The idea for a murder mystery set in ancient Egypt was suggested to Agatha Christie by her friend, Egyptologist, Stephen Glanville. In her autobiography, Christie wrote that she regretted giving in to Glanville's changes to the ending of the novel. Christie did not specify what aspect was changed or what was in her preferred original ending.
Agatha Christie's 1944 novel is one of the earliest historical mystery novels written, and the only non-contemporary mystery novel from the author.