Totally agree with Bookwoman247. I especially enjoy the description of life at the time and appreciate the academic background of the author who is able to provide good historical details. I'll be traveling a lot in the next few months so I got the next 6 books off of Ebay and then will return to the library to continue to check out hte books.

2010 - A River in the Sky. 2006 - Tomb of the Golden Bird. 2005 - The Serpent on the Crown. 2004 - Guardian of the Horizon. 2003/10 - Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium. 2003/04 - Children of the Storm: 1919-20 Season. 2002 - The Golden One: 1916-17 Season. 2001 - Lord of the Silent: 1915-16 Season. 2000 - He Shall Thunder in the Sky: 1914-15 Season. 1999 - The Falcon at the Portal: 1911-12 Season. 1998 - The Ape Who Guards the Balance: 1906-07 Season. 1997 - Seeing A Large Cat. 1996 - The Hippopotamus Pool. 1992 - The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog. 1991 - The Last Camel Died at Noon. 1988 - The Deeds of the Disturber: 1896 Summer. 1986 - Lion in the Valley: 1895-96 Season. 1985 - The Mummy Case. 1981 - The Curse of the Pharoahs. 1975 - Crocodile on the Sandbank.

This is the first book in what became a 35 year series by Elizabeth Peters. Her popular characters - Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson - show their larger-than-life personalities even in this initial book, with humorous dialogue, a suspenseful plot, adventure and even some romance.

I went back to the beginning of the series after having read a later title. I'm glad that I did. I enjoyed seeing Peabody's start in Egypt and how she met Emerson. Lots of plot twists and delightful atmosphere and characters.

First book in the Amelia Peabody series.

Amelia Peabody is a strong-minded, sharp-witted Victorian spinster with a strong interest in Egyptology and the means to indulge herself in a first-hand look at the pyramids, tombs, and antiquities in the land of the pharaohs. While on a stop in Rome, she takes a distressed, young, English girl, Evelyn Forbes, under her protection, engaging her as a companion for the rest of her trip. Once in Egypt, they meet an irascible, hot-tempered archeologist, Emerson, and his brother Walter. When they first come upon the brothers, Emerson is very ill. The capable, pragmatic Amelia nurses him back to health, while Evelyn becomes smitten with Walter. Before Amelia and Evelyn can leave to finish the rest of their tour of the Nile and Egyptian anitquities, Emerson's dig becomes terrorized by a mummy. Of course Emerson and Amelia both know that the mummy is only a person in diguise, but the workers on the dig have all fled in terror. Emerson and Amelia must uncover the identity of the mummy, not only to bring the workers back, but because as the hauntings continue, the motive of the person masquerading as the monstrosity seems to become more sinister, and his acts become more brazen and dangerous. I absolutely loved this book, hands down! I adore the character of Amelia Peabody - bold, independent, stong, and capable. She is not the stereotypical swooning Victorian shrinking violet. The plot was simple, but swept me up, nonetheless. The setting amidst all the Egyptian sands and antiquities was wonderful! Peters did an outstanding job of not only painting a vivid picture, but of sharing her love and knowlege of the subject. This book is the first in the Amelia Peabody series which consists of nineteen different titles. I've already rushed to the library and checked out the next four, and I intend to read them one after the other until I am either sated, or I have finished the entire series.

The Amelia Peabody series contains fantastically eccenteric characters, murder, and mystery using the backdrop of Egypt and England in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Great books for murder/mystery fans who also enjoy historical fiction.