The Curse of The Pharaohs

The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 2

By: Elizabeth Peters

Narrated by: Susan O'Malley

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The joys of home and hearth are about to drive Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody Emerson mad. While she and her husband, the renowned archaeologist Radcliffe Emerson, dutifully go about raising their son Ramses, she dreams only of the dust and detritus of ancient civilizations. Providentially, a damsel in distress - coupled with a promising archaeological site - demands their immediate presence in Egypt. The damsel is Lady Baskerville, and the site is a tomb in Luxor recently discovered by Sir Henry Baskerville - who promptly died under bizarre circumstances. The tabloids immediately scream "The Curse of the Pharaohs!"

Amelia and Radcliffe arrive to find the camp in disarray, the workers terrified, and a most eccentric group of guests. A ghost even appears.

This is not at all what Amelia considers an atmosphere conductive to scientific discovery. Never one to deny others the benefit of her advice and example, the indomitable Victorian sets about bringing order to chaos and herself that much closer to danger. How Amelia triumphs over the forces of evil - and those who would stand between her and her beloved antiquities - make for a delightfully spirited adventure.

Don't miss the rest of the Amelia Peabody series.

©1981 Elizabeth Peters (P)1999 Blackstone Audiobooks

Poor Narrator

Barbara Rosenblat is NOT the narrator. I did not look closely enough and assumed that “next in series” would automatically bring up the same narrator. It does not. Susan O’Malley has no British accent and mispronounces several words. Her style fails to differentiate the characters so it was difficult to follow when interrupted.

Fun bit of fluff vol. 2

I really enjoyed the second book in the Amelia Peabody series. It's not a hardcore detective series by any stretch, but thoroughly enjoying nevertheless. The banter between Amelia and her husband keeps you hooked.

Excellent story. Horrid narrator

The narrator does not use a British accent. Her American accent is a horrendous parody. The Irish accent, essential for a new character, is non-existent. The worst part: she reads the Peabody character as a shrew. Ruined a funny, clever story.

Narrator was full

What made the first audiobook super enjoyable was the narrator. I stuck with this one but she made it very boring unfortunately. The charm of Amelia is her quick whit and sarcasm. It isn’t full, but rather full of life and sass. This left the story feeling a bit drawn out rather than exciting.

women being able to figure things out

women figure things out and take action to solve mystery alongside men who appreciate her thinking

Fun character, dull plots, little historical/archeological detail.

The main characters (Amelia Peabody and her eventual husband) are amusing, if they hit you the right way, and the author clearly enjoys writing their dialogue and quirky dynamics. But that liveliness doesn’t seem to reach the plots and secondary characters, which are dull, and lacking in description or historical/archaeological detail which might have brought it all to life. If you enjoy the Peabody/Emerson dynamic,that may be enough to engage you, but by the time I tried the third in the series, it felt very repetitious.

personally I would skip from book 1 to book 10.

I personally think that Barbara Rosenblat is a much better narrator than Susan O'Malley but this is the version that is included in the audible subscription. I loved reading this series growing up and it is great to be able to listen to them as an adult. The first book is amazing, than it kinda gets a little boring in the middle of the series. I really like the end of the series too. I think that the ending of the second book is rushed and a little confusing.

Entertaining series

What did you love best about The Curse of The Pharaohs?

I really enjoyed this installment of Peabody's escapades. I enjoy the convaluted reasoning that Peabody uses to conclude the adventures that seem to seek her out. The stilted English persona's are very entertaining and the narrator really brings the characters to life.

Amelia's personality, and the reader's performance. The two together bring the whole book to life!

I loved the Characters, The reader, and the flow of the tale was enchanting. Especially the relationship between Peabody and Emerson.

Amazing

I loved the first novel and the follow up is as good, if not better than the first! Amelia Peabody is a fantastic character. These mysteries are an absolute delight. Written by an Egyptologist, the history and atmosphere are perfect. I’ve already picked up the next two.