Mertz/Peters/Michaels discussion

Is this group active at all?

I'd like it to be... :) What would you like to talk about? What's your favorite Mertz/Michaels/Peters book?

I'm guessing everyone is gearing up for the new Amelia Peabody mystery due out in April. I like the early ones when Ramses was a boy.

I like those best, too, Robin. I am the biggest fan, though, of the Michaels books and the stand alone Peters works.

I do like the Vicky Bliss ones, but I love Amelia and Emerson. There is something so quintessentially Victorian about Amelia. It's nothing specific. Just something that is there. I've often wondered what would happen if Amelia would ever meet Sherlock Holmes what her impressions would be. I think I would like that. How about you?

I guess that Ihave always been intrigued by the ghost story element of Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters. I have never found anyone else who writes quite like her. Does anyone have some suggestions. I like the nice balance of an historical ghost type mystery with a little bit of the romance.

I recently read Neil Gaiman's book THE GRAVEYARD BOOK which is not at all like Barbara Michaels except that the ghostly portion of the book (all of it!) is very well done with some very amusing parts.

Hmmm... I am always on the search for more authors like her. Meg O'Brien wrote one good gothic one-- I'll Love You Til You Die I think it was called. Otherwise, I like some of Phyllis A. Whitney's stuff. I love Deanna Raybourn for a wonderful gothic English series with Lady Julia Grey. Her humor and great characterization remind me a lot of Michaels/Peters. Caroline Llewellyn has a couple good novels I recently read. Others I like:

Phil Rickman (great series with a female vicar who does "Deliverance" work.. sees ghosts, etc. It's amazing. Rickman is agnostic by the way. He has some great standalones as well).

Dorothy Eden's 'Winterwood' is good

Anya Seton's 'Dragonwyck' is amazing... it's an old one.

A.N. Wilson's 'A Jealous Ghost' is one of my favorites...

Frances Fyfield's 'Without Consent'

My book shelf has many, many others, but it's not too organized. I need to tackle it someday! :)

Got the new Amelia Peabody mystery. Can't wait to read it. My Mom took it first so I'll be the good daughter and share, but I can't wait!

The new Amelia was OK; not the best but nowhere near as horrible as some others (hem hem guardian hem hem).

I haven't read it yet... sure I'll pick it up in the library soon. As I mentioned, though, I'm biased toward the Michaels set or the Gothic Peters novels. I sent Barbara Mertz a fan letter at one point a couple years ago (yes, I did... a one and only letter of that kind) and asked if she thought she'd be doing any more of that sort. She replied "one never knows." :)

She just had to be tantalizing, didn't she? :)

Hello-- just joined. Lisa, I also wish that Michaels was writing something other than Amelia Peabodys. Though, the long awaited Vicky Bliss sequel was a bit of a disappointment.... I would love to find other writers like her but they are few and far between. I do like the Deanna Raybourn and some like KearsleyThe Shadowy Horses and some Lillian Stewart Carl Dust to Dust

I had not read that one by Kearsley, but I have read another one that was pretty good. I have not been able to get into Stewart Carl. I have tried. I find one off good novels like the Michaels' set, but there is still no author who compares on the whole. It has been a really long time since I have read about half of the Michaels' set. I think I'm going to reread those this next year.:)

Hi everyone!
I also am a big fan of Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters and wish she'd go back to her paranormal suspense stand-alones. I stopped the Amelia Peabody series after about book #6 or so. I liked Amelia ok, but gotta admit I'm tired of her and her exploits.

Loved the Vicky Bliss series (Trojan Gold is one of my all time favorite books), but I agree with Melanie that the latest VB wasn't very enjoyable.

As for new writers, I have to say that Susanna Kearsley tops my list and is the closest I can find to writing in the Barbara Michaels or Mary Stewart vein. She's just not very well known in the US, which is a shame.

Hi, Hannah. I am just reading one of hers right now. Kearsley's, that is. I like her, but she doesn't have the umph or something that Michaels has. I don't know what it is. LOL.

I am also reading a standalone by an author named Joyce Harrington. It's not paranormal suspense, but it's a good suspense novel. I am always looking for good writers. I listed a few above that I like like Caroline Llewellyn for suspense, but she only has a couple books, I think.

Lisa wrote: "I am also reading ..."

I'm going to look up some of the writers you and some of the others here had mentioned. I miss the golden age of gothics (I'm of a "certain age" - lol). Some of the newer writers don't impress me very much, but I keep looking.

Hi, Hannah. I don't mean to get off of the Michaels topic, but who are some of your other favorites (of the oldies)? I was in heaven today because I found a great used bookstore with 80K books and a whole, huge gothic section. I found a bunch of authors to try and will be rating those books as I get through them. :)

Hi Im Sandi..I was hoping I could find a group related to Elizabeth Peters..my daughter gave me the Vicki Bliss novels to try as she thought I would like them as I like my mystery with a "touch of romance" and I like "medeveil" settings as well. Is book 6 of Vicki Bliss the last one? I would like to try the Amelia ones as I like egypt settings..but there are so many! I have Deanna Rayburn..havent read yet..read some of Susanna Kearsley's..umm..found a little boring.Its so hard to find a mystery with romance! would love to hear some recommends..

I have a couple of recommends..author Sharan Newman writes the "catherine le vendeur" mysteries ( has romance as well) 10 books in the series to date starting with Death Comes As Epiphany also by Cassandra Clark Hangman Blindand The Red Velvet Turnshoeand The Law of Angels has "romantic elements" just to keep you hanging..

Lisa..how about an profile picture to catch the eye of others to find us? relating to the series? or reading? I have a few if you'd like...

Hi, Sandi. That sounds great. :) Can you post it? If not, you can send it to me, and I'll figure it out...

Sandi, have you read Mary Stewart? She is an oldie but a goodie.

Lisa wrote: "Hi, Hannah. I don't mean to get off of the Michaels topic, but who are some of your other favorites (of the oldies)? I was in heaven today because I found a great used bookstore with 80K books and ..."

Lucky you! Most of my used bookstores don't carry the oldies anymore, so I get alot of mine at library book sales and through PaperbackSwap.

Some of my favorite writers and/or books are:
- Mary Stewart (the queen of romantic suspense IMO)


- M.M. Kaye (my favorite writer of all time). Kaye wrote a series of mysteries called the "Death in...". My favorites are:


- Daphne duMaurier (of course!). Rebecca has to be be my all time favorite gothic. She also wrote a creepy short story called Don't Look Now:


- Susan Hill is another favorite. Her book, The Woman in Black is short and creepy as well.

- Monica Heath wrote alot of gothics in the 1960's and 1970's:

I liked her alot when I was younger, but need to re-read some of hers to see what I think of them now.

- Victoria Holt. She was great fun as a teenager, but I re-read some of hers not long ago, and they weren't as fun. However, I still think On the Night of the Seventh Moon is probably her best gothic.

- Aola Vandergriff wrote 3 novels in her "Wyndspelle"
series that were good:


- Florence Hurd wrote some good, gothic-y, supernatural stuff:


- Carola Salisbury wrote one with a nice twist:


- and Noel Vreeland Carter wrote one of my favorite gothics ever:


I'll try to think of more later.

Sandi wrote: "I have a couple of recommends..author Sharan Newman writes the "catherine le vendeur" mysteries ( has romance as well) 10 books in the series to date starting with [book:Death Comes ..."

Hi Sandi!
I also liked Sharan Newman's Catherine leVendeur series. Very good.

More:
James Herbert:


Barbara Erskine:

Lisa wrote: "Hi, Sandi. That sounds great. :) Can you post it? If not, you can send it to me, and I'll figure it out..."

Lisa..I have pictures of Egypt...or of a lady reading..a bookroom?..give me an idea of what you are looking for & I will upload to this group's photos..unless you what a cover of one of Elizabeth Peters books as your "group profile pic" I dont know how to do that...my own pic"s I can..

Melanie wrote: "Sandi, have you read Mary Stewart? She is an oldie but a goodie."

Hi Melanie..does her books have any romance in them? can you remember the names of some?

OH wow!!! Hannahr..what great recommends! :) thank you! my used book stores dont carry or take the "older" good books anymore either...but Im going to hunt some of these down!have you read by Margaret Lawrence Hearts and Bones and The Burning Bride Blood Red Rosesthese were good.

I didnt know M.M.Kaye wrote mystery! I read her other books ..oh and Rebbeca yes thats a good one!and I LOVE Barbara Erskine have all her books.

Hey Lisa...if we get some really good recommends here and they are not hard to find...maybe a group read? anyone interested?

Sandi wrote: "OH wow!!! Hannahr..what great recommends! :) thank you! my used book stores dont carry or take the "older" good books anymore either...but Im going to hunt some of these down!have you read by [auth..."

Hi Sandi - yes! I remember reading that trilogy by Margaret Lawrence and really enjoyed them.

Another good writer of suspense is Sharyn McCrumb's "Ballad Series", of which this one was my favorite:
[book:She Walks These Hills|1187227]


I'd definitely be on board for a group read.

Hannahr..I have seen her books & thought of trying..is the Ballad series to be read in order? or are they stand alones? and if so which is the firstin the series? ( I know the used book store has these)

Sandi,
I'm pretty sure this is the order for the first 4 in the ballad series. She has others in the series, but I've not read them yet and I'm not sure of the order after #4.

It's been some years since I read them, but I'm pretty sure they are loosely interwoven, so if you can, read them in order.

Hope this helps :)

1. If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O

2. The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

3. She Walks These Hills

4. Rosewood Casket

Thank-you! :) I wrote those down to take wth me to the bookstore! lots of good recommends here for a group read already!

I just found this group. I love Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels, so I just wanted to give this thread a bump.

I've read all of them, and although they weren't all winners, there is just something about her style and humor that I love.

Has anyone listened to them in audio read by Barbara Rosenblat? She is the epitomy of Amelia Peabody!

L.G. wrote: "I just found this group. I love Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels, so I just wanted to give this thread a bump..."

Hi L.G.!
This board's been quiet for a while now, hasn't it?

I like Peters/Michaels, too. I always liked her more sarcastic heroines, and of course she knows how to craft a creepy, atmospheric ghost story.

One of my minor quibbles with her is that her books are more dated then most, mainly due to the fact that she sprinkles too many period details in her books (i.e. The Beatles, hippies, pop songs of the day). That distracts me a bit.

I've not heard Rosenblat, but that's due to the fact I don't listen to audio books. Sounds like she's good!

Hannah wrote: "L.G. wrote: "I just found this group. I love Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels, so I just wanted to give this thread a bump..."

Hi L.G.!
This board's been quiet for a while now, hasn't it?

I..."

I agree she does date them. My husband picked them up in audio for a road trip we were on because he had heard me talk about them so much.

We had listened to other audio books on trips and we both agreed that she did the best audio book reading we'd ever heard.

I'm going to try out the Ballad Series that you recommended.

L.G. wrote: "I'm going to try out the Ballad Series that you recommended..."

It's been a while since I read them, but I remember enjoying them. Hope they prove a winner for you.

Great to see someone shaking this group up besides me. Welcome!

I love all the Elizabeth Peters books in all three series (not all equally, of course). I don't care if some are a bit dated. The stand-alones and Barbara Michaels books I have not liked as much, but I am happy to talk about Amelia, Vicky, and Jacqueline (never Jackie!) any time.

Ammie Come Home was my first exposure to MPM and I've been in love with her writing ever since. Doesn't matter which name she writes under or whether it's a series or stand-alone. I feel like I'm having a treat every time I pick up one of her books.

I read several of her books in the past and kept meaning to read some more but kept putting it off. Since her passing, I've been buying as many of her books at the local Friends of the Library bookstores and book sales so that I can finally attempt to read all of them. She is my favorite author, especially her Barbara Michaels' books.