Part of Amelia Peabody, book 13
First published 2002
Amelia Peabody refuses to let world war and submarines stop her annual trip to Egypt in 1915. She travels with her son Ramses, his wife Nefret, and several unwanted companions on a perilous voyage to Alexandria and then Cairo. The city has become a military stronghold crawling with spies and bold tomb robbers who strip ancient sites bare. Amelia's main goal is keeping the War Office from recruiting Ramses again for the deadly intelligence work that nearly killed him last year. The family retreats to remote Luxor seeking safety, but Amelia discovers a fresh body placed inside an ancient tomb. This grim find drags the Emersons into their most dangerous case yet, a web of corruption and international espionage that threatens them all. Even worse, clues suggest one of Amelia's oldest enemies may return to change their fate forever. The investigation leads toward an archaeological find of extraordinary significance and the return of an ancient voice.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, archaeology
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, family-drama, found-family
Setting: Egypt, Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor
Period: 1915
496 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon