Audiobook Review: Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters

Tomb of the Golden Bird
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 18)
Publication: HarperAudio (March 23, 2006)
Length: 13 hours and 43 minutes

Description: Convinced that the tomb of the little-known King Tutankhamen lies somewhere in the Valley of the Kings, eminent Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson and his intrepid wife, Amelia Peabody, seem to have hit a wall. Having been banned forever from the East Valley, Emerson, against Amelia's advice, has tried desperately to persuade Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter to relinquish their digging rights. But Emerson's trickery has backfired, and his insistent interest in the site has made his rivals all the more determined to keep the Emerson clan away.

Powerless to intervene but determined to stay close to the unattainable tomb, the family returns to Luxor and prepares to continue their dig in the less promising West Valley, and to watch from the sidelines as Carter and Carnarvon "discover" the greatest Egyptian treasure of all time: King Tut's tomb. But before their own excavation can get underway, Emerson and his son, Ramses, find themselves lured into a trap by a strange group of villains ominously demanding, "Where is he?"

Driven by distress, and, of course, Amelia's insatiable curiosity, the Emersons embark on a quest to uncover who "he" is and why "he" must be found, only to discover that the answer is uncomfortably close to home. Now Amelia must find a way to protect her family, and perhaps even her would-be nemesis, from the sinister forces that will stop at nothing to succeed in the nefarious plot that threatens the peace of the entire region.

My Thoughts: The finale of the Amelia Peabody series takes place in 1922 and centers around the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen. An argument with Howard Carter leaves the Emersons on the outside looking in but we do see some of the activities around the discovery.

The Emersons are busy with problems of their own when Sethos shows up fighting a bout of malaria and trailing villains who want to recover an encrypted note that he stole. When David arrives from England, he gets involved in the same issues that he was involved with as a younger man: encouraging Egyptian independence from the British, it looks like both David and Sethos are dealing with different aspects of the same plot. 

There are a series of threats but not murders in this episode ruining the Emerson's murder-a-season record. The threats seem rather half-hearted and include kidnapping and then releasing the Emerson's butler among other sorts of nuisance threats. 

One plot point concerns whether or not Sethos has really reformed and also deals with his relationship with his wife Margaret. Ramses isn't at all sure that Sethos's reformation is real since he could easily have arranged the threats without breaking his word to Amelia to leave the family alone. 

I will miss the Peabody/Emersons. I wish that I could watch the grandchildren grow up past the age of six. I greatly enjoyed this series which was filled with interesting archaeological details and characters who will live forever in my memory.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters

The Serpent on the Crown
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: The Amelia Peabody Series (Book 17)
Publication: HarperAudio (March 31, 2005)
Length: 12 hours and 7 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling master of suspense, Elizabeth Peters, brings an exotic world of adventure, intrigue, and danger to vivid life, in a tale as powerful as ancient Egypt.

The Emersons have returned to the Valley of the Kings in 1922 and Amelia Peabody and her family look forward to delving once more into the age-old mysteries buried in Egypt's ever-shifting sands. But a widow's strange story, and even stranger request, is about to plunge them into a storm of secrets, treachery, and murder.

The woman, a well-known author, has come bearing an ill-gotten treasure, a golden likeness of a forgotten king, which she claims is cursed. She insists it has taken the life of her husband and unless it is returned to the tomb from which it was stolen, more people will die.

Amelia and her clan resolve to uncover the secrets of the statue's origins, setting off on a trail that twists and turns in directions they never anticipated, and, perhaps, toward an old nemesis with unscrupulous new designs. But each step toward the truth seems to reveal another peril, suggesting to the intrepid Amelia that the curse is more than mere superstition. And its next victim might well be a beloved family member...or Amelia Peabody herself.

A novel filled with riveting suspense, pulse-pounding action, and the vibrant life of a fascinating place and time, The Serpent on the Crown is the jewel in the crown of a grand master, the remarkable Elizabeth Peters.

My Thoughts: It is 1922 and the Emersons are in Egypt when the widow of an antiquities collector asks Emerson to take charge of an artifact from his collection. She is convinced that the golden statue is cursed. Emerson is intrigued by the statue and wants to find out where it came from. It is of a time period that is the same as Tutankhamun's though his tomb has yet to be discovered. Common wisdom believes that there are no undiscovered tombs remaining in the Valley of the Kings.

Emerson was long since banned from excavating in the Valley of the Kings but has gotten a toehold when he was allowed to reexamine KV55 which had been excavated in a haphazard manner years earlier. Meanwhile, Ramses is intrigued by papyrus fragments from one the other sites that Emerson has charge of. 

When the widow disappears Amelia's first thought is that it is a publicity stunt designed to reignite her career as the author of sensational novels. It leaves her stepson and stepdaughter as suspects in her disappearance. 

Then the attacks begin on Ramses' life. There are other suspicious incidents too regarding both the woman and the statue. Even with many "little lists" Amelia and her family are having trouble figuring out who wants what. 

This was another enjoyable episode in the Amelia Peabody series. 

I bought this one at Chirp. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Children of the Storm by Elizabeth Peters

Children of the Storm
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: An Amelia Peabody Novel (Book 15)
Publication: HarperAudio (May 13, 2014)
Length: 15 hours and 6 minutes

Description: The Great War has ended at last. Archaeologist Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, the distinguished Egyptologist, no longer fear for the life of their daring son, Ramses, now free from his dangerous wartime obligations to British Intelligence. Delightful new additions to the growing Emerson family and new wonders waiting to be discovered beneath the shifting Egyptian sands mark a time of new beginnings in Luxor.

However, the theft of valuable antiquities from the home of a friend - including a magnificent gold bracelet adorned with the image of the goddess Hathor - causes great concern. Ramses' encounter with a woman costumed in the veil and gold crown of Hathor herself only deepens the mystery.

With those in her circle suddenly plagued by a series of accidents Amelia attempts to connect these troubling threads into a pattern. But her investigation is setting her on a collision course with an adversary more formidable than any she has ever encountered.

My Thoughts: Now that World War I is over the Emerson family is reuniting in Egypt. Walter and Evelyn along with their daughter Lia, her husband David, and their two grandchildren are coming to Luxor to join Amelia and Emerson, their son Ramses, daughter-in-law Nefret and twin grandchildren Davie and Charla. It makes for a crowded couple of houses especially when Sethos and his daughter Molly are added to the bunch.

The crimes this time include the theft of some of the jewelry found in the princesses' tomb and the assumed theft of the treasures by the man hired to restore the jewelry who has disappeared. Then Ramses is kidnapped by a figure calling herself Hathor and there are various "accidents" happening to the Emersons and their colleagues. The most serious is a car accident that almost takes Selim's life. 

There are so many events of a suspicious nature that Amelia is quite confused about the purpose and perpetrator of all of the chaos. Amelia's persistence and help from various members of her family do manage to solve the thing. But not before Nefret and Emerson are kidnapped by the villains and a daring rescue needs to be mounted.

This was another excellent episode in the long-running Amelia Peabody series. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Golden One by Elizabeth Peters

The Golden Ones
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody Novel of Suspense (Book 14)
Publication: HarperAudio (May 13, 2014)
Length: 17 hours and 44 minutes

Description: A new year, 1917, is dawning, and the Great War that ravages the world shows no sign of abating. Answering the siren call of Egypt once more, Amelia Peabody and her family arrive at their home in Luxor to learn of a new royal tomb ransacked by thieves. Soon an even more disturbing outrage concerns the intrepid clan of archaeologists: the freshly and savagely slain corpse of a thief defiling the ancient burial site.

Yet this is nothing compared with the lethal fate that threatens Ramses. Besieged by the British and defended by formidable Turkish and German forces, the fortified seaport of Gaza guards the gateway to the Holy Land. Answering a call he cannot refuse from British military intelligence, Ramses must journey to this ancient, fabled city to undertake a mission as personal as it is perilous. Death will surely be his lot if he is caught or exposed. Meanwhile, Ramses' wife, Nefret, guards a secret of her own....

Once again the incomparable and best-selling author carries us to a breathtaking realm of ancient wonders and crumbling splendor - from the hectic bustle of the Cairo markets to remote, sand-swept corners of the Egyptian desert where the gods of antiquity sleep. Returning visitors to the world of Amelia Peabody will be enthralled by the latest mesmerizing adventure from the award-winning grandmaster, and newcomers will succumb to her wiles as they are caught up in the tantalizing spell of the remarkable Elizabeth Peters and The Golden One.

My Thoughts: This 14th book in the Amelia Peabody series takes place during 1917. The Emersons have decided to stay in Egypt for the duration of the war rather than taking the risk of German submarines while traveling back and forth to England. They plan to keep working on their archaeological digs. However, tomb robbers including an old enemy are making things difficult. Since so many archaeologists are not in Egypt because of the demands of the war, tomb robbers seem to have free range. 

Then there are the American tourists who buttonhole the Emersons asking for introduction to tomb raiders so that they can buy illegal artifacts or who plan to set up their own excavations without permission. 

There are also substantial rumors of a new tomb to be found too. Jamil gives a hint while he is dying that leaves both Emerson and Cyrus puzzled yet determined to find this missing tomb. However, just as they are settling in to searching, British Intelligence makes Ramses an offer that he can't refuse: go to Gaza to see if a man the whole Emerson family knows is there and is also a traitor to the British.

Naturally, the Emersons aren't willing to let Ramses go alone. They also plan to make their way in disguise - giving Emerson a chance to wear a fake beard - in order to be there if Ramses is in need of rescue. Amelia and Nefret refuse to be left behind despite needing to be disguised as well. 

This story had an interesting arrangement. It begins in Egypt and deals with archaeological detail, then the middle takes place in Gaza and becomes a political intrigue, and then it finishes back in Egypt resolving the issue of the missing tomb. 

This was another excellent addition to the Amelia Peabody series. 

I bought this one as a Chirp audiobook. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Lord of the Silent by Elizabeth Peters

Lord of the Silent
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody Novel of Suspense (Book 13)
Publication: HarperAudio (May 13, 2014)
Length: 16 hours and 9 minutes

Description: Undeterred by world war and enemy submarines, Amelia and Emerson set sail once again for Egypt, where ghosts of an ancient past and spectres of a present-day evil hover silently over an inscrutable land.

In the autumn of 1915 Cairo is transformed into an army camp teeming with enemy agents and shockingly bold tomb robbers are brazenly desecrating the ancient sites. Amelia seeks refuge at a remote dig in Luxor, but this provides no guarantee of safety when she discovers a fresh corpse in an ancient tomb. But are the Emersons in even darker danger with the intervention of one of Amelias oldest and most dangerous adversaries? Tantalizing clues suggest this might be so, and point toward an archaeological discovery of unparalleled importance - and the resurrection of a voice that has been silent for millennia.

My Thoughts: This is the thirteenth book in the Amelia Peabody series. It's nearly Christmas 1915 and the Emersons are in Egypt. Ramses, who has refused to do more work for British intelligence, is newly married. When one of the men from his earlier work attempts to murder him, he and Nefret are sent to Luxor to check out thefts of antiquities and, hopefully, get him out of danger while Amelia and Emerson try to find out who wants Ramses dead.

But Luxor is no safer for Ramses and Nefret. Rumors of the reappearance of the Master Criminal and further attempts on Ramses' life along with persistent rumors of a marvelous new find all keep Nefret and Ramses busy.

Despite their vows to each other, both sets of Emersons are keeping secrets from the other and each are convinced that this is keeping the other pair safe. For example, the younger Emersons are aware that the Master Criminal who supposedly died in Amelia's arms after a heroic action is actually still alive and rebuilding his criminal enterprise in Luxor.

It isn't until both sets of Emersons reunite in Luxor that the mysteries are solved. 

I enjoyed this episode which seems weighted to the younger Emersons' viewpoint and provided a lot of action including the Master Criminal. I am becoming quite a fan of the Master Criminal. The plot was twisty as is the case when the subject matter includes spies and thieves and political activities. 

I bought this one as a Chirp audiobook. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: He Shall Thunder in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

He Shall Thunder in the Sky
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peters Series (Book 12)
Publication: Recorded Books (May 27, 2004)
Length: 17 hours and 13 minutes

Description: In her best-selling Amelia Peabody mysteries, author Elizabeth Peters has created an award-winning mixture of vivid archeological detail, finely-tuned suspense, and witty romance. This, the 12th Amelia Peabody mystery, opens in 1914. As the tides of war rise, Egypt is threatened by attacks. Espionage abounds, pulling in several members of the Peabody Emerson household even as they embark on a new archeological season. Amidst a growing tangle of disguises and deceptions, Emerson's nemesis, the Master Criminal, appears. As increasing perils threaten the Peabody Emersons, their expedition, and Egypt, help arrives from a most unlikely source. He Shall Thunder in the Sky is a treasure; absorbing, intriguing, and highly entertaining. And the surprising resolution is one that leaves even the unflappable Amelia thunderstruck.

My Thoughts: This episode of the Amelia Peabody series is set in 1914. While most of World War I is occurring in Europe, Egypt is not completely spared. In fact, the Turks are eager to bring invasion forces across the Suez Canal and take over Egypt. They are hoping to foment revolution among the young Egyptian radicals to create chaos before their invasion.

Ramses, despite his outward persona as a pacifist uninvolved in war efforts, is acting as an agent of the police to prevent the Turkish invasion and preserve many of his friends among those eager for Egyptian independence. David, supposedly sent to India for his role with the Egyptian nationalists, is undercover in Egypt too. 

Ferreting out the spies and preventing the large-scale shipments of arms to reach the potential insurrectionists keeps both Ramses and David busy. Once Amelia and Emerson become aware of Ramses' work, they are eager - perhaps too eager - to help. But all agree that Nefret can't be told of Ramses' investigative work. She has proven to be too impulsive to be trusted with those secrets.

With many potential spies working in Egypt, all of the Emersons are busy trying to find out who is working to betray the British forces and encourage the Turks. Among the suspects are a merry widow with designs on any wealthy man, a Scottish major with a precocious daughter, and a smarmy French count. Oh, and cousin Percy is very active in Egypt too. For some reason, he is trying to make up his differences with the Emersons and being his usual smarmy self. Ramses fears that Nefret will be drawn in by his supposed charm. And the Master Criminal seems to have his hand in things too.

This was an excellent episode in the series. I loved the information about Egypt during World War I. I loved that Ramses and Nefret finally resolved their differences. I loved the intense emotion in this episode from fears for Ramses and the loss of Cousin Johnny in battle to Amelia finally being able to state that she loves her son. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters

The Painted Queen
Author: Elizabeth Peters & Joan Hess
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 20)
Publication: HarperAudio (July 25, 2017)
Length: 13 hours and 18 minutes

Description: Egypt, 1912—Amelia Peabody and her dashing archeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are once again in danger as they search for a priceless, stolen bust of legendary Queen Nefertiti and Amelia finds herself the target of assassins in this long-awaited, eagerly anticipated final installment of Elizabeth Peters’ bestselling, beloved mystery series.

Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia is relaxing in a well-earned bubble bath in her elegant hotel suite in Cairo, when a man with knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word—"Murder"—before collapsing on the tiled floor, dead. Among the few possessions he carried was a sheet of paper with Amelia’s name and room number, and a curious piece of pasteboard the size of a calling card bearing one word: "Judas." Most peculiarly, the stranger was wearing a gold-rimmed monocle in his left eye.

It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin—someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman. Discovering a terse note clearly meant for Emerson—Where were you?"—pushed under their door, there can be only one answer: the brilliant master of disguise, Sethos.

But neither assassins nor the Genius of Crime will deter Amelia as she and Emerson head to the excavation site at Amarna, where they will witness the discovery of one of the most precious Egyptian artifacts: the iconic Nefertiti bust. In 1345 B.C. the sculptor Thutmose crafted the piece in tribute to the great beauty of this queen who was also the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.

For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable. Throughout her journey, a parade of men in monocles will die under suspicious circumstances, fascinating new relics will be unearthed, a diabolical mystery will be solved, and a brilliant criminal will offer his final challenge . . . and perhaps be unmasked at last.

My Thoughts: This episode was begun by Peters before her death and finished by her friend and fellow author Joan Hess. 

It's 1912 and the Peabody/Emerson clan has two problems to solve. One has to do with an exquisite bust of Nefertiti and the many forged copies of it floating around Cairo. The other problem has to do with semi-incompetent assassins with monocles who are chasing after Amelia and Ramses.

The missing bust problem brings in potential German goals of disrupting the Egyptian government so that Egypt can be conquered by Germany. There are drugs and drugged archaeologists and a hirsute missionary who is trying to convince the Copts to start a revolution. Ramses and David spend a lot of time in Cairo trying to chase down the original Nefertiti and running afoul of the German embassy.

Meanwhile, Amelia is supposed to be under close supervision to thwart any more assassination attempts while they are digging at Amarna, but she's her usual intrepid and headstrong self and gets into and out of many dangerous situations. 

This was an other excellent episode in an engaging historical mystery series. 

I bought this one at Chirp August 12, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters

The Falcon at the Portal
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 13)
Publication: Recorded Books (August 5, 2004)
Length: 15 hours and 20 minutes

Description: From New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Peters comes another riveting mystery in her phenomenally popular Amelia Peabody series.

The Land of the Pharaohs harbors more secrets than any tomb can hide.

In Egypt for the 1911 archaeological season, Amelia Peabody and her family are not anticipating trouble, but it finds them nonetheless. Their young friend David is accused of selling ancient artifacts, and it's up to the Emersons to expose the real culprit. But the body of an American discovered at the bottom of their excavation shaft and a child of mysterious antecedents are sparking twin crises that threaten to tear the family apart. Amelia brings her estimable powers of deduction to bear, but she might not survive long enough to unravel more than one perplexing puzzle—because suddenly someone is shooting bullets in her direction...and coming too close for comfort!

My Thoughts: The 1911 archaeological season brings more problems for the Peabody/Emerson family. It starts well with David and Lia's marriage. But when David is accused of forgery, it isn't only his reputation that is in danger. David has become involved in the Egyptian nationalism movement which puts him in danger from those trying to thwart that movement.

A young woman develops a crush on Ramses which isn't unusual but her murdered body being found in a shaft in the area where the Emersons are excavating is. The young woman's brother is determined to bring Ramses to justice despite the fact that the death has been judged an accident and Ramses had done nothing to encourage the woman. 

In fact, Ramses and Nefret are finally becoming involved now that Nefret has realized that she is in love with him. However, the day after they spend their first night together, a procurer brings a woman and young child to the Emersons claiming that the child is Ramses's daughter. Nefret impulsively runs away and marries another archaeologist who has been hanging around her. Ramses and his parents know that he is not the child's father but, rather, that the child is Cousin Percy's. 

Cousin Percy hasn't changed much since their first encounter. He's still unprincipled and sly and a blatant British chauvinist. He has also been courting Nefret despite her constant refusals.

This was a more emotionally intense episode than earlier books in the series. I liked that we got more of the story from Ramses' point of view even though I still enjoy Amelia's unique viewpoint. 

I bought this one and Kindle and got the Audible Plus edition too. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

A River in the Sky
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peters (Book 19)
Publication: HarperAudio (April 6, 2010)
Length: 11 hours and 3 minutes

Description: New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Peters brings back beloved Egyptologist and amateur sleuth Amelia Peabody in an exciting tale set amid the ancient temples and simmering religious tensions of Palestine on the eve of World War I. . . .

August 1910. Banned from the Valley of the Kings by the Antiquities Service, Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, are relaxing at home in Kent, enjoying the tranquil beauty of summer. But adventure soon beckons when they are persuaded to follow would-be archaeologist Major George Morley on an expedition to Palestine, a province of the crumbling, corrupt Ottoman Empire and the Holy Land of three religions. Searching for the vanished treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem, Morley is determined to unearth the legendary Ark of the Covenant.

The skeptical Emerson wants no part of the scheme until a request from the War Office and Buckingham Palace persuades him to reconsider. The Germans are increasing their influence in Palestine and British intelligence insists that Morley is an agent of the Kaiser, sent to stir up trouble in this politically volatile land. Emerson can't believe that the seemingly inept Morley is a German spy, but could he be mistaken?

Determined to prevent a catastrophically unprofessional excavation that could destroy priceless historical finds as well as cause an armed protest by infuriated Christians, Jews, and Muslims who view the Temple Mount, also known as the Dome of the Rock, as sacred, Amelia, Emerson, and company head to Palestine. Though it is not to her beloved Egypt, the trip to Jerusalem will also reunite her with her handsome and headstrong son, Ramses, working on a dig at Samaria, north of the holy city.

Before Ramses can meet his parents, however, he is distracted by an unusual party of travelers who have arrived in Samaria, including a German woman archaeologist and a mysterious man of unknown nationality and past. Unfortunately, Ramses's insatiable curiosity and his knack for trouble lead him to a startling discovery: information he must pass on to his parents in Jerusalem -- if he can get there alive.

Once again the Peabody-Emerson clan must use all their skills and wiles to find the truth, prevent a bloody holy war, and save their son from the clutches of a nefarious enemy in this wonderfully engaging tale chock-full of thrills, mystery, and daring from the inimitable Elizabeth Peters.

My Thoughts: The fall of 1910 sees Amelia, Emerson, David and Nefret heading off to Palestine at the request of His Majesty's government because of the government's fears that the Germans are fomenting trouble in the area. Ramses is already there and having his own encounters with possible German spies.

Ramses meets with a suspected British agent is who is killed shortly after their meeting and then is kidnapped while he is on his way to join his parents in Jerusalem. His parents are surprised but not unduly worried when Ramses doesn't join them as scheduled. However, Nefret and David are concerned and David goes off to find him which leads to David's capture by the same enemies as Ramses.

Meanwhile, Amelia and Emerson are in Jerusalem trying to discover what Major George Morley has in mind other than upsetting the Muslims, the Jews, and the Christians who are resident in Jerusalem. Amelia is also busy trying to discover just who the British agents and are who their hanger-on Plato is and what his connection to spies and archaeology is. 

This was another exciting episode in the Amelia Peabody series. I liked that we got a good bit from Ramses point of view in this one. I enjoy Barbara Rosenblat's narration.

I bought this one as a Chirp Audiobook. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters

Guardian of the Horizon
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 16)
Publication: HarperAudio (August 11, 2004)
Length: 14 hours and 36 minutes

Description: "A hitherto lost journal of Amelia Peabody's has been miraculously recovered -- a chronicle from one of the "missing years" -- 1907-1908 -- shedding new light on an already exceptional career, a remarkable family . . . and an unexpected terror"

Ousted from their most recent archaeological dig and banned from the Valley of the Kings, the Emersons are spending the summer at home in England, when a mysterious messenger arrives. Claiming to be the brother of their dear friend Tarek, prince of the mysterious Lost Oasis, the herald brings news of a strange malady that has struck down Tarek's heir and conveys his urgent need for help.

Driven by loyalty, the family sets off in secret, braving the treacherous desert climate on a trek fraught with dangers. Guided by only a crumbling map, the Emersons are unaware that deception is leading them onward into a nest of vipers -- where a dreadful fate may await.

My Thoughts: The Emersons head back to the Lost Oasis first visited in The Last Camel Died at Noon when a messenger arrives saying that Tarek and his young son are very ill and in need of medical attention. But planning a secret expedition is not an easy thing. 

The Emersons need to fool rival archaeologists, the military, and assorted treasure hunters on their way to the hidden city. But there are just so many suspicious characters surrounding their expedition. Ramses rescues Daria who is the property of a big game hunter who wants to know where the treasure is. He falls for her but she has her own agenda. 

When they arrive at the lost city, they learn that their guide has misled them. There has been a coup which has removed Tarek from his throne and Tarek has survived to go off and be with his faction. But neither side in the conflict has enough forces to defeat the other. 

The usurper has plans for Nefret which involve her being taken from the Emersons and forced to work for him to cement his legitimacy. But the Emersons aren't going to let that happen. Nor are they going to let either side start a war which will kill many on both sides. They are going to use their heroic status and reputations to make things go their way.

When Amelia learns that Sethos has his hand in the events, she keeps this news from Emerson but finds a way for Sethos to help her with her plans. 

This was another excellent adventure in the Amelia Peabody series. I also enjoyed the parts of the story that were from Manuscript H.

I bought this one with an Audible Credit. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Seeing a Large Cat by Elizabeth Peters

Seeing a Large Cat
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 9)
Publication: Recorded Books (May 27, 2004)
Length: 14 hours and 31 minutes

Description: Amelia finds good luck - in her dreams!

'Stay away from tomb Twenty-Al' says an ominous message delivered by an unseen hand. The year is 1903, the place is Cairo, and it's time for Amelia's ninth adventure. She is asked for help by an old friend whose husband has fallen for a spiritualist; then a plea arrives from an expat colonel whose daughter is threatened by an unknown enemy, and Ramses, now a headstrong teenager, undertakes an adventure that is guaranteed to turn his mother's hair white!

Amelia then dreams of a large cat, an Egyptian sign of good luck - which as the situation stands, is in precious short supply...

My Thoughts: It's 1903 and the Emersons are back in Egypt. Ramses and David have spent six months with a sheik and have both matured but it will take Amelia some time to reconcile herself to her son not being a child anymore.

The receive a cryptic message telling them to stay away from a tomb that doesn't exist. They also receive a plea for help from an old friend. Her husband has fallen for a spiritualist and is hunting for a lost Egyptian princess. 

Then a Southern Colonel requests their help with someone who seems to be intent on kidnapping his nubile teenage daughter who is as spoiled and headstrong as a rich young woman can be. She sets her sights on Ramses who is not at all interested since he has long since fallen in love with Nefret who only sees him as a child and a brother. 

Between searching for a tomb that doesn't exist, helping out an old friend, and protecting while fending off a predatory young woman, the Emersons have their hands full. 

This episode includes excerpts from manuscript H which tells parts of the story from Ramses' point of view and provides more insight into his character and another viewpoint on the events of the story. Amelia's viewpoint dominates and is as eccentric as ever. 

This was another excellent adventure for the Emersons.

I got this one via audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Hippopotamus Pool by Elizabeth Peters

The Hippopotamus Pool
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 8)
Publication: Recorded Books (May 15, 2007)
Length: 14 hours and 29 minutes

Description: Is the Hippopotamus Pool a legend? Or Amelia's nemesis!

A masked stranger offers to reveal an Egyptian queens' lost tomb - and Amelia Peabody and her irascible archaeologist husband Emerson are intrigued, to say the least. When the guide mysteriously disappears before he can tell them his secret, the Peabody-Emersons sail to Thebes to follow his trail, helped - and hampered - by their teenage son Rameses, and beautiful ward Nefret. Before the sands of time shift very far, all of them will be risking their lives foiling murderers, kidnappers, grave robbers, and ancient curses. off once again on a rollicking adventure involving archaeology, murderers, kidnappers, grave robbers and ancient curses.

And the hippopotamus Pool? It's a legend of war and wits that Amelia is translating, one that alerts her to a hippo of a different type - a nefarious, overweight art dealer who is on course to become her new arch-enemy!

My Thoughts: This eighth in the Amelia Peabody series takes place in 1900. Amelia, Emerson, and their children Ramses and Nefret are in Egypt hunting for a queen's tomb. But they are not the only ones on the trail. Not one, but two sets of villains have plans for the Emersons. 

When a mysterious stranger invades their hotel room and offers to give them directions to a tomb not yet discovered and then disappears, the Emerson are off to Thebes. There they discover a villain creating forgeries and his apprentice who is Abdullah's grandson David. They rescue David from the forger and Ramses becomes his blood brother. Emerson is less eager to trust the young boy.

Walter and Evelyn Emerson also join them in Egypt once the tomb has been discovered. Evelyn has been in a state of depression since the death of one of young children and Emerson is hoping that the work in Egypt will help her out of it. Evelyn and Walter are estranged when the story begins but through the story, she exposes depths of character that Amelia wasn't aware of when she takes part in Amelia's adventures.

With both Ramses and Nefret kidnapped in this adventure - though by two different sets of villains -- the action is fast-paced and furious in this story. The descriptions of the search for the lost tomb and the treasures they find within it was also engrossing. 

This was another excellent entry into the series as Amelia's voice and viewpoint are always entertaining.

I got this one via Audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblatt
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 7)
Publication: Recorded Book (June 4, 2004)
Length: 15 hours and 15 minutes

Description: This adventure transports Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson to Amarna, the rustic desert site where the two archaeologists first met, beginning the 13-year association that would take them from mayhem to murder in the Egyptian outback.

For the first time in many years, Ramses chooses not to accompany his parents on their yearly excavation. At the tender age of 11, Ramses has fallen in love. The object of his affection is 13-year-old Nefret, the auburn-haired beauty the Emersons rescued from the clutches of the ancient city of Napata, now safe in England where the needlessly solicitous Ramses can keep a watchful eye on her. Ramses' new obsession does not deter him from putting in his two cents worth, however, in a series of lengthy epistles to Egypt, containing enough elaborate syntax and romantic ardor to stretch his mother's patience to the very breaking point.

Her son's budding affaire de coeur reminds Amelia of her once-tumultuous romance with Emerson. She is hopeful that their time alone together will rekindle old flames. But every confidence meets with disaster when Emerson is ambushed, kidnapped, and severely wounded on the road to Luxor. Rescued, and squirming under Amelia's gentle ministrations, Emerson wastes little time in recovering his irascible nature, but to Amelia's dismay, he seems to have no recollection of who she is!

Now, both past and future are in jeopardy as Amelia attempts to locate Emerson's attackers; prevent his disclosure of an important artifact relating to Nefret's security; and renew feelings in him that appear as remote as a Pharaoah's tomb.

My Thoughts: In this seventh Amelia Peabody adventure, Amelia and Emerson travel to Egypt without Ramses who has chosen to stay at home because Nefret is remaining there. But Amelia and Emerson don't need Ramses to get in trouble.

It seems that there is a villain who doesn't believe that they do not know the way to the untold treasures they discovered in the Nubian desert and is willing to find the information any way he can. When attempts to kidnap Amelia are foiled, he switches his focus to Emerson.

Emerson is captured and Amelia must go to his rescue. With Abdullah's help, she finds him and mounts a rescue only to discover that Emerson has lost his memory. He can remember his early days in Egypt but all memory of Amelia and the life they have build together is gone. 

As Amelia tries to bring back his memory and his love for her, she is assisted by Cyrus Vandergelt who, while helping her, is trying to further an agenda of his own. 

The story is filled with action and adventure almost all narrated by the unique voice of Amelia who has her own interpretations of the actions of the other characters in the story. Long letters from Ramses detailing the activities back home in England bring his voice to the story too. 

It took me a while to get used to Barbara Rosenblatt as the new narrator of this series. A first I thought that her voice was too "fruity" and too old. However, I did like the voices she chose for Emerson and Ramses and got used to her version of Amelia. 

I got this one via Audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Last Camel Died at Noon by Elizabeth Peters

The Last Camel Died at Noon
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Susan O'Malley
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 6)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (February 26, 2004)
Length: 13 hours and 5 minutes

Description: The last camel is dead, and Egyptologist Amelia Peabody, her dashing husband, Emerson, and precocious son, Ramses, are in dire straits on the sun-scorched desert sands. Months before, back in cool, green England, Viscount Blacktower had approached them to find his son and his son's new bride, who have been missing in war-torn Sudan for over a decade. An enigmatic message scrawled on papyrus and a cryptic map had been delivered to Blacktower, awakening his hope that the couple was still alive.

Neither Amelia nor Emerson believes the message is authentic, but the treasure map proves an irresistible temptation. Now, deep in Nubia's vast wasteland, they discover too late how much treachery is afoot (and on camelback)...and survival depends on Amelia's solving a mystery as old as ancient Egypt and as timeless as greed and revenge.

My Thoughts: Deliberately written to sound like the works of H. Rider Haggard, this Amelia Peabody adventure was filled with over-the-top melodrama and adventure. 

This year's dig is planned for the Sudan but before they can get started, Amela, Emerson, and Ramses are off following a dubious map to locate an explorer and his wife who have been missing for twelve years. However, the map also hints at an archaeological treasure: the remnants of a long dead culture.

From almost dying of thirst in the desert to finding themselves in the middle of a Royal coup, Amelia, Emerson, and Ramses have all they can handle. And despite Emerson's pleas, Amelia gets involved with the aristocracy and even helps out a pair of young lovers. 

I enjoyed the now-ten-year-old Ramses part in this story and only wish the Amelia would spend more time listening to what he has to say. However, that would shorten the story and I enjoyed every action-packed minute of this audiobook narrated by Susan O'Malley.

I got this one via Audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters

The Deeds of the Disturber
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Susan O'Malley
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 5)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (November 27, 2002)
Length: 12 hours and 4 minutes

Description: An Egyptologist investigates a death at the British Museum in a “charming” Victorian mystery by the New York Times–bestselling author of The Painted Queen (The Denver Post).

Back in London after an archaeological dig, adventurous sleuth Amelia Peabody—“rather like Indiana Jones, Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple all rolled into one”—discovers that a night watchman at the museum has perished in the shadow of a mummy case (The Washington Post Book World).

There are murmurings about an ancient curse, but a skeptical Amelia is determined to find an all-too-human killer. Soon, she’s balancing family demands, including the troubles of her precocious son, Ramses (aka Walter), with not just one unsolved crime, but two .

From a recipient of multiple honors including the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award, this murder mystery set in Victorian-era England is a witty, rollicking, and “deeply satisfying” romp (Entertainment Weekly) in a “jewel of a series” (The New York Times Book Review).

My Thoughts: Amelia and family are staying in England until Emerson finishes writing his long-overdue history of Egypt. She has been conned by her older brother to care for his two children - Percy and Violet - for the summer. They do not get along with Ramses as well and there are a series of accidents concerning him.

Amelia is investigating suspicious occurrences at the British Museum including visits by an Egyptian priest saying that horrible things will happen if a mummy is not returned to her tomb. Among the suspicious events are the deaths of a night watchman and the death of an archaeologist which makes Amelia believe that Emerson's life is in danger.

Investigations also lead to an Egyptian woman who was once an intimate of Emerson which leads Amelia to strong feelings of jealousy which are not helped by the fact that Emerson is keeping secrets from Amelia. 

This was another fun episode in the Amelia Peabody series. I love that the stories are told in Amelia's voice and from her viewpoint which is eccentric. Susan O'Malley did a great job with the narration.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters

Lion in the Valley
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Susan O'Malley
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 4)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (March 28, 2003)
Length: 10 hours and 48 minutes

Description: The 1895-96 season promises to be an exceptional one for Amelia Peabody, her dashing Egyptologist husband Emerson, and their wild and precocious eight-year-old son Ramses. The much-coveted burial chamber of the Black Pyramid in Dahshoor is theirs for the digging. 

But there is a great evil in the wind that roils the hot sands sweeping through the bustling streets and marketplace of Cairo. The brazen moonlight abduction of Ramses—and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death—have alerted Amelia to the likely presence of her arch nemesis the Master Criminal, notorious looter of the living and the dead. 

But it is far more than ill-gotten riches that motivates the evil genius this time around. For now the most valuable and elusive prized of all is nearly in his grasp: the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice . . . Amelia Peabody!

My Thoughts: The fourth Amelia Peabody mystery finds Amelia, Emerson, and Ramses back in Egypt and excavating at Dahshoor. But things are not destined to go smoothly. From a kidnapping attempt of Ramses to Amelia's decision to reform a drug-addicted Scot and her desire to help out a young woman accused of murder, this is an action-packed season.

And behind it all is the Master Criminal, Amelia and Emerson's archnemesis. This master of disguise is determined to press his suit with Amelia who has eyes for no one but Emerson.

This is filled with the usual humor of the series and has less archaeological detail than earlier volumes mainly because Amelia is too busy assisting young lovers and tracking down the Master Criminal to actually do any. 

Fans of the series will enjoy Ramses' growing role in the stories and the strong relationship between Amelia and Emerson. Susan O'Malley did an excellent job with all the various voices. 

I got this one via Audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters

The Mummy Case
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Susan O'Malley
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 3)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (November 15, 2002)
Length: 10 hours

Description: The irascible husband of Victorian Egyptologist Amelia Peabody demonstrates again why he has been nicknamed "Father of Curses." Denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor, Emerson is awarded instead the "pyramids" of Mazghunah: countless mounds of rubble in the midst of nowhere. Nothing in this barren spot seems worthy of interest - until an antiquities dealer is murdered in his Cairo shop.

When a sinister Egyptian spotted at the crime scene turns up in Mazghunah, Amelia can't resist following his trail. There's a mysterious scrap of papyrus and a missing mummy case to investigate, while she keeps at least one eye on their precocious son Ramses and his Egyptian cat. But the digging turns truly dangerous when Amelia and Emerson look for answers in an ancient tomb - one that could become their grave.

My Thoughts: This third Amelia Peabody adventure is the first where Ramses has a role. He is Emerson and Amelia's precocious son and has a character which stands up nicely to Amelia's. Emerson was denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor but given a permit to dig at Mazghunah. This was a terrible disappointment since the "pyramids" were almost completely flattened and the major features of the area were old cemeteries dating from much later that the period of the pyramids of Dahshoor.

However, that doesn't mean that things would proceed in a quiet, boring way. From the discovery of the body of an antiquities dealer in Cairo to thieves breaking in to attempt to steal something to the emergence of a Master Criminal, Amelia's season is destined to be filled with activity.

Ramses adds excitement of his own when he steals a lion cub from a cruising German lady and does his own digging at Dahshoor. His digging is fortuitous since it is his explorations that allow him to find his mother and father after the Master Criminal's henchmen have dropped them into a water filler burial chamber in one of the pyramids of Dahshoor.

The story also references religious issues. First of all, the conflict between the Muslims and the Copts and then the arrival of fanatical American missionaries raises the tensions in the area and gives the Master Criminal room to do his thieving. 

I like that these stories are told from the eccentric viewpoint of Amelia Peabody Emerson. I like her relationship with her husband and her son. This was altogether a fun story to listen to. Susan O'Malley does an excellent job with all the various characters. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

Crocodile on the Sandbank
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Narrator: Susan O'Malley
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 1)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (August 23, 2002)
Length: 8 hours and 47 minutes

Description: Meet Egyptologist Amelia Peabody in the first mystery in the Victorian-era, New York Times-bestselling series.

"If Indiana Jones were female, a wife, and a mother who lived in Victorian times, he would be Amelia Peabody Emerson."—Publishers Weekly

Amelia Peabody, that indomitable product of the Victorian age, embarks on her first Egyptian adventure armed with unshakable self-confidence, a journal to record her thoughts, and, of course, a sturdy umbrella. On her way, Amelia rescues young Evelyn Barton-Forbes, who has been “ruined” and abandoned on the streets of Rome by her rascally lover. With a typical disregard for convention, Amelia promptly hires her fellow countrywoman as a companion and takes her to Cairo.

Eluding Evelyn’s former lover, who wants her back, and Evelyn’s cousin Lord Ellesmere, who wishes to marry her, the two women sail up the Nile to an archaeological site that is home to a rather lively mummy. Soon strange visitations, suspicious accidents, and a botched kidnapping convince Amelia that there is a plot afoot to harm Evelyn.

My Thoughts: This book introduces Amelia Peabody who will eventually feature in 20 books written between 1975 and 2006. Amelia is a semi-proper Victorian lady who, after inheriting a comfortable income upon the death of her father, decides to travel the world. 

Beginning her journey in Italy, Amelia discovers a gentlewoman in distress and decides to make Evelyn her companion. The two travel to Egypt because Amelia wants to visit the pyramids and other Egyptian antiquities. She meets irascible archaeologist Radcliffe Emerson while touring a museum in Cairo.

The two meet again when Amelia stops her voyage south on the Nile to view the site he is excavating only to find him desperately ill and in need of her medical care. Not only does she fall in love with Emerson but she also falls in love with Egypt and Egyptology.

Meanwhile, her companion who is the disinherited granddaughter of a very wealthy Earl has troubles of her own. She is fleeing the Italian lover who coaxed her away from home and dealing with another Italian cousin who is the heir to her grandfather's property. He really wants to marry Evelyn who has fallen in love with Emerson's brother Walter.

This story has mummies some of whom seem to have left their graves to frighten both Amelia and Evelyn, bat-infested tombs, superstitious natives, and all sorts of danger and adventure. It was a fun story to hear since Amelia, who narrates the story, has her own unique and eccentric viewpoint.

The story has a lot of historical detail since many of the characters who are talked about were real people and the leading archaeologists of the day which is about 1890.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters

The Curse of the Pharaohs
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Series: Amelia Peabody (Book 2)
Narrator: Susan O'Malley
Publication: Blackstone Audio (May 23, 2003)
Length: 10 hours and 6 minutes

Description: Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody Emerson and her archaeologist husband are busy raising their young son; yet Amelia dreams only of the dust and detritus of ancient civilizations. Happily, circumstances are about to demand their immediate presence in Egypt. Sir Henry Baskerville had just discovered a tomb in Luxor when he promptly died under bizarre circumstances. The tabloids scream of The Curse of the Pharaohs!

Amelia and her husband arrive to find the camp in disarray and the workers terrified. A ghost even appears. It is not at all what Amelia considers an atmosphere conducive to scientific discovery. Thus the indomitable Victorian sets about bringing order to chaos and herself close to danger. How Amelia triumphs over evil and those who would stand between her and her beloved antiquities makes for a delightfully spirited adventure.

My Thoughts: This is the second Amelia Peabody adventure and is told in her own distinctive and eccentric voice. When the story begins, Amelia and her husband Emerson are stuck in England because neither wants to leave their young and precocious son Ramses bur are worried for his health if they take him to Egypt.

When Lady Baskerville comes to see them in England, they are persuaded to go to Egypt - leaving Ramses behind - to work on a tomb discovered by her late husband who died mysteriously. The newspapers are saying that he died of a mummy's curse which neither Peabody nor Emerson believes. However, something is wrong. There are other murders and attacks and the native workers are very reluctant to work on the tomb in case the curse might be real.

Peabody and Emerson compete with each other to be the first to discover what is really going on and find themselves in all sorts of danger as they investigate. 

I love Amelia Peabody's eccentric viewpoint. The book is filled with quirky characters who all might have reasons for the troubles at the tomb. I especially liked the old woman who is certain that Emerson was her lover in a past life. 

The narration was excellent. Susan O'Malley does a great job with the pacing and with making each character distinct. 

I received this one as part of my Audible membership. You can buy your copy here.