The Last Camel Died at Noon

Reading Amelia Peabody books in a heap.

Delicious desert mystery The Emerson's are off on another adventure, and this one is bound to leave you begging for more! Don't be deceived into thinking this one will not be as grand as the others. While we are not spending much of our time in Egypt, there is quite a bit that this book has to offer. Grab your book, a great beverage, and spend the day on the couch reading.
As they travel for their yearly digging expedition, they are bothered by the events that happened before they left England. Having a map brought to them, with the claim that their might be to British subjects still alive and held captive in distant land, there are questions that they have asked, but with no clear answers. As they begin to dig, they are beset by the nephew of the gentleman that visited them, who is determined to find and bring his parents back to England, if they are still alive. But when he vanishes into the desert, the Emerson's are forced to go after him and try and bring him back alive. Instead they are deserted by their servants, and as their camels die, they are left to face certain death in the desert. When Kemit, their last remaining loyal servant disappears, they are almost sure they will die quickly. But they are saved when he returns with men to help bring them back to a safe haven (or so it seems) and nursed back to health. In the days that follow, they understand that there is a struggle for power, and Kemit is really a prince. As they try to avoid intrigue and stay alive, it is hard to know who to trust and who to be wary of. Kemit, who is really Tarek, (name shortened and used as it is in the book), is being hunted by his brother who wants the crown for himself. As events unfold and the Emerson's are sure that they will be put to death, they are determined to help their friend Tarek as much as they can. But as always with the Emerson's, there are so many surprises and hilarious scenes that are bound to keep you begging for more, and crying when the book is finished.
I cannot recommend these books enough! They are some of the best that I have come across, and the character definition is something that is lost on many today. You will become intertwined into the lives of the Emerson family, and miss them as soon as you turn the last page.

This is the Elizabeth Peters tribute to H. Rider Haggard. She's chosen to do what Arthur Ransome did a few times: to take her familiar set of characters and put them into a fantasy situation, for fun and variety.

It's a mild fantasy, there's nothing supernatural about it, but she allows the Emerson family to be led into a mad quest for long-missing persons in a desert area of northern Sudan (they travel south from Merowe), where they almost die of thirst before finding themselves captives of the descendants of an ancient civilization living in a hidden oasis in the mountains.

There is conflict between rival factions of their captors, and much intrigue and peril ensues before they eventually escape.

Looking at some other reviews of this book, I notice that some people seem to have picked it up without having read any of the others. Folks, if you're going to read a series of books, it's advisable to start at the beginning!

I would also comment that this whole series of books is not supposed to be taken seriously. Least of all this one.

I can't say it's one of my favourite books, but it's quite fun, and it introduces a new regular character to the series.