Another delightful mystery, the second book in the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Michaels, Barbara Mertz). The story is worth reading for the first chapter alone with the hilarity of Ramses Emerson's adventures and opinions, Amelia and Radcliffe Emerson's "catastrophically precocious" son. Despite Amelia's acerbic tone when describing Ramses, she has obvious pride in him though her mind yearns for Egyptian escapades. The author has a gift for creating very colourful secondary characters whether they are animals or ghosts, children or adults and gives each a distinctive voice and personality. I am looking forward to reading more about Ramses and the Egyptian cat that has adopted Peabody and Emerson as its owner.

I think the Amelia Peabody mysteries have captured me fully and I am well on the way to becoming obsessed with the series, like I already am by the Lady Emily Ashton series by Tasha Alexander and the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn, having purchased and already started reading The Mummy Case with The Lion in the Valley waiting in the wings. Very fitting as I believe Barbara Mertz pioneered the historical fiction mystery series featuring a strong female protagonist. No doubt I will end up reading the entire collection. So I highly recommend the the Amelia Peabody mysteries for those who like humor and wit with murder and mayhem in a historical context.

My Rating: 4.5

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Date read=07/27/09 ( )

The Curse of the Pharoahs had a better plotline, in the sense of having a much larger cast of potential suspects and motives for the three mysterious murders. It left me guessing until close to the end. This book also did an excellent job portraying the racism inherent in British colonialism and ex-pat upper crust society. Both books include generally sympathetic portrayals of Egyptians and Muslims.

The story takes place several years after Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia and Emerson have a young son whom they leave in Evelyn and Walter's care while they take over as expedition leaders when the original sponsor mysteriously dies. This time it is a mysterious "lady in white" who appears to be haunting the dig, then there are the bodies with no apparent cause of death but a hieroglyphic on the forehead suggesting nothing natural.

The cast of characters include the widow of the original expedition leader, a rich American Egyptology enthusiast, an Irish tabloid journalist, a German Egyptologist, a young British girl and her wacky mother who thinks she's a reincarnated Egyptian Queen, a young British photographer, and various Egyptian field staff (some of these minor characters from the first novel) and local villagers. My major issue--once again a fat woman is portrayed as the worst person in the story--selfish, drunken, greedy, bizarre, emotionally manipulative--while just about everyone else is various degrees of nice, at least on the surface (and ignoring the blatant racism of the day).

This story isn't as predictable as the first, but it also has a few holes left wide open at the end. It was perfectly enjoyable though. And their son Ramses was hysterical in every scene where he appeared, either in person or via his letters. I expect to continue with the series. ( )

I def. liked this second Amelia Peabody mystery so much more than the first. Maybe because I adore her Vicky Bliss novels and am so much more familiar with her writing now. I couldn't tell you.
Peters, as always, creates an unique and memorable heroine who is intelligent and isn't afraid to tell everyone. The setting is so well crafted that someone who has never been to Egypt can easily picture what's going on. Looking forward to the next in the series. ( )

This book finds our heroine Amelia Peabody married to the archeologist she met in Crocodile on the Sandbank. They have made their home in England where they have put their first love (digging around in Egypt) on hold while they raise their son and Professor Emerson teaches archeology. But this life is not what they are suited for. When an opportunity presents itself to re-engage themselves in an expedition whose leader died (or perhaps murdered)they jump at the chance.

As the Emersons set about to dispel the idea of the Curse of the Pharoahs (a trumped up idea) they meet with a plethora of strange characters, each a possible suspect in the death of Lord Baskerville who was the original archeologist. There is the tabloid writer, the brash American investor, the superstitious Egptian natives, two other archeologists who are assisting the Emerson team, a young woman and her mother (Madame Berengeria) who believes that she is the reincarnation of a high-ranking Egyptian queen and that Professor Emerson is her long-lost love. There is also the appearance of the white veiled figure who threatens the group during the nights and leaves danger in its wake.

All in all a captivating story for mystery fans. The plot moves along rapidly and it would behoove the reader to pay attention to the details as set forth in order to find the true culprit.

I would say this is a most satisfying story either as a summer read or one to curl up with by the fire. ( )