Part of Amelia Peabody, book 12
First published 2001
Amelia Peabody and her husband Radcliffe Emerson arrive in Egypt for their 1914 archaeological season. Political tensions grip the country as war threatens to engulf Europe. Their son Ramses publicly champions pacifism while secretly working as a British spy alongside his cousin David. When Ramses rescues a woman named Molly, his characteristic charm wins over another admirer. The couple's excavation work takes an ominous turn when they discover an artifact from Giza that signals trouble ahead. The object confirms what Amelia fears most: their old adversary Sethos has returned to Egypt. As civil unrest spreads through the country and personal dangers multiply, the Emerson family must navigate both political upheaval and the renewed threat from their most cunning enemy. Amelia faces a season where archaeological discovery intertwines with espionage, family secrets strain against public facades, and past conflicts resurface to threaten everything she holds dear.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, mystery, archaeology, espionage
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Egypt, Giza
Period: 1914
512 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon