Seeing a Large Cat

It's 1903 and the Emersons are back in Egypt. Ramses and David have spent six months with a sheik and have both matured but it will take Amelia some time to reconcile herself to her son not being a child anymore.

The receive a cryptic message telling them to stay away from a tomb that doesn't exist. They also receive a plea for help from an old friend. Her husband has fallen for a spiritualist and is hunting for a lost Egyptian princess.

Then a Southern Colonel requests their help with someone who seems to be intent on kidnapping his nubile teenage daughter who is as spoiled and headstrong as a rich young woman can be. She sets her sights on Ramses who is not at all interested since he has long since fallen in love with Nefret who only show more sees him as a child and a brother.

Between searching for a tomb that doesn't exist, helping out an old friend, and protecting while fending off a predatory young woman, the Emersons have their hands full.

This episode includes excerpts from manuscript H which tells parts of the story from Ramses' point of view and provides more insight into his character and another viewpoint on the events of the story. Amelia's viewpoint dominates and is as eccentric as ever.

This was another excellent adventure for the Emersons. show less

This ninth Amelia Peabody mystery is the first that I have shared from cover to cover with my Other Reader. We both enjoyed it quite well. It continues the formula established by Peters in the earlier books, this time covering (to my irrelevant excitement) the 1903-1904 excavation season in Egypt.

The "large cat" of the title is perhaps Ramses Emerson, who sports whiskers as a surprise at the outset of the novel, and whose relations with the feline members of the household constitute an ongoing subplot. This volume of the series is one in which the younger generation of Emersons gain a significant degree of independence. Their separate perspective is supplied through the device of excerpts from a "Manuscript H," supposedly written by show more Ramses and containing events he would best know, although referring to him in the third person.

On the other hand, the Cat could equally be Katherine Jones, a new character who seems likely to recur in future stories, and whose cat-like qualities are emphasized in descriptions. The gerundial phrasing of the title alludes to the ancient Egyptian dream-interpretation papyrus that is Peabody's translation project for the season. What indeed is the significance of "seeing a large cat" in one's dream? This book combines entertaining adventure with ominous portents for its protagonists. show less

A real turning point for the series, this is the one where Ramses becomes grown up. Although he's always been precocious, with a vocabulary of mile-long words and a tendency to know just a little bit more than the adults around him, in this book he also becomes an action hero and the tall-dark-handsome type who has trouble shaking off admirers.
The other "children" have also grown up and solidified as characters, including Nefret, feisty and tender-hearted, and David, responsible, serious, and always in up to his neck with the plans his two contemporaries dream up.
Add to this the ultimate power couple of Amelia and Emerson, and you have A Family To Be Reckoned With. They can do anything.

The plot in this one involves a rather macabre show more modern day mummy, a couple of troubled old friends from a previous book, and a firm friendship with Howard Carter (whom they like, but in kind of a patronising way...a fun nod to the modern-day reader who knows exactly what's going to happen in later years/books). show less

Read February 2026. Rated 5 stars and on my favorite shelf. Read on Libby Kindle while listening to Hoopla Audio. Excellent audio narration by Barbara Rosenblat.
It is always a pleasure to be back in early 20th century Egypt with Amelia Peabody, her dashing husband Radcliffe Emerson, their son Walter "Ramses", their "adopted" daughter Nefret, Ramses & Nefret's best friend David.....well the list of characters goes on and some new characters arrive. Without giving away any spoilers I'm sure one new character will be included in the next titles.
I love this series and so far this is my favorite. Even without audio narration each character has a distinct voice and personality. And to be honest, I don't read this series for the mysteries show more (although it's SO fun to hear Amelia's thoughts as a new murder needs to be solved).
What made this title so special is the relationships and especially now that Ramses, Nefret and David are now what we would label as "teenagers" how they are relating to each other. Ramses is my favorite character and he and his friends are featured prominently in this title.
That is all I'm including in this review so no spoilers. I highly recommend reading this series in order. show less

In this ninth book in the Peabody series, it's 1903, and Amelia and her clan--irascible husband Emerson, fearless son Ramses, gorgeous ward Nefret--are in Cairo, dealing with everything from mummies (both the ancient and more recent varieties) to affairs of the heart.

An alternately charming, funny, poignant, and disturbing mystery. The pacing of this novel is tighter, the cast of characters trimmed down, and shadowy Master and Mistress Criminals are replaced by a fresh new set of antagonists. Amelia's trademark first-person narrative is supplemented by a third-person "Manuscript H" that gives insight into the personalities and activities of the "children": Ramses, Nefret, and the recently acquired David, now young adults with a great show more deal to add to the Amelia-and-Emerson formula.

Seeing a Large Cat is one of the most satisfying reads in the Peabody series so far to date: it blends the usual mystery-spoof comedy with chilling tragedy, makes skillful use of old characters while introducing memorable new ones, and generally revives the series after the Hippopotamus Pool confusion.

I have very little negetive to ever say about this series. I cannot get enough of Amelia and Emerson. Ever. show less

Another enjoyable mystery in the Amelia Peabody series. I missed a few along the way, but didn't find it too hard to deal with Ramses nearly grown. It was fairly funny how Amelia kept referring to him, David, and Nefret as 'the children,' when it was pretty clear they were acting and feeling in grown-up ways most of the time. It was a nice conceit to have Amelia say things that the reader could take with a grain of salt--as when she notes that other workers move away to give her privacy with one of them she approaches; the reader thinks no, they aren't being considerate, they're trying to get the hell away from her and her well-meaning advice!

But now I want to go back and read the first one again!

When an American father and daughter arrive Egypt, it means trouble for the Emerson/Peabody family. The daughter seems to be falling for Ramses, and can the father really be wanting Nefret as his next wife? Who is threatening the daughter?

I'm not sure how I feel about Ramses being all grown up. He was such fun as a child.