The Mummy Case (Amelia Peabody)

Having already read all the "Peabody" novels to date, listening to them again in audio is great! The mysteries are just right: they flow, the clues unfold so an astute reader can figure out the puzzle just as Amelia and Emerson do, maybe just a little ahead of them. The only reservation is that the reader is not British, so a little of the flavor is lost, but on the whole, she does a very good job. Get 'em all, and read them in order..that's the most fun!

I noticed that almost everyone who bought this book after its September 4, 2007 HARDCOVER release date found that this was a re-release of a 1985 book. I love Elizabeth Peters books (by whatever pen name she uses) and thought that AHA! It's A NEW RELEASE! I didn't even scroll down the screen for more information because it appeared to be a NEW Elizabeth Peters book. Unfortunately, if you're like me, by the time you read this review it will be too late. The header line for books should indicate when books are re-releases. I hope that the store will take note.

Otherwise, I would give this book the five stars it would have received twenty years ago.

The Mummy Case (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)

Stupid me...I was just doing a quick search and ordered this without looking too closely. Most people would have noticed that its a reprint with a new title.

I still have not received this book! I ordered it over a month ago and it is still not here. If I could rate this seller with ZERO STARS, I would. The seller is in the UK and has had extreme difficulty sending my product on time. I have emailed and keep hearing "It's on it's way". I did receive an email before Christmas stating that it wasn't their fault but the fault of U.S. Homeland Security. Oh please. Blame this lapse on yourself, not Customs. It's a paperback book, not drugs or medical supplies. If you are considering buying from this seller or others, please do yourself a favor and check where the seller is located. Buy American and save yourself the stress and hassle of trying to hunt down your product!

"The Mummy Case" was the third installment of Elizabeth Peters' Emerson and Peabody series. Peabody (Mrs. Emerson by this book) and Emerson are off to Egypt again where they become embroiled in mysteries involving murder and black market antiquities. But the mystery is secondary to the antics of Peter's delightful and very strong characters.

As always, Peabody is supremely self-confident and in control. The book is told in her voice, and Peter's does a masterful job of showing Peabody's foibles even through her own narration. This book introduces their son, Ramses as a character central to the story. Precocious fails to relate a fraction of the force of will that Peter's unleashed with Ramses. He is four years old in "The Mummy Case", and I can well imagine how this character will unfold as Peters ages him.

Highly recommended.

Spoiler alert: DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE SERIES.

I love this book! Amelia's spirited defense of Ramses with her parasol rates 5 stars all by itself! Also, the scene where they are trapped in the pyramid is one of my favorites in all the books.

Two more important characters are introduced. Selim and, most importantly, the Master Criminal. I enjoyed this twist the first time reading, but have to admit it grew a little annoying over time. Until, that is, I learned the Master Criminal's true identity. What a wonderful stroke of ingenuity. Only Ms. Peters could create a villain to embrace.

Oh, and it is hard to believe the Ramses in this book turns into the daring and dashing young man of future tomes.

One of my favorite books in the series.

Walter Peabody Emerson, better known by his nickname of Ramses, has lived with his uncle and aunt in England for most of his short life while his parents - Egyptologists Radcliffe Emerson and Amelia Peabody Emerson - have been busy with their shared profession. Never mind that Amelia, of course, cannot pursue any profession on her own merits in this era (turn of the 20th Century); for her beloved husband treats her as his equal, and her life with the father she once cared for has prepared her for the work she now pursues with a passion she hardly expects her small son to share. But when small Ramses finally joins his parents for a season of archaeological digging in Egypt, they quickly discover that the boy has absorbed all his Uncle Walter was willing to teach him; and they find that he is now ready to take his self-perceived place as a scientist in his own right. In between doing everything that a precocious little boy might think of to do, which drives more than one attendant assigned to him crazy!

Amelia Peabody never really intended to become a mother. That just happened to her as a natural consequence of her rather late marriage. She spends the time covered by this tale adjusting to taking care of her small son, while she works at solving one of the mysteries that invariably crop up whenever Amelia goes near the land of Egypt. The cultural complexities of this ancient place play a large role in the story, as do a trio of aggressive American missionaries, a German countess whose pet lion cub Ramses feels it's his duty to set free...an Egyptian antiquities dealer, who may or may not be part of a ring of grave robbers...a supposed Russian prince...and those are just a few of the quirky characters who move in and out of this tale.

Fast paced and often hilarious, this third book in the series has forced me to order the second installment. It was just plain fun to read!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 science fiction EPPIE winner "Regs"

Doubtless, not all mystery writers write the way that American Eliszabeth Peters does, and if any, it most likely British authors (like the Miss Marple mysteries). I first came across this bookwhile staying overnight at a friend's house whose home is practically a library in itself. The Elisabeth Peters mysteries are very popular in public libraries and although I had seen the covers before, they never drew enough attention to warrant my checking them out. But now that I've read "The Mummy Case", I'm hooked. It is without a doubt the most enjoyable mystery you will ever read. Although I'm late in my discovery of this already popular series, I can't wait to read more books from Miss Peters.

In this novel, written in the first person, Amelia Peabody tells of a particular archaeological excavation adventure she took with her husband, the brilliant Radcliffe Emerson, and their annoyingly precocious child Ramses. Everything about this novel is absolutely wonderful, and I highly recommend this book to all lovers of mystery, adventure, lovers of well-written novels in the English language and even lovers of comedy. First off, the character of Amelia Peabody. Most fictional detectives in literature from the time of Sherlock Holmes onward have been male. As Amelia is female, her character is a perfect role model of women's empowerment. Moms, even dads, if you have a daughter who is highly literate (she's read the Harry Potter books, etc) and shows definate interest in literature, PLEASE PLEASE make her read this book! Amelia Peabody is smart, sassy (in a good way), assertive, intelligent, perceptive, intellectual, "very English" but not overly proper, loving, caring, compassionate, charismatic. She is a great mother who has encouraged her 4 year old son to study archaeology and fomented his intellect. She seems to be a great wife, and definately not overly submissive to her husband (a great rarity considering this novel is set in the late 19th century)and is her husband's equal partner in life and in their joint careers as Egyptologists. Her only fault (and maybe it's not) is that she seems to want to dominate her husband. Now, I'm a feminist and believe in gender equality and marriage-teamwork, but it is just as bad for a woman to be the "dominant" one as it is for a man to be the dominant one. But even with her powerful nature, she is still a terrific character to read about. It's just that I noticed how there was a distinct tension/conflict between Amelia and Radcliffe but nothing big enough to warrant possible divorce. They are just both so very powerful.

Their son, Ramses, is an imperious, witty, verbose intellectual. And he's only 3 or 4 years old! Ramses's involvement in the excavation is the most hilarious aspect. He is so annoying, yet so loveable and is always getting himself into all kinds of trouble. One wonders how a movie version or tv series of these books would have fared. These characters are so wonderful it would have been, for me, highly entertaining to see them portrayed by a cast of actors.

As for Mr. Radcliffe Emerson, he's the typical educated 19th century upper-class Englishman. He's non-religious (and in fact he is even openly anti-Christian, as his confrontations with the Coptic Christians show us) and ruled by science, progress and philosophy. He's very domineering, described as ruggedly handsome but always just a step beneath the sleuth prowess of his wife. So basically, we have a Mr. and Mrs. Indiana Jones with the Mrs. Jones being the stronger character. Toward the end of the novel, Radcliffe Emerson, who found the Lost Gospel in the Bible, speculates what would later be the basis for The Da Vinci Code! Take in mind that this book was written in the 1980's, and Holy Grail, Holy Blood was in libraries and bookstores at the time. Radcliffe wonders if the Lost Gospel spoke of Jesus as the spouse of Mary Magdalene and the father of children. The novel is worth reading. The language sometimes appears pretentious, but we are reading about the 19th century and people who are very educated. Even if there are some big words that prompted me to use the dictionary or to learn about Egyptology, this is all a good thing. It is still so enjoyable a story that it will capture your imagination and have you laughing, theorizing and learning. Enjoy!

Loved this book! Great murder mystery to keep one guessing until the end. What a dynamic twist!

To list a few things I enjoy so much from this series...
* The husband and wife "tension" between Emerson and Amelia is hilarious to watch.
* The random tidbits about the Bible thrown in, sometimes satirically, which add a bit of character to Christianity, I must say.
* The ever-so-smart son, Ramses, who is just such a cutie.
* The Victorian archaeological setting in Egypt is divine.

Beautiful story! Can't wait for the next book.

Amelia gets better and better. In the previous books we've seen her acumen for mysteries and archaeology and she just keeps improving her investigation and excavation skills in this 3rd book in the series.
You are also reacquainted with Radcliffe Emerson(her husband, intellectual equal, and true partner). Their son, Walter Peabody Emerson (known as Ramses) comes along with them on the dig where he acquires a highly intelligent Egyptian brindled cat whom he promptly names Bastet after the Egyptian cat goddess. Ramses is extremely precocious, very funny, singularly stubborn, and always trying to find the loophole in his parents' edicts. He is a great contribution to the cast. We still get to see the great relationship between Emerson and Peabody (as they affectionately refer to each other) as well as their interaction with Ramses.
Amelia doesn't seem like a very demonstrative mother, but her love for her son is there. She's the kind of person who takes for granted that her family knows she loves them and prefers to show it through actions instead of words. (In the latest couple of additions to this series, we see her affection come out into the open more.)
Once again, Peters provides an intriguing mystery along with more great information on the early days of Egyptian archaeology and Ancient Egyptian culture. I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because I got lost a couple of times and had to go back and trace some of the story elements more than once in order to follow what was going on with the mystery. However, that does not mean this wasn't a great book.

This series continues to be wonderful with each book. Sequels can sometimes be a letdown, but book 3 has just as much energy and fun as book 1. Susan O'Malley is a wonderful narrator, lending each individual character their own unique style so you know exactly who is speaking without being told. Her comedic timing is excellent, and not over the top. Unlike, in my opinion, Barbara Rosenblat's versions of the books. I much prefer O'Malley, and would definitely recommend them to anyone. More O'Malley!
The mystery and murder in this book is slightly darker than the 2 previous books. The villains are a little more villainous, and the motives are a little more desperate. But there is no shortage of comedy, I promise you. For one thing, the Emersons bring along their son "Ramses" for the first time, along with his devoted pet, the Cat Bastet. Ramses, described by his mother as "catastrophically precocious," adds delightful chaos, and serves to show us some tender and powerful sides to our favorite husband and wife team, Amelia and Emerson. Some people have described Ramses' presence as annoying, but I disagree. Some of my very favorite moments in this book are full of Ramses' antics (one in particular involving a lion cub). And his very different relationships with each of his parents are both fascinating, and good fun.
I have only read the first 6 books in the Amelia Peabody series (because those are the only ones narrated by Susan O'Malley), but of the 6 I would say this book is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it!

are giving her fits! First there is her handsome, brilliant husband, Radcliffe Emerson, the emminent Egyptologist who finds himself once again being dragged away from his work by Amelia's escapades. Then the mysterious Master Criminal again wrecks havoc in the lives of the Emersons and their friends. The most exasperating 'man' in Amelia's life, however, turns out to be her precocious son 'Ramses'. By the time most children are struggling with their ABCs Ramses can both speak and read several languages including Arabic and was well versed in the family vocation of Eqyptology.

The Emersons set out for another season digging for ancient Eqyptian artifacts but soon find themselves swept up by a series of more modern mysteries and adventures.

The most charming aspects of this series are the hilarious Emerson family. Amelia and her tendancy to overestimate her abilities, and Emerson and his tendancy to underestimate them, are both confounded by their son's talents to keep them both struggling to keep up.

Ramses has a speech impediment (affectation?) that the author uses, I believe, to remind the reader that he is very young. The first few times it appears this device is rather cute but it does begin to wear thin after a time. He does outgrow it later in the series so bear with it for now. His precociousness brings a smile to anyone who can recall putting one over on an adult and bit of chagrin to any parent who has had a child put one over on them.

I love this series, particularly watching the characters grow and change with the times. The mysteries are intriguing, the action exciting and the comedy is delightful.

~ - ~ - ~
Amelia is married now, but no less independent, or strong willed! The romance certainly isn't gone either. This mystery is generally very light. But we meet a character Amelia dubs "The Master Criminal"
-~(You'll want to meet him right from the start, just in case he sneaks into the later books, Careful, you may have a hard time spotting this master of disguise!)
:- )
``Emerson is as loveably irascible as ever, though he has a soft spot for one very special person, and surprisingly enough it's not Amelia
Young, "catastrophically precocious" Ramses, son of Amelia and Emerson, really is the star of this story. He is constantly adorably mischevious,getting into trouble, and coming up with some startling clues of his own.
Ramses is certainly believable as a well-meaning little boy, who attracts trouble (and dirt) like a magnet.
~~~~I recommend this book heartily as it is the one that got me hooked on the series.
*****Great fun-not a very deep mystery, but you really will be having too much fun to care!

This novel is the third of the Amelia Peabody series and in my opinion the most enjoyable of the three.
In this episode, Ramses, the couple's son, though still very young, has developed his own personality and plays an important role.

The plot is expectedly quite unrealistic but the author's expertise as Egyptologist allows her to introduce a slew of details that provide a lot of verisimilitude.

What is truly original and amusing are the dialogues and descriptions by Amelia Peabody, the novel being written in the first person.

It provides exceptional entertainment and is warmly recommended, particularly of course to those with a special interest in ancient Egypt or archaeology.

This third book in the Amelia Peabody Emerson series is a great one. In it, the Peabody Emersons are once again headed to Egypt for the digging season. This time, however, they (and we) also get to me their son, called Ramses, as he also joins them. The mystery of this one is the usual mix of Egyptology, dastardly deeds, romance, and the indomitable Amelia. The addition of the talkative, often times know-it-all, adventurous Ramses is great; however, the ability of this child to know as much, if not more, than his parents is it hard to believe at time, but this is after all fiction. As usual, Ms. Peters leaves us with a better understanding of the beauty that is Egyptian history -- the woman knows her stuff. The great thing about this book is that there were times when I was actually on the edge of my seat, furiously reading the pages in order to find out what happened next. All in all, a great read and a lot of fun.

I enjoyed this Amelia Peabody story more than the first two. I found that it was more suspenseful, and there seemed to be really two story threads and two mysteries for Amelia and Emerson to solve. I also enjoyed their precocious little son (although the speech imdediment did get a bit tiresome). I am enjoying this series mainly because this man and his wife are both such strong and likeable characters who play against each other so well. There are a lot of laughs in this one as there usually is in an Amelia Peabody mystery. There's lot of Egyptian lore, and enough tension to keep your interest. Amelia and her Emerson set out to expose an organized group of thieves that are stealing antiquities, and supposedly these thieves are killing people along the way. Loads of fun.

This was my first adventure with an Amelia Peabody mystery. I found the Victorian setting intriguing as Egyptologist Peabody sniffs out a murder, hunts for a missing mummy case and copes with tomb robbers. Complicating the scenes are her irascible husband and precocious son. The youth's speech patterns and know-it-all manner become very irritating as the book progresses.

Indeed, the well-maintained Victorian mannerisms and speech patterns of Amelia Peabody made the story rather tedious at first, but it gained momentum. Her wry phrasing lends humor to the narrative and the character descriptions are vivid.

If you haven't tried one of these, it's probably best to start with the first one.

Amelia Peabody may sound like the name of a meek, proper, Victorian female, but very litte about Amelia is typical of women of her time. Amelia Peabody Emerson is actually a stubborn, headstrong, highly intelligent Egyptian archaeologist, with an unfortunate tendency to clumsiness. So is her husband. And her young son. And each of the three Emersons is convinced that they are correct, and the others incorrect. In their unique manner, this little family bumbles their way to the heart of both a pyramid and a mystery, both of which are fraught with danger. And let's not forget the help of the cat Bastet...

Generally speaking I've enjoyed the Amelia Peabody series, and I was fairly entertained by this one as well, with one major drawback: the character Ramses' dialog. His speech is baby talk (spelled phonetically) throughout the book, something I found extremely distracting for its saccharine sweetness. Unfortunately, Ramses is a prominent character, so his speech cannot be avoided easily.
Beyond the fact that the baby talk made the book difficult to read, I found it mildly insulting. I felt like the author didn't trust me to "get" the fact that Ramses is both very young and very intelligent, so the baby talk was there to continually remind me. I think Peters should have trusted her readers to pick up on Ramses' personality characteristics without having to be clubbed over the head with them every time the boy opened his mouth.

In Elizabeth Peters novel "the Mummy Case", the audience is introduced to her Egyptologist/detective heroine Amelia Peabody. Ms. Peabody finds herself, along with husband Emerson, and son Ramses involved in an archeological dig in Egypt. During the dig, a mysterious murder and theft take place concerning an antiques dealer. With this murder on hand, Amelia uses her keen and sharp intellectual skills to assist in solving the mystery and foiling the plans of the mastermind. Aside from the quality of intrigue in the novel, the use of historically factual places and artifacts allows a sense of realism that would be missing if not brought to the attention of the reader whether they are learned in Egyptian history or not. One example of this are references made to certain sites of historical importance, such as the temple at Deir el Bahri, where mummies of royal persons were placed after the original tombs had been robbed. Another example presented within the novel is the mentioning of the Twelfth dynasty, and the remains of the smaller pyramids built either in the early stages of pyramid building and the latter stages of Egypt's great dynasty. Throughout chapters 8 and 9 there are clear references to the "Bent pyramid" which was one of the original attempts of pyramid building before there had become a mastery of the art. For Peters to introduce particular pieces of Egyptian history in her novels displays her knowledge of the subject of Egyptology, allowing her to insert a sense of realism that some other fiction pieces lack, especially dealing with a particular part of history.

The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters
William Morrow, 1985
308 pages
Mystery; Amelia Peabody
Third in series

Summary: Amelia, her husband Emerson, and their son Ramses arrive in Egypt for another season of excavation and end up entwined in webs of murder, thievery, and religion.

Thoughts: I love the style in which this is written. I love Amelia as a character and her descriptions of everything. She is eminently sensible and yet romantic in her relationship with Emerson and she's very smart as one can see by her solving of mysteries.

I was annoyed by the fact that Ramses' speech was written phonetically so that "the" became "de", etc. I understand that he is young and precocious but that kind of thing always bothers me (whether it be French accent represented, Southern drawl, whatever, I hate it.) I was displeased with the attitude that Emerson displayed toward Christians as if they were the only people who ever killed in the name of religion, because um no they are not.

Overall: 4/5 I don't think this was an outstanding entry in the Amelia Peabody series but it will do.

Aside from the excellent writing, I love the Amelia character, not to mention her super-precocious son. The setting is fascinating as is the description of the archaeological methods employed at the time. Great read.

Generally speaking I've enjoyed the Amelia Peabody series, and I was fairly entertained by this one as well, with one major drawback: the character Ramses' dialog. His speech is baby talk (spelled phonetically) throughout the book, something I found extremely distracting for its saccharine sweetness. Unfortunately, Ramses is a prominent character, so his speech cannot be avoided easily.
Beyond the fact that the baby talk made the book difficult to read, I found it mildly insulting. I felt like the author didn't trust me to "get" the fact that Ramses is both very young and very intelligent, so the baby talk was there to continually remind me. I think Peters should have trusted her readers to pick up on Ramses' personality characteristics without having to be clubbed over the head with them every time the boy opened his mouth.

In Elizabeth Peters novel "the Mummy Case", the audience is introduced to her Egyptologist/detective heroine Amelia Peabody. Ms. Peabody finds herself, along with husband Emerson, and son Ramses involved in an archeological dig in Egypt. During the dig, a mysterious murder and theft take place concerning an antiques dealer. With this murder on hand, Amelia uses her keen and sharp intellectual skills to assist in solving the mystery and foiling the plans of the mastermind. Aside from the quality of intrigue in the novel, the use of historically factual places and artifacts allows a sense of realism that would be missing if not brought to the attention of the reader whether they are learned in Egyptian history or not. One example of this are references made to certain sites of historical importance, such as the temple at Deir el Bahri, where mummies of royal persons were placed after the original tombs had been robbed. Another example presented within the novel is the mentioning of the Twelfth dynasty, and the remains of the smaller pyramids built either in the early stages of pyramid building and the latter stages of Egypt's great dynasty. Throughout chapters 8 and 9 there are clear references to the "Bent pyramid" which was one of the original attempts of pyramid building before there had become a mastery of the art. For Peters to introduce particular pieces of Egyptian history in her novels displays her knowledge of the subject of Egyptology, allowing her to insert a sense of realism that some other fiction pieces lack, especially dealing with a particular part of history.

The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters
William Morrow, 1985
308 pages
Mystery; Amelia Peabody
Third in series

Summary: Amelia, her husband Emerson, and their son Ramses arrive in Egypt for another season of excavation and end up entwined in webs of murder, thievery, and religion.

Thoughts: I love the style in which this is written. I love Amelia as a character and her descriptions of everything. She is eminently sensible and yet romantic in her relationship with Emerson and she's very smart as one can see by her solving of mysteries.

I was annoyed by the fact that Ramses' speech was written phonetically so that "the" became "de", etc. I understand that he is young and precocious but that kind of thing always bothers me (whether it be French accent represented, Southern drawl, whatever, I hate it.) I was displeased with the attitude that Emerson displayed toward Christians as if they were the only people who ever killed in the name of religion, because um no they are not.

Overall: 4/5 I don't think this was an outstanding entry in the Amelia Peabody series but it will do.

Aside from the excellent writing, I love the Amelia character, not to mention her super-precocious son. The setting is fascinating as is the description of the archaeological methods employed at the time. Great read.

I'm a great supporter of the Amelia Peabody series but this one really bored me in the second half. The "mystery" was just dull and the secondary characters not interesting. I thought Curse of the Pharoahs was much better. I agree also that Ramses' "baby talk" was distracting. It gets three stars because as usual, the main characters are still hilarious and lovable. The first part of the book is great.

If you like dry, witty humor, cats, and occasional sexual undertones, you will love The Mummy Case. I found the Amelia Peabody series by purchasing a book because it had an Egyptian picture on the cover, and I love Egyptology. I am now hooked on Amelia, and am trying to get hardback copies of the entire series.

The Mummy Case is a definite must for Amelia/Emerson devotees, not to mention Rameses and de cat, Bastet!

Thank you Elizabeth Peters.

This book features Amelia's son Ramses in all his trouble-making glory, as well as the Emersons' first encounter with Sethos. It's hilarious, and the perfect book to read if you're looking for background on the later books without having to read all of the early volumes.

I have loved this entire series which I began years ago. Many of us who love these books want to collect them as well. PAPERBACK BOOKS ARE NOT FOR COLLECTING! Hardcopies of the first three can run hundreds of dollars if you can find a first edition. This is great because we can own a hardcopy without breaking the bank.