Rating: 
Summary: Sensationalism, Not Scholarship
Review: There is almost no doubt at all that Tutankhamen was murdered, and certainly the aged "Divine Father" Ay would seem to have had the most to gain from the young king's demise--but is it really necessary to write an ugly "true-crime" sort of book on the tragic end of the Amarna Period? Nothing new is to be found here, and whatever is of any value is better presented in the (at least) equally readable but infinitely more scholarly and sober works of Aldred, Desroches-Noblecourt, and Reeves. Mistransliteration of proper names (most notoriously, "Smenkhare," an error that sets this reviewer's teeth on edge!)is always a warning flag in Egyptology that the work in question is not to be taken seriously, and this book is a classic of that kind.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing New
Review: There is nothing new in the theory that Tutankhamen died from unnatural causes. It is a well known fact, explored by Ahmed Osman in "House of the Messiah." What is more, Brier only adresses the theme of his book, being Tut'smurder, in the last chapters. For the rest, it is as he says, an Egyptian 101 study from Hatshepsut to Horemheb for those who know nothing of the period and want a quick overview. As to the murder itself, he suggests two culprets. Firstly Aye, Tut's great uncle through their common ancestors Yuya and Tuya, Aye's grandmother and grandfather, whose daughter Tiya married Amenhotep 111 and was Tut's grandmother. Which means in effect, that Aye cannot be altogether regarded as a commoner due to the fact that Tuya was of the Pharonic family. Therefore Aye cannot be the "servant" referred to by Ankesenamen, also known as Anksenpa-amen in her supposed letter to the Hittites which in a court of law, would be dismissed on the grounds that it is not the original but hear say.Brier's second suspect is the commoner Horemheb who was no relation to the Pharohs,a military general who became Pharoh after Aye had ruled for only four years after marrying Tut's widow. There are a number of factors which, unfortunatly, Brier has not explored, his detective work being scetchy and suggesting an author on the Egyptian band-wagon trying to make a fast buc. For example, Tut could have fallen and the damage to the back of his skull which resluted in his death could have been an accident. Secondly, he has totally ignored Ahmed Osman's research, and although he does mention Panhesy, he ignores the role that this priest had to play and the mention of him in the Torah as regards the murder of a man, who Osman believes to have been Tut. Lastly, his skimpy analysis does not consider the fact that Anksenpa-amen, after miscarrying twice, like women today, could have been suffering from deep depression. Coupled with this is the possibility that Tut had considered taking another wife in order to! ensure the continuation of the dynasty. For a women deeply in love and a woman deeply depressed, this would have been an anethema. Perhaps she lost her mind, perhaps she fought with Tut and pushed him, inadvertatly causing his death. Perhaps she went insane and this is why she was not depicted on the walls of Tut's tomb and why, after marrying Aye, nothing is heard from her again. Perhaps. There are many avenues that need to be explored and Bob Brier's research is very scetchy.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and Interesting Account of Eygptian Mystery
Review: This book is a bit off my normal reading taste but I found it to be a fun and interesting account of Ancient Eygpt and the circumstances surrounding the death of Tutankhamen. I enjoyed it a great deal and it has sparked a desire to learn & read more about this period of history. If an author can inspire his readers to search out and learn more on a subject then his book has done a good job. Overall it was an interesting and worthwhile read, buy a copy and enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Thought Provoking
Review: This book is a MUST for anyone interested in just King Tut or egyptology in general. It will definitely get you to think about some things regarding Tut's death that you may not have known or may have learned somewhere else and just filed in the back of your mind. It is also very well written and easy to read. My compliments go out to Mr. Brier.
Rating: 
Summary: A theory, not necessarily the absolute truth.
Review: This book is written well enough, and I do have to say that I have always enjoyed reading Brier's work. But, this is only one theory, as Brier points out late in his book, and I found it rather amusing when he related how his colleagues were stunned that he "didn't know that it was Horemheb and not Ay" who had murdered the boy king. I think Brier does well in supporting his theory, but that is all that his arguments amount to. It is not, as the title proclaims, a(nor the one) true story. At least not as far as anyone knows. It is very possible and as long one reads "with a grain of salt" this book (and most others) can hold and bestow great information and ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable reading
Review: This book may, at first, be thought of as strictly history... and it is. But it is put together so well that it feels more like a novel. It is extremely informative and definitly a must read if your interested in ancient egyptian culture/history.
Rating:
Summary: Murder Mysteries are not History
Review: This book provides a great deal of interesting background on ancient Egypt, told engagingly, with color and style. But I fear the author has been reading too many Sherlock Holmes stories, in which one telltale clue, overlooked by everyone else, leads to a triumphant and startling resolution. History is not like that. Historical information is sparse and often contradictory, leading to the mundane more often than the spectacular. Seeing how much the author builds on so tiny a foundation, I wonder how much of the rest of his description of Egypt can really be trusted.
Rating:
Summary: A great theory, but certainly not scholarly work
Review: This is a convincing and thorough hypothesis that is not fully proven. Yet Brier presents a case stronger than any other yet presented. I would be remiss to say this should be one's only book on Egyptian history (it is far from detailed), but I do not think one could study Egypt without reading The Murder of Tutankhamen.I am aware of the rumblings inside the Egyptology community on the lack of precision in Brier's evidence. I am not endorsing all of Brier's reasoning, especially his extraneous investigation of the psychology of Aye and the supposed evidence presented in the Opening Of The Mouth ceremony drawing on Tutankhamen's tomb wall. However, I do find Brier's theoretical reasoning plausible and well-argued. I do not think this is a scientific book, rather it is an investigative inquiry. It may not be the truth, but Brier's analysis has more proof than theories that Tut died of plagues or diseases. (Michael R. Allen in SpinTech Magazine, July 1998)
Rating:
Summary: Brief provides a good read, but who knows if he's right
Review: This is a very entertaining book. Brier has a knack for making ancient Egypt and its long-dead rulers come alive. The circumstantial evidence surrounding King Tutankhamun's death is certainly thought-provoking, but at this late date we simply cannot know for sure how he died or whether foul play was involved. Still, this book was fun to read, and I would recommend it to others who are interested in ancient Egypt.
Rating:
Summary: Superbly written, researched and executed.
Review: This is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. Bob Brier's research is compelling. The story of the mystereious death of tutankhamen and the even more mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of his widow are spellbinding. This book would make an excellent screenplay for a movie, but one that focused on Ankesenamen and her short but eventful life. The negative reviews on this book are absurd!!! Look at the evidence people. Too many strange events surround Tutankhamun, everything from his accessin to the throne after the heretic pharoah Akenaten, the "restoration" of the old religion, the unusual depiction of Aye as pharaoh performing the opening of the mouth ceremony, the desperate plea of Ankhesenamen to the enemny of Egypt the Hittites and the eradication of the names and memories of Akenaten, Tutankhamun, Ankhesenamen and Aye by the commoner Horemheb who seized the throne after the death of the murderous Aye. This is great reading........
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