Review: Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

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.  

* Elizabeth Peters passed away in 2013, but it looks like there might be a 20th Amelia Peabody book in the works.

Read-alikes

Good Night Mr. Holmes by Carole Nelson Douglas

The genius of Irene Adler is demonstrated in this series, beginning with Good Night Mr. Holmes.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

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

Review: Beastly Bones by William Ritter

Title: Beastly Bones

Author: William Ritter

Information on series: This is book 2. Book 1 is Jackaby (which I previously reviewed). There's also a novella (book 2.5) available as e-book only. There is no information available on future books but I highly doubt this is the last one.

Audience: Young adult; may appeal to adults and even higher elementary aged kids.

Rating (scale of 1-5, with 5 being highest): 4.5

TL;DR: Chicago Tribune called this book "Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

Longer review: As you know from my review of book 1, Jackaby, I adored the audio book. Sadly the audio for book 2 isn't releasing until a month after the print book. For the sake of our genre study I read the print book of book 2. (And yes, I'll listen to the audio when it comes out).  I decided to pick up this book at just the right time...my cable/internet/phone all were out one evening so I read this entire book in one evening. Picking up shortly after the events of book 1 I quickly fell back into the world of Jackaby and Abigail. I had forgotten how much I liked them. Just like with book 1 I couldn't help but picture Benedict Cumberbatch as I was reading this book. I love the quirkiness of Jackaby. You never know what he'll say or do next. I like how Abigail (much like Sherlock's Watson) tries to bring Jackaby back down to Earth. Yet she is brainy, independent and can handle things on her own. As we learned in book 1 Abigail has dreams of being a paleontologist so when dinosaur bones are found in a nearby town she can't wait to help. Jackaby and Abigail are called in when some of the bones are missing. I like the mix of their worlds. Abigail gets to use her knowledge of paleontology while Jackaby uses his detective skills.  Of course there's a splash of supernatural activities going on. Maybe the dinosaur bones aren't dinosaur bones. Some of the characters from the previous book appear. You also meet some interesting new characters including some shape shifters that appear as kittens the first time we meet them. Like I said I read this in one evening. It's a nice, quick read with some hilarious moments sprinkled throughout. I think it would appear to guys and girls since there's a nice mixture of both sexes. I also think it would appeal to readers of all genres. There's something for everyone in this book/series.

Readalikes: 
There's a trend of Sherlock inspired young adult books. The ones listed below aren't fantasy, just Sherlock inspired. 

Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly  (available now)

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty (available now)

Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (releases in March 2016)
 


Review by Jenny Ellis 

Genre Study Review: A Study in Silks

Title: A Study in Silks
Author: Emma Jane Holloway
Series: The Baskerville Affair
Audience: Teen / New Adult
Rating: 5
TL;DR: Evelina Cooper, Sherlock Holmes’ niece, must discover a murderer while concealing her magical talents from London’s ruthless Steam Barons.

Longer review:
Imagine yourself a young Victorian woman who has been raised in a traveling circus, taken in by an estranged grandmother when your parents died, and discovered that you have magical talents in a society that still burns witches at the stake.
Evelina Cooper has many secrets which would get her ostracized from “proper” London society, should they become known. Fortunately, she has an understanding best friend in society darling Imogen Roth, daughter of Lord Bancroft.
It becomes very hard for Evelina to keep her secrets, however, when a servant is viciously murdered at Lord Bancroft’s estate. When Evelina finds the body, she discovers that the murdered woman was carrying an envelope with traces of magic on it. Determined to protect Imogen and her family, Evelina conceals the evidence, and plots to find the murderer.
Things get much more complicated when Nick, a close friend from Evelina’s circus days comes back into her life, and Tobias Roth, Imogen’s older brother, realizes that Evelina might be more than just his little sister’s best friend.
Evalina’s investigation leads her into a world of murderous marionettes, a manipulative evil sorcerer, and the cut-throat politics of the Steam Barons of London. Even with the help and protection of the renowned Sherlock Holmes, Evelina may be out of her depth.

Author’s Website: http://www.emmajaneholloway.com
Read alikes:
Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason


Reviewed By: Teresa Dahlgren, Waterloo Public Library

Review: The Thorn of Dentonhill

Title: The Thorn of Dentonhill

Author: Marshall Ryan Maresca

Information on series: So far no series, but a 2^nd book set in the same world is due out soon.

Audience: Teen/Adult

Rating: 3

TL;DR: In the city of Maradaine, vigilante Veranix Calbert takes on the drug dealer who destroyed his family.

Longer review:

Veranix Calbert seems to be an ordinary student of magic at the University of Maradaine. Few people know of his tragic history. His father was killed by drug-lord Willem Fenmere, who then forcibly addicted Veranix’s mother to effitte, which destroyed her mind. Veranix will do almost anything to bring down Fenmere’s empire before it destroys more lives.

Fortunately, his early (and convenient) training as an archer and acrobat in the circus comes in handy. His magical abilities help him jump to the tops of buildings in a single bound.

Things get more interesting when Veranix accidentally steals a magical rope and cloak, rather than an effitte shipment. He discovers that wearing the cloak allows him to do much more magic than he normally can, and the rope can be directed magically by his thoughts.

Unfortunately for Veranix, the powerful Blue Hand Circle of mages were the intended recipients of the rope and cloak. Now, they’re out to find the mysterious “Thorn” in Fenmere’s side, too.

While the premise of this book is novel, the execution had problems. The dialogue seemed either clunky or cheesy most of the time, and it kept me from enjoying the flow of the story. The names of the characters felt overly contrived. I also had problems overlooking the Veranix’s clichéd background. All I kept thinking was that it was a weird mash-up of Batman and Robin’s backstories.

The one bright spot in this novel, and the reason that I *might* read another book of Mr. Maresca’s was his portrayal of the Rose Street Princes, one of the street gangs mentioned in the book. I enjoyed the character of Colin, one of the street captains of the Princes, who is also Veranix’s cousin. Colin provided a glimmer of hope that Maresca can create a real character, and not just a caricature.

Author’s Website: http://mrmaresca.com/wp

Read or view alikes:

Any of the “Batman” graphic novels, although especially the ones in which Bruce Wayne remembers his parents.

The TV series “Arrow”, or Netflix series “Daredevil,” for their vigilante themes.

The Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne for its pacing and adventure.

Reviewed by: Teresa Dahlgren, Waterloo Public Library

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: Burn For Me: A Hidden Legacy Novel

Author: Ilona Andrews
Information on series: First in series
Audience:  Adult
Rating (scale of 1-5, with 5 being highest): 4.5

TL/DR: Nevada Baylor is a small time PI faced with the most challenging case of her career.  In modern day Houston, many humans have been blessed with magical powers.  It is common knowledge and some are more powerful than others.  Can Nevada work with her unlikely ally, Mad Rogan, to bring in a dangerous being?  The first book in this Urban fantasy series pairs a smart, savvy female protagonist with a dark, brooding anit-hero.  Burn for me is fun and engaging, with a dash of romance. 

Longer Review: I must confess, my favorite sub-genre of Fantasy is Urban Fantasy.  I’m a sucker for well written fantasies that take place in real world settings, with strong female characters, magic, and some romance.  Ilona Andrews (the husband and wife writing team of Ilona and Gordon Andrews) is one of my top 3 favorite authors in this genre.

In Houston, Nevada Baylor has taken over her family’s detective business that is mortgaged out to a much larger firm.  In this modern day alternate world, magic equals power and none are more powerful than Mad Rogan.  Nevada is tasked with bringing in a fire mage and she needs to work with Mad in order to complete her assignment.  Nevada isn’t powerful, but she is essentially a human lie detector.  A skill that comes in very handy in her line of work.  She is smart, scrappy, loyal, a very well rounded woman. 

Thoughts on Mad Rogan:  Is he a good guy? Is he a bad guy?  I just don’t know!  I mean, he helps Nevada, but is he putting her in more danger?  Is he even capable of real feelings?  There is a bit of romance in this book, but as this is the first in a series the main characters are really just getting to know one another.  No insta love in this book (yay)! 

Thoughts on Nevada’s rag-tag family:  Her cousins seem like normal teenagers caught in a not so great situation.  Nevada is barely older than her cousins, yet she seems to be in charge of the entire family, including her mom and grandmother. Speaking of her grandmother,  I LOVE this women! She kind of reminds me of the grandmother in the Stephanie Plum books, but not quite as wacky.  She is a weapons expert so I guess the two grannies do have the love of guns in common. I suspect we will be getting more back story on Nevada's family in future books. 

The twist at the end, wow!.  I totally did not see that coming.  I read an advanced readers copy of Burn for Me before its October, 2014 release date.  Fortunately the new book in the series "White Hot" will be out in October of this year, I honestly can't wait to read the continuing saga of Nevada and Mad.   

I would call this a gateway book to Urban Fantasy.  Light on the world building because it takes place in modern times, and no vampires, werewolves, shape shifters etc.  If you've wanted to try Urban Fantasy but have been hesitant for some reason or another, this is a great choice for your first book.  

Read A-likes:

The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

When a serial killer descended from the fiend known as Grendel is let loose on the world, Makenna Fraser and Ian Byrne, who work for Supernatural Protection and Investigations, must race against time to stop him before more innocent lives are lost.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

While trying to live a so-called normal existence, mechanic Mercy Thompson, a shape shifter raised by werewolves, gets into trouble with the gremlins, witches, and vampires with whom she deals on a daily basis.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

On the eve of her marriage, Elena Michaels learns that her fiancé has been concealing his secret life as a werewolf, and, as a bonus, he has made her into one also.

Amy Muchmore, Carnegie-Stout Public Library