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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Otherwise known as:
The one where they're in England the whole time
OR
The one where Amelia's jealous
The mystery is good, and the introduction of new characters is essential to later books, but how I MISS Egypt and excavations.
The one where they're in England the whole time
OR
The one where Amelia's jealous
The mystery is good, and the introduction of new characters is essential to later books, but how I MISS Egypt and excavations.
Amelia Peabody and Emerson solve another interesting case, this time in London. As usual there seem to be peculiar leaps made in reasoning but it means the twists are usually preserved until the end.
I particularly enjoyed the development of Ramses' character and his relationship with his mother in this book. I've adored his peculiar verbosity since he was first introduced but this time his peculiarities and precocity are offset by a growing maturity.
I was quite surprised by what I considered to be a change in Emerson's attitude to the investigation, usually I have felt he is a very reluctant participant but he seems more than willing to get involved.
Ramses' cousin, Violet, was one of the most ridiculous yet amusing characters I've come across. Her dialogue is very limited but her cries of "Dead, dead" and"Nasty" add a funny element to many scenes.
I particularly enjoyed the development of Ramses' character and his relationship with his mother in this book. I've adored his peculiar verbosity since he was first introduced but this time his peculiarities and precocity are offset by a growing maturity.
I was quite surprised by what I considered to be a change in Emerson's attitude to the investigation, usually I have felt he is a very reluctant participant but he seems more than willing to get involved.
Ramses' cousin, Violet, was one of the most ridiculous yet amusing characters I've come across. Her dialogue is very limited but her cries of "Dead, dead" and"Nasty" add a funny element to many scenes.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Originally published on my blog here in May 1998.
This is the fifth in Peters' series of mysteries featuring a nineteenth century Egyptologist and early feminist Amelia Peabody. The series maintains a lighthearted, humourous tone and is always fun to read. This novel, unusually, takes place in London rather than Egypt. As usual, Emerson and Peabody allow themselves to be dragged into a murder investigation kicking and screaming but really enjoying every minute of it. In this case, the murders are in the British Museum, centred around a particular mummy in the Egyptian collection. A nice little touch, if deliberate, is that the murder is investigated by Inspector Cuff, presumably a promoted Sergeant Cuff from Wilkie Collins' [b:The Moonstone|6138|The Moonstone|Wilkie Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320451884s/6138.jpg|1044477].
The series doesn't rely heavily on knowledge of the earlier books, but it obviously helps to have read at least the first of them. One good thing about Elizabeth Peters is that enjoying any one of her books is a fairly good guide to whether you will enjoy the rest; they are also sufficiently easy-going to be fun to read no matter how tired or ill you might be.
This is the fifth in Peters' series of mysteries featuring a nineteenth century Egyptologist and early feminist Amelia Peabody. The series maintains a lighthearted, humourous tone and is always fun to read. This novel, unusually, takes place in London rather than Egypt. As usual, Emerson and Peabody allow themselves to be dragged into a murder investigation kicking and screaming but really enjoying every minute of it. In this case, the murders are in the British Museum, centred around a particular mummy in the Egyptian collection. A nice little touch, if deliberate, is that the murder is investigated by Inspector Cuff, presumably a promoted Sergeant Cuff from Wilkie Collins' [b:The Moonstone|6138|The Moonstone|Wilkie Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320451884s/6138.jpg|1044477].
The series doesn't rely heavily on knowledge of the earlier books, but it obviously helps to have read at least the first of them. One good thing about Elizabeth Peters is that enjoying any one of her books is a fairly good guide to whether you will enjoy the rest; they are also sufficiently easy-going to be fun to read no matter how tired or ill you might be.
The fifth installment in the Amelia Peabody Mystery series. Amelia and Emerson are back in London. Amelia's brother has left them with her nephew and niece for a spell. As Emerson tries to finish his paper, Amelia begins to investigate a murder at the British Museum. Is the death of the nigthwatchman an ancient curse or something more modern? While Ramses runs wild, as only Ramses can, Amelia discovers a woman from Emerson's past. London can be as treacherous as Egypt after all. Another fantastic tale of murder and mayhem as only an Amelia Peabody mystery can provide.
Originally gave it three stars, downgraded to two because I find I just don’t enjoy reading it any time I pick it up. Donated it.
A fun historical fiction/mystery novel about two Egyptologists who can't stay out of trouble and their precocious son. My only problem with this book is that they seemed rather silly regarding Ramses' troubles.
The Peabodys are between digs, in London. A death in the British Museum takes place and the whole family engages in a fun romp to solve the mystery.
Based on how many sentences I highlighted to add as quotes, this is my favourite Peabody mystery yet.
Yes, the mysteries are repetitive, but it's saved (for me) by Amelia's narrative voice and my love for this family (and their love for each other). Ramses gets better every book; I just wish Amelia would start listening to him, because he has a better grasp of what's going on than 90% of the adults around him. I suspect the day he starts being treated as a equal isn't far away, though.
Yes, the mysteries are repetitive, but it's saved (for me) by Amelia's narrative voice and my love for this family (and their love for each other). Ramses gets better every book; I just wish Amelia would start listening to him, because he has a better grasp of what's going on than 90% of the adults around him. I suspect the day he starts being treated as a equal isn't far away, though.
I do enjoy the Amelia Peabody series, and this installment was delightfully tongue-in-cheek in Amelia's recounting of her own adventures. Also, I got a good chuckle out of the saga surrounding Emerson's (non-)writing of his book for an impatient academic publisher, a drama perhaps painfully familiar to those who have ever done scholarly writing. All that said, this gets a low rating from me for two reasons. The first was unnecessary and contrived tension arising from non-communication between Amelia and Emerson, a lack of communication that seems uncharacteristic. Second -- and more important in my view -- was the gratuitous killing off via self-sacrifice of a non-white woman, otherwise an interesting character. I appreciate that the series is, among other things, spoofing late Victorian/early Edwardian fiction, but it usually sends up the racial and gender prejudices of the time, rather than replicating them.