I just read The Golden One by Elizabeth Peters. This is one in a series of books featuring Amelia Peabody, part of a family of British archaeologists in early 20th century Egypt. As one book jacket puts it, Amelia would give Indiana Jones a run for his money. The plot usually involves a dead body or two (she seems to find one every season), the dialogue is witty and intelligent, and the setting is perfect because Egypt itself is a mystery. The author is an Egyptologist, so the background information, setting, descriptions, and some characters are authentic. In the series, my favorite book title is The Last Camel Died at Noon. How could you not want to read that?
In this installment, Amelia and her husband Radcliffe Emerson, along with their son Ramses (real name Walter) and his wife Nefret are back in Luxor for the winter and maybe longer if The Great War continues. They investigate a recent influx of stolen antiquities from a robbed tomb and a related murder; they also deal with a pushy American who wishes to purchase stolen relics.
Meanwhile, Ramses is called upon once again to use his unique talents with languages, disguises, and physical strength to spy on behalf of the British army. Ramses is sent to Gaza to see if a fellow British spy has turned sides. The only problem is that the spy in question is the shadowy Sethos, who is also Ramses’ half-uncle. Rather than wait at home, Ramses’ wife, his mother, and his father decide to go along for the ride into war-torn Palestine. Amelia’s theory is that the family that fights together, stays together, or some other such aphorism.
Ramses finds his Uncle Sethos, determines that he has not defected, finds the true villain, saves an innocent teenage girl, steals . . . er, borrows some horses from the Australian army, escapes after a knife-fight, and basically saves the day. On the way home to Luxor, Nefret gives Ramses his biggest scare yet—she tells him that she is pregnant. As an extremely precocious child himself, Ramses is left terrified that any child of his will be just like him!
These books just make me laugh because the Emersons are so preposterous that they are almost believable. I enjoy British mysteries and British humor, so this series makes a great combination of two of my favorite things. I had a great time slaving away for this assignment!
In this installment, Amelia and her husband Radcliffe Emerson, along with their son Ramses (real name Walter) and his wife Nefret are back in Luxor for the winter and maybe longer if The Great War continues. They investigate a recent influx of stolen antiquities from a robbed tomb and a related murder; they also deal with a pushy American who wishes to purchase stolen relics.
Meanwhile, Ramses is called upon once again to use his unique talents with languages, disguises, and physical strength to spy on behalf of the British army. Ramses is sent to Gaza to see if a fellow British spy has turned sides. The only problem is that the spy in question is the shadowy Sethos, who is also Ramses’ half-uncle. Rather than wait at home, Ramses’ wife, his mother, and his father decide to go along for the ride into war-torn Palestine. Amelia’s theory is that the family that fights together, stays together, or some other such aphorism.
Ramses finds his Uncle Sethos, determines that he has not defected, finds the true villain, saves an innocent teenage girl, steals . . . er, borrows some horses from the Australian army, escapes after a knife-fight, and basically saves the day. On the way home to Luxor, Nefret gives Ramses his biggest scare yet—she tells him that she is pregnant. As an extremely precocious child himself, Ramses is left terrified that any child of his will be just like him!
These books just make me laugh because the Emersons are so preposterous that they are almost believable. I enjoy British mysteries and British humor, so this series makes a great combination of two of my favorite things. I had a great time slaving away for this assignment!
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