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4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
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4 star
12%
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2 star
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Fargoan
3.0 out of 5 stars not fully developed
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2020
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While this book got into the suspenseful action more quickly than Peters's Amelia Peabody series usually do, the overall action was never made fully clear regarding what the villains were up to, why Ramses and David had the experiences they did, and who helped them and why. And on the flip side of developing the suspense quickly, it resolved everything way too quickly, leaving readers with a rather foggy understanding of how the derring-do action fit into the overall arc of the plot.

Characters weren't developed at all, really -- pretty static, as was much of the book overall. It seemed like a book that was written as an afterthought, rather than written as the characters grew in Peters's thinking.
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Carol Halsey
3.0 out of 5 stars Story line was as expected.
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2017
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I was disappointed in this book. The story line was as expected with lots of action, danger, getting in bad situations and escaping by "the skin of their teeth". The problem was the narration and conversation were flat. The book did not have the extraordinary descriptions of the area, the almost poetic flow of words. Neither Ramses nor Amelia ever got carried away with their prolific and multi-syllabic responses and lectures.

I had just finished re-reading the entire series for the umpteenth time, and was looking forward to this book as I had not read it before. In my opinion, I believe it suffered by comparison with all the ones that came before it!
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Texanne
4.0 out of 5 stars AMELIA, EMERSON AND RAMSES HAVE AN ADVENTURE - AND IT IS FUN
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2014
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I love Amelia Peabody. She is funny without realizing it, and that makes her very entertaining. She is autocratic and does not understand why friends and family laugh at her antics.

This book is about Amelia, but equally about Ramses, Amelia’s wonderful son.

Instead of being in Egypt this time the action takes place in Palestine around Jerusalem and that general area. Ramses has gone there to work with an archaeological expedition, and accidentally finds information about a German plot to conquer the area.
Because of a request by the British government, Emerson and Amelia are going to the area to keep an eye on the activities of spies. Their mission will take them near Ramses work and they have the expectation that he will join them in their work.
As always, Amelia believes she knows exactly what is necessary – for everyone – about everything.

This series has information about archaeology and history and the world events of a bygone era. Elizabeth Peters always constructs a plot that is full and complete in every way. Her characters are well rounded people who are not perfect, but perfectly cast in their parts in the story.

We have Amelia, the wife and mother and the narrator of each story. Her perspective is generally all about putting her in the center of the action. Emerson, is the husband and father. He is bombastic but always ready to do the right thing no matter the cost. He feels strongly that preserving history is paramount and he is not afraid to shout that at the top of his lungs. Ramses is their son, he has grown up on digs and dealing with all the activities that go with archaeology. He is brilliant and too curious and adventurous for his own good. Each of these family members are prone to putting themselves in harm’s way on a regular basis.

There are other recurring characters, Nefret is an adopted daughter, David who has become like a brother to Ramses and Nefret, and various people who have worked with them on a regular basis.

This is a fun book. It is not the best of the series, but it is such a good and entertaining book that the reader will want to read quickly to find the next adventure.
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Amy Phipps
5.0 out of 5 stars Amelia is back!
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2010
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I've been a fan of Elizabeth Peters for over 20 years, so the prospect of a new Amelia book is always thrilling to me. I was admittedly a bit disappointed in the last book in the series, which, though wonderfully written, was really more of a tribute to King Tut's tomb than an Amelia story. This book, on the other hand, was back to Peters' classic formula. Another dead body? Another shirt ruined? Heavenly!

The story takes place in pre-WWI 1910, as Amelia, Emerson, and company head to Palestine to stop a politically and religiously sensitive excavation of holy ground. It was wonderful to see Amelia and Emerson charging around berating political and religious leaders alike for their failures in the region, and even better to see Ramses as a tentative, developing 23 year-old. With a good plot, credible villains, and a cast of characters small enough that I was able to enjoy them all to the fullest, I loved every minute of it... especially Sethos' appearance (which all of the Emersons missed - but I didn't!) A treasure for any long-time fan of the series and highly recommended!
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Minnie Me
3.0 out of 5 stars Not ebullient
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2017
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It was interesting; however, since Amelia's children have grown up the stories don't have the same affect on me. Some of the fun is missing. In previous books, Ramses provided a lot of fun conversation, as did the dialog between Amelia and her husband. I enjoy it when the stories take place in Egypt, as Egypt's history is more familiar to me. Her fun with fun, big and mostly unused words was there, but not enough to make me feel "ebullient"!
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Karen Retzlaff
5.0 out of 5 stars A River in the Sky satisfies the curiosity wonderfully
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2013
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Amelia Peabody is at it again! This time she is caught in the middle of spies, intrigues, and Palestine in the time prior to WW I. There are sub-plots--Ramses goes missing, Amelia is duped, and antiquities abound.
It is a good read, but we still don't find out whether Nefret and Ramses have a boy or girl--since she was pregnant at the end of the previous book. This novel is sandwiched between # 16 & 17, and reveals adventures prior to #17, despite being # 18.
Sadly, Barbara Mertz (aka Elizabeth Peters) died this past year at the age of 85, so we may never find out what happened, unless there are manuscripts lying about to finish the adventures of Amelia Peabody and her intrepid family!
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the Amelia Peabody books and have learned a wealth of information about ancient Egypt as well as the mores and norms of life in Victorian England. Thank you, Elizabeth Peters, for a life well led!
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Top reviews from other countries

Miss Sally V Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm a fan already
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2016
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Bought to complete my Amelia Peabody collection - so I'm a fan. A good read, and if you are REALLY interested, Elizabeth Peters introduces some interesting sidelights on the present day situation in the Middle East - showing how it developed from European "interests" in the area in the late Victorian era through the 14-18 War and its aftermath. But that doesn't take away from the whodunnit and howdunnit of the basic story.
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Dogservant
3.0 out of 5 stars Anticipation not fulfilled
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2011
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I have enjoyed the Peabody journals for years, even seeking out titles in New York that I couldn't get easily in UK, but......for the first time I have put this story down half finished.
Other reviewers are right, it's slow in pace & seems to have been an effort to create a decent plot. Amelia's narrative is not as witty as heretofore, (or maybe I've read too many & am a little jaded!)
Pleasant for bed time reading & I will finish it, but will not be quite so keen to seek out the next installment, sorry Ms Peters, you have served me so well!
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M Poole
4.0 out of 5 stars Slowing down in the express train that is Amelia Peabody
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2013
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I love the series, I adore Amelia Peabody but she's running out of steam in what is rapidly becoming a petrol-driven world. I wouldn't ask her to retire but I think the entire Egyptology in the Edwardian world has reached its limits.

If there is a way to continue, it would have to be a next generation taking up the challenges, but there's going to be a loss of allure that gave us so much entertainment in Egypt. It's a good read but it's not the best of the lot.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 16, 2013
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It was a bit strange to return to a series I first read a number of years ago - and read this book which is new but takes place mid-series. But once I'd got my head round all that, I enjoyed it. Great to revisit characters I know and love. I think I preferred the books actually set in Egypt, but this story moves along at a good pace. Perhaps the characters are a trifle predictable, but in many ways that's part of the enjoyment of picking up on a familiar series.
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homeland89
3.0 out of 5 stars not quite as gripping as others in the series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2013
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It was difficult to get my head round this book. I twas not as absorbing as some of her others in the series and as it was out of chronological order it was hard to place what was happening to the family at this time. I will have to re-read all the books in chronological order and then it may be better. There wasn't as many twists and turns as there normally are. I found I could easily put this one down whereas with many of the others I just wanted to keep reading.
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