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A review by plantbirdwoman
A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters
3.0
Elizabeth Peters is an old reliable, comfortable as an old shoe, but a lot more exciting. This is her 19th book featuring Amelia Peabody Emerson and her Professor Emerson and all their extended clan. She knows these characters so well by now that the reader can be excused, perhaps, for feeling that the books almost write themselves. They seem effortless, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Peters actually works very hard to make them seem that way. She is mistress of all the minute details that create the atmosphere of the book and that must take some research.
In this book, we find ourselves not in the Emersons' beloved Egypt but summering in Kent, having been banned from Egypt by the antiquities authorities there. Of course, we know this won't last long, and soon Radcliffe Emerson, archaeologist, is being inveigled into serving his country by going to Palestine to shadow one Major Morley, would-be archaeologist, who may be planning to stir up some mischief there.
It is 1910, a tense time in Palestine (when has it ever not been?) and Germany seems bent on extending its influence there, possibly in preparation for war at some future date. Meantime, the corrupt Ottoman Empire is crumbling, leaving a political vacuum to be exploited.
A trip to Palestine is attractive to the Emersons because their son, Ramses, is already there helping with a dig in Jaffa. Very soon, they are packing up and on there way, but Ramses, ever curious, has managed to attract the attention of some very nasty characters who detain him from meeting the Emerson entourage in Jerusalem. Now, our intrepid duo and their faithful compatriots will not only have to determine what Major Morley is up to and try to prevent a brewing "holy war" but they must ride to the rescue of their only son and his friend David. All in a day's work for the Emersons!
In this book, we find ourselves not in the Emersons' beloved Egypt but summering in Kent, having been banned from Egypt by the antiquities authorities there. Of course, we know this won't last long, and soon Radcliffe Emerson, archaeologist, is being inveigled into serving his country by going to Palestine to shadow one Major Morley, would-be archaeologist, who may be planning to stir up some mischief there.
It is 1910, a tense time in Palestine (when has it ever not been?) and Germany seems bent on extending its influence there, possibly in preparation for war at some future date. Meantime, the corrupt Ottoman Empire is crumbling, leaving a political vacuum to be exploited.
A trip to Palestine is attractive to the Emersons because their son, Ramses, is already there helping with a dig in Jaffa. Very soon, they are packing up and on there way, but Ramses, ever curious, has managed to attract the attention of some very nasty characters who detain him from meeting the Emerson entourage in Jerusalem. Now, our intrepid duo and their faithful compatriots will not only have to determine what Major Morley is up to and try to prevent a brewing "holy war" but they must ride to the rescue of their only son and his friend David. All in a day's work for the Emersons!