A River of Blood

Egypt 1099 CE, Qahira (Cairo)
Samuel, a Jewish doctor versed in alchemy, and Gregory, his English apprentice, are investigating a terrifying plague. The Nile has turned red with blood and fish are dying.
Near a small island, they wrangle a badly torn body from the jaws of a crocodile - but was this beast the killer? Samuel suspects foul play yet the authorities block his efforts to find the truth at every step. Ignoring the warnings from people in high places, and with nothing more to guide him than his scientific method, Samuel is determined to persist in his quest, especially after a series of gruesome murders seem to confirm his early suspicion.
Little does he know that the secret he will stumble on could shake the empire.
Assassins are on the prowl. A child is being hunted. Who finds him first will change the course of history.

Adam Williams has previously written four highly applauded historical novels, including The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure, and The Book of the Alchemist, a prequel to A River of Blood. Adam was born in Hong Kong and has spent most of his life in China and Japan. He worked for many years for the trading house, Jardine Matheson, and his work as Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Beijing earned him an OBE. Retired, he is now a full time author, living in Beijing with his wife, Hong Ying, herself a well known Chinese author and film director.