The Deeds of the Disturber

The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters
Atheneum, 1988
289 pages
Mystery-Fifth Amelia Peabody book
4/5 stars
Read for Cozy Challenge

Source: Library

Although I read the first four Amelia Peabody books out of order, I was determined that I would read the rest as they were written.  When I was last at the library, I remembered to look up what the fifth book was called and luckily it was on the shelves.

This book is different from the previous because the setting is London rather than Egypt.  I really liked that change especially as I'm a bit of an Anglophile but not an Egyptologist.  Still I enjoy following Amelia, her husband Emerson, and their startlingly precocious son 'Ramses.'  Other recurring characters include Irish newsman Kevin O'Connell (who I quite adore), butler Wilkins, and Emerson's brother and wife.  New characters also appear: newswoman Miss Minton, mysterious woman from Emerson's past Ayesha, new butler Gargery who is quite in raptures over Emerson, and Amelia's niece and nephew plus more people intimately involved in the mystery.

That mystery begins when a watchman dies before a "haunted" mummy case at the British Museum followed by another death and the appearance of a man dressed as an ancient Egyptian priest to terrify the observers.  As always Emerson rails against Amelia involving herself but both set off on the track of the murderer with many amusing complications.  While I usually love the tone of the books, I found it somewhat overwhelming.  Amelia's writing, the story is supposed to be adapted from her journals, works best for me in small doses so I will wait awhile before I pick up the sixth book.

Cover: Um, it fits but I really don't like it.  The mask doesn't make any sense until almost the very end.

The Mummy Case

The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters

William Morrow, 1985

308 pages

Mystery; Amelia Peabody

Third in series

Source: Library

Summary: Amelia, her husband Emerson, and their son Ramses arrive in Egypt for another season of excavation and end up entwined in webs of murder, thievery, and religion.

Thoughts: I love the style in which this is written. I love Amelia as a character and her descriptions of everything. She is eminently sensible and yet romantic in her relationship with Emerson and she's very smart as one can see by her solving of mysteries.

I was annoyed by the fact that Ramses' speech was written phonetically so that "the" became "de", etc. I understand that he is young and precocious but that kind of thing always bothers me (whether it be French accent represented, Southern drawl, whatever, I hate it.) I was displeased with the attitude that Emerson displayed toward Christians as if they were the only people who ever killed in the name of religion, because um no they are not.

Overall: 4/5 I don't think this was an outstanding entry in the Amelia Peabody series but it will do.

Cover: The cover is okay; nothing outstanding but the blue for the sky is very pretty.

Crocodile on the Sandbank

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

Warner Books, 1975;

262 pages

1st Amelia Peabody book

Genre: Mystery; Historical

Summary: Amelia Peabody is recently orphaned and inherited a small fortune, enabling her to travel to Egypt as she has always desired. In Italy she meets Evelyn, a disgraced Englishwoman, who she hires as her lady's maid. In Egypt they meet the brothers Radcliffe and Walter Emerson, interact with Evelyn's former lover as well as her cousin who wants to marry her, and struggle to uncover a mystery.

Why I Read: I had read the second and fourth books in the series so I wanted to read the original. I also enjoy the tone and find the books very funny.

Thoughts: I love Amelia Peabody-she's so smart and funny and interesting and determined, maybe somewhat lacking in perceptiveness...She pushes Evelyn along on her path to love but originally overlooks the perfect guy for her. I loved all of the characters even the villain(s) and I actually figured out part of the villainous plot! One sort of problem is that the mystery is secondary to the atmosphere and characters. I don't mind but I do want some Agatha Christie now where the mystery is of the most importance.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5. A good start to the series, definitely recommended!

Cover: Eh. I love the title though which refers to an Egyptian poem referencing obstacles to lovers mirroring the situation in the book.

Other: Definitely want to pick up this series again! I've only read three and I think there are 19 books so I have a lot of reading to go!

Lion in the Valley

Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters is the fourth book in the Amelia Peabody series. So now I've read the second and fourth and I really should have read the third because the villain resurfaces here to menace the Emersons. I also added a progress bar at the bottom with the challenges I've signed up for as well as personal challenges which the Amelia Peabody series is.

Unlike the second book, Ramses (her son) comes on the trip to Egypt (and I cannot wait to read about him as an adult, I think he's very entertaining) and I felt it was less focused on archaeology than the second. It was entertaining but it left me somewhat unsatisfied. I didn't figure out who the master criminal (and master of disguises) exactly was as there's a bit of a twist.

Overall, 3.5/5 for a fun tale that endeared the characters to me but didn't leave me wholly satisfied.

The Curse of the Pharaohs

[This is not the cover I had; mine features a cobra wrapped around a shovel which is odd as there is no mention of cobras]

I had seen some recommendations for the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. I always like finding good mystery series so I decided to check my library for them. While I like to start at the beginning, I often find with mystery series that order is not so important. The first book was not in so I picked the second called The Curse of the Pharaohs.

Summary: Amelia Peabody Emerson and her archeologist husband have been living peacefully in England with their young son but when the opportunity arises for them to excavate a new Egyptian tomb, they arrange for him to stay with relatives and set off. Unfortunately this opportunity comes about because the previous overseer of the tomb was murdered. Curses, terrified workers, and a host of eccentric characters greet the Emersons as they work in Egypt.

I really enjoyed this book. The style was intimate and chatty as Amelia addresses the reader and tells her story. She and Emerson have a wonderful partnership and irony is utilized to a great extent to describe it. This is also a very humorous story-I laughed pretty often.

I did not figure out the murderer. Now if you've read the previous posts, you might be thinking "Stephanie, do you ever figure out who the murderer is?" And I will say "Yes, yes I have. But this is the first book I've reviewed here where I feel there are sufficient clues for the reader to finger the murderer." I also feel that it would be better to read the first book in the series first because there are some references to it in this book. While it did not ruin the story, I would prefer to have read in order.

Overall: 4/5 stars for this sparkling mystery. I would recommend this to people who enjoy light mysteries and/or have an interest in Egyptology.