Title: Crocodile on the Sandbank
Author: Elizabeth Peters (Barbara
Mertz)
Information on Series: First of 19 (possibly 20)
Audience: Adult
Rating (Scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest): 4
TL;DR: Join Amelia Peabody (Indiana Jones in a skirt) as she embarks on her new life with a trip to Egypt circa 1884. This spinster turned archaeologist/sleuth has a knack for finding adventure wherever she goes.
Long Review: Elizabeth Peters wrote one of my favorite historical fiction
series, convincingly blending her fictional characters into the fabric of
history. Crocodile on the Sandbank
begins in 1884 England. Amelia Peabody is the spinster daughter of a reclusive scholar
who let her deal with all the practical day-to-day details of life while he
spent his time at work. Her scholarly
interests were nurtured and encouraged and upon his death, she was named his
sole beneficiary. Amelia was suddenly in
possession of quite a substantial fortune which brought out all kinds of would-be suitors and relatives begging for money. To escape, she takes off
on a tour of classical sites starting in Italy and moving on to Egypt.
While in Rome, Peabody (as she comes to be known) meets
Evelyn Barton Forbes, a woman who attempts to take her own life because she was
abandoned after eloping to Italy.
Peabody is nothing if not practical and after saving Evelyn’s life,
employs her as a traveling companion.
Evelyn and Peabody make their way to Egypt where they meet the Emerson
brothers, Radcliff and Walter. Peabody
and Emerson (Radcliff hates his name, everyone calls him Emerson) loathe one
another on sight, but their relationship takes a turn when he falls ill and she
is tasked with keeping his excavation going.
To complicate matters, Peabody’s cousin, Lucas, shows up
with a story about her grandfather’s death, his inheritance and a proposal of
marriage. Oh, and there is also a mummy
moaning and wandering around the desert at night. Your typical trip to Egypt.
Author Elizabeth Peters received her PhD in Egyptology from
the University of Chicago and infuses her novels with a great deal of
historical accuracy as well as poking fun at many of the period’s
stereotypes. Through 19 books and a
timeline that spans 38 years, readers can follow the adventures of Peabody and
Emerson in a series rich in detail, humor, and rife with
mysterious happenings.
I love when I read a fictional account of something that
happened in history and it prompts me to investigate further. An added bonus is when the story draws you in
with characters that are both entertaining and knowledgeable. Amelia Peabody is no simpering, pampered
miss, she is a strong woman who can, and does, take care of herself. She also gets herself into and out of
trouble, usually with the help of her trusty umbrella (it is more than just an
umbrella). Do you like history? Are you
fascinated with Egypt? Give this series
a try.
A few notes on this series:
* If you read the books in the order in which they were published, you will notice that there are some that don't fall in line chronologically. Check out http://mpmbooks.com/archive/ameliapeabody/synopses/ to see a summary of the books. Note the excavation season if you want to read them in chronological order.
* If you read the books in the order in which they were published, you will notice that there are some that don't fall in line chronologically. Check out http://mpmbooks.com/archive/ameliapeabody/synopses/ to see a summary of the books. Note the excavation season if you want to read them in chronological order.
* Elizabeth Peters passed away in 2013, but it looks like there might be a 20th Amelia Peabody book in the works.
Read-alikes
The genius of Irene Adler is demonstrated in this series,
beginning with Good Night Mr. Holmes.
Lady Julia Grey enlists the help of private detective
Nicholas Brisbane to unravel the mysterious death of her husband, Edward.
~ Amy Muchmore, Carnegie-Stout Public Library
No comments:
Post a Comment