A River in the Sky

The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 19

By: Elizabeth Peters

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Elizabeth Peters brings back beloved Egyptologist and amateur sleuth Amelia Peabody in an exciting tale set amid the ancient temples and simmering religious tensions of Palestine on the eve of World War I.

August 1910. Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, are relaxing at home in Kent, enjoying the tranquil beauty of summer. But adventure soon beckons when they are persuaded to follow would-be archaeologist Major George Morley on an expedition to Palestine. Searching for the vanished treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem, Morley is determined to unearth the legendary Ark of the Covenant.

The skeptical Emerson wants no part of the scheme, until a request from the War Office and Buckingham Palace persuades him to reconsider. The Germans are increasing their influence in Palestine and British intelligence insists that Morley is an agent of the Kaiser, sent to stir up trouble in this politically volatile land. Emerson can't believe that the seemingly inept Morley is a German spy, but could he be mistaken?

Determined to prevent a catastrophically unprofessional excavation that could destroy priceless historical finds as well as cause an armed protest by infuriated Christians, Jews, and Muslims who view the Temple Mount, also known as the Dome of the Rock, as sacred, Amelia, Emerson, and company head to Palestine. Though it is not to her beloved Egypt, the trip to Jerusalem will also reunite her with her handsome and headstrong son, Ramses, working on a dig at Samaria, north of the holy city.

Before Ramses can meet his parents, however, he is distracted by an unusual party of travelers who have arrived in Samaria, including a German woman archaeologist and a mysterious man of unknown nationality and past. Unfortunately, Ramses's insatiable curiosity and his knack for trouble lead him to a startling discovery: information he must pass on to his parents in Jerusalem, if he can get there alive.

Don't miss the rest of the Amelia Peabody series. You can also check out more of our Most Addictive Series.

©2010 MPM Manor, Inc (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Once again, MWA Grandmaster Peters uses vivid settings, sharp characterizations, and deft dialogue to transport the reader to another time and place." ( Publishers Weekly)

A "Fun" Listen

What made the experience of listening to A River in the Sky the most enjoyable?

I am using my new iPod & Audible books to keep me on the treadmill longer and it is working! This book was delightful. I expect to start following "Peabody" around the Middle East on more of her early 20th century adventures. How timely! A backward looking telescope that gives us a kindly view of cultural events and attitudes that paved the way to where we are today - for better and worse.

Loved every minute

As always, Elizabeth Peters does not disappoint, and, also as always, Barbara Rosenblatt is THE BEST NARRATOR of any I've heard, which is many.

Ramses and Amelia face down a criminal together!

I really enjoyed this one, and it was fun to go back and remember the teenage characters before they mature into full adults. I really liked the whole scene with Amelia and Ramses "out in the field" together. I loved how they helped and annoyed each other. 😅 I laughed aloud several times even though I was in a public airport... Just couldn't help myself.

Barbara Rosenblat delivers again

I cannot imagine this series without the narration. Peabody & the cast of characters are brought to life so well! A Barbara fan forever!

Not your everyday Amelia Adventure

Any additional comments?

I love the Amelia Peabody books and have read and reread them for years. Now that I have many of them in audio form, I have listened to them yet again, enjoying every moment of this heightened experience.I didn't realize until a few days ago that I had never read A River In The Sky. What an oversight, I thought! And yet, I was excited that I had a "new" Amelia book to enjoy!I found Barbara Rosenblatt as entertaining as always. Her vocal acting is very good, and extremely expressive. Her voice has.matured, but that fits the characters.The book disappointed me. Many scenes and interactions seemed forced, without the banter and ease other books. I didn't care for the plot in general, and taking the characters out of Egypt was a mistake. I didn't care for the Lost Oasis stories, either, except that they gave us Nefret.It was an okay listen, but this will be my trying-to-go-to-sleep option, if anything, in the future.

One of Peters' Best

I only came across the Amelia Peabody series last year, and immediately listened to every book in succession (Rosenblat versions, of course). This was the last, and the more I listened to it, the more disappointed that made me. I don't know if Barbara realized it was her final chance to live with this character, but I laughed more at this novel than any other in the series. It may be that Elizabeth Peters spent that much longer tweaking the dialogue, or rather Amelia's overly self-confident monologue, but here, she is every bit the regal, unabashed Quixote I could wish her to be. It was a bit hard to get through the solemn Ramses exposition, but once Amelia took over I couldn't stop listening. The ending, though appropriately devious, was less climactic than I had hoped, but on the whole I was deeply satisfied with the experience.

Another Amazing Adventure

I have enjoyed listening to A River In The Sky . I am on the next book in this series.

Entertaining

This book was a departure from Egyptian archaeology and as a result made the reader stop and think about what they are reading. Amelia and Radcliffe Emerson and their 2 sons and daughter will take the reader on a trip into Palestine. And to keep from giving any spoilers, I'm going to leave it there. Just take my advice and read it if you want to be entertained.

Interesting "Flashback" story

The characters were at their best here! While I missed the fun Egyptian history tidbits, I think the intensity of the Ramses/David growth made up for it.

Thank you Ms Peters and Ms Rosenblat

Even despite some technical difficulties (the first downloaded section of the book did not break into chapters and would "bounce around" on its own), I found this book to be very enjoyable. There can be NO other reader for this series but Barbara Rosenblat. She really brings the characters to life. How she does the different characters (eg, Emerson, with his harumphs et al) is a mystery to me. Thank you both again for such a wonderful series.