The Curse of the Pharaohs

The second book in the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters is just as good as the first. For some reason the first book has a very special place in my heart, even though it is not the first book of this series I read, so even though I really love this one as well it can not top it. Because of the start of the school year it took me entirely too long to finish this book, but luckily because I have read this book before I had knew what was going on. I loved all the new characters that Elizabeth Peters created, my favorite being the journalist Mr. O'Connell who reappears in later novels. I had a soft spot for him ever since the beginning, I don't know if it was because of his happy go lucky attitude or the fact that I rather like Irishmen and redheads, but I could help but love him. 

In this novel we start in cold and dreary England and learn through the wonderful narration of Mrs. Amelia Peabody Emerson that after the birth of their son Ramses, which is a nickname due to his resemblance to the pharaoh is looks and attitude, she has not been back to Egypt. However events that are happening in Luxor, namely the death of quite a few members of a tomb evacuation, makes a former acquaintance of Emerson's to come and ask him to head the excavation. Soon more deaths, work of the curse of the pharaoh, happen at the tomb and Amelia must work to save her husband from an unknown murder. Among the list of suspects is a horrid woman who believes she was a lover of Emerson's in a past life, an American who has sites on the widow of Lord Baskersville and his tomb, a villainous Egyptian who murder his daughter, and many other interesting characters.     

One thing that I admire as an amateur writer is the characterization that Elizabeth Peters achieves with every character she introduces. Whether it is a main character or someone only in that narrative for a few paragraphs it is not hard to picture the person. I was especially impressed with Lady Berengeria in this novel because you couldn't help but cringe at the pictures Peters creates. You can't help but dislike her and when a writer can get that type of response from a writer she is doing something right. Also as a parallel she makes Lady Berengeria's daughter so likable that you can understand how they are related. 

Now this series combines everything I love (Victorian times, Egyptology, adventure, romance, mystery, and humor) and is by far my favorite series. Even if you don't care about the archaeology part of the novels you can still get wrapped up in the mystery of the events unfolding around the Emerson family as well as fall in love with them. If nothing out writing style is entertaining enough to keep someone reading because it is done as if it was a personal journal. I give this book a 5 out 5 and recommend not only it but the entire series.