Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Elizabeth Peters (Author) "My dear Peabody," said Emerson, pray correct me if I am mistaken; but I sense a diminution of that restless ardor for living that is..." (more)
Key Phrases: subsidiary pyramid, communion vessels, donkey boys, Miss Debenham, Master Criminal, Miss Marshall (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Bursting with surprises, a sheer delight." -- Publishers Weekly

"Bursting with surprises, a sheer delight." -- -- Publishers Weekly

"Peters really knows how to spin romance and adventure into a mystery." -- -- Philadelphia Inquirer

"Peters really knows how to spin romance and adventure into a mystery." -- Philadelphia Inquirer

Product Description
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. The brazen moonlight abduction of Ramses -- and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death -- have alerted Amelia to the likly 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 prized of all is nearly in his grasp: the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice...Amelia Peabody!

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380731193
• ISBN-13: 978-0380731190
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #311,213 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 4 in The Amelia Peabody Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Master Criminal Strikes Again, June 5, 2000

By	drdebs (CA United States) - See all my reviews

The Emerson family are an unholy trio: Radcliffe Emerson the prickly archaeologist, Amelia Peabody Emerson his officious wife and amateur sleuth, and Walter "Ramses" Peabody Emerson, their 7 year old son who reads lots of sensational fiction and is writing his own Egyptian grammar. In the days of modern air travel they would be the family you hated to have any where near you on the plane; in turn of the century Cairo, you wouldn't have wanted to get near them either! For wherever they go, murder, mayhem, and the Master Criminal cannot be far behind.

I loved the Mummy Case because we got to know Ramses who provided some leavening into the already hysterical antics of Amelia and Radcliffe. As he lisped about in the sand discovering priceless relics and running rings around his parents, the reader realized that he was going to be a great addition to the series. Here in Lion in the Valley, Ramses really comes into his own. Now 7, he is twice the trouble and twice the detective.

The plot hinges on the actions of the "Master Criminal"--a mastermind of devious and deadly plots who is organizing the grave robbers of Egypt into a formidable criminal underworld. We briefly met the MC in the Mummy Case, but here he takes center stage, pushing aside any hope of interest in the archaeological dig itself. By the end of the book Amelia and the MC have met...and it is hilarious.

If you like your mysteries with a laugh track then this is for you. Fans read them for Amelia and the 101 things she can do with waterproof matches--not for the labrynthine plots--and increasingly for Ramses as well.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amelia+Emerson+Ramses+A dashing gentleman thief=Amazing fun, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lion in the Valley (Paperback)

This book has got to be one of my all time favourites. Ms.Peters incomparable skill at writing an Egyptian mystery near the end of Queen Victoria's reign is demonstrated by the witty dialogue, interesting twists and unforgettable characters.

In the thick of the mystery is our lovable heroine, Mrs. Amelia Peabody-Emerson (affectionatly caleed "Peabody" by her amazing husband), Emerson--the egyptologist spouse and their little rascal son, Ramses. The mysterious, yet fascinating Master Criminal has fallen for Amelia and tries to woe her heart while creating intriguing twists in the process. Amelia fights his advances all the way and the duel between Emerson and his rival certainly provides some entertainment!!

When there is a worthy heroine, great dangers, a mystery to die for set in the most wonderful country, Egypt, how can it not be a great yarn, eh?

I can't seem to be able to write a review worthy of this book without giving away everyting. My advice, please buy this book, you will NOT be disappointed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More excavation & investigation with the Emerson-Peabodys, July 9, 2001

By	A. Felton "voracious reader" (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Welcome (or welcome back) to the wonderful world of crime and archaeology that abounds in this series. In The Lion In The Valley, we meet up with Amelia Peabody and her husband, Radcliffe Emerson as they set out once again for a dig in Egypt. Their son Ramses, a "catastrophically precocious" 8 year old with an eerie aptitude for languages both ancient and modern, accompanies them for only the 2nd time and promptly gets himself kidnapped. He is rescued almost immediately, but that isn't the end of their misfortune. Mishaps continue to plague their dig, and the hand of the Master Criminal once more appears to be present.

If you haven't read any of this series yet and you don't want to start all the way at the beginning, this is a good place to start. There's enough coverage of the past stories so you won't get lost without being repetitive for those who have read the 3 previous books. A great story with wonderful characters, I highly recommend it.