redrum! Redrum! I mean… Ooooh, interesting indeed! 😀
Great to see the series continue!
Oooh, I love the cover and you have me completely hooked on the premise! Of course, this means I need to go back and find the first books in the series, yes? Yes. 🙂
I’m really looking forward to reading this so please include me in the draw. Thanks
Poor Whybourne, being dragged off to the far corners of the world! I absolutely love this series. I just read books 2 and 3 recently. I had to buy the paperbacks. 😀 I’m not going to RainbowCon, but come GRL, I’m getting those babies signed!
I love these books. I
want it! Please!!!
I love this series! Read the previous 3 books in one week. I hope I win! Thanks.
I read allt he others and love them/ I shall buy this one as well.
Love this series, It was my first read by Jordan and she got a fan for life.
Love this series! Can’t wait for more Whybourne and Griffin!
I love Jordan L. Hawk. Can’t wait to read this one.
Is it wrong that I want to put the vacation I’ve been planning for months on hold because this releases in the middle of it? If so, I’m happy to be wrong!
Please count me in. Thanks.
Please count me in, it sounds great. Thank you!!!
Looking forward to giving this a read. Thank you for the giveaway!
I’ve just started this series but know it’s going to become a favourite. Hot men, Victorian times, museums!! What more could this anthropologist ask for??
Love the series but love more the audio books. The voices are incredibly well done.Is like watching them in a movie.Hope the audiobook comes almost at the same time.
I just finished Widdershins and I’m hooked! Can’t wait to get through all the books in the series.
Looking forward to this one. 🙂
As always reading excerpts leave me in tears because there is no more and I have to wait for it to come out! Ugh.
Such a great series – can’t wait to read this!
I’m a fan of this series so would love to win this book.
I am so excited to see this next book-yeah!!! I don’t know who I love more whyborne or griffin but their evolving love and adventures are addictive. I can’t wait to become immersed in this new adventure. I love seeing whyborne taken out of his comfort zone, getting his feathers ruffled, hot and bothered, feeling out of place only to be all smoothed out by being pulled into griffins arms or between his legs. Each book has been just as exciting, hot and full of interesting mystery, history and exotic antiquities. I love how they both have unexpected moments of weakness and strength and how they both are heroes.
Please count me in. The series are on my TBR list.
Wonderful teaser! Please coung me in!