A River in the Sky: A Novel (Amelia Peabody Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Peters (Author)

Book Description

Series: Amelia Peabody Mysteries | Publication Date: April 6, 2010

1910. Having brought Egypt firmly under her thumb, Amelia Peabody turns her attention to a harder challenge: Palestine, a province of the crumbling, corrupt Ottoman Empire and the Holy Land of three religions. Hearing that Morley, an English adventurer, has raised money to mount an expedition to search for the vanished treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem, Emerson and Amelia are persuaded to go after him in order to prevent a catastrophically inept excavation and the possibility of armed protest by the infuriated members of all three religions who view the Dome of the Rock as sacred. The War Office is concerned about increasing German influence in Palestine and insists that Morley is secretly working for German intelligence. Emerson doesn�t believe it, but could he be mistaken?In the meantime, their son Ramses has been working on a dig at Samaria, north of Jerusalem, where he encounters an unusual party of travellers. One is a female German archaeologist, and the other a mysterious man of unknown nationality and unknown past. Ramses�s insatiable curiosity leads him to a startling discovery about the pair. He must now pass the information on to his parents in Jerusalem - but only if he can get there alive... Praise for the Amelia Peabody series:'I can't wait for the next Peabody story - I really do think [Elizabeth Peters'] books are great entertainment.' Angela Rippon

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in 1910, the delightful 19th Amelia Peabody novel from bestseller Peters (after Tomb of the Golden Bird) takes Amelia and her husband, Emerson, to Palestine, where an English adventurer, George Morley, is planning to excavate Jerusalem's Temple Mount in search of the Ark of the Covenant. Gen. David Spencer, the director of Military Operations in London, suspects Morley, an amateur archeologist at best, of spying for the Germans, whose influence has been growing in the Middle East. Spencer wants Egyptologists Amelia and Emerson to stop Morley from undertaking a project sure to offend the three religious groups that consider the temple site holy. Meanwhile, son Ramses embarks on a treacherous journey to convey to his parents important information learned from two travelers he meets while on a dig in Samaria. Once again, MWA Grandmaster Peters uses vivid settings, sharp characterizations, and deft dialogue to transport the reader to another time and place. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Peters, named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 1998, writes wildly popular historical mysteries about British archaeologist Amelia Peabody, who is pulled into adventures by her well-muscled (this is mentioned quite a bit) Egyptologist husband and their wayfaring son, Ramses, an Egyptian grammarian who is forever being kidnapped, pursued, or lost in tombs. Since Peters is writing today, it’s difficult to tell if her overblown style (she really does say things like “muscles rippled across the breadth of his chest”) is a nod to the period (around the turn of the last century), her own send-up of romance novels, or her baroque style. What is unfortunate is that Peters, who has a doctorate in Egyptology from the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, doesn’t do more to give readers the benefit of her broad background, other than to have the couple constantly going to Egypt on various quests that remain at the level of Raiders of the Lost Ark simplicity. In the latest Peters, the year is 1910, Ramses has disappeared yet again on a dig, and a mysterious adventurer who might be a German spy invites the Emersons (Amelia goes with) to Jerusalem on a hunt for the Ark of the Covenant. The novel moves between Amelia’s first-person narration and Ramses’ point of view (undercutting suspense over his fate). Peters’ fans, of course, find plenty to enjoy from the characters alone. This one’s for them. --Connie Fletcher --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 307 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1ST edition (April 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061246263
• ISBN-13: 978-0061246265
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ELIZABETH PETERS, whose New York Times best-selling novels are often set against historical backdrops, earned a Ph.D. in Egyptology at the University of Chicago. She also writes best-selling books under the pseudonym Barbara Michaels. She lives in Frederick, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Woot! A new Amelia Peabody Emerson tale is worthy of celebration, April 7, 2010

By 

Saralee Etter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A River in the Sky: A Novel (Amelia Peabody Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I read this entire book with a huge grin on my face. Amelia is back in perfect form, and so is Emerson.

This book takes place in 1910, and in the story chronology it falls between Guardian of the Horizon and Falcon at the Portal. I think Ramses is about 18 here, and you can see him in the process of becoming the man he is in later installments.

This 19th entry into the series is wonderful fun--and is concentrated on the activities of just the central members of the clan, which makes the story feel like a return to some of the earlier tales where there wasn't such an enormous cast of characters to keep track of. While I like knowing what all the various characters are up to, it's nice to focus on the main characters this time.

The Emersons manage to dominate any landscape they enter, and their excursion into the Holy Land brings in some new and interesting elements.

Fans of the Emersons will rejoice!

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amelia is back!, April 11, 2010

By 

Amy Phipps (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A River in the Sky: A Novel (Amelia Peabody Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I've been a fan of Elizabeth Peters for over 20 years, so the prospect of a new Amelia book is always thrilling to me. I was admittedly a bit disappointed in the last book in the series, which, though wonderfully written, was really more of a tribute to King Tut's tomb than an Amelia story. This book, on the other hand, was back to Peters' classic formula. Another dead body? Another shirt ruined? Heavenly!

The story takes place in pre-WWI 1910, as Amelia, Emerson, and company head to Palestine to stop a politically and religiously sensitive excavation of holy ground. It was wonderful to see Amelia and Emerson charging around berating political and religious leaders alike for their failures in the region, and even better to see Ramses as a tentative, developing 23 year-old. With a good plot, credible villains, and a cast of characters small enough that I was able to enjoy them all to the fullest, I loved every minute of it... especially Sethos' appearance (which all of the Emersons missed - but I didn't!) A treasure for any long-time fan of the series and highly recommended!

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Welcome back, Peabody!, April 25, 2010

By 

NC Reader (Greensboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A River in the Sky: A Novel (Amelia Peabody Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I agree with some reviews that this installment was shorter and lacking in detail in places, but it reminded me of what got me hooked on this series in the first place 20 years ago - Peabody and Emerson! Peabody's "little lists"; her parasol; her self-confidence; her steely, take-no-prisoners mentality (all wrapped up in the perfect decorum of a Victorian British lady, of course); and the wonderful driving force behind the series, the passionate yet loving relationship she shares with Emerson, her hunky, hilarious, brilliant and outspoken husband, "the greatest Egyptologist of this or any other age". They are a delicious pair, with their "refreshing discussions", charging in where angels fear to tread, fighting the good fight against spies, criminals, inept bureaucrats, archeologists and hypocrites everywhere.

So, while I agree that this might not be up to the excellent standards Ms. Peters set for herself in previous books, her middling best is still better than a lot of what is out there for mystery buffs - especially those of us who enjoy a large dollop of humor in the mix - so I liked it and gave it four stars accordingly. I only hope there are more Peabody and Emerson adventures to come, whether they are set after 1922 or during the "in-between years"!