I was frankly embarrassed to be seen reading a book with such a silly title. But don't worry. The curse isn't real, and the reader knows it from the beginning.
Rumors of a curse make it easier for grave robbers to scare people off in nineteenth century Egypt, where Elizabeth Peters' intrepid Victorian archeologists are at work.
Before reading this book, I'd suggest reading Crocodile on the Sandbank, the first book in the series. Then you'll know how the marriage of archeologist Radcliffe Emerson and adventure traveler Amelia Peabody came about. They are equally opinionated, clever, unconventional and courageous. They bicker constantly - and are mad about each other.
In this book Emerson and Amelia are taking over an excavation launched by Lord Baskerville in the Valley of the Kings. When Lord Baskerville dies suddenly and for no apparent reason, his beautiful widow hires Emerson. Amelia accompanies him.
The reader has several murders to look forward to, and a whole host of well-drawn characters to suspect. But the real appeal of these books is the lively narration by Amelia Peabody Emerson, who is the opposite of the Victorian ideal.
Amelia is in great shape from laboring side by side with workman at the tomb site. When danger threatens her husband, she thinks nothing of running through the night to his rescue, a revolver in one hand and an almost equally lethal parasol in the other.
This is pure escapist reading, but wittily written and authentic as to its archeological details. Elizabeth Peters is an archeologist. I'll eventually read the next book in the series, and deal as best I can with another embarrassing title (The Mummy Case).Get more detail about The Curse of the Pharaohs (An Amelia Peabody Mystery-Book 2) Library Edition.
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