'The Fortieth Door' Summary

The Fortieth Door is a classic romantic mystery tale. It portrays an American archaeologist in Cairo, who falls in love with a mysterious Turkish girl whom he meets at a masked ball. Jack Ryder the hero is intrigued to meet a gorgeous veiled woman at a ball he's forced to attend by his friend who thinks he leads a dull life. After the ball, Jack walks the woman home and the two realize that they are falling deeply in love. However, the lady is a Moslem and it's unthinkable that her family would allow her to meet, let alone marry, a Westerner. The lovely Aimee then vanishes and while desperately looking for her, Jack is drawn into a labyrinth of mysteries, both ancient and modern.

Some of the concepts in The Fortieth Door seem dated and politically incorrect to modern day readers. Notions of race, gender and imperialism are consistent with the time they were written in, and may seem quaint or offensive to us. But as an exciting and riveting mystery story, The Fortieth Door has you on the edge of your seat throughout. The clever and complicated plot, the wonderful descriptions of Egypt and the glimpses of local culture make it a great addition to your bookshelf.