A review by lauraellis
The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters, Joan Hess

4.0

All Amelia Peabody Emerson fans owe Joan Hess a debt of gratitude for taking up Barbara Mertz's unfinished story and letting us have one final adventure with the Emersons. I am usually suspicious of authors who try to pick up and continue other authors' series, but I am such a big fan that that I had to try this book. I've read a number of Joan Hess's Maggody series. Here she has managed to completely submerge her own authorial voice in favor of Barbara Mertz's. I kept waiting for the moment when I could tell that Barbara had laid down her (metaphorical) pen and Joan had picked it up. I never could. If you've been debating whether you should try this one or whether it would be a disappointment, I can tell you that Joan has given us one last round with Amelia and company. Savor it, and then go re-read some of the others!