I hadn’t read a Goosebumps book since 2002, but when I saw this one at the library, I decided to give it a try because I didn’t remember reading it before. It’s the 5th one in the series. I’m quite surprised that Goosebumps books are still around. They’re not well-written and they feel a bit dated. However, kids still love scary stories!

This one was packed with suspenseful moments and had some interesting background details, because it’s set in Egypt, where 12-year-old Gabe is on a trip with his parents. He’s left in the care of his archaeologist uncle, who’s working on a new discovery in a pyramid. Sari, his cousin, is always playing jokes on Gabe, so of course he is tricked into believing that mummies are coming to get him. He even gets lost inside the pyramid. However, the mummified hand he bought in America, which is supposed to summon spirits and which he keeps as a lucky talisman, might save his life.

The story was quite weak and I think that the lack of scary mummies will disappoint readers. The cover image shows a terrifying mummy with yellow eyes and outstretched arms, reaching towards us, which doesn’t match what’s in the story. When the mummies do appear, near the end, they are not evil. In fact the villain of the story is an Egyptian man who enforces the curse upon anyone who enters the goddess’s tomb. It’s an honour which has been handed down over thousands of years, so although what he does to intruders is horrible, he’s doing the goddess’s will. I don’t think this book would have been published, had it been recently written. Mummies can be a sensitive topic and there is no discussion about the ethics of buying a mummified hand and carrying it around.

As always in the Goosebumps books, from what I remember, there are careless adults who are supposed to look after the kids. That you can’t rely on or trust the adults is one of the scare factors.

I know this isn’t one of the best in the series, but I won’t be reading any more!

First published in 1993 by Scholastic.