One of Virgil Kaylock’s first jobs in his new post at the British Museum is to accompany a rediscovered Egyptian pharaoh’s mummy back to Britain…

This second tale for young Mr Kaylock is slightly better paced than the opener, with John Ramm once again taking the time to introduce the characters but building the atmosphere of dread from the start. Taking cues from the discovery of Tutankhamen by Lord Carnarvon and the curse that’s meant to have followed that, this is a gripping horror story that doesn’t pretend its supernatural element can be explained away.

It’s another strong guest cast, with the introduction of Ellie Turner’s Dorothy Bell, a journalist who makes a good partner for Daniel Fraser’s young Virgil, and Abigail Thaw, Matthew Pidgeon and David Fielder as the various folk involved in the voyage. There’s an enjoyable score from Neil Brand – the storm sequence in the third episode is initially told musically, and works well – and Ramm, Richard Vahrman and Martin Malone keep the production values high. Nick Boulton’s older Kaylock’s narration is the glue that binds it together, and as these plays progress, you start to wonder from what distance he’s telling these…

Verdict: Another strong tale from Mr Kaylock. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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