This is the first-ever exploration of the sensory—touch, smell, sight, sound and taste—in the Egyptian gothic. I demonstrate that despite their status as disposable popular fiction, these texts are rich in sensory descriptions that have been unexamined. Secondly, reading these sensory descriptions reveals a subversive space in which Egypt is allowed to strike back against the British Empire. A primary interest of this book is attitudes to Egypt. While on the surface the occupation of Egypt was supported for trade, cultural and touristic reasons, these texts reveal conflicted feelings that undermine the status quo. Drawing from over 65 novels, and short stories published between 1884 and 1919, I gauge the extent to which the Egyptian gothic reinforces or challenges dominant ideologies of the British Empire. Close reading these moments of sensory interaction offers a means with which to interrogate the simultaneous feelings of fear and desire surrounding Egypt and its artefacts. This book also uses firsthand accounts of visiting Egyptian displays in museums and Egypt itself. By comparing the sensory data in fictional and real-life accounts, this book offers a unique and valuable contribution to the fields of popular fiction and sensory studies.