The Deeds of the Disturber

The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 5

By: Elizabeth Peters

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

After an adventurous season spent excavating at Dahshoor, and narrowly averting the clutches of the Master Criminal, Victorian Egyptologist Amelia Peabody Emerson and her spouse prepare for a quiet summer in England. The social and domestic routine, though interrupted by the precocious escapades of their only child, Ramses, hardly seems much of a challenge for the indomitable Emersons.

But, rest assured, dear reader...domesticity does not prevail. When a night watchman mysteriously dies in front of the mummy Lady Henutmehit in the Egyptian room of the British Museum, Amelia is on the scene with her trusty parasol, ready to do battle with the malignant mummy.

Despite the appearance of an ancient sem priest and cryptic notes in hieroglyphics, Amelia surmises that a less-ancient villain is at work, a villain with evil plans for select members of the British archeological community, including her beloved Emerson. Is the villain plotting Emerson's demise, or something even more sinister?

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

©1988 Elizabeth Peters (P)1993 Recorded Books, Inc.

Enjoyable series

I read the entire series decades ago. But the audiobooks really bring the characters to life. Rosenblat does a marvelous job narrating the stories. I love the story line and the details of family life in the 1800’s in Egypt and London.

Lovely story

Kept my attention and kept me guessing at the various plot twists. The narrator was excellent.

Excellent narrator!

I would not recommend starting the Amelia Peabody books with this, #5 in the series. But if you you've been to the British Museum - or imagine yourself there - with all the politics and machinations of archeologists back on their home turf? Add in murders, and it's a fun who done it.

Note: if you dislike children in your mysteries, Ramses will drive you nuts. A more precocious child cannot be imagined. In the long arc of the series, there are all sorts of nuggets that point to his future adult careers (or disguises). And, incidentally, a potential fatal flaw with the woman of his dreams. But that's all for the future.

I love the original narrator for this series, and have purchased them all from Audible. There is also a cast production available if that's your preference

Fun

This is an enjoyable and fun book. I have the entire Peabody series and find them easy listening.

My favorite in the series so far!

This is the 5th book in the Amelia Peabody series that I have read and it was my favorite.

The two cousins of Ramses were added to the story, and that made the story more entertaining with the cousins different personalities. I love Ramses; so I enjoyed seeing his interactions with these children.

I loved the love story between Amelia and Emerson. They are such a great couple.

You still get the murder and the mystery in the plot, but the whole family plot is excellent too.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audible!

Barbara Rosenblat, the narrator, was also superb.

Excellent Story and Narrator

Another entertaining story from the archeological detectives. Barbara Rosenblat's narration is spot on and adds energy to all the characters.

Wonderful as always!

Barbara Rosenblatt's reading of Elizabeth Peters' fun, well-developed characters is superb! Smart, funny, and interesting, yet wonderfully touching at the same time.

CURSES PEABODY..!!.. Jealousy Doesn’t Become You..!!

While this is absolutely my favorite series to date via Audible,.. and Barbara Rosenblat is my all time favorite audio performer.. I was nonetheless disappointed that the old jealousy chestnut was used.. tiresome..
Hurry up Peabody.. get back to Egypt, where you belong..!!.

Another Entertaining Listen

I enjoyed the “different” (London) setting and domestic, romantic, and familial (niece and nephew) conflicts. I love that after more than 10 years of marriage they are still so much in love. Lots going on in this story, never a dull moment. I did actually guess the culprit this time, but really, the mystery is only part of my pleasure in these books. A great portion is due to the fabulous narration of Barbara Rosenblatt, who imbues each character with distinct personality (voices, accents, and style of speaking).

First-Rate Mystery and Characters

I have read and/or listened to almost all of the Amelia Peabody books, but somehow I missed this one. Turns out it's one of the best.

"The Deeds of the Disturber" is unique in that it takes place entirely in England, rather than in turn-of-of-the-(20th)-century Egypt where the rest of these stories happen. Over the summer (the "off" season for Egyptian archaeological excavations) Emerson is determined to finish his "History of Ancient Egypt" for Oxford University Press, and Amelia and their son Ramses (who I judge to be about 10 at this point in the Peabody epic) accompany him to London. Of course they are caught up in a mystery, this one triggered by shenanigans surrounding a mummy plundered from Egypt by a British aristcrat and recently donated to the British Museum.

In addition to solving the mystery and furthering the romance of a feisty female journalist (an extreme rarity in the 1890s) and dealing with a totally obnoxious niece and nephew foisted on her for the summer by her despicable (and up until now estranged) brother, Amelia must cope with heretofore unknown feelings of jealousy for a beautiful Egyptian woman from Emerson's past, now encountered managing a London opium den.

Ramses has always been my favorite character in this series, and I particularly enjoy him as the super precocious, hyper loquacious little chap he is here. He's not so much fun as an adult (the characters age realistically over the 30-35 years covered by the books), but I love him just the same.

These are all great books, although their distinctive style means I usually take a break between them. I wouldn't start on this one (which is #5) without having read at least "The Crocodile on the Sandbank" (#1) and "The Lion in the Valley" (#4). And make SURE you get the Barbara Rosenblat narrations, any others pale by comparison.