More than 3000 years after his death, the entire civilized world is familiar with the face and burial site of one young Egyptian ruler. It is assumed he died of natural causes, a sad but unavoidable fate. But is there a hidden story? In this account of the life and death of Tutankhamun, Paul Doherty tells how the calm and beautiful mask conceals a story of bloody intrigue at the Egyptian court, resulting in sudden death, hurried burial and a crisis that threatened the very existence of the Empire. Was Tutankhamun secretly assassinated by the powerful cartel that ran the court and the country? What exactly was the role of the powerful first minister, Ay? Could he have murdered his young charge in order to wear the imperial crown himself?