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A review by esdeecarlson
Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters
5.0
5 stars
One of the very best Amelia Peabody stories, centered around a beloved recurring villain—the Master Criminal himself, Sethos.
I partly love this book because it either establishes or cements some of the classic Amelia Peabody hallmarks. This is the first book where Amelia’s signature working costume comes together and is fully described; her Turkish trousers and belt of tools will make many appearances in future. Abdullah laments there being yet “another dead body,” Emerson loses his temper, Amelia hits people over the head with her parasol, and Ramses is frighteningly precocious.
But I also love this book because it’s one of the novels that has the most fun with Amelia and Emerson’s romance. Too often romantic stories end with marriage, but these books continue Amelia and Emerson’s love story through many years of matrimony, and in this particular title their bond is tested by jealousy, their competitive spirits, and—of course—external danger. It’s also one of the steamier titles, with Emerson endeavoring repeatedly to prove his devotion in a most, as Amelia would say, ‘stimulating’ manner. Everything is fade-to-black, but Amelia’s delicate (yet shameless) prose dancing around her clearly very healthy sex life always makes me grin like a fool.
The novel fully leans into Sethos as a golden-age-of-detective-fiction Master Criminal, including his fiendishly clever disguises, the unshakeable loyalty of his followers, and his larger-than-life force of character. The series could have easily ‘jumped the shark’ with this title, but in my opinion Peters plays it perfectly, playing a loving homage to the wildly fanciful romantic detective fiction of yesteryear while letting us laugh at some of the absurdity of the situation, especially as conveyed by our less-than-fully-reliable narrator. Amelia’s balance of highly sensible practicality with her vivid imagination and romanticism make her the perfect heroine for such a swashbuckling story.
It’s one hell of a good time, and one of my very favorite comfort reads.
One of the very best Amelia Peabody stories, centered around a beloved recurring villain—the Master Criminal himself, Sethos.
I partly love this book because it either establishes or cements some of the classic Amelia Peabody hallmarks. This is the first book where Amelia’s signature working costume comes together and is fully described; her Turkish trousers and belt of tools will make many appearances in future. Abdullah laments there being yet “another dead body,” Emerson loses his temper, Amelia hits people over the head with her parasol, and Ramses is frighteningly precocious.
But I also love this book because it’s one of the novels that has the most fun with Amelia and Emerson’s romance. Too often romantic stories end with marriage, but these books continue Amelia and Emerson’s love story through many years of matrimony, and in this particular title their bond is tested by jealousy, their competitive spirits, and—of course—external danger. It’s also one of the steamier titles, with Emerson endeavoring repeatedly to prove his devotion in a most, as Amelia would say, ‘stimulating’ manner. Everything is fade-to-black, but Amelia’s delicate (yet shameless) prose dancing around her clearly very healthy sex life always makes me grin like a fool.
The novel fully leans into Sethos as a golden-age-of-detective-fiction Master Criminal, including his fiendishly clever disguises, the unshakeable loyalty of his followers, and his larger-than-life force of character. The series could have easily ‘jumped the shark’ with this title, but in my opinion Peters plays it perfectly, playing a loving homage to the wildly fanciful romantic detective fiction of yesteryear while letting us laugh at some of the absurdity of the situation, especially as conveyed by our less-than-fully-reliable narrator. Amelia’s balance of highly sensible practicality with her vivid imagination and romanticism make her the perfect heroine for such a swashbuckling story.
It’s one hell of a good time, and one of my very favorite comfort reads.