Lion in the Valley
Ratings15
Average rating4.1
The 1895-96 season promises to be an exceptional one for Amelia Peabody, her dashing Egyptologist husband Emerson, and their wild and precocious eight-year-old son Ramses. The much-coveted burial chamber of the Black Pyramid in Dahshoor is theirs for the digging. But there is a great evil in the wind that roils the hot sands sweeping through the bustling streets and marketplace of Cairo. Amelia is alert to the likely presence of her arch nemesis the Master Criminal -- notorious looter of the living and the dead. But it is far more than ill-gotten riches that motivates the evil genius this time around. For now the most valuable and elusive prize of all is nearly in his grasp: the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice ... Amelia Peabody!
Series
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19 primary booksAmelia Peabody
Amelia Peabody is a 19-book series with 19 primary works first released in 1975 with contributions by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess.
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I enjoy this one somewhat less than the preceding book, [b:The Mummy Case 9810644 The Mummy Case Elizabeth Peters https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1396184059l/9810644.SY75.jpg 2570337]. It's mildly amusing, but even Ramses is less funny this time. There's another convoluted mystery, I'm not particularly keen on the new characters we meet, and in particular I'm not keen on Sethos—who will, unfortunately, appear again later.Although Ramses is only 8 or 9 years old, he seems to be starting to take a tentative interest in the female of the species—specifically, in Miss Debenham, who's young but adult.The book gets its 3 stars by being sufficiently entertaining to be rereadable occasionally. However, if I wanted to read the highlights of the series, I think I'd skip this one.
This is number four in the Amelia Peabody series and perhaps my favorite so far. Each book in the series seems to follow the same formula but at least it is an entertaining one. I did not guess the culprit this time, like in the previous ones, though the identity of the Master Criminal is not truly revealed anyway. The end was a bit melodramatic and unbelievable, but I think that is the point. If anything I wish the ending had been a bit more cleanly written, like the rest of the book.
PS This series deserves a film adaptation. It has all the fun and adventure of Indiana Jones, with the additional few lessons about Egyptology.
