The Mummy Wore Combat Boots — Elise Abram

The Sandy Hook School shooting, the Colorado movie theatre massacre…was online gaming to blame?

Psychologists believe that engaging in violent virtual gaming desensitises the player and dehumanises opponents. When the division between what is real and what is virtual becomes unclear, the results can be catastrophic.

When forensic anthropologist Palmer Richardson is called to investigate an uncatalogued sarcophagus found in storage at the Royal Ontario Museum, he has his work cut out for him. Upon investigation, he discovers the mummy inside is that of a teenage boy and involves Detective Constable Michael Crestwood of the Metropolitan Toronto Police.

Their investigation delves into the world of online gaming, where losing health points in a skirmish could have serious implications for a player's life in the real world.

Inspired by real-life headlines, THE MUMMY WORE COMBAT BOOTS highlights the growing divide between children who live their lives immersed in a digital culture and the adults tasked with raising them who live in the real world.