What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in What the River Knows, Isabel Ibañez's lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that's been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents-who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there's more to her parent's disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian's infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent's disappearance-or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

Hardcover, 404 pages

Published October 31, 2023

 by Wednesday Books

3.5/5 stars

This was my first time reading Isabel Ibañez, the Egyptian setting is what drew me in along with the cover.  I was lucky enough a number of years ago, while on a Mediterranean cruise, to stop in Alexandria. Being able to experience even a small part of the country, seeing the landscape, learning about its history and even walking through some pyramids made this setting feel a little more real. It definitely added to my reading experience.

Inez was an interesting character, grieving the loss of her parents she impulsively boards a ship for Egypt looking for answers. What she gets me more questions, adventure and betrayal.  

What the River Knows was an interesting read, a tad slow at times.  But the mystery, unreliable characters, history and some magical realism kept me reading. The dynamic between Inez and her guardian's assistant was entertaining, especially with his mysterious past.

Overall this was an intriguing start to a duology.  Knowing this was the first book I didn't go in expecting full disclosure, but more of an introduction.  It definitely left me curious to see what comes next.

This book was part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge. #13