The Curse of the Pharaohs
The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 2
By: Elizabeth Peters
Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody, Book 2
Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-02-04
Language: English
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical, Victorian
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.5.
Publisher's Summary
The sun rides high over the British Empire and the light still sparkles brightly in Amelia Peabody's eye as she returns for her second adventure in archaeology and romantic mystery as recounted in her lively journal, The Curse of the Pharaohs.
It was Sir Henry's intention to ensure that no tomb had been overlooked in the previous expedition. Scarcely had the men been at work for three days when their spades uncovered the first of a series of steps cut into the rock.
The Times gave the story a full column, on page three. The next dispatch to come to Luxor, however, rated front-page headlines. Sir Henry Baskerville was dead. He was found next morning stiff and stark in his bed. On his face was a look of ghastly horror. On his high brow, inscribed in what appeared to be dried blood, was a crudely drawn uraeus serpent, the symbol of the divine pharaoh.
Instead of digging up the treasures of a lost age, it appeared that Amelia and her friend Radcliffe were excavating a deadly curse.
Don't miss the rest of the Amelia Peabody series. You can also check out more of our Most Addictive Series.
©1981 Elizabeth Peters (P)1990 Recorded Books LLC
The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 2
By: Elizabeth Peters
Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Amelia Peabody, Book 2
Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-02-04
Language: English
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical, Victorian
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.5.
Publisher's Summary
The sun rides high over the British Empire and the light still sparkles brightly in Amelia Peabody's eye as she returns for her second adventure in archaeology and romantic mystery as recounted in her lively journal, The Curse of the Pharaohs.
It was Sir Henry's intention to ensure that no tomb had been overlooked in the previous expedition. Scarcely had the men been at work for three days when their spades uncovered the first of a series of steps cut into the rock.
The Times gave the story a full column, on page three. The next dispatch to come to Luxor, however, rated front-page headlines. Sir Henry Baskerville was dead. He was found next morning stiff and stark in his bed. On his face was a look of ghastly horror. On his high brow, inscribed in what appeared to be dried blood, was a crudely drawn uraeus serpent, the symbol of the divine pharaoh.
Instead of digging up the treasures of a lost age, it appeared that Amelia and her friend Radcliffe were excavating a deadly curse.
Don't miss the rest of the Amelia Peabody series. You can also check out more of our Most Addictive Series.
©1981 Elizabeth Peters (P)1990 Recorded Books LLC
Review:
Amelia is a strong minded, multi-talented woman in 1892 England. She met her scholarly, archaeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, in Egypt. Now they are more or less quiet at home with their precocious 4-year-old son, Ramses. But it is clear that both Radcliffe and Amelia are restless and looking for a way to get back to the field. An effort to get a small dig from the neighbor fails gloriously (well more accurately gory and muddy).
Fortunately, an old friend, Lady Baskerville, appears seeking Emerson’s leadership to take over her recently deceased husband’s dig. Amelia and Radcliffe are not perturbed nor deterred by the fact that Sir Henry Baskerville’s death has been reported a result of a black curse, the Curse of the Pharaohs. Baskerville’s assistant has also gone missing and the photographer is currently ill.
Amelia is bound to share in the adventure with her best friend and husband, Radcliffe. They plan ways to approach the dig and minimize the fearful reactions of the native workers. They also have to deal with a jaunty, Irish reporter, a flirtatious widow, a boisterous, domineering woman who claims Radcliffe was her lover in a former life, and a few other unique characters.
The story is told in first person by Amelia with her intractable and irrepressible strength and humor. Amelia addresses women’s issues and primitive superstitions while determinedly investigating the death of Sir Henry, which she insists is murder, and finding the missing assistant who is her prime suspect. Soon other accidents, ghostly appearances and outright attacks begin to stir other suspicions.
I appreciate Amelia’s courage insisting on working with her husband in her era and the exotic setting. The mystery meanders a little but eventually everything pulls together. This is a fun series that is easy to listen to. There is adventure, mystery and humor. I recommend the series to readers who enjoy strong heroines, archaeological settings and cozy mystery.
Audio Notes: Barbara Rosenblat does a wonderful job with the narration. She provides a fitting setting and era tone as well as good character voices. She also provides good emotions that help carry the humor. I enjoy listening to this series.
Source: July 2007 Audible Purchase. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goal.
