I really enjoy this series, and on a sweltering summer day, reading on my screened porch, it's not too hard for me to transport to Egypt. My only quibble is that I really don't care much for Ramses. I know it's very early in Peters' long and brilliant series, so my trepidation that introducing a "cute" (yuck, not really), precocious child character is not actually a jump the shark device.


*** SPOILER ***
Still, though, I knew from the get-go that he was going to HAVE to be the hero and rescuer. Blerggh. Maybe he will just grow up and go away in future novels, or else, alas, I will have to abandon this otherwise very enjoyable author. ( )

After some time away, the Emersons are returning to Egypt for a dig, this time taking their young son Ramses along. When Amelia suspects that a suicide might actually be foul play, her husband doesn't agree. Then strange things begin to happen in the area around their not-so-exciting dig site, and Amelia sees connections where Emerson just sees random misfortune. First Amelia has to convince him that something is afoot, and then they have to solve the mystery before anyone else gets hurt.

My synopsis probably doesn't do the story justice, but I found myself equal parts lost and bored while listening to this installment in the series. And I think the reason I got lost at times was due to my mind wandering, because the story simply didn't capture my attention as the books before it did. I'm not completely sure why, either; maybe I've already grown tired of the formula of this series? But I also think it's partly because the mystery was super slow in getting going. After the death that Amelia suspects is a murder, it's mostly just them getting on with their dig and meeting lots of new people for quite a while. Little things that keep the mystery in mind happen, but nothing all that exciting.

I think part of my issue is with Ramses, though. He's an amusing character, but only to a point. I don't honestly know how old he's supposed to be in this book, but I'm guessing around 7. And he's super smart, can translate ancient languages, solves much of the mystery alongside (or ahead of) his parents, and speaks with a speech impediment. And he always obeys his parents, but finds loopholes in what they tell him to do (or, more accurately, in what they neglect to say he can't do). I also grew quite weary of Emerson's (and Amelia's, to a lesser degree) disdain for Christianity and Christian missionaries. There were a few humorous moments in the book, but not as many as I remember in the first two. Since much of my dislike of this book was personal preference, and it's clear that many others enjoyed it, if you're a fan of cozy mysteries or Egyptology, you might want to check this book out. If you’re considering listening to the audiobook, I highly suggest finding Barbara Rosenblat’s version, if you can. ( )

The Mummy Case
4 Stars

Upon their return to Egypt, Amelia Peabody and her husband, Radcliffe Emerson, find themselves enmeshed in another murder mystery when a local papyrus dealer is murdered

It has been a while since I read the previous Peabody and Emerson mystery, and I had forgotten how entertaining their bickering and shenanigans are. Their precocious offspring, Ramses, is a chip off the old block and is just as hilarious as his parents - not to mention the cat Bastet :)

As with the previous book, the mystery isn't all that interesting, but there are some intense scenes that add tension and suspense to the storyline. The eventual explanation is interesting, and one has to wonder whether Dan Brown had read Elizabeth Peters before writing The Da Vinci Code.

Susan O'Malley's narration is very good and she really brings Amelia, Emerson and Ramses to life. ( )

I think I am enjoying the Amelia Peabody books more the second time around. The climax of this one was a doozy!! The fun thing about books with real historical/geographical connections is that you can harness the power of Google and see exactly what they're talking about, adding authenticity to your mental picture of the story.

In this case, it's the Black Pyramid at Dahshur that captures the imagination. I looked up pictures of this, and it doesn't look like a pyramid--it looks like a giant, diabolical, black mountain THING full of secrets. Perfect!
The entire Emerson family ends up buried alive underneath it in the half-flooded, pitch black king's chamber, and that makes for some supremely exciting pages!
Before that, Amelia spends a lot of the book theorizing on the existence of a "Master Criminal" who is controlling the illegal antiquities trade. This is the beginning of a HUGE series arc, and makes me, a second-time reader, grin in anticipation. Especially because Emerson can't stand the way Amelia rhapsodizes on the genius of said "Master Criminal." It is a pretty sensational nickname. Amelia totally owns the fact that her life is thriller fiction, but Emerson isn't having it.

Anyway, it's fun to recognize the Master Criminal from his very first appearance, with vague memories of what's to come...


First read April 21 to May 1, 2010.
Second read Jan.-Feb. 2016 ( )

Ah, the debut of The Master Criminal, and the beginning of Ramses' precocious career. Amelia's obsession with crawling through pyramids remains wonderful and deeply off-putting. ( )