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thenovelbook's review against another edition
5.0
I have been eagerly awaiting the final installment of the Amelia Peabody series ever since I heard that the late author Elizabeth Peters had one final book in the works. Thanks to the gracious folks who responded to my request at William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers, I was able to get my hands on this advance reader's edition, and you may be sure that I devoured it!
For those who may be coming to this book with no prior knowledge of the series, even though this book is #20, it fits chronologically about two-thirds of the way into the series and fills in a gap between previously published books. The Painted Queen will certainly be most meaningful to you if you have read the books that precede it, but I think it would stand up even if you came to it without that context.
That being said, here are my thoughts:
This is a stellar addition to the Amelia series. On page one, I admitted to myself some reservations. Joan Hess is the co-author for this work; I wondered, how would the collaboration flow? Would I really recognize my favorite characters? Would I be able to suspend disbelief and go along on their adventures with the same thrill I've gotten in many of Elizabeth Peters' other works?
I realized by about page seven that the answer to all of those questions was YES! In fact, this book may actually mark the series' peak of comedy, derring-do, and suspense. It's very, very funny, and the action is tightly plotted without any slow bits.
I love the premise, which is absurd and therefore sits fair and square in Amelia's world. Without any apology whatsoever, she OWNS the fact that her life is straight out of the most sensational of novels. She and her family of archaeologists are just beginning their latest venture in Egypt when a villain with a monocle bursts into her bath chamber, gasps "Murder!" and collapses in a dead heap on the floor moments before he would have strangled her. Naturally, she hoists herself out of the tub and begins going through his pockets. When she and her husband Emerson begin speculating about the presence of the monocle, she immediately informs him that it must be the insignia of a secret society, and that assassins sometimes travel in gangs.
"Assassins do not travel in gangs," says Emerson.
(They are the perfect duo!)
This is the point at which I began to dissolve into fits of chuckling.
And that is just the beginning of an adventure that involves a whole parade of monocled men named after the great traitors of history. Also, you know the iconic treasure sitting in a museum in Berlin, the Nefertiti bust? The Emerson family is seamlessly inserted into that historical narrative. (I love the way Elizabeth Peters has always had them at or near the scene of great discoveries, but always in such a way that real history is left intact...they get their hands all over the story, but in the end they leave no trace!)
So, yes, the Nefertiti bust has been discovered, but then it vanishes, but then it reappears again...and again...and again...how many of them can there be? Amelia's son Ramses and his best friend David traverse Cairo hunting down each new copy.
This keeps Ramses mostly away from Nefret, the Emerson family's ward, now a grown woman with a tragedy in her past. Readers of The Falcon at the Portal and He Shall Thunder in the Sky know that since this new book is filling in that chronological gap, the relationship tension must be kept intact. It simmers ever so slightly below the surface.
I must mention one other big thing that I adored in this book....the appearances of the Emerson family's perpetual nemesis (actually, at this point, "frenemy" is probably a more accurate description). Yes, it's Sethos, or as Amelia likes to call him, the Master Criminal. His disguises and plots are ongoing joys of the series. When he shows up in The Painted Queen, it's with greater panache than ever before. There are thundering hooves. There are dramatic interventions. It's glorious. Those who know the rest of his story will revel in these moments.
So, in review, this book is everything I wanted the last Amelia Peabody novel to be. I'm sad that there won't be any more of her adventures, but I'm happy that The Painted Queen is such a fitting swan song. I am totally elated to have read it, and you will be too. It goes on sale July 25!
***SO MANY THANKS to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers who provided me with this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review
For those who may be coming to this book with no prior knowledge of the series, even though this book is #20, it fits chronologically about two-thirds of the way into the series and fills in a gap between previously published books. The Painted Queen will certainly be most meaningful to you if you have read the books that precede it, but I think it would stand up even if you came to it without that context.
That being said, here are my thoughts:
This is a stellar addition to the Amelia series. On page one, I admitted to myself some reservations. Joan Hess is the co-author for this work; I wondered, how would the collaboration flow? Would I really recognize my favorite characters? Would I be able to suspend disbelief and go along on their adventures with the same thrill I've gotten in many of Elizabeth Peters' other works?
I realized by about page seven that the answer to all of those questions was YES! In fact, this book may actually mark the series' peak of comedy, derring-do, and suspense. It's very, very funny, and the action is tightly plotted without any slow bits.
I love the premise, which is absurd and therefore sits fair and square in Amelia's world. Without any apology whatsoever, she OWNS the fact that her life is straight out of the most sensational of novels. She and her family of archaeologists are just beginning their latest venture in Egypt when a villain with a monocle bursts into her bath chamber, gasps "Murder!" and collapses in a dead heap on the floor moments before he would have strangled her. Naturally, she hoists herself out of the tub and begins going through his pockets. When she and her husband Emerson begin speculating about the presence of the monocle, she immediately informs him that it must be the insignia of a secret society, and that assassins sometimes travel in gangs.
"Assassins do not travel in gangs," says Emerson.
(They are the perfect duo!)
This is the point at which I began to dissolve into fits of chuckling.
And that is just the beginning of an adventure that involves a whole parade of monocled men named after the great traitors of history. Also, you know the iconic treasure sitting in a museum in Berlin, the Nefertiti bust? The Emerson family is seamlessly inserted into that historical narrative. (I love the way Elizabeth Peters has always had them at or near the scene of great discoveries, but always in such a way that real history is left intact...they get their hands all over the story, but in the end they leave no trace!)
So, yes, the Nefertiti bust has been discovered, but then it vanishes, but then it reappears again...and again...and again...how many of them can there be? Amelia's son Ramses and his best friend David traverse Cairo hunting down each new copy.
This keeps Ramses mostly away from Nefret, the Emerson family's ward, now a grown woman with a tragedy in her past. Readers of The Falcon at the Portal and He Shall Thunder in the Sky know that since this new book is filling in that chronological gap, the relationship tension must be kept intact. It simmers ever so slightly below the surface.
I must mention one other big thing that I adored in this book....the appearances of the Emerson family's perpetual nemesis (actually, at this point, "frenemy" is probably a more accurate description). Yes, it's Sethos, or as Amelia likes to call him, the Master Criminal. His disguises and plots are ongoing joys of the series. When he shows up in The Painted Queen, it's with greater panache than ever before. There are thundering hooves. There are dramatic interventions. It's glorious. Those who know the rest of his story will revel in these moments.
So, in review, this book is everything I wanted the last Amelia Peabody novel to be. I'm sad that there won't be any more of her adventures, but I'm happy that The Painted Queen is such a fitting swan song. I am totally elated to have read it, and you will be too. It goes on sale July 25!
***SO MANY THANKS to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers who provided me with this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
A full-length novel, The Painted Queen is 11.5 chronologically and twentieth (and last) publication-wise in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series revolving around a forceful female and her archeologist husband. This story is set in Egypt in 1912.
My Take
…I do so hate when an author I like dies. There oughta be a law against that! Technically, The Painted Queen is Peters’ last story, which was actually finished by Joan Hess. For the most part, it reads like one of Elizabeth Peters’ stories with just that little bit off, with less warmth, without more effort in tying the non-core characters into the story, and too much leaping to conclusions. Nor could I buy into Peabody’s dream sequence with Abdullah either.
As usual, it’s good triumphing over evil, but only after lots of adventures, attempted assassinations, kidnappings, escapes, chases, and the use of disguises. Part of what I like about the series is, well, hey, Egypt, history, and archeology along with a mystery. What’s not to like?
What really pulls me in are the characters who are so colorful and decent at the same time. I love that Peabody is such a mothering woman who hasn’t a prejudiced bone in her body when it comes to people. Types? Yeah. She has no patience for crooks or evil people. She doesn’t suffer fools or the discourteous either and terrifies most of those around her who have no idea how to counter such a forceful woman, lol.
Peabody has no need of women’s lib, since she’s already more liberated than even women today, *more laughter* and supports other women in pursuing their dreams. She can be annoying with that attitude of hers in always knowing what’s right and what to do in any situation, including medical emergencies.
I do enjoy the premise that Elizabeth Peters is merely transcribing Peabody’s diary, which helps explain the first-person protagonist point-of-view, although Peters could have gone further in making this more realistic. Yes, even though I do like the story(ies)! Peters has also given Peabody a unique voice — those word choices and sentence structure are so very Peabody-ish — that conveys the intellect and mores of the time period.
As for the niggles… What’s the deal with Maspero? At first he’s all gung-ho about Emerson taking over Morgenstern’s dig, and then he starts retreating. Why didn’t the Emersons make inquiries about the German ambassador? As for Miss Smith, her identity became obvious too quickly. And I must re-read the series (I wanna anyway, *grin*), as I don’t remember Emerson being so very hasty. I do wish Peters/Hess had provided a clearer reason as to why Ramses and David are so intent on scooping up all those fakes.…
…The back history Peters/Hess includes is nicely integrated and just enough to nudge the “little gray cells” into remembering bits and pieces (and making me want to do that re-read).…
The Story
…Their first day back in Egypt and Amelia Peabody is already threatened with assassination. In the bath!
Even more disconcerting is M. Maspero’s plea for Emerson’s aid at a prestigious dig site, after all, most of the archeological authorities in Egypt hate Emerson. But Herr Morgenstern is behaving erratically, and Amarna is too important.
As for that first assassination, it’s soon followed by more and more with yet more attempts at the end. For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable.…
The Characters
…Amelia “Sitt Hakim” Peabody Emerson is the forceful wife of Professor Radcliffe “the Father of Curses” Emerson, an eminent (and irascible) archeologist who does not suffer fools. Dr. Nefret “Nur Misur” Forth, a doctor, is their foster daughter (The Last Camel Died at Noon, 6), recovering from events in Falcon at the Portal, 11, with those evil “revelations” continuing to affect her attitude. Walter “Ramses” Emerson, a.k.a., “Brother of Demons”, is their brilliant and adventurous son. David Todros, Abdullah’s grandson, is Ramses’ best friend and "partner in crime", and married to Lia Emerson, a niece. (Some of Ramses’ and David’s disguises include Lord Cavendish, Higginsnort, and Arbaaz.)
Selim is the Emersons’ current reis; Abdullah had been their first. Fatima is Selim's wife and their cook and housekeeper. Mahmoud is their steward. Daoud is a trusted part of the crew. Mohammed is their carpenter. Ilyas. The dahabeeyah is the Egyptian houseboat Emerson commissioned (and named) for Amelia. Cyrus and Katherine Vandergelt are American friends who come to dig in Egypt every season.
Service des Antiquités is…
…a government department in charge of handing out firmans (a license to excavate) for archeological digs in Egypt, and M. Maspero is its director. Sir Flinders Petrie is an archeologist. Zawaiet el-Aryan is supposed to be the dig to which Peabody and Emerson are headed.
Tell el-Amarna is…
…the city which Akhenaton, the Heretic Pharaoh, created as his new capital. The Workmen’s Village is part of the dig there. Thutmose had been the court sculptor there back in its heyday. The man in charge of the dig, Herr Borchardt, has gone back to Germany and been replaced by Herr Morgenstern. Abdul Azim has been Morgenstern’s reis for years. Eric von Raubritter is Morgenstern’s second-in-command. Liezel Hasenkamp is a colleague of Eric’s who is pretending to be his fiancée. The sponsor for the dig is Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft for whom James Ridgemont is a major contributor. Octavius Buddle is his aide.
Thomas Russell is the chief of police in Cairo. Helmut Gunter is the German ambassador’s aide. Latif is a twelve-year-old child who is an informant for Ramses in Cairo. Omar Hassan el-Tayeb escaped the English family who used him as a houseboy. Ikram is his mother. Sheikh Nasir el-Din is the angry leader of Omar’s tribe. Tahir is an accommodating cousin of David’s.
Shepheard’s is…
…an elite hotel in Cairo. Mr. Baehler is the manager. Ali is a suffragi, which is something like a footman in that his duty is to patrol the hallways, direct visitors to their rooms, and prevent them from being annoyed. Dr. Forbes is the hotel physician.
Sethos, the “Master Criminal”, is a master of disguise and an antiquities thief extraordinaire. Some of his aliases include Professor Ambrose Doyle. Other tomb robbers include Mahmud Farouk, Asmar, Agha, and Mustafa Ahmed. Aslimi has a shop in the Khan el-Khalili in Cairo; Abubakar also sells to tourists. Fahmi sells cloth. Harun is the best forger in Cairo. Mayer sells an assortment of objects. Shamal has aided Sethos before.
Sponsored by the Enlightened Brethren of the Church of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the hairy Theodor Dullard is a missionary preaching about Jesus to the Coptic congregation. Ermintrude de Vere Smith is the author of lurid romance novels about sheiks and innocent young girls, and she's excited about Peabody's adventures. Jamil assists her. Lucinda is an American tourist.
Dr. Willoughby is the Emersons’ family physician in England. Sir Reginald Arbuthnot is with Scotland Yard. MDMA is a drug prototype.
Geoffrey Godwin is Nefret’s late and very unlamented husband. He has five more brothers: Judas, Cromwell, Absalom, Guy, and Flitworthy.…
The Cover and Title
The cover is a sunset of some few orange, red, and yellow streaks over the deep purple silhouette of the archeological dig with some few pillars which stand against the deeply purple sky. The foreground descends into the reddish sand of the desert. It is the background for the focus of the story, a bust of The Painted Queen, an artifact looted from a dig and “on the run”. The authors’ names are in a shadowed yellow at the top with the title in white below Queen Nefertiti. Between and to the right of the queen is the series information in yellow.…
My Take
…I do so hate when an author I like dies. There oughta be a law against that! Technically, The Painted Queen is Peters’ last story, which was actually finished by Joan Hess. For the most part, it reads like one of Elizabeth Peters’ stories with just that little bit off, with less warmth, without more effort in tying the non-core characters into the story, and too much leaping to conclusions. Nor could I buy into Peabody’s dream sequence with Abdullah either.
As usual, it’s good triumphing over evil, but only after lots of adventures, attempted assassinations, kidnappings, escapes, chases, and the use of disguises. Part of what I like about the series is, well, hey, Egypt, history, and archeology along with a mystery. What’s not to like?
What really pulls me in are the characters who are so colorful and decent at the same time. I love that Peabody is such a mothering woman who hasn’t a prejudiced bone in her body when it comes to people. Types? Yeah. She has no patience for crooks or evil people. She doesn’t suffer fools or the discourteous either and terrifies most of those around her who have no idea how to counter such a forceful woman, lol.
Peabody has no need of women’s lib, since she’s already more liberated than even women today, *more laughter* and supports other women in pursuing their dreams. She can be annoying with that attitude of hers in always knowing what’s right and what to do in any situation, including medical emergencies.
I do enjoy the premise that Elizabeth Peters is merely transcribing Peabody’s diary, which helps explain the first-person protagonist point-of-view, although Peters could have gone further in making this more realistic. Yes, even though I do like the story(ies)! Peters has also given Peabody a unique voice — those word choices and sentence structure are so very Peabody-ish — that conveys the intellect and mores of the time period.
As for the niggles… What’s the deal with Maspero? At first he’s all gung-ho about Emerson taking over Morgenstern’s dig, and then he starts retreating. Why didn’t the Emersons make inquiries about the German ambassador? As for Miss Smith, her identity became obvious too quickly. And I must re-read the series (I wanna anyway, *grin*), as I don’t remember Emerson being so very hasty. I do wish Peters/Hess had provided a clearer reason as to why Ramses and David are so intent on scooping up all those fakes.…
…The back history Peters/Hess includes is nicely integrated and just enough to nudge the “little gray cells” into remembering bits and pieces (and making me want to do that re-read).…
The Story
…Their first day back in Egypt and Amelia Peabody is already threatened with assassination. In the bath!
Even more disconcerting is M. Maspero’s plea for Emerson’s aid at a prestigious dig site, after all, most of the archeological authorities in Egypt hate Emerson. But Herr Morgenstern is behaving erratically, and Amarna is too important.
As for that first assassination, it’s soon followed by more and more with yet more attempts at the end. For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable.…
The Characters
…Amelia “Sitt Hakim” Peabody Emerson is the forceful wife of Professor Radcliffe “the Father of Curses” Emerson, an eminent (and irascible) archeologist who does not suffer fools. Dr. Nefret “Nur Misur” Forth, a doctor, is their foster daughter (The Last Camel Died at Noon, 6), recovering from events in Falcon at the Portal, 11, with those evil “revelations” continuing to affect her attitude. Walter “Ramses” Emerson, a.k.a., “Brother of Demons”, is their brilliant and adventurous son. David Todros, Abdullah’s grandson, is Ramses’ best friend and "partner in crime", and married to Lia Emerson, a niece. (Some of Ramses’ and David’s disguises include Lord Cavendish, Higginsnort, and Arbaaz.)
Selim is the Emersons’ current reis; Abdullah had been their first. Fatima is Selim's wife and their cook and housekeeper. Mahmoud is their steward. Daoud is a trusted part of the crew. Mohammed is their carpenter. Ilyas. The dahabeeyah is the Egyptian houseboat Emerson commissioned (and named) for Amelia. Cyrus and Katherine Vandergelt are American friends who come to dig in Egypt every season.
Service des Antiquités is…
…a government department in charge of handing out firmans (a license to excavate) for archeological digs in Egypt, and M. Maspero is its director. Sir Flinders Petrie is an archeologist. Zawaiet el-Aryan is supposed to be the dig to which Peabody and Emerson are headed.
Tell el-Amarna is…
…the city which Akhenaton, the Heretic Pharaoh, created as his new capital. The Workmen’s Village is part of the dig there. Thutmose had been the court sculptor there back in its heyday. The man in charge of the dig, Herr Borchardt, has gone back to Germany and been replaced by Herr Morgenstern. Abdul Azim has been Morgenstern’s reis for years. Eric von Raubritter is Morgenstern’s second-in-command. Liezel Hasenkamp is a colleague of Eric’s who is pretending to be his fiancée. The sponsor for the dig is Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft for whom James Ridgemont is a major contributor. Octavius Buddle is his aide.
Thomas Russell is the chief of police in Cairo. Helmut Gunter is the German ambassador’s aide. Latif is a twelve-year-old child who is an informant for Ramses in Cairo. Omar Hassan el-Tayeb escaped the English family who used him as a houseboy. Ikram is his mother. Sheikh Nasir el-Din is the angry leader of Omar’s tribe. Tahir is an accommodating cousin of David’s.
Shepheard’s is…
…an elite hotel in Cairo. Mr. Baehler is the manager. Ali is a suffragi, which is something like a footman in that his duty is to patrol the hallways, direct visitors to their rooms, and prevent them from being annoyed. Dr. Forbes is the hotel physician.
Sethos, the “Master Criminal”, is a master of disguise and an antiquities thief extraordinaire. Some of his aliases include Professor Ambrose Doyle. Other tomb robbers include Mahmud Farouk, Asmar, Agha, and Mustafa Ahmed. Aslimi has a shop in the Khan el-Khalili in Cairo; Abubakar also sells to tourists. Fahmi sells cloth. Harun is the best forger in Cairo. Mayer sells an assortment of objects. Shamal has aided Sethos before.
Sponsored by the Enlightened Brethren of the Church of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the hairy Theodor Dullard is a missionary preaching about Jesus to the Coptic congregation. Ermintrude de Vere Smith is the author of lurid romance novels about sheiks and innocent young girls, and she's excited about Peabody's adventures. Jamil assists her. Lucinda is an American tourist.
Dr. Willoughby is the Emersons’ family physician in England. Sir Reginald Arbuthnot is with Scotland Yard. MDMA is a drug prototype.
Geoffrey Godwin is Nefret’s late and very unlamented husband. He has five more brothers: Judas, Cromwell, Absalom, Guy, and Flitworthy.…
The Cover and Title
The cover is a sunset of some few orange, red, and yellow streaks over the deep purple silhouette of the archeological dig with some few pillars which stand against the deeply purple sky. The foreground descends into the reddish sand of the desert. It is the background for the focus of the story, a bust of The Painted Queen, an artifact looted from a dig and “on the run”. The authors’ names are in a shadowed yellow at the top with the title in white below Queen Nefertiti. Between and to the right of the queen is the series information in yellow.…
trusselltales's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
3.0
Joan Hess tries to capture the spirit of the writing of Elizabeth Peters and doesn't quite do it. There are continuity errors, and the characters don't always sound or act the way they should. Even Barbara Rosenblat, the narrator of the audible book, sounded a little off. Still, it was nice to visit with Amelia and her family again.
brittany2691's review
Found it poorly written and frankly irritating. I think the characters were annoying.
threecollie's review against another edition
5.0
Ms. Hess did a phenomenal job of finishing this manuscript. I loved every page and laughed often enough to irritate innocent bystanders. Great read!
emkay_paq's review against another edition
4.0
Clearly a labor of love and a nice send off for the Emerson family. As has been noted already, there were some inaccuracies in the established canon, and a few of the characterizations were off (Nefret...), but for long-time fans it holds up as a tribute to the series. It would be difficult to mistake for a novel entirely written by Elizabeth Peters, but in my mind that's more of a credit to her writing than a failing on Joan Hess' part. Once you realize that, it's easier to get into the flow of the "Easter egg" references to past novels and the less tempered characterizations of the outstanding cast. The descriptions of Egypt and Egyptology are still just as evocative as ever, which was one of the greatest strengths of the series.
Misleading summaries aside: this is NOT written as an "end" to the series; it works more like Guardian on the Horizon and River in the Sky. For the tying up of loose ends and happily ever after, refer back to Tomb of the Golden Bird. This leaves off with Amelia & the family waiting for the next adventure, and really, what better place to leave it?
Misleading summaries aside: this is NOT written as an "end" to the series; it works more like Guardian on the Horizon and River in the Sky. For the tying up of loose ends and happily ever after, refer back to Tomb of the Golden Bird. This leaves off with Amelia & the family waiting for the next adventure, and really, what better place to leave it?
chill01469's review
4.0
It was hard to read knowing it was the last time I would read a new book, but it was a good story and Joan Hess did a great job capturing the characters. Made me want to compile a list of the books in the order the stories occurred in and start all over again.
soniapage's review against another edition
2.0
It is hard to give such a low rating to a Peters book. It isn't a continuation of the story but instead covers events after The Falcon at the Portal. However, I thought I'd give it a try since Hess was supposed to be a friend of Peters who had discussed the plot with her before her death. I wish I knew how much if any was written by Peters. By the time I reached the error on page 75, I was losing interest. "Katherine...had watched over Ramses since his birth..." Amelia hadn't met Katherine until later in the series. Didn't Hess read the books? The characters just weren't right. Amelia hypnotizing people and kicking in doors? Fatima and Daoud sassing Emerson? "Nor did I name my son after a pharaoh. He himself chose his nickname." I seem to remember that Emerson chose that nickname for Ramses. Where is Sennia who was the cause of the calamity in The Falcon at the Portal? And it is never explained why Amelia is so sickly in this novel.
judelon's review against another edition
2.0
It's always so sad when a favorite author dies in the middle of a book. Nobody else can finish it properly.