What do you think?
Rate this book
Amelia Peabody #4
Lion in the Valley
The 1895-96 season promises to be an exceptional one for Amelia Peabody, her dashing Egyptologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, and their precocious (some might say rambunctious) eight-year-old son, Ramses. The long-denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor has finally been granted, and the much-coveted burial chamber of the Black Pyramid is now theirs for the exploring.
Before the young family exchanges the relative comfort of Cairo for the more rudimentary quarters near the excavation site, they engage a young Englishman, Donald Fraser, as a tutor and companion for Ramses, and Amelia takes a wayward young woman, Enid Debenham, under her protective wing.
But there is danger and deception in the wind that blows across the hot Egyptian sands. A brazen kidnapping attempt, a gruesome murder, and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death—all serve to alert Amelia 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 motivate the man known as Sethos. The evil genius has a score to settle with the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice . . . and he's got her dead-on in his sights.
Replete with edge-of-the-seat suspense and scrupulous archaeological and historical detail, all delivered in Amelia Peabody's unique, wry voice, Lion in the Valley is a classic installment in Elizabeth Peters's beloved mystery-adventure series.
Before the young family exchanges the relative comfort of Cairo for the more rudimentary quarters near the excavation site, they engage a young Englishman, Donald Fraser, as a tutor and companion for Ramses, and Amelia takes a wayward young woman, Enid Debenham, under her protective wing.
But there is danger and deception in the wind that blows across the hot Egyptian sands. A brazen kidnapping attempt, a gruesome murder, and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death—all serve to alert Amelia 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 motivate the man known as Sethos. The evil genius has a score to settle with the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice . . . and he's got her dead-on in his sights.
Replete with edge-of-the-seat suspense and scrupulous archaeological and historical detail, all delivered in Amelia Peabody's unique, wry voice, Lion in the Valley is a classic installment in Elizabeth Peters's beloved mystery-adventure series.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1976
640 people are currently reading
4223 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Peters
179 books3,302 followersElizabeth Peters is a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels as well as her own name. Born and brought up in Illinois, she earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. Mertz was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lived in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, western Maryland until her death.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews
August 10, 2018
Number 4 in the series and still totally entertaining.
Ramses has a very prominent role in this story. He is eight years old now and more precocious than ever. It is a pity his mother never listens to him though. She could save herself a great deal of trouble as he is usually the best informed person around.
Amelia of course never listens to anyone. She has a very high opinion of her own abilities which is actually rarely founded in reality. She is also very amusing, very brave and a credit to womanhood! Her relationship with Emerson is so entertaining and causes many laugh aloud moments.
My favourite character? Bastet the cat of course. I love a truly intelligent cat and this one has intelligence in spades:)
Lion in the Valley is a bit like Agatha Christie in Egypt ending in that familiar final denouement when all is explained. Amelia Peabody shares many personal characteristics with Miss Marple. Altogether very enjoyable!
Ramses has a very prominent role in this story. He is eight years old now and more precocious than ever. It is a pity his mother never listens to him though. She could save herself a great deal of trouble as he is usually the best informed person around.
Amelia of course never listens to anyone. She has a very high opinion of her own abilities which is actually rarely founded in reality. She is also very amusing, very brave and a credit to womanhood! Her relationship with Emerson is so entertaining and causes many laugh aloud moments.
My favourite character? Bastet the cat of course. I love a truly intelligent cat and this one has intelligence in spades:)
Lion in the Valley is a bit like Agatha Christie in Egypt ending in that familiar final denouement when all is explained. Amelia Peabody shares many personal characteristics with Miss Marple. Altogether very enjoyable!
February 19, 2016
Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters is a 2008 William Morrow publication. (Kindle edition) This book was originally published in 1986/87.
This is the fourth book in the Amelia Peabody series.
The Mummy Case had been a just a little sluggish, but Lion in the Valley, quickly sets things back on course.
Amelia and Emerson, along with their son, Ramses, are on yet another adventure, but soon find themselves living in fear that the “Master Criminal” could be in their midst, as well as dealing with a puzzling murder in which a young woman finds herself the number one suspect.
In the meantime, the precocious Ramses has become a little nosy, and is old enough to start asking questions about marital conjugal activities, which has Emerson seeking a more private place for him and Amelia to sleep.
Well, I have to say, Amelia really outdid herself in this installment. Her unconventional parenting, marriage, and lifestyle may raise eyebrows, but she is an inspiration all the same. She and Emerson have such an amazing chemistry between them and are absolutely adorable, not to mention, downright hilarious.
The mystery is very interesting and of course, Peabody has been observant as ever, piecing things together and coming up with a solution in her practical, no nonsense manner, but must, on occasion, resort to using her trusty parasol in time of crisis.
Although, there is plenty of humor involved, this installment was pretty suspenseful as well and includes a very interesting plot twist I never saw coming.
Overall, this one was perhaps the most entertaining installment, I have read so far. It’s my understanding one can read these in order of publication or in chronological order. Interesting. I’ll have to figure out which book I should read next because I think chronological order would be the way to go.
4.5 stars
March 11, 2018
Few place this below four stars, which I cannot fathom. I can demonstrate why my three stars are a tolerant stretch. I thought we would be settled by volume IV and see action. Depicting an English family in the 1800s, with American expressions instead of “supper”: “The Lion In The Valley” merely yields witty dialogue. Its humour and familiar personages were very enjoyable but I am stunned by a novel in which nothing happened; barring nonsense that passed for a plot. This is merely a week in the life of a family and their archaeological team between Darshoor and Cairo.
Some people said beautiful descriptions of Egypt and its culture salvaged this but the silver moonlight etc, is carbon-copied; pick any novel. I also solidly remember Bastet. We need no remind that she is their intelligent cat! It is nonsense that they can’t make rules for eight year old Walter / Ramses. Order him to leave neither house nor babysitters without permission. No one selects a mystery series for tales about a brat causing trouble. I choose the compelling atmosphere of discoveries inside ancient monuments. There were none! There was no lion even as a relic, no archaeological finds, and we explored no pyramid, in a series featuring pyramids!!!! Amelia retrieved her brat from one corridor.
The whole novel is about waiting for a disguised villain to appear. The absurdly moot point is saying he is enchanted with Amelia; after leaving her and her family stuck in a pyramid previously. It was nearly impossible to go a page without the words “trousers”, “scarlet”, or “crimson” that I loathe. Will authors please stop being fanciful and simply say “red”, “reddish”, “pants”, or “slacks”?! My feeling is that Barbara Mertz phoned this novel in, wishing she were writing about ‘Vicky Bliss’.
Some people said beautiful descriptions of Egypt and its culture salvaged this but the silver moonlight etc, is carbon-copied; pick any novel. I also solidly remember Bastet. We need no remind that she is their intelligent cat! It is nonsense that they can’t make rules for eight year old Walter / Ramses. Order him to leave neither house nor babysitters without permission. No one selects a mystery series for tales about a brat causing trouble. I choose the compelling atmosphere of discoveries inside ancient monuments. There were none! There was no lion even as a relic, no archaeological finds, and we explored no pyramid, in a series featuring pyramids!!!! Amelia retrieved her brat from one corridor.
The whole novel is about waiting for a disguised villain to appear. The absurdly moot point is saying he is enchanted with Amelia; after leaving her and her family stuck in a pyramid previously. It was nearly impossible to go a page without the words “trousers”, “scarlet”, or “crimson” that I loathe. Will authors please stop being fanciful and simply say “red”, “reddish”, “pants”, or “slacks”?! My feeling is that Barbara Mertz phoned this novel in, wishing she were writing about ‘Vicky Bliss’.
August 2, 2013
[7/10]
Have I mentioned to you, Peabody, that one of the reasons why I adore you is that you are more inclined to beat people with your umbrella than fall weeping on your bed?
Amelia Peabody returns to Egipt in the company of her husband, Professor Emerson, and her darling offspring Ramses, now eight years old and more disruptive than you can imagine ( Ramses seldom disobeyed a direct order, but he had a diabolical facility for finding a loophole in my commands. ) . The plot follows the formula set up in the previous three books: the Emerson family sets camp on an archeological site and starts digging. Pretty soon the dead bodies outnumber the mummies discovered on site and the whole family participate in the investigations and speculations as to the identity of the guilty party - three Sherlocks for the price of one, with young Ramses eclipsing both his parents when it comes to lengthy discourse and far fetched theories. Jumping to conclusions is the favorite sport of the amateur sleuth family and much of the charm of the story lies in proving their theories wrong. As usual, there's a sideplot of young people who might fall in love if they were not among the suspects. The situation prompts Amelia to assume her matchmaker role and to work to bring them together whether they will it or not:
"You are not leaving my employ, Mr. Nemo. What — do you suppose that, having once placed my shoulder to the wheel and my nose to the grindstone, I will leave the furrow unplowed? I have sworn to redeem you and redeem you I will, with your cooperation or without it. In principle, I am in full sympathy with the right of every Englishman — or woman — or, come to that, any man or woman of any nation ... What was I about to say?"
Nemo's frown had been replaced by a blank, almost imbecile stare. "I haven't the slightest idea," he mumbled.
"Oh, yes. I believe firmly in the right of the individual to seek or leave employment whenever he or she chooses. Any infringement of that choice constitutes serfdom, and liberty is the inalienable right of humankind. However, in this case your right to liberty must be laid aside temporarily in favor of a higher good."
I found the actual criminal investigation and the archeological details in this fourth book were not quite up to the high standards I have come to expect from Peters. The ending was spectacular, but somewhat unoriginal, with the M.C. (stands for master criminal) explaining at length his dastardly deeds. Or maybe I am a victim of my own jumping to conclusions and being proven wrong when the suspect I picked up turned out to be innocent . I didn't feel a letdown though because I had a great time with Amelia's charming commentaries on the role of women in society coupled with her frequent allusion of marital bliss in the company of her husband, not to mention her roving eye at other men's pectorals: a great combination of militant feminism with the sabotage of the Victorian (the book is set in 1895) reticence to mention sexual passion in any form.
There's even some time to poke some fun at the literary trends of the period that can be considered as the source of inspiration for this series. This is also a plea in favour of light reading:
"Mr. Haggard's stories," I explained, "are pure fantasy and do not pretend to be anything else. However rational the mind — and mine is extremely rational — it requires periods of rest, when the aery winds of fancy may ruffle the still waters of thought and encourage those softer and more spiritual musings without which no individual can be at his or her best. These so-called detective stories, on the other hand, pretend to exhibit the strictly intellectual qualities of the protagonist. In fact, they do nothing of the sort; for in the few I have read, the detective arrived at his solutions, not by means of the inexorable progress of true reasoning, but by wild guesses which turned out to be correct only because of the author's construction of his plot."
That's a bit of the kettle calling the pot black, as the style of detecting employed by Amelia relies more on wild guesses and female intuition than on deductive logic. Logic is the demesne of Ramses, who steals the show every time he makes an entry. My favorite scene involves the precocious eight year old demanding to be told about the birds and the bees:
"I believe I have heard Mama say on several occasions that the relationships between the sexes were badly mishandled in our prudish society, and that young persons ought to be informed of the facts."
"You did hear me say that," I acknowledged, wondering what had ever possessed me to say it in his hearing.
"I am ready to be informed," said Ramses, his elbows on the table, his chin in his hands, and his great eyes fixed on me.
"I cannot deny the justice of the request," I said. "Emerson—"
"What?" Emerson started violently. "Now, Peabody—"
"Surely this is a matter more suitable for a father than a mother."
"Yes, but—"
"I will leave you to it, then." I rose.
"Just a moment, Papa," Ramses said eagerly. "Allow me to get out paper and pencil. I would like to take a few notes."
My fears that the series is running out of steam have been proven unfounded, and I look forward to returning in the future to Egipt in the company of the Emerson family. I consider the series a good alternative to P.G. Wodehouse as a light summer read, apt to put a smile on my face after a hard day at work or after a more demanding author.
Have I mentioned to you, Peabody, that one of the reasons why I adore you is that you are more inclined to beat people with your umbrella than fall weeping on your bed?
Amelia Peabody returns to Egipt in the company of her husband, Professor Emerson, and her darling offspring Ramses, now eight years old and more disruptive than you can imagine ( Ramses seldom disobeyed a direct order, but he had a diabolical facility for finding a loophole in my commands. ) . The plot follows the formula set up in the previous three books: the Emerson family sets camp on an archeological site and starts digging. Pretty soon the dead bodies outnumber the mummies discovered on site and the whole family participate in the investigations and speculations as to the identity of the guilty party - three Sherlocks for the price of one, with young Ramses eclipsing both his parents when it comes to lengthy discourse and far fetched theories. Jumping to conclusions is the favorite sport of the amateur sleuth family and much of the charm of the story lies in proving their theories wrong. As usual, there's a sideplot of young people who might fall in love if they were not among the suspects. The situation prompts Amelia to assume her matchmaker role and to work to bring them together whether they will it or not:
"You are not leaving my employ, Mr. Nemo. What — do you suppose that, having once placed my shoulder to the wheel and my nose to the grindstone, I will leave the furrow unplowed? I have sworn to redeem you and redeem you I will, with your cooperation or without it. In principle, I am in full sympathy with the right of every Englishman — or woman — or, come to that, any man or woman of any nation ... What was I about to say?"
Nemo's frown had been replaced by a blank, almost imbecile stare. "I haven't the slightest idea," he mumbled.
"Oh, yes. I believe firmly in the right of the individual to seek or leave employment whenever he or she chooses. Any infringement of that choice constitutes serfdom, and liberty is the inalienable right of humankind. However, in this case your right to liberty must be laid aside temporarily in favor of a higher good."
I found the actual criminal investigation and the archeological details in this fourth book were not quite up to the high standards I have come to expect from Peters. The ending was spectacular, but somewhat unoriginal, with the M.C. (stands for master criminal) explaining at length his dastardly deeds. Or maybe I am a victim of my own jumping to conclusions and being proven wrong when the suspect I picked up turned out to be innocent . I didn't feel a letdown though because I had a great time with Amelia's charming commentaries on the role of women in society coupled with her frequent allusion of marital bliss in the company of her husband, not to mention her roving eye at other men's pectorals: a great combination of militant feminism with the sabotage of the Victorian (the book is set in 1895) reticence to mention sexual passion in any form.
There's even some time to poke some fun at the literary trends of the period that can be considered as the source of inspiration for this series. This is also a plea in favour of light reading:
"Mr. Haggard's stories," I explained, "are pure fantasy and do not pretend to be anything else. However rational the mind — and mine is extremely rational — it requires periods of rest, when the aery winds of fancy may ruffle the still waters of thought and encourage those softer and more spiritual musings without which no individual can be at his or her best. These so-called detective stories, on the other hand, pretend to exhibit the strictly intellectual qualities of the protagonist. In fact, they do nothing of the sort; for in the few I have read, the detective arrived at his solutions, not by means of the inexorable progress of true reasoning, but by wild guesses which turned out to be correct only because of the author's construction of his plot."
That's a bit of the kettle calling the pot black, as the style of detecting employed by Amelia relies more on wild guesses and female intuition than on deductive logic. Logic is the demesne of Ramses, who steals the show every time he makes an entry. My favorite scene involves the precocious eight year old demanding to be told about the birds and the bees:
"I believe I have heard Mama say on several occasions that the relationships between the sexes were badly mishandled in our prudish society, and that young persons ought to be informed of the facts."
"You did hear me say that," I acknowledged, wondering what had ever possessed me to say it in his hearing.
"I am ready to be informed," said Ramses, his elbows on the table, his chin in his hands, and his great eyes fixed on me.
"I cannot deny the justice of the request," I said. "Emerson—"
"What?" Emerson started violently. "Now, Peabody—"
"Surely this is a matter more suitable for a father than a mother."
"Yes, but—"
"I will leave you to it, then." I rose.
"Just a moment, Papa," Ramses said eagerly. "Allow me to get out paper and pencil. I would like to take a few notes."
My fears that the series is running out of steam have been proven unfounded, and I look forward to returning in the future to Egipt in the company of the Emerson family. I consider the series a good alternative to P.G. Wodehouse as a light summer read, apt to put a smile on my face after a hard day at work or after a more demanding author.
March 18, 2019
.
This is the fourth book of the series and by this time, Ramses was eight years old. This amazingly precocious child accompanied his active and intelligent parents on another dig in the pyramids of Egypt for the winter season, where they are personally acquainted with many of the locals. This child is so advanced, that he knows as much about the dig as his highly educated parents if not more sometimes, which is totally incomprehensible, but extremely entertaining. This tale takes them on another adventure throughout Egypt and again they are enthralled in the investigation of yet another murder, while still trying to determine who the 'Master Criminal' is.
It produced such a comically, vivid picture of this family with their superior attitudes, geological adventures, and warped mystery solving spats. that it had me laughing out loud. I have finally found a clean book series that provides wit, humor, and tons of new words to devour.
Ameilia's theory about mystery books:
For in my opinion they strain the incredulity of the reader to an unreasonable degree . . . . . These so-called detective stories, on the other hand, pretend to exhibit the strictly intellectual qualities of the protagonist. In fact, they do nothing of the sort, for in the few I have read, the detective arrived at his solutions not by means of the inexorable progress of true reasoning, but by wild guesses, which turned out only to be correct only because of the author's construction of his plot.
Amelia's view about romance books:
Mr. Haggard's stories, I explained, are pure fantasy and do not pretend to be anything else. - However rational the mind, and mine is extremely rational, it requires periods of rest. When the wary whims of fancy may ruffle the still waters of thought and encourage those softer and more spiritual musings without which no individual can be at his or her best.
This historical romance delivers clean and wholesome entertainment with a cast of quirky characters working together to catch a murderer and solve this historical mystery at an excavation of an ancient Egyptian tomb, filled with Egyptian antiquities. This time the willful and witty duo, comprised of Radcliff and Amelia, are involved in catching another murderer at another excavation of an ancient Egyptian tomb, where they also contend with the antics of their percocious son, Ramses.
The author expresses herself so dramatically that it captures the reader's attention. Just when you may begin to feel a little lost or bored, her personal outburst will recapture your attention, or she might strike someone with her trusty parasol and then, just continue the story. She has a distinct way of portraying each intrinsically humorous experience, giving the reader a unique and uncommon perspective to observe. What a rib-tickler Amelia's kidnapping adventure turned out to be. Ms. Peters is the only one who could aptly describe it the way she was able to.
This is a historical romance that inspires clean and wholesome entertainment, bringing Radcliff and Amelia Emerson out of retirement. Each book in the series is a stand-alone mystery which can be read without previous knowledge. However, the characters age throughout the series and events in previous books (including spoilers concerning some of the main characters) are referenced in later books. I am enjoying this clean book series immensely, I thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the wit, humor, and tons of new words waiting to be devoured.
In my opinion, any romantic insinuations were referred to as charmingly in a discreet manner. Although this book does not always follow the social protocol, instead of taking leaps in many directions, the entertainment delivers great entertainment. The sparkling gems of dry wit were fabulous and plenty to be had! Oddly enough, there will most assuredly be reviews all over the chart for this writing, depending on the different perspectives from multi-faceted readers.
I listened to this gem of a story through Hoopla, which I access through my local library. It is thrilling when I discover that a series I enjoy in audio as much as I did this one, by the talented and versatile narrator, Susan O'Malley.
Elizabeth Peters is quite the storyteller and expresses herself so dramatically that it captures the reader's attention and compels them to journey on. Just when you may begin to feel a little lost or bored, her personal outburst will recapture your attention, or she might strike someone with her trusty umbrella, defend those she loves with her pistol, or slash away at whatever offends. I was delighted with the notes within the book to the reader to explain what the author was trying to convey. I hope you enjoy this experience s much as I did!
You may be interested in more of this author's many other novels in the future. She writes under her pen names Elizabeth Peters, Barbara Michaels, and her real name - Barbara Mertz.
This is the fourth book of the series and by this time, Ramses was eight years old. This amazingly precocious child accompanied his active and intelligent parents on another dig in the pyramids of Egypt for the winter season, where they are personally acquainted with many of the locals. This child is so advanced, that he knows as much about the dig as his highly educated parents if not more sometimes, which is totally incomprehensible, but extremely entertaining. This tale takes them on another adventure throughout Egypt and again they are enthralled in the investigation of yet another murder, while still trying to determine who the 'Master Criminal' is.
It produced such a comically, vivid picture of this family with their superior attitudes, geological adventures, and warped mystery solving spats. that it had me laughing out loud. I have finally found a clean book series that provides wit, humor, and tons of new words to devour.
Ameilia's theory about mystery books:
For in my opinion they strain the incredulity of the reader to an unreasonable degree . . . . . These so-called detective stories, on the other hand, pretend to exhibit the strictly intellectual qualities of the protagonist. In fact, they do nothing of the sort, for in the few I have read, the detective arrived at his solutions not by means of the inexorable progress of true reasoning, but by wild guesses, which turned out only to be correct only because of the author's construction of his plot.
Amelia's view about romance books:
Mr. Haggard's stories, I explained, are pure fantasy and do not pretend to be anything else. - However rational the mind, and mine is extremely rational, it requires periods of rest. When the wary whims of fancy may ruffle the still waters of thought and encourage those softer and more spiritual musings without which no individual can be at his or her best.
This historical romance delivers clean and wholesome entertainment with a cast of quirky characters working together to catch a murderer and solve this historical mystery at an excavation of an ancient Egyptian tomb, filled with Egyptian antiquities. This time the willful and witty duo, comprised of Radcliff and Amelia, are involved in catching another murderer at another excavation of an ancient Egyptian tomb, where they also contend with the antics of their percocious son, Ramses.
The author expresses herself so dramatically that it captures the reader's attention. Just when you may begin to feel a little lost or bored, her personal outburst will recapture your attention, or she might strike someone with her trusty parasol and then, just continue the story. She has a distinct way of portraying each intrinsically humorous experience, giving the reader a unique and uncommon perspective to observe. What a rib-tickler Amelia's kidnapping adventure turned out to be. Ms. Peters is the only one who could aptly describe it the way she was able to.
This is a historical romance that inspires clean and wholesome entertainment, bringing Radcliff and Amelia Emerson out of retirement. Each book in the series is a stand-alone mystery which can be read without previous knowledge. However, the characters age throughout the series and events in previous books (including spoilers concerning some of the main characters) are referenced in later books. I am enjoying this clean book series immensely, I thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the wit, humor, and tons of new words waiting to be devoured.
In my opinion, any romantic insinuations were referred to as charmingly in a discreet manner. Although this book does not always follow the social protocol, instead of taking leaps in many directions, the entertainment delivers great entertainment. The sparkling gems of dry wit were fabulous and plenty to be had! Oddly enough, there will most assuredly be reviews all over the chart for this writing, depending on the different perspectives from multi-faceted readers.
I listened to this gem of a story through Hoopla, which I access through my local library. It is thrilling when I discover that a series I enjoy in audio as much as I did this one, by the talented and versatile narrator, Susan O'Malley.
Elizabeth Peters is quite the storyteller and expresses herself so dramatically that it captures the reader's attention and compels them to journey on. Just when you may begin to feel a little lost or bored, her personal outburst will recapture your attention, or she might strike someone with her trusty umbrella, defend those she loves with her pistol, or slash away at whatever offends. I was delighted with the notes within the book to the reader to explain what the author was trying to convey. I hope you enjoy this experience s much as I did!
You may be interested in more of this author's many other novels in the future. She writes under her pen names Elizabeth Peters, Barbara Michaels, and her real name - Barbara Mertz.
September 4, 2017
I'm a fan of Emerson family. Their antics and interactions are over the top and entertaining.
This story doesn't disappoint in the antics but it does get more melodramatic than the previous books in the series. There's a lot of mention of Emerson's rippling muscles and fantastic physique.
The mysteries in this series are never strong but practically non-existent in this installment. Not that it matters much but that makes this volume seem more of a filler or place holder for the next than a story in itself.
A fun read but even more fluffy than that others. Fun but not my favorite. I do enjoy the precociousness of Ramses. What a handful that kid would be!
This story doesn't disappoint in the antics but it does get more melodramatic than the previous books in the series. There's a lot of mention of Emerson's rippling muscles and fantastic physique.
The mysteries in this series are never strong but practically non-existent in this installment. Not that it matters much but that makes this volume seem more of a filler or place holder for the next than a story in itself.
A fun read but even more fluffy than that others. Fun but not my favorite. I do enjoy the precociousness of Ramses. What a handful that kid would be!
May 22, 2018
I do love Amelia Peacock Emerson. It’s a plus that there is a mystery to solve in each book, because that gives the excuses for the wonderful dialog between Amelia & her husband and for Amelia to start rounding up the strays that she finds along the way during her investigations. They will be assisted whether they want it or not!
A number of people in this installment end up smothering laughter while dealing with the overly serious and literal Amelia, but all seem to realize that her overbearing-ness is coming from a good heart! She believes that marriage should be an equal partnership (and despite his grumbling, Emerson seems to agree with her) and now that she has unexpectedly found her match, she wants the same joy for the others in her life, hence her constant meddling in the love lives of her collection of waifs and strays.
She is also brave, willing to face personal hardship and injury, in pursuit of the truth and the solution to whatever mysterious happenstance is currently on the go.
I adore Emerson, who is always trying to ditch his son and the rest of the archaeological party, in order to get his wife to himself! Their son, Ramses, has developed an intense curiosity about sex and they spend quite a bit of time trying to dodge his prying, making for quite a bit of hilarity. And I was moved when Emerson says, “Have I mentioned to you, Peabody, that one of the reasons why I adore you is that you are more inclined to beat people with your umbrella than fall weeping on your bed?”
I must also put in a good word for ‘de cat Bastet,’ who displays many uncanny abilities and often un-catlike behaviours. While she is on the case, young Ramses will always be safe.
I am ever so glad that I still have many volumes of their adventures in my future.
A number of people in this installment end up smothering laughter while dealing with the overly serious and literal Amelia, but all seem to realize that her overbearing-ness is coming from a good heart! She believes that marriage should be an equal partnership (and despite his grumbling, Emerson seems to agree with her) and now that she has unexpectedly found her match, she wants the same joy for the others in her life, hence her constant meddling in the love lives of her collection of waifs and strays.
She is also brave, willing to face personal hardship and injury, in pursuit of the truth and the solution to whatever mysterious happenstance is currently on the go.
I adore Emerson, who is always trying to ditch his son and the rest of the archaeological party, in order to get his wife to himself! Their son, Ramses, has developed an intense curiosity about sex and they spend quite a bit of time trying to dodge his prying, making for quite a bit of hilarity. And I was moved when Emerson says, “Have I mentioned to you, Peabody, that one of the reasons why I adore you is that you are more inclined to beat people with your umbrella than fall weeping on your bed?”
I must also put in a good word for ‘de cat Bastet,’ who displays many uncanny abilities and often un-catlike behaviours. While she is on the case, young Ramses will always be safe.
I am ever so glad that I still have many volumes of their adventures in my future.
July 27, 2018
3.5 stars. The mysteries never seem to matter in these books as the interest comes from the attitudes and dynamics between Peabody and Emerson and of course the insufferable Ramses.
February 1, 2013
I loved, loved, LOVED this book!! Everytime I start the next Amelia Peabody story I worry that Elizabeth Peters won't be able to maintain the extraordinarily intelligent and utterly hilarious banter between Amelia and Emerson. Thankfully, she has not let me down thus far. In fact, each book has managed to add a new element to the Emerson family's witty idiosyncracies and facility for attracting mayhem that enchants and delights me!
Lion in the Valley develops the character of the "Master Criminal" to whom Amelia ascribes most unlawful activities that take place in Egypt, much to the fury of her dear Emerson. The Master Criminal becomes a large thorn in the sides of the Emersons, impacting not only Emerson's ability to focus on his current excavation, but Amelia's own safety [I won't say more to avoid any spoilers].
The Emersons' son, Ramses is also further developed in this outing, as he is now, at eight years of age, infuriatingly clever and precocious, much to the chagrin and annoyance of his mother. There is a particularly funny scene in which Ramses requests his parents provide him information on the "feelings" he is having about the opposite sex. Amelia deserts Emerson to have this discussion with their son, and the entire scene left me laughing so hard I had tears running down my cheeks!
The mystery in this book is as entertaining as always, as are the supporting characters Peters introduces in this outing. I enjoyed this book just as much as I have the preceding ones, and cannot wait for the next installment.
I cannot recommend this series highly enough! These books are fabulous if you like wonderfully multi-facted, quirky characters, lighting-fast, witty dialogue and over-the-top outlandish but hugely funny plots.
Lion in the Valley develops the character of the "Master Criminal" to whom Amelia ascribes most unlawful activities that take place in Egypt, much to the fury of her dear Emerson. The Master Criminal becomes a large thorn in the sides of the Emersons, impacting not only Emerson's ability to focus on his current excavation, but Amelia's own safety [I won't say more to avoid any spoilers].
The Emersons' son, Ramses is also further developed in this outing, as he is now, at eight years of age, infuriatingly clever and precocious, much to the chagrin and annoyance of his mother. There is a particularly funny scene in which Ramses requests his parents provide him information on the "feelings" he is having about the opposite sex. Amelia deserts Emerson to have this discussion with their son, and the entire scene left me laughing so hard I had tears running down my cheeks!
The mystery in this book is as entertaining as always, as are the supporting characters Peters introduces in this outing. I enjoyed this book just as much as I have the preceding ones, and cannot wait for the next installment.
I cannot recommend this series highly enough! These books are fabulous if you like wonderfully multi-facted, quirky characters, lighting-fast, witty dialogue and over-the-top outlandish but hugely funny plots.
February 22, 2018
This book is full of romantic triangles. I would like to tell you all about them but I don’t want to ruin the surprises.
What I will tell you is that Amelia and Emerson are excellent and I still love little Ramses. He’s 8 now and still precocious. I love his long dissertations on archeology. He always reminds me of Mr. H, my grandson. His thing is space. He’s trying to teach me the Latin words for the planets. This involves a chart he has drawn. Did I mention he’s 4 years old? Whew!
What I will tell you is that Amelia and Emerson are excellent and I still love little Ramses. He’s 8 now and still precocious. I love his long dissertations on archeology. He always reminds me of Mr. H, my grandson. His thing is space. He’s trying to teach me the Latin words for the planets. This involves a chart he has drawn. Did I mention he’s 4 years old? Whew!
November 19, 2021
Re-listening to this wonderful series with my daughter. We listen whenever we are able to be together. This particular volume was begun on 9/6/21 on our way home from our trip to Boston, Massachusetts and finished on 11/18/21 at my home in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Favorite quotes:
"However rational the mind - and mine is extremely rational - it requires periods of rest when the aery winds of fancy may ruffle the still waters of thought and encourage those softer and more spiritual musings without which no individual can be at his or her best." ~ Amelia
"That, he remarked, is what made me love you, Amelia. You are magnificently disdainful of commonsense and discretion. The man who shares your life will never be bored." ~ Sethos
Favorite quotes:
"However rational the mind - and mine is extremely rational - it requires periods of rest when the aery winds of fancy may ruffle the still waters of thought and encourage those softer and more spiritual musings without which no individual can be at his or her best." ~ Amelia
"That, he remarked, is what made me love you, Amelia. You are magnificently disdainful of commonsense and discretion. The man who shares your life will never be bored." ~ Sethos
May 16, 2020
4.5 stars
Ahh It's so nice to be back with the Emersons again! I miss them so much when I'm not with them. I enjoyed this book much more the second time around. Yes Amelia is a little too sanctimonious and smug at times. Her insistence on not taking no for an answer got a little wearying. If she had remembered to listen to Ramses again this time, one piece of the puzzle would have been solved. He was right before and he was right again. Ramses is more astute than she gives him credit for. I adore Emerson! His love for Amelia is charming, even when he's yelling and pushing his way through closed doors. I especially liked their tender moments like after her nightmare when she woke up him. He knew she was upset without her telling him. I also loved the ending. It was cute! Ramses is a little less precocious and annoying now he can speak without "murdering his dipthongs." The cat Bastest has an important role in the story. I don't normally like cats but I do like Bastet and her special relationship with Ramses.
I could have done without the young lovers and evil brothers. Enid is boring. Donald is only interesting because of his Nemo disguise. The relationship between the brothers echoes another one which is only hinted at here.
There are a number of really funny moment when I found myself chuckling aloud. The very minor supporting characters made me laugh. There's a loud, older American chap on top of the pyramid; a cranky old American lady who hates Ramses because he's a small boy; a mysterious private detective and a silly young Viscount. All of those scenes made me smile. The funniest moment is when precocious 8-year-old Ramses wants to know what he's feeling for Enid and why. Emerson has to have "the talk" with his son. Emerson's idea of "the talk" begins with amoebas LOL! I died laughing at Ramses wanting to take notes and trying to draw a diagram. I wish the whole conversation had been included. I can only imagine Emerson turning more and more red as Ramses interrupts to asks questions! They can't really fault their kid for being exceptionally intelligent when he has clearly inherited exceptional intelligence from both parents!
In this novel we finally come face-to-face with the Master Criminal aka Sethos. He says that's only ONE of his appellations! He portrays himself comically. He's a lover not a fighter. He loves beauty and intelligence. Sethos adores Amelia. To him she is beautiful and he likes how feisty she is. He underestimates her relationship with Emerson though. I don't think he understands love. Don;t be fooled, however, this man is a ruthless killer and a thief. He's dangerous! Knowing his true identity, I can see he let slip a hint. There's no way anyone can pick up on that hint but I'm going to say he's jealous of Emerson. Emerson has access to everything Sethos wants.
I'm going to take a little break from the Emersons for right now while I decide if I want to read the next book in the series. I don't really want to read about Percy :shudders:! Maybe I'll skip ahead and get reacquainted with the lovely Nefret.
Ahh It's so nice to be back with the Emersons again! I miss them so much when I'm not with them. I enjoyed this book much more the second time around. Yes Amelia is a little too sanctimonious and smug at times. Her insistence on not taking no for an answer got a little wearying. If she had remembered to listen to Ramses again this time, one piece of the puzzle would have been solved. He was right before and he was right again. Ramses is more astute than she gives him credit for. I adore Emerson! His love for Amelia is charming, even when he's yelling and pushing his way through closed doors. I especially liked their tender moments like after her nightmare when she woke up him. He knew she was upset without her telling him. I also loved the ending. It was cute! Ramses is a little less precocious and annoying now he can speak without "murdering his dipthongs." The cat Bastest has an important role in the story. I don't normally like cats but I do like Bastet and her special relationship with Ramses.
I could have done without the young lovers and evil brothers. Enid is boring. Donald is only interesting because of his Nemo disguise. The relationship between the brothers echoes another one which is only hinted at here.
There are a number of really funny moment when I found myself chuckling aloud. The very minor supporting characters made me laugh. There's a loud, older American chap on top of the pyramid; a cranky old American lady who hates Ramses because he's a small boy; a mysterious private detective and a silly young Viscount. All of those scenes made me smile. The funniest moment is when precocious 8-year-old Ramses wants to know what he's feeling for Enid and why. Emerson has to have "the talk" with his son. Emerson's idea of "the talk" begins with amoebas LOL! I died laughing at Ramses wanting to take notes and trying to draw a diagram. I wish the whole conversation had been included. I can only imagine Emerson turning more and more red as Ramses interrupts to asks questions! They can't really fault their kid for being exceptionally intelligent when he has clearly inherited exceptional intelligence from both parents!
In this novel we finally come face-to-face with the Master Criminal aka Sethos. He says that's only ONE of his appellations! He portrays himself comically. He's a lover not a fighter. He loves beauty and intelligence. Sethos adores Amelia. To him she is beautiful and he likes how feisty she is. He underestimates her relationship with Emerson though. I don't think he understands love. Don;t be fooled, however, this man is a ruthless killer and a thief. He's dangerous! Knowing his true identity, I can see he let slip a hint. There's no way anyone can pick up on that hint but I'm going to say he's jealous of Emerson. Emerson has access to everything Sethos wants.
I'm going to take a little break from the Emersons for right now while I decide if I want to read the next book in the series. I don't really want to read about Percy :shudders:! Maybe I'll skip ahead and get reacquainted with the lovely Nefret.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2020
Ho-hum meets cheese dog Perils of Pauline in this horrendous little outing.
I only resort to this audio book collection when nothing better offers; I now begin to understand the person who gave them to me free of charge and then vanished from my life. He was probably afraid I'd try to return them.
In the first place there is Barbara Rosenblatt's dreadful reading. All male characters besides blustering Emerson and ickle pweshus Ramses speak as if they are drugged or half asleep. Whether it be the supposed opium addict (though not a word about withdrawals) Ronald the Donald, or the Moriarty-like arch criminal, Rosenblatt mumbles, slurs and murmurs their dialogue, even when they are supposedly shouting, howling, exclaiming or raging. Ramses still speaks like a small child, not a sturdy boy of eight-nearly-nine. Why they haven't packed him off to boarding school is a mystery to me, since most well to do English boys were sent to school by the age of seven. Especially since both parents obviously find him a burden, particularly his mother; she obviously dislikes him very much, and spends most of the book telling him to be quiet, go away, and stop bothering the grownups. I know these were the days of "seen and not heard", but why put in such a disagreeable child character unless the author's own issues are still burning? At least we heard much less of "the cat Bastet" which phrase usually occurs at least twice on every page of a Peters novel. What we hear of the feline's supposed attributes is ridiculous even for an Agatha Christie parody, and we know it is that because Peters merrily borrows characters from Evil Under the Sun.
75% of the book is dull in the extreme, with Peabody peacocking her supposed (unfounded) intellectual superiority, telling her son to shut up, and interrupting any man who opens his mouth. Then in the last 3 chapters it morphs into the aforesaid Perils of Pauline complete with harem pyjamas! We are also subjected yet again to the Emerson couple's implied sex life far more often than necessary to any sort of plot. If she gets any more arch, Peters will find herself holding up a railroad bridge.
Ugh. Do not recommend.
I only resort to this audio book collection when nothing better offers; I now begin to understand the person who gave them to me free of charge and then vanished from my life. He was probably afraid I'd try to return them.
In the first place there is Barbara Rosenblatt's dreadful reading. All male characters besides blustering Emerson and ickle pweshus Ramses speak as if they are drugged or half asleep. Whether it be the supposed opium addict (though not a word about withdrawals) Ronald the Donald, or the Moriarty-like arch criminal, Rosenblatt mumbles, slurs and murmurs their dialogue, even when they are supposedly shouting, howling, exclaiming or raging. Ramses still speaks like a small child, not a sturdy boy of eight-nearly-nine. Why they haven't packed him off to boarding school is a mystery to me, since most well to do English boys were sent to school by the age of seven. Especially since both parents obviously find him a burden, particularly his mother; she obviously dislikes him very much, and spends most of the book telling him to be quiet, go away, and stop bothering the grownups. I know these were the days of "seen and not heard", but why put in such a disagreeable child character unless the author's own issues are still burning? At least we heard much less of "the cat Bastet" which phrase usually occurs at least twice on every page of a Peters novel. What we hear of the feline's supposed attributes is ridiculous even for an Agatha Christie parody, and we know it is that because Peters merrily borrows characters from Evil Under the Sun.
75% of the book is dull in the extreme, with Peabody peacocking her supposed (unfounded) intellectual superiority, telling her son to shut up, and interrupting any man who opens his mouth. Then in the last 3 chapters it morphs into the aforesaid Perils of Pauline complete with harem pyjamas! We are also subjected yet again to the Emerson couple's implied sex life far more often than necessary to any sort of plot. If she gets any more arch, Peters will find herself holding up a railroad bridge.
Ugh. Do not recommend.
April 18, 2017
I'm not quite finished with the book yet but wanted to mention this while it was in my head...there is so much sex in this book I cannot believe it. You know what the great part of this is? There isn't a single graphic sexual comment, no sexual language, no crazy euphamisms and absolutely no sex scenes. So how do I know there is a great deal of sex going on here? Well, this author has talent. She has the art of 'hint, hint, nudge, nudge' down pat. She explicity explains, without actual details, that Emerson and Peabody have a wonderful, loving, romantic and sexually fulfilling relationship. It is clean, safe, family friendly - but so darned romantic and loving that I love it to tiny little pieces! Well played Ms. Peters, well played!
Ok, finished and what can I say? I loved it just as much as the first three. Now I have to hope that her publishers do the same and bundle the rest for sale in nice big bunches like this.
If you like mystery, cozies, a bit of history and archeology and humor and family and love...you should have already read this. If not, rediscover them for the first time.
Ok, finished and what can I say? I loved it just as much as the first three. Now I have to hope that her publishers do the same and bundle the rest for sale in nice big bunches like this.
If you like mystery, cozies, a bit of history and archeology and humor and family and love...you should have already read this. If not, rediscover them for the first time.
May 28, 2009
I read the first few Amelia Peabody books on an indirect recommendation. I was basically looking for a fun read and to branch out of my primary reading fields a bit (F&SF and non-fiction science). I've read relatively few genre mysteries, aside from some Sherlock Holmes, a few Agatha Christies, and a couple of Tony Hillermans. So I was interested to learn a bit more about this field.
These were ok. They were fun, and very much on the light end of the scale. The Egyptology was definitely fascinating, and I'll give them that they had a better justification for the mysteries than some cozy mystery authors come up with.
My problem is that the characters were radically, drastically implausible. Especially "Ramses", the "precocious" six- or seven-year-old child of the protagonists. He goes beyond precocious to the point of utterly shattering my suspension of disbelief every time he opens his mouth. He makes Ender look like a retiring and somewhat inept prepubescent, going through petty growing pains. The other characters are also overblown caricatures, but they are at least occasionally fun to read and don't take themselves too seriously.
I get the impression that Peters wrote the first book with amusingly exaggerated characters but that when the series took off, she felt a need to successively exaggerate the characters and scenarios with every book, until by the fourth book, it's difficult to read them.
On the flip side, she does poke fun at a number of mystery genre tropes. (I love Amelia's offhand comment that she doesn't read mysteries because the characters are always solving things with incredible leaps of illogic. Pot? Kettle? Black?) And the Master Criminal, when he is revealed at the end of the fourth book, is such an absurd piece of work that he has to be a spoof on Evil Villain tropes. (At least, I choose to believe so and laugh, rather than gag when I read him.) I get the sense that there's more satire of the genre going on here than I'm entirely catching -- that if I'd read more in the genre, I could appreciate these better.
On the whole, they were fun light reads, but I don't feel compelled to read further in the series. It's a bit disappointing, really -- the world of the 19th century Egyptology craze is fascinating, and it would be neat to read really well developed mysteries in that era. As it is, I kept wishing that the characters would take their petty mysteries and get out of the way, to let the rest of us appreciate the surroundings.
These were ok. They were fun, and very much on the light end of the scale. The Egyptology was definitely fascinating, and I'll give them that they had a better justification for the mysteries than some cozy mystery authors come up with.
My problem is that the characters were radically, drastically implausible. Especially "Ramses", the "precocious" six- or seven-year-old child of the protagonists. He goes beyond precocious to the point of utterly shattering my suspension of disbelief every time he opens his mouth. He makes Ender look like a retiring and somewhat inept prepubescent, going through petty growing pains. The other characters are also overblown caricatures, but they are at least occasionally fun to read and don't take themselves too seriously.
I get the impression that Peters wrote the first book with amusingly exaggerated characters but that when the series took off, she felt a need to successively exaggerate the characters and scenarios with every book, until by the fourth book, it's difficult to read them.
On the flip side, she does poke fun at a number of mystery genre tropes. (I love Amelia's offhand comment that she doesn't read mysteries because the characters are always solving things with incredible leaps of illogic. Pot? Kettle? Black?) And the Master Criminal, when he is revealed at the end of the fourth book, is such an absurd piece of work that he has to be a spoof on Evil Villain tropes. (At least, I choose to believe so and laugh, rather than gag when I read him.) I get the sense that there's more satire of the genre going on here than I'm entirely catching -- that if I'd read more in the genre, I could appreciate these better.
On the whole, they were fun light reads, but I don't feel compelled to read further in the series. It's a bit disappointing, really -- the world of the 19th century Egyptology craze is fascinating, and it would be neat to read really well developed mysteries in that era. As it is, I kept wishing that the characters would take their petty mysteries and get out of the way, to let the rest of us appreciate the surroundings.
May 20, 2023
Lion in the Valley
3 Stars
Amelia Peabody and her husband, Radcliffe Emerson, and their precocious son, Ramses, become involved in another murder in Egypt when a noted con artist is found dead in a young English heiress's hotel room and she is nowhere to be found.
Series note: The plot in this book is a direct continuation of events in book #3 - The Mummy Case. As such, it should be read in order.
This is definitely one of the more farcical installments in the series. The twists and turns of the mystery are ridiculously obvious and could have been solved in five minutes if Peabody had allowed her son to complete a sentence. Annoying child characters are usually a no-no for me, but Ramses is rapidly growing on me. His inquisitive personality and comments on human nature are very insightful.
In terms of character development, there is a small change in tone in the relationship between Peabody and Emerson. To begin with, the references to their sex life are more overt, and it is intriguing to see Emerson experience episodes of jealousy when he is usually too immersed in his antiquities to notice. There are some particularly intense moments, especially during the scenes at the end.
The real highlight of these books is the focus on Egyptology and the subtle critique of British imperialism and superiority. The history, geography and archeological details are fascinating and add an element of realism to an otherwise silly story. Moreover, the tongue-in-cheek references to classic mystery tropes, such as the inept detective, the master criminal, and the comely heiress courted for her fortune, are also entertaining.
Overall, this book is entertaining despite the clichéd tropes and overexaggerated characterization.
3 Stars
Amelia Peabody and her husband, Radcliffe Emerson, and their precocious son, Ramses, become involved in another murder in Egypt when a noted con artist is found dead in a young English heiress's hotel room and she is nowhere to be found.
Series note: The plot in this book is a direct continuation of events in book #3 - The Mummy Case. As such, it should be read in order.
This is definitely one of the more farcical installments in the series. The twists and turns of the mystery are ridiculously obvious and could have been solved in five minutes if Peabody had allowed her son to complete a sentence. Annoying child characters are usually a no-no for me, but Ramses is rapidly growing on me. His inquisitive personality and comments on human nature are very insightful.
In terms of character development, there is a small change in tone in the relationship between Peabody and Emerson. To begin with, the references to their sex life are more overt, and it is intriguing to see Emerson experience episodes of jealousy when he is usually too immersed in his antiquities to notice. There are some particularly intense moments, especially during the scenes at the end.
The real highlight of these books is the focus on Egyptology and the subtle critique of British imperialism and superiority. The history, geography and archeological details are fascinating and add an element of realism to an otherwise silly story. Moreover, the tongue-in-cheek references to classic mystery tropes, such as the inept detective, the master criminal, and the comely heiress courted for her fortune, are also entertaining.
Overall, this book is entertaining despite the clichéd tropes and overexaggerated characterization.
December 21, 2007
"You were talking in your sleep last night, Amelia."
"What nonsense, Emmerson! I never talk in my sleep. It is a sign of mental instability. What was I saying?"
Ah, love the banter.
***
Awww - I love these books. Amelia's capture and rescue was quite thrilling, and I enjoyed her musings about the Master Criminal being like the pharoahs, a lion in a valley of goats. About to commence the carnage, one assumes. I am even enjoying Ramses now, who at first I found rather insufferable, but an insufferable character is much more endearing when it is apparent that his own parents find him rather insufferable (or at least, Amelia does). It makes me wonder whether Ramses is one of those characters that authors speak of that emerge in their mind, and then rampage through their stories doing whatever they like.
***
Also, listening to this as an audio book makes me begin speaking with a rather English accent, much to my husband's bewilderment.
"What nonsense, Emmerson! I never talk in my sleep. It is a sign of mental instability. What was I saying?"
Ah, love the banter.
***
Awww - I love these books. Amelia's capture and rescue was quite thrilling, and I enjoyed her musings about the Master Criminal being like the pharoahs, a lion in a valley of goats. About to commence the carnage, one assumes. I am even enjoying Ramses now, who at first I found rather insufferable, but an insufferable character is much more endearing when it is apparent that his own parents find him rather insufferable (or at least, Amelia does). It makes me wonder whether Ramses is one of those characters that authors speak of that emerge in their mind, and then rampage through their stories doing whatever they like.
***
Also, listening to this as an audio book makes me begin speaking with a rather English accent, much to my husband's bewilderment.
February 28, 2020
I'm enjoying this re-read of the Peabody series immensely. Lion in the Valley is pure Rider Haggard stuff--Amelia's exaggerated prose style has reached its peak, we have the full-on presence of the Master Criminal, and there is a great deal of romantic nonsense, both between the inevitable young persons in love, and Amelia and Emerson.
And Ramses . . . although he is told to be quiet so many times that he actually IS a little quieter in this book. The funniest moment is the revelation that at eight years old, he is already becoming interested in women . . . Good Gad, as Amelia so rightly says.
The scene is Dashur and Cairo, although we definitely get less archeology and more dashing around in this book. The ending is an absolute peach--in fact, if I were going to pick a Peabody book to make into a movie this would be the one.
And Ramses . . . although he is told to be quiet so many times that he actually IS a little quieter in this book. The funniest moment is the revelation that at eight years old, he is already becoming interested in women . . . Good Gad, as Amelia so rightly says.
The scene is Dashur and Cairo, although we definitely get less archeology and more dashing around in this book. The ending is an absolute peach--in fact, if I were going to pick a Peabody book to make into a movie this would be the one.
September 20, 2024
Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters is the 4th book in the Amelia Peabody Mystery series. Preparing to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor, Amelia Peabody is staying with her family at Cairo when a known con man is murdered and the Master Criminal again makes his presence known.A delightful and very entertaining book. I love Ramses antics and curiosity and his ability to circumvent the rules and to elude his minders, as well as his longwinded explanations for his actions. A fun and exciting adventure.
June 10, 2011
Two stars off for the annoying Ramses.
September 18, 2017
The narrator wasn't bad but her Emerson voice was awful and she had long pauses. As for the plot, there was almost no plot! The end was funny and unexpected.
January 19, 2023
I adore this entire series. Ramses is slightly less annoying in this book than in first and we learn more about the master criminal. The mystery is still fairly simple but enjoyable no the less.
July 26, 2010
This is the first book in the series (of which I "listened to some but not all) where The Master Criminal's nomdeplume (or for the purists who will insist this means "pen name") alias is revealed...however if I put it here it will constitute a spoiler...soooooo, I'll just say it refers back to Egyptian mythology.
Moving on...
If you've read any of my other reviews on this series of books you know that I believe them to be very well written, but just don't enjoy them in some ways, primarily this is due to the fact that I somewhat dislike the protagonist Amelia Peabody. The attitude that the author writes for her about the "Master Criminal" character is probably one of the reasons. I cannot abide husbands or wives who (taking a version of what Rhett Butler said) "Won't be physically untrue to their 'spouse', but can't be mentally true to him/her". Amelia carries on a continuing flirtation with "the Master Criminal" throughout much of this series...I can't help but identify with her husband, and would probably have been slightly more, insistent that she make up her mind as to her stance on criminality and monogamy. Again I recognize that some will like this plot point and enjoy the books more because of it...to each their own as they say.
So, antique thefts and secrets revealed if you like this series this is an important entry. It is well written as are the others and as with the others I listened to I finished it and it is a well done mystery that hangs together. The 3 star rating reflects my lack of enjoyment here, not technically insufficiency. Some of you will love this book.
Moving on...
If you've read any of my other reviews on this series of books you know that I believe them to be very well written, but just don't enjoy them in some ways, primarily this is due to the fact that I somewhat dislike the protagonist Amelia Peabody. The attitude that the author writes for her about the "Master Criminal" character is probably one of the reasons. I cannot abide husbands or wives who (taking a version of what Rhett Butler said) "Won't be physically untrue to their 'spouse', but can't be mentally true to him/her". Amelia carries on a continuing flirtation with "the Master Criminal" throughout much of this series...I can't help but identify with her husband, and would probably have been slightly more, insistent that she make up her mind as to her stance on criminality and monogamy. Again I recognize that some will like this plot point and enjoy the books more because of it...to each their own as they say.
So, antique thefts and secrets revealed if you like this series this is an important entry. It is well written as are the others and as with the others I listened to I finished it and it is a well done mystery that hangs together. The 3 star rating reflects my lack of enjoyment here, not technically insufficiency. Some of you will love this book.
May 20, 2012
This is the second Amelia Peabody I have read, and it will be my last. While I wasn't thrilled with the characters in Crocodile on the Sandbank,the mystery itself was okay and I figured that by the time Elizabeth Peters got to book number 4, all the things that irritated me would have been ironed out. Nope, they are even worse.
The main characters are so unlikable! Amelia and Emerson are just so arrogant. They are constantly having conversations that boil down to them saying, "I knew that." "Well, I knew it before you knew it." "But I knew it even before I needed to know it" etc, etc.
And there is Amelia constantly telling the reader about her intimate life with her husband. I don't care. It has no bearing on the mystery and it does nothing for character development.
The mystery itself was easily figured out and terribly cliche. The last good Master Criminal was Professor Moriarty.
What gives it 2 stars instead of 1 is the way that Elizabeth Peters describes the Egyptian desert and the digs. The imagery she uses is beautiful and I can see the setting in my mind.
(Oh and Amelia and Emerson's son, Ramses, may be the most annoying character in all of fiction. And it REALLY bothers me that the author decided to have Amelia not care about her son in the slightest and simply see him as an annoyance. If you can't write someone that even a mother could like, how is a reader supposed to like him?)
The main characters are so unlikable! Amelia and Emerson are just so arrogant. They are constantly having conversations that boil down to them saying, "I knew that." "Well, I knew it before you knew it." "But I knew it even before I needed to know it" etc, etc.
And there is Amelia constantly telling the reader about her intimate life with her husband. I don't care. It has no bearing on the mystery and it does nothing for character development.
The mystery itself was easily figured out and terribly cliche. The last good Master Criminal was Professor Moriarty.
What gives it 2 stars instead of 1 is the way that Elizabeth Peters describes the Egyptian desert and the digs. The imagery she uses is beautiful and I can see the setting in my mind.
(Oh and Amelia and Emerson's son, Ramses, may be the most annoying character in all of fiction. And it REALLY bothers me that the author decided to have Amelia not care about her son in the slightest and simply see him as an annoyance. If you can't write someone that even a mother could like, how is a reader supposed to like him?)
November 28, 2025
On my nearly yearly re-read (or re-listen) to the Amelia Peabody series). Here’s what I wrote last year when I read this book again, and it still stands:
Absolutely delightful re-read in audio of this fourth in the Amelia Peabody series. Sethos -- the Master Criminal -- plays a key role in this book as Amelia and company encounter multiple murders and mysteries. Along the way they encounter a "fallen woman" (or is she really fallen) who everyone suspects has committed the first murder.
Ramses has grown a tiny bit, and in addition to getting involved in all kinds of things he shouldn't, he's busy written an Egyptian grammar.
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Amelia, Emerson, and Ramses have an argument about which over-the-top character they've encountered each believes is really Sethos in disguise. And of course, the scene when Sethos reveals to Amelia who he really was, is delightful.
Please, if you have any interest in the series at all, start back at the beginning with Crocodile on the Sandbank. As for me, on to a re-read in audio of the 5th in the series.
June 12, 2020: Another delightful re-listen. Love the scene near the end when Ramses finds some special things of Sethos!
August 22, 2021: Another fun re-listen. So many potential characters who might be Sethos. The man truly is a master of disguise!
November 28, 2025: Another fun re-listen. We get to see a lot more of Sethos in this one, although we don't know it at the time.
Absolutely delightful re-read in audio of this fourth in the Amelia Peabody series. Sethos -- the Master Criminal -- plays a key role in this book as Amelia and company encounter multiple murders and mysteries. Along the way they encounter a "fallen woman" (or is she really fallen) who everyone suspects has committed the first murder.
Ramses has grown a tiny bit, and in addition to getting involved in all kinds of things he shouldn't, he's busy written an Egyptian grammar.
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Amelia, Emerson, and Ramses have an argument about which over-the-top character they've encountered each believes is really Sethos in disguise. And of course, the scene when Sethos reveals to Amelia who he really was, is delightful.
Please, if you have any interest in the series at all, start back at the beginning with Crocodile on the Sandbank. As for me, on to a re-read in audio of the 5th in the series.
June 12, 2020: Another delightful re-listen. Love the scene near the end when Ramses finds some special things of Sethos!
August 22, 2021: Another fun re-listen. So many potential characters who might be Sethos. The man truly is a master of disguise!
November 28, 2025: Another fun re-listen. We get to see a lot more of Sethos in this one, although we don't know it at the time.
October 24, 2024
Fourth in the Amelia Peabody historical amateur sleuth mystery series and revolving around archeology in Egypt in 1895. The couple focus is on Amelia Peabody and her infamous husband, Professor Radcliffe Emerson.
My Take
I take issue with Peabody's statement that "no one talks like that in the course of ordinary conversation" in that second paragraph. Peabody and Ramses certainly do.
That said, Peabody does crack me up as she waxes on of the "stifling, bat-infested corridors" and the "muddy, flooded burial chamber. Only she could see this as romantic, lol.
Single-mindedly Emerson focuses on his excavations while the paranoid Peabody worries about his behavior, even as she gratefully admires him, and does her best to manipulate him for what she wants.
Peters uses unreliable narrator in first person protagonist point-of-view from Peabody's perspective (both she and Emerson prefer to use their last names, well, Emerson uses Peabody's maiden name). Why unreliable narrator? Because Peabody is so focused on how right she is at all times. Part of the humor that continues to pop up is how Peabody changes the subject when she, ahem, realizes she was in the wrong or her favorite reply "just one of his little jokes".
Peabody also waxes on about Emerson's hands and their condition whether he's working with his tools, weapons, or that delicacy of touch, ahem. Then she groans about Ramses, how she's already used all her worry about his escapades — how he'd been in more scrapes by age five than most people encounter over a long lifetime and yet has confidence that he'll survive undamaged and undaunted. Emerson is not happy that Ramses is likely to pop up anywhere, especially in the bedroom! That kid is my favorite character.
Peabody is quite the feminist, and so definitely born in the wrong time period. Not that she allows that to hold her back, of course.
Nemo is an interesting character with his laziness and drug addiction.
The infamous Sitt Hakim, the lady doctor who knows all, believes in a flannel belt to prevent catarrh. Just thinking of wearing something like that makes me feel overheated!
I do not understand why Ramses' parents never allow him to finish. Yes, yes, I know it's a device to create tension, but it reminds me too much of parents who don't listen to their kids or dismiss them. Of course, a good bit of it is Ramses' own fault for his tendency to flowery language with lots of polysyllables.
It's a cozy, homey story of action, traps, chases, kidnappings, rescues, exorcisms, betrayals, and so much more that combines with laughter. I can't help but love it, even if there isn't much in the way of excavating the tombs.
The 1895-96 season promises to be an exceptional one for Amelia Peabody, her dashing Egyptologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, and their precocious (some might say rambunctious) eight-year-old son, Ramses. The long-denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor has finally been granted, and the much-coveted burial chamber of the Black Pyramid is now theirs for the exploring.
Before the young family exchanges the relative comfort of Cairo for the more rudimentary quarters near the excavation site, they engage a young Englishman, Donald Fraser, as a tutor and companion for Ramses, and Amelia takes a wayward young woman, Enid Debenham, under her protective wing.
But there is danger and deception in the wind that blows across the hot Egyptian sands. A brazen kidnapping attempt, a gruesome murder, and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death — all serve to alert Amelia 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 motivate the man known as Sethos. The evil genius has a score to settle with the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice . . . and he's got her dead-on in his sights.
The Characters
Amelia Peabody and her archeologist husband, Professor Radcliffe Emerson, a.k.a. the Father of Curses who does love being dramatic, adore excavating tombs in Egypt. Eight-year-old Ramses, cold-bloodedly, terrifyingly sane, is always getting into trouble, including instigating a mutiny, lol. The cat Bastet is Ramses' best friend and protector. In England, John ( The Mummy Case , 3), their footman and previous companion in Egypt, has married.
Dashoor is . . .
. . . King Sneferu of the Fourth Dynasty's tomb, a.k.a. the Bent Pyramid. The superstitious yet highly capable Abdullah ibn Hassan al Wahhab is the Emersons’ faithful reis and setting up housekeeping for the Emersons; Menyat Dashoor is the local village. Most of his excavation team are Abdullah's sons, including Hassan, Selim who got married, Abdul who got divorced, and Yusuf whose wife had twins. Hamid is the cook.
The drug-addicted Nemo becomes their latest project. Mazeppa is the horse Ramses stole. Enid Marshall is/was part of Petrie's staff . . . and staggering.
The Honorable Miss Debenham is an orphan who inherited her father, Baron Picadilly's, fortune. And she's quite the scandal! The Honorable Ronald Fraser, a second cousin, claims to be her fiancé. Donald Fraser is Ronald's older brother.
Viscount Everly is an idiot. Caesar is his horse.
Egypt
M. de Morgan is the Director of the Antiquities Service and has given over the archeological site he worked last year to Emerson. There's quite the scandal behind this "gift". Howard Carter is still Professor Naville's assistant. Professor Petrie had been Carter's old mentor. Petrie, who'll be working Karnak this year, is also Emerson's old rival. Quibell is Petrie's assistant; Miss Pirie is grateful to Peabody for her help. Cyrus Vandergelt will be another neighbor. Sir Eldon Gorst is now the British Inspector Advisor?? Major Ramsay is the least of Gorst's subordinates. And I do wish I could have read more of Ramsay's "chat" with Peabody. Sir Evelyn Baring is the Consul General. Tobias Gregson is a private investigator. Sadly, Aziz from The Mummy Case has taken over his murdered father's stock of antiquities.
Prince Kalenischeff is a scallywag who has been involved with the Master Criminal ( The Mummy Case ) and his current target is Miss Debenham. The Master Criminal himself is Sethos, and he allows no one to see him.
Shepheard's Hotel is where anyone who is anyone stays. Mr Baehler is the manager and is in mortal terror of both Peabody and Emerson. The Black Pyramid is the tomb of Amenemhat of the Twelfth Dynasty. Sheikh El Beled, the mayor in Dronkeh, will receive a set to replace the one stolen in The Mummy Case . The previously kidnapped Father Todorus is the fortunate beneficiary of an apology ( The Mummy Case ). Mena House is a hotel and restaurant owned by Mr and Mrs Locke located at the foot of the Giza plateau. Mabel and Caleb T Clausheimer are some of the tourists at Giza. Sheikh Abu is another onlooker. Mrs Axhammer of Des Moines is a stubborn, pushy tourist. Jonah is her nephew. Kevin O'Connell is a reporter from the Daily Yell.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a soothing combination of blue and oranges, from the placid sky to the mounds of ruins and the temple in the background. A crouching lion statue of Set is placed on the sands in the foreground with a black river between the background and the foreground. At the very top is an info blurb in white. The author's name is immediately below it in a black shadowed greenish yellow. Below that is another info blurb. Below the statue is the series info in black with the title immediately below it in a deep royal blue. At the very bottom of the cover is a testimonial in black.
The title refers to Sethos the First, described as a Lion in the Valley.
My Take
I take issue with Peabody's statement that "no one talks like that in the course of ordinary conversation" in that second paragraph. Peabody and Ramses certainly do.
That said, Peabody does crack me up as she waxes on of the "stifling, bat-infested corridors" and the "muddy, flooded burial chamber. Only she could see this as romantic, lol.
Single-mindedly Emerson focuses on his excavations while the paranoid Peabody worries about his behavior, even as she gratefully admires him, and does her best to manipulate him for what she wants.
Peters uses unreliable narrator in first person protagonist point-of-view from Peabody's perspective (both she and Emerson prefer to use their last names, well, Emerson uses Peabody's maiden name). Why unreliable narrator? Because Peabody is so focused on how right she is at all times. Part of the humor that continues to pop up is how Peabody changes the subject when she, ahem, realizes she was in the wrong or her favorite reply "just one of his little jokes".
Peabody also waxes on about Emerson's hands and their condition whether he's working with his tools, weapons, or that delicacy of touch, ahem. Then she groans about Ramses, how she's already used all her worry about his escapades — how he'd been in more scrapes by age five than most people encounter over a long lifetime and yet has confidence that he'll survive undamaged and undaunted. Emerson is not happy that Ramses is likely to pop up anywhere, especially in the bedroom! That kid is my favorite character.
Peabody is quite the feminist, and so definitely born in the wrong time period. Not that she allows that to hold her back, of course.
Nemo is an interesting character with his laziness and drug addiction.
The infamous Sitt Hakim, the lady doctor who knows all, believes in a flannel belt to prevent catarrh. Just thinking of wearing something like that makes me feel overheated!
I do not understand why Ramses' parents never allow him to finish. Yes, yes, I know it's a device to create tension, but it reminds me too much of parents who don't listen to their kids or dismiss them. Of course, a good bit of it is Ramses' own fault for his tendency to flowery language with lots of polysyllables.
It's a cozy, homey story of action, traps, chases, kidnappings, rescues, exorcisms, betrayals, and so much more that combines with laughter. I can't help but love it, even if there isn't much in the way of excavating the tombs.
"Another dead body. Every year it is the same."The Story
The 1895-96 season promises to be an exceptional one for Amelia Peabody, her dashing Egyptologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, and their precocious (some might say rambunctious) eight-year-old son, Ramses. The long-denied permission to dig at the pyramids of Dahshoor has finally been granted, and the much-coveted burial chamber of the Black Pyramid is now theirs for the exploring.
Before the young family exchanges the relative comfort of Cairo for the more rudimentary quarters near the excavation site, they engage a young Englishman, Donald Fraser, as a tutor and companion for Ramses, and Amelia takes a wayward young woman, Enid Debenham, under her protective wing.
But there is danger and deception in the wind that blows across the hot Egyptian sands. A brazen kidnapping attempt, a gruesome murder, and an expedition subsequently cursed by misfortune and death — all serve to alert Amelia 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 motivate the man known as Sethos. The evil genius has a score to settle with the meddling lady archaeologist who has sworn to deliver him to justice . . . and he's got her dead-on in his sights.
The Characters
Amelia Peabody and her archeologist husband, Professor Radcliffe Emerson, a.k.a. the Father of Curses who does love being dramatic, adore excavating tombs in Egypt. Eight-year-old Ramses, cold-bloodedly, terrifyingly sane, is always getting into trouble, including instigating a mutiny, lol. The cat Bastet is Ramses' best friend and protector. In England, John ( The Mummy Case , 3), their footman and previous companion in Egypt, has married.
Dashoor is . . .
. . . King Sneferu of the Fourth Dynasty's tomb, a.k.a. the Bent Pyramid. The superstitious yet highly capable Abdullah ibn Hassan al Wahhab is the Emersons’ faithful reis and setting up housekeeping for the Emersons; Menyat Dashoor is the local village. Most of his excavation team are Abdullah's sons, including Hassan, Selim who got married, Abdul who got divorced, and Yusuf whose wife had twins. Hamid is the cook.
The drug-addicted Nemo becomes their latest project. Mazeppa is the horse Ramses stole. Enid Marshall is/was part of Petrie's staff . . . and staggering.
The Honorable Miss Debenham is an orphan who inherited her father, Baron Picadilly's, fortune. And she's quite the scandal! The Honorable Ronald Fraser, a second cousin, claims to be her fiancé. Donald Fraser is Ronald's older brother.
Viscount Everly is an idiot. Caesar is his horse.
Egypt
M. de Morgan is the Director of the Antiquities Service and has given over the archeological site he worked last year to Emerson. There's quite the scandal behind this "gift". Howard Carter is still Professor Naville's assistant. Professor Petrie had been Carter's old mentor. Petrie, who'll be working Karnak this year, is also Emerson's old rival. Quibell is Petrie's assistant; Miss Pirie is grateful to Peabody for her help. Cyrus Vandergelt will be another neighbor. Sir Eldon Gorst is now the British Inspector Advisor?? Major Ramsay is the least of Gorst's subordinates. And I do wish I could have read more of Ramsay's "chat" with Peabody. Sir Evelyn Baring is the Consul General. Tobias Gregson is a private investigator. Sadly, Aziz from The Mummy Case has taken over his murdered father's stock of antiquities.
Prince Kalenischeff is a scallywag who has been involved with the Master Criminal ( The Mummy Case ) and his current target is Miss Debenham. The Master Criminal himself is Sethos, and he allows no one to see him.
Shepheard's Hotel is where anyone who is anyone stays. Mr Baehler is the manager and is in mortal terror of both Peabody and Emerson. The Black Pyramid is the tomb of Amenemhat of the Twelfth Dynasty. Sheikh El Beled, the mayor in Dronkeh, will receive a set to replace the one stolen in The Mummy Case . The previously kidnapped Father Todorus is the fortunate beneficiary of an apology ( The Mummy Case ). Mena House is a hotel and restaurant owned by Mr and Mrs Locke located at the foot of the Giza plateau. Mabel and Caleb T Clausheimer are some of the tourists at Giza. Sheikh Abu is another onlooker. Mrs Axhammer of Des Moines is a stubborn, pushy tourist. Jonah is her nephew. Kevin O'Connell is a reporter from the Daily Yell.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a soothing combination of blue and oranges, from the placid sky to the mounds of ruins and the temple in the background. A crouching lion statue of Set is placed on the sands in the foreground with a black river between the background and the foreground. At the very top is an info blurb in white. The author's name is immediately below it in a black shadowed greenish yellow. Below that is another info blurb. Below the statue is the series info in black with the title immediately below it in a deep royal blue. At the very bottom of the cover is a testimonial in black.
The title refers to Sethos the First, described as a Lion in the Valley.
February 25, 2022
In this fourth installment in the Amelia Peabody series, the Emersons are back in Egypt for the season and Amelia has two goals in mind- work the pyramids and tombs of Dashur and track down the 'Master Criminal'. When mayhem assaults them before they even leave Cairo in the form of a kidnapping, a room invasion, and a murder, Amelia's to-do list just gets longer, but never fear, she is up to it. Hijinks ensue and now familiar narrator Susan O'Malley had the telling of it.
Lion in the Valley is a re-read for me and first time on audio. I quite enjoyed it, but I realized this time around that there was a lot of writerly distraction with the plot not quite as crisp as earlier books. Like Emerson, I was heartily sick of the term 'Master Criminal' along with whatever flowery verbal excess preceded or followed the epitaph.
Ramses was a hoot with his long-winded diatribes and Machiavellian means of getting around his parents' strictures as well as thinking circles around everyone else about the dig and about the criminals and even about romance (that sex talk he had with Emerson left me laughing). Though, kudos to Emerson for being more on track than his spouse when he did very little poking around and stuck to his dig.
This was where the looseness in the plot was most visible to me as the mysteries were not that hard and Amelia was obtuse because she was too focused on her pet theory. I suspect this was meant to be part of the comedy element which is a fun addition. I have to admit the big suspense moments near the end was a lavish over the top twist that was more hilarious than anything else. I confess I was particularly taken by the description of Emerson bursting through that door (sorry, that's just a tease since I won't spoiler).
While the previous book, The Mummy's Case, is where the Master Criminal is first introduced. Lion in the Valley is the first book that brings him forward into the spotlight and makes it possible for him to become a recurring character in the series. And, this entry is what sets the tone for the books that follow when it comes to this individual's presence which is different in tone from the earlier book. I confess to having a soft spot for this, ahem, diabolical criminal.
The murder mystery and the situation with Enid, Ronald, and Donald was background at best. It is tangled up in the other plot thread so that it seemed to get short shift. And, the parts that were given more time had more to do with the romance pair than the mystery surrounding them.
Susan O'Malley has a pleasant voice, but I like the husky and stentorian quality she can achieve when voicing Amelia and Emerson especially during one of their 'refreshing discussions' and I appreciate the way she can do Ramses making him sound more boy genius.
I know I make it sound like I was disappointed, but in point of fact, I was only a little, though yes, I could have done with more time spent on Egyptology and less monologuing about master criminals. I appreciate the heavy dose of humor and the light adventure of these set against the backdrop of Egypt in the latter part of the nineteenth century. I am eager to press forward to the next book.
Lion in the Valley is a re-read for me and first time on audio. I quite enjoyed it, but I realized this time around that there was a lot of writerly distraction with the plot not quite as crisp as earlier books. Like Emerson, I was heartily sick of the term 'Master Criminal' along with whatever flowery verbal excess preceded or followed the epitaph.
Ramses was a hoot with his long-winded diatribes and Machiavellian means of getting around his parents' strictures as well as thinking circles around everyone else about the dig and about the criminals and even about romance (that sex talk he had with Emerson left me laughing). Though, kudos to Emerson for being more on track than his spouse when he did very little poking around and stuck to his dig.
This was where the looseness in the plot was most visible to me as the mysteries were not that hard and Amelia was obtuse because she was too focused on her pet theory. I suspect this was meant to be part of the comedy element which is a fun addition. I have to admit the big suspense moments near the end was a lavish over the top twist that was more hilarious than anything else. I confess I was particularly taken by the description of Emerson bursting through that door (sorry, that's just a tease since I won't spoiler).
While the previous book, The Mummy's Case, is where the Master Criminal is first introduced. Lion in the Valley is the first book that brings him forward into the spotlight and makes it possible for him to become a recurring character in the series. And, this entry is what sets the tone for the books that follow when it comes to this individual's presence which is different in tone from the earlier book. I confess to having a soft spot for this, ahem, diabolical criminal.
The murder mystery and the situation with Enid, Ronald, and Donald was background at best. It is tangled up in the other plot thread so that it seemed to get short shift. And, the parts that were given more time had more to do with the romance pair than the mystery surrounding them.
Susan O'Malley has a pleasant voice, but I like the husky and stentorian quality she can achieve when voicing Amelia and Emerson especially during one of their 'refreshing discussions' and I appreciate the way she can do Ramses making him sound more boy genius.
I know I make it sound like I was disappointed, but in point of fact, I was only a little, though yes, I could have done with more time spent on Egyptology and less monologuing about master criminals. I appreciate the heavy dose of humor and the light adventure of these set against the backdrop of Egypt in the latter part of the nineteenth century. I am eager to press forward to the next book.
June 27, 2022
I have to admit I did not enjoy this installment as much as the three prior ones that I have read. I'm not absolutely positive of the reason, but I think it was too soon after reading The Mummy Case. This was very much a continuation of that story having Amelia looking for the Master Criminal. This one begins with a murder and continues with the purported suspects turning up at the Emerson archeaological diggings. There follows much skulduggery and confusion.
The narrative throughout the series purports to be from Amelia's diary and published after her death. She can say what she pleases. Amelia's characterization is that of the ultra feminist. She is full of her self and her own opinions, including that men are inferior creatures. Despite that inferior creature thing, she has the hots for her husband. But this is all set in Victorian times so they must not let on in front of other people.
I have no way of telling this so that it sounds as laugh out loud funny as the author makes it. But that was also part of the problem of my reading these too close together. It is fun to laugh at and with Amelia, but the same joke told too often (or too soon!) wasn't as funny. I have several more in the series and I have no intention of abandoning it. But I might give myself some time before reading #5. This is 3-stars, probably falling toward the top of that group.
The narrative throughout the series purports to be from Amelia's diary and published after her death. She can say what she pleases. Amelia's characterization is that of the ultra feminist. She is full of her self and her own opinions, including that men are inferior creatures. Despite that inferior creature thing, she has the hots for her husband. But this is all set in Victorian times so they must not let on in front of other people.
I have no way of telling this so that it sounds as laugh out loud funny as the author makes it. But that was also part of the problem of my reading these too close together. It is fun to laugh at and with Amelia, but the same joke told too often (or too soon!) wasn't as funny. I have several more in the series and I have no intention of abandoning it. But I might give myself some time before reading #5. This is 3-stars, probably falling toward the top of that group.
June 1, 2010
Perhaps my favorite Amelia Peabody Emerson mystery yet! Elizabeth Peters isn't exactly a brilliant mystery novelist as far as the mystery part is concerned, but she does, indeed, craft a fun tale -- and she's created two very charming lead characters whose banter more than makes up for any deficiencies as far as the mystery is concerned. Thankfully any issues which cropped up in the past few novels and proved to be irritating (aka Ramses and his speech defect) have been firmly dealt with and reasonably worked around. True, things are a bit formulaic and yes, there are several things that the reader just needs to accept and roll with, but hey, I felt more entertained by this book than I have by the previous two installments and this firmly planted me in the pro-Peters camp so that I know I'll keep reading the series, so clearly the book is a very welcome chapter in the lives of Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson.
In Lion in the Valley, the Emerson family heads to Egypt for a season spent excavating at Dahshoor. They acquired this coveted site after events from the previous novel saw them all imprisoned in the black pyramid at Dahshoor and young Ramses may or may not have helped the Director of Antiquities to a rich and exciting find. Even with such glorious pyramids, though, one could not think that Amelia Peabody Emerson would be so content as to ignore the danger from the Master Criminal, that fiend who runs a black-market antiquities ring. Those readers who were growing a bit annoyed at the constant speculation on such a character will be quite pleased with this novel, where considerable progress is made towards unmasking the devil, or at least learning more about his (her?) passions and methods.
The Emersons have a talent for "adopting" down-on-their-luck Englishmen (a role filled just as often by Englishwomen, though) and this holds true here. They run across a young man named Nemo (or such is the name he selects from himself) who is obviously a well-bred Englishman (or Scot) even if he is dirty, dressed as an Arab, and has clearly been smoking opium. After Nemo saves Ramses from potentially being abducted, Emerson insists that they take in this stray and assigns him the role of Ramses-caretaker (no one is much surprised that this post is never filled by one person for more than one book). Not to be outdone, Peabody has her own idea as to who should be taken under her wing this trip when she learns the identity of a young lady named Miss Enid Debenham, an heiress seen in the company of the scheming Kalenischeff. Of course, when Kalenischeff is found dead in her room and Miss Debenham is nowhere to be found, there is some question as to whether or not the lady can look after herself. Naturally, of course, there's plenty of romantic backstory to entangle "Nemo" and Enid and that all plays a role as the Emersons try to determine who killed Kalenischeff, who is behind the antiquities smuggling ring, and who seems to be sending Amelia little tokens of love...
Of primary importance to me in this particular volume was the fact that Ramses has mostly outgrown any speech defects that rendered his soliloquies quite irritating. Now the boy is merely tiresome, but his parents seem to share the same opinion as this reader and so they are frequently cutting the boy off... of course, this often has the obvious effect of silencing the astute young child when he's about to supply a crucial bit of information, thus leading to confusion and drama, but so it goes. The somewhat harder to swallow storyline involves the identity of the master criminal and his true passions... for even if we can adore Amelia Peabody, let's face it... she was initially described in the first book as a pretty solid spinster entirely out of fashion and unless love has totally transformed her, I'm finding it pretty hard that this mastermind has worshipped her from afar. Be that as it may, at least we do get to interact with this genius of crime and we get to see Emerson fume and fuss with jealousy as Amelia bumbles on, oblivious until it's all immediately in her face (or lap). Peters seems to have allowed herself to be a touch more romance-y in each novel, though it's not like there's anything graphic. Perhaps it's simply that she's a little freer with the jokes on this topic, as with a particularly funny exchange when Miss Debenham comments that she heard such strange noises in the desert during the night... all these cries and moans. It's rather quite cute to see Peters add in those small touches while, thankfully, refraining from totally veering into romance novel territory. As passionate as Peabody and Emerson might be, I rather prefer the pan off into the sunset technique as far as they're concerned.
Since I was a little disappointed with The Mummy Case, I was all the more pleased to see that Peters had produced quite a pleasant addition to her series with Lion in the Valley. By this point, most readers will have decided if they're jumping ship on the series or sticking it out and, unsurprisingly, I shall continue to read. The good thing, though, is the fact that these don't particularly require the reader to devour them with great speed, so I feel like I can stretch out my enjoyment to savor these books from this point on, dipping into my stash whenever a rainy day permits.
In Lion in the Valley, the Emerson family heads to Egypt for a season spent excavating at Dahshoor. They acquired this coveted site after events from the previous novel saw them all imprisoned in the black pyramid at Dahshoor and young Ramses may or may not have helped the Director of Antiquities to a rich and exciting find. Even with such glorious pyramids, though, one could not think that Amelia Peabody Emerson would be so content as to ignore the danger from the Master Criminal, that fiend who runs a black-market antiquities ring. Those readers who were growing a bit annoyed at the constant speculation on such a character will be quite pleased with this novel, where considerable progress is made towards unmasking the devil, or at least learning more about his (her?) passions and methods.
The Emersons have a talent for "adopting" down-on-their-luck Englishmen (a role filled just as often by Englishwomen, though) and this holds true here. They run across a young man named Nemo (or such is the name he selects from himself) who is obviously a well-bred Englishman (or Scot) even if he is dirty, dressed as an Arab, and has clearly been smoking opium. After Nemo saves Ramses from potentially being abducted, Emerson insists that they take in this stray and assigns him the role of Ramses-caretaker (no one is much surprised that this post is never filled by one person for more than one book). Not to be outdone, Peabody has her own idea as to who should be taken under her wing this trip when she learns the identity of a young lady named Miss Enid Debenham, an heiress seen in the company of the scheming Kalenischeff. Of course, when Kalenischeff is found dead in her room and Miss Debenham is nowhere to be found, there is some question as to whether or not the lady can look after herself. Naturally, of course, there's plenty of romantic backstory to entangle "Nemo" and Enid and that all plays a role as the Emersons try to determine who killed Kalenischeff, who is behind the antiquities smuggling ring, and who seems to be sending Amelia little tokens of love...
Of primary importance to me in this particular volume was the fact that Ramses has mostly outgrown any speech defects that rendered his soliloquies quite irritating. Now the boy is merely tiresome, but his parents seem to share the same opinion as this reader and so they are frequently cutting the boy off... of course, this often has the obvious effect of silencing the astute young child when he's about to supply a crucial bit of information, thus leading to confusion and drama, but so it goes. The somewhat harder to swallow storyline involves the identity of the master criminal and his true passions... for even if we can adore Amelia Peabody, let's face it... she was initially described in the first book as a pretty solid spinster entirely out of fashion and unless love has totally transformed her, I'm finding it pretty hard that this mastermind has worshipped her from afar. Be that as it may, at least we do get to interact with this genius of crime and we get to see Emerson fume and fuss with jealousy as Amelia bumbles on, oblivious until it's all immediately in her face (or lap). Peters seems to have allowed herself to be a touch more romance-y in each novel, though it's not like there's anything graphic. Perhaps it's simply that she's a little freer with the jokes on this topic, as with a particularly funny exchange when Miss Debenham comments that she heard such strange noises in the desert during the night... all these cries and moans. It's rather quite cute to see Peters add in those small touches while, thankfully, refraining from totally veering into romance novel territory. As passionate as Peabody and Emerson might be, I rather prefer the pan off into the sunset technique as far as they're concerned.
Since I was a little disappointed with The Mummy Case, I was all the more pleased to see that Peters had produced quite a pleasant addition to her series with Lion in the Valley. By this point, most readers will have decided if they're jumping ship on the series or sticking it out and, unsurprisingly, I shall continue to read. The good thing, though, is the fact that these don't particularly require the reader to devour them with great speed, so I feel like I can stretch out my enjoyment to savor these books from this point on, dipping into my stash whenever a rainy day permits.
August 21, 2022
Satirical . Snarky . Hilarious
Audio Reviewed: 08-05-22
This series is indeed addictive .
Currently on an Amelia Peabody listening binge and enjoying every minute of it.
Barbara Rosenblat narration is a big part of why I am having so much fun with these books. She has very distinctive and fitting voices for all characters ; that being Egyptians , British, Americans , etc., She is awesome.
Audio Reviewed: 08-05-22
This series is indeed addictive .
Currently on an Amelia Peabody listening binge and enjoying every minute of it.
Barbara Rosenblat narration is a big part of why I am having so much fun with these books. She has very distinctive and fitting voices for all characters ; that being Egyptians , British, Americans , etc., She is awesome.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews