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Laughter of Dead Kings (Vicky Bliss, No. 6)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

For the first time in more than a decade, New York Times bestselling Grand Master Elizabeth Peters brings beautiful, brainy Vicky Bliss back into the spotlight for one last investigation. But this time the peerless art historian and sleuth will be detecting in Amelia Peabody territory, searching for solutions to more than one heinous offense in the ever-shifting sands of Egypt's mysterious Valley of the Kings.

Who stole one of Egypt's most priceless treasures? That is the question that haunts the authorities after a distinguished British gentleman with an upper-crust accent cons his way past a security guard and escapes into the desert carrying a world-famous, one-of-a-kind historic relic. But the Egyptian authorities and Interpol believe they know the identity of the culprit. The brazen crime bears all the earmarks of the work of one “Sir John Smythe,” the suave and dangerously charming international art thief who is, in fact, John Tregarth, the longtime significant other of Vicky Bliss. But John swears he is retired—not to mention innocent—and he vows to clear his name by hunting down the true criminal.

Vicky's faith in her man's integrity leaves her no choice but to take a hiatus from her position at a leading Munich museum and set out for the Middle East. Vicky's employer, the eminent Herr Doktor Anton Z. Schmidt, rotund gourmand and insatiable adventurer, decides to join the entourage.

But dark days and myriad dangers await them in this land of intriguing antiquity. Each uncovered clue seems to raise even more questions for the intrepid Vicky—the most troubling being, Where is John going during his increasingly frequent and unexplained absences? And the stakes are elevated considerably when a ransom note arrives accompanied by a grisly memento intended to speed up negotiations—because now it appears that murder most foul has been added to the equation.

Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody, Book 1)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 131 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Crocodile on the Sandbank 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Our bookclub read this and the majority of the people thought it was an excellent read. The reviewer added a great deal by sharing her experiences at the location of the story in Egypt. I was fascinated by the main character and her bravado as a woman diuring the Victorian era. I am ready to read some of the books that follow in this first in a series of eighteen. I found it hard to put down, a few folks in our group didn't find it that interesting. Worth my time!

Delightful read 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A delightful, entertaining, well written novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Don't expect a terrible lot of plot twists that aren't obvious to the reader far before being pointed out in the prose, but the characterizations and narrative make up for the lack of intrigue.

Featuring intelligent heroines, well-researched Egyptology and a smattering of romance the action paced well and I never bored of the writing or skipped passages to hurry it along. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Editorial Review:

Thirty-one-year-old Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody has not only inherited her father's fortune, but she is also blessed with his strong will as well. Now she's headed for Cairo, accompanied by a girl with a tarnished past, to indulge her passion for Egyptology. Little did she know that murder and a homicidal mummy lay in wait for her.

Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The 1895-96 season promises to be an exceptional one for Amelia Peabody, her dashing Egyptologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, and their precocious (some might say rambunctious) eight-year-old son, Ramses. The long-denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor has finally been granted, and the much-coveted burial chamber of the Black Pyramid is now theirs for the exploring.

Before the young family exchanges the relative comfort of Cairo for the more rudimentary quarters near the excavation site, they engage a young Englishman, Donald Fraser, as a tutor and companion for Ramses, and Amelia takes a wayward young woman, Enid Debenham, under her protective wing.

But there is danger and deception in the wind that blows across the hot Egyptian sands. A brazen kidnapping attempt, a gruesome murder, and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death—all serve to alert 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 motivate the man known as Sethos. The evil genius has a score to settle with the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice . . . and he's got her dead-on in his sights.

Replete with edge-of-the-seat suspense and scrupulous archaeological and historical detail, all delivered in Amelia Peabody's unique, wry voice, Lion in the Valley is a classic installment in Elizabeth Peters's beloved mystery-adventure series.

The Mummy Case (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Radcliffe Emerson, the irascible husband of fellow archaeologist Amelia Peabody, has earned the nickname "Father of Curses"—and in Mazghunah he demonstrates why. Denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor, he and Amelia are resigned to excavating mounds of rubble in the middle of nowhere. But before long Amelia, Emerson, and their precocious son, Ramses, find themselves entangled in The Mummy Case

In Cairo, before setting out to the site, Amelia visits an antiquities dealer to inquire about some papyri for her brother-in-law, Walter. At the dealer's shop she interrupts a mysterious-sounding conversation. And then, even more alarmingly, the dealer attempts to refuse to sell her a scrap of papyrus Ramses discovers in the back room. When the dealer is found dead in his shop just a day later, Amelia becomes convinced that foul play is at hand, a suspicion that is further confirmed when she catches sight of the sinister stranger from the crime scene at her own excavation site.

But it takes more than Amelia's keen instincts to convince Emerson of dastardly deeds. When Ramses's scrap of papyrus is stolen from their camp, and a neighboring tourist is relieved of an entire mummy, Emerson concedes that they may be facing something more ominous than a simple grave robber. Aided (to their dismay) by Ramses and his preternaturally intelligent cat, Bastet, Amelia and Emerson turn their detective skills to investigating the neighboring suspects, including a trio of missionaries, a widowed German baroness, and even the head of the Department of Antiquities. But when the Emersons start digging for answers in an ancient tomb, events take a darker and deadlier turn—and there may be no surviving the very modern terrors their efforts reveal.

Filled with spine-tingling suspense, precise archaeological and historical detail, and Amelia Peabody's trademark witty, wry voice, Elizabeth Peters's The Mummy Case is a classic installment in the beloved Amelia Peabody series.

The Curse of the Pharaohs (Amelia Peabody, Book 2)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 35 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

What a disappointment! 2 out of 5 stars.
3 of 10 people found this review helpful.

As a fan of historical mysteries, I was looking forward to starting this popular series. I was deeply disappointed. First of all, the character of Amelia Peabody is not appealing, and through her the author reveals that she has only a very superficial understanding of Victorian values and thinking. (Although if you don't mind an author sticking a character with modern sensibilities in period dress, maybe this is for you.) Furthermore, the mystery was simply not that interesting. I found myself reading only to finish the book, for I had little interest in finding out who committed the murders. The success of this series and the acclaim the author has received truly baffle me.

Back to the Valley of Tombs 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book finds our heroine Amelia Peabody married to the archeologist she met in Crocodile on the Sandbank. They have made their home in England where they have put their first love (digging around in Egypt) on hold while they raise their son and Professor Emerson teaches archeology. But this life is not what they are suited for. When an opportunity presents itself to re-engage themselves in an expedition whose leader died (or perhaps murdered)they jump at the chance.

As the Emersons set about to dispel the idea of the Curse of the Pharoahs (a trumped up idea) they meet with a plethora of strange characters, each a possible suspect in the death of Lord Baskerville who was the original archeologist. There is the tabloid writer, the brash American investor, the superstitious Egptian natives, two other archeologists who are assisting the Emerson team, a young woman and her mother (Madame Berengeria) who believes that she is the reincarnation of a high-ranking Egyptian queen and that Professor Emerson is her long-lost love. There is also the appearance of the white veiled figure who threatens the group during the nights and leaves danger in its wake.

All in all a captivating story for mystery fans. The plot moves along rapidly and it would behoove the reader to pay attention to the details as set forth in order to find the true culprit.

I would say this is a most satisfying story either as a summer read or one to curl up with by the fire.

Editorial Review:

One of the best-loved of mystery writers weaves another tale of intrigue featuring Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe of Crocodile on the Sandbank. This time the willful and witty duo must catch a murderer at an excavation of an ancient Egyptian tomb. HC: Dodd, Mead.

Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium

Kristen Whitbread

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Egypt that so enticed and enchanted intrepid archaeologist-sleuth Amelia Peabody in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries was a place of wonder, mystery, danger, and the lure of antiquity. Now, with this monumental volume of Egyptian culture, history, and arcania, readers will be able to immerse themselves in the great lady's world more completely than ever before.

Journey through the bustling streets and markets of Cairo a hundred years ago. Surround yourself with the customs and color of a bygone time. Explore ancient tombs and temples and marvel at the history of this remarkable land -- from the age of the pharaohs through the Napoleonic era to the First World War. Also included in Amelia Peabody's Egypt are a hitherto unpublished journal entry and intimate biographies of the Emersons and their friends, which provide a uniquely personal view of the lives, relationships, opinions, politics, and delightful eccentricities of mystery's first family, as well as unforgettable pearls of wit and wisdom from everyone's favorite fictional Egyptologist herself.

Containing nearly 600 black-and-white photographs and illustrations, and articles by numerous experts, Amelia Peabody's Egypt sparkles with unforgettable glimpses of the exotic and the bizarre, the unusual and the unfamiliar -- a treasure trove that overflows with Egyptological riches, along with wonderful insights into the culture and mores of the Victorian era, including the prevalent attitudes on empire, fashion, feminism, tourists, servants, and much more.

A one-of-a-kind collection that offers endless hours of pleasure for Peabodyphiles and Egypt aficionados alike, here is a tome to cherish; a grand and glorious celebration of the life, the work, and the world of the incomparable Amelia Peabody.

Borrower of the Night: A Vicky Bliss Novel of Suspense (Vicky Bliss Mysteries)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

COULD NOT PUT THIS SERIES DOWN!!! 4 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Elizabeth Peters books are fun, comical, gripping mysteries -- read them all!

Vicky is different from Amelia Peabody (she's tall, 20something, and a blonde bombshell with curves). Peters' spends a lot of time trying to establish this new character, and Vicky's figure/views are mentioned a lot at first (which turned my mom off of it initially), but it gets better.

==>> Why read this book? BECAUSE THE SEQUELS ARE PHENOMENAL!! <<==

I COULD NOT put the 2ND BOOK DOWN (Street of the 5 Moons), and when I was done I immediately drove to the library for the rest. I even skipped the 3rd book (because the library didn't have it) because I was ABSOLUTELY HOOKED, and the 4th and 5th were so good I didn't get any sleep! I don't feel bad about skipping the 3rd book, but I'm certainly glad I read this 1st one to get established. Don't pass up this series!!!

Editorial Review:

A missing masterwork in wood, the last creation of a master carver who died in the violent tumult of the sixteenth century, may be hidden in a medieval German castle in the town of Rothenburg. The prize has called to art historian Vicky Bliss, drawing her and an arrogant male colleague into the forbidding citadel and its dark secrets. But the treasure hunt soon turns deadly. Here, where the blood of the long-forgotten damned stains ancient stones, Vicky must face two equally perilous possibilities. Either a powerful supernatural evil inhabits this place . . . or someone frighteningly real is willing to kill for what Vicky is determined to find.

Tomb of the Golden Bird (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 40 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Farewell Amelia, Hello Tutankhamon 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This is the last of Elizabeth Peter's series about dauntless Victorian/Edwardian/World War I Egyptologist/detective Amelia Peabody. According to reports she planned to end the series with the Peabody/Emerson clan getting involved in Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, and this is it.

This is not the strongest book in the series, for a number of reasons, Over the years since the series started with "Crocodile on the Sandbank" in 1975, Peters has added greatly to her cast of characters. Besides the original four of Amelia, her husband Emerson, his brother Walter, and Walter's wife Evelyn, there have been the Emersons' son Ramses, their ward and daughter-in-law Nefret, the Emerson brothers' half brother Sethos, their reis Abdullah, his grandson David and son Selim, the Emersons' niece Sennia, their American friend Cyrus Vandergelt (a gentle Theodore Davis), his wife Katherine and her son Bertie, and a whole host of English servants, Egyptian crew, Egyptolgists, etc etc.

In this book much of the time is spent just managing this unwieldy crowd.

Then there's the whole Tutankhamun discovery, which turns out to be due more to the Emersons than to Howard Carter, or at least that is what Amelia Peabody would have us believe. There is very little of the usual Peabody criminal intrigue. Instead we view the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb from the Peabody perspective, which is delightful.

It's sad to see the series end, but after all, Elizabeth Peters has given us 18 books since 1975, and back in 1964, under her real name of Barbara Mertz back she wrote a wonderful introduction to ancient Egypt called "Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs; the Story of Egyptology" (recently reissued in a second edition). She has been giving us pleasure in her many books for some time, and we will miss her.

Editorial Review:

Banned forever from the eastern end of the Valley of the Kings, eminent Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson's desperate attempt to regain digging rights backfires—and his dream of unearthing the tomb of the little-known king Tutankhamon is dashed. Now Emerson, his archaeologist wife, Amelia Peabody, and their family must watch from the sidelines as Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter "discover" the greatest Egyptian treasure of all time.

But the Emersons' own less impressive excavations are interrupted when father and son Ramses are lured into a trap by a strange group of villains ominously demanding answers to a question neither man comprehends. And it will fall to the ever-intrepid Amelia to protect her endangered family—and perhaps her nemesis as well—from a devastating truth hidden uncomfortably close to home . . . and from a nefarious plot that threatens the peace of the entire region.

Trojan Gold: A Vicky Bliss Novel of Suspense (Vicky Bliss Mysteries)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

At Long Last 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I've read all the Vicky Bliss novels, and I can only say I wish Elizabeth Peters would write more. She has such a humorous touch with these novels that the characters are not only believeable, they're a downright likeable bunch. I like the way Peters uses humor to propel the story along, and the exchanges between Vicky and her sometimes lover, John Smythe, are hilarious. But don't leave out her boss, Herr Doktor Schmidt, who is a remarkably innocent man for one of his advanced years, and a wonderful co-conspirator (even if he does have a tendency to view desperate situations as some sort of wonderful adventure). For fans of this series, I heartily recommend this book, since it's about time that Vicki and John come clean about their feelings for one another. The avalanche scene is a real nailbiter, and in keeping with the adventure! Don't miss this one!

Editorial Review:

A picture is worth a thousand words . . . but the photograph art historian Vicky Bliss has just received in the mail gives rise to a thousand questions instead. At first glance it appears to be the famous portrait of Frau Schliemann adorned in the gold of Troy. But closer study reveals the picture to be contemporary—which is odd since Vicky knows the Trojan gold vanished sometime around the end of World War Two. And if she needed further proof that something here is terribly amiss, a quick look at the blood-stained envelope the photo arrived in should do the trick.

Yet Vicky is not the only expert to receive this mysterious mailing. And the entire circle is gathering for a festive Bavarian Christmas—one, hopefully, to be made even more festive by the rediscovery of an ancient lost treasure. But the celebration could prove to be short—and bloody—courtesy of a very determined killer in their midst . . .

Street of Five Moons: A Vicky Bliss Novel of Suspense (Vicky Bliss Mysteries)

Elizabeth Peters

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Characterization & Description of Europe 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

It's been awhile since I've read a book that I've taken such delight in. Vicky Bliss is a methodical detective much like Mary Russell from the Laurie R. King series. In "Street of the Five Moons", Vicky meets her match in "John Smythe", secretary to a nobleman and art collector, who strongly resembles Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey. His playful evasiveness is a delightful foil for Vicky's determination. Peters describes Germany and Italy like she's a longtime resident and makes clever allusions to more than a few literary classics.
"Street of the Five Moons", like many series' second books, seems stronger than the first installment and has more compelling characters. Vicky's asides to the reader are also a fun device. I look forward to finishing this series and strongly recommend "Street of the Five Moons".

Editorial Review:

Art historian Vicky Bliss may be blond and beautiful, but looks can be deceiving. She also has the brain of an Einstein, the reckless courage of a test pilot—and no one's more savvy about fine works of art. For example: the gold pendant her boss at Munich's National Museum is currently dangling in front of her. It's an exquisite replica of a Charlemagne talisman—and it was found, along with a note written in hieroglyphs, sewn into the suit pocket of an unidentified man lying dead in an alley.

There's a murderous puzzle to unravel—and Vicky will start by hunting down the master craftsperson who created the magnificent piece, even if the search carries her to the ends of the Earth. Instead, it's pointing her toward Rome, the most romantic city in the world. But it's also pulling her into a treacherous game of intrigue where the stakes could not be higher: Vicky's life!