Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters Series: Amelia Peabody #1
on September 1st 2011
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, General
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
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Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters' most brilliant and best-loved creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeology by storm with her shocking men's pants and no-nonsense attitude!
In this first adventure, our headstrong heroine decides to use her substantial inheritance to see the world. On her travels, she rescues a gentlewoman in distress - Evelyn Barton-Forbes - and the two become friends. The two companions continue to Egypt where they face mysteries,
mummies and the redoubtable Radcliffe Emerson, an outspoken archaeologist, who doesn't need women to help him solve mysteries -- at least that's what he thinks!
Retro Friday Reviews are hosted by Angieville. Basically you review an older book on Friday.
I read the vast majority of Crocodile On The Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters on my iPhone, something I don’t recommend, as I was easily jarred out of reading, plus I didn’t really feel like I was making any progress. This isn’t to say Crocodile On the Sandbank is a bad book – it’s not, but I think ya’ll would enjoy it more in paper form or on an actual ereader.
Holy heck do I want to go to Egypt and run around solving mysteries. I will be the Daphne to Amelia Peabody’s Velma. The premise of Elizabeth Peters’ book is Amelia Peabody has come into a LOT of money. As an old maid by choice/Egyptologist, Â she decides to take her money and go to Egypt to check out some tombs. While there she meets a young lady named Evelyn, or rather saves Evelyn, and decides to take her on as a companion. Crossing paths with the formidable Amelia Peabody is this gruff dude Radcliff Emerson, heretofore referred to as Emerson. He finds Amelia to be a pain in the ass. Hijinks occur, as a love-hate relationship emerges between the two, FYI this is one of my favorite romantic tropes.
Amelia is an incredibly stubborn character and acts in ways that are a bit modern. Some of her stubbornness was grating, but honestly, it was mostly endearing. I love a character who won’t back down although that’s what society deems she should do. As said, Amelia and Emerson butt heads consistently, with hilarious results.
Emerson:
‘Are we all agreed? Excellent. Then Peabody had better retire to her bed, she is clearly in need of recuperative sleep; she has not made a sarcastic remark for fully ten minutes.’
I love it. I fricken love reading about Amelia and her mouthing off and being bold and standing up for herself.
Also, I learned what a Dahabeeya is. Apparently it’s a boat.
So, the premise of the mystery is that there is a ghost/mummy going around haunting the tomb site, trying to scare the Egyptologists away. The locals believe the mummy is real and won’t work on the tomb. Amelia and Emerson believe the mummy is some person dressed up, and hatch a few plans to catch the culprit.
In all, Crocodile On The Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters is a fun read. I look forward to solving more mysteries with the spunky Miss Amelia Peabody.
Disclosure: Purchased via Amazon.
Read as part of Project Fill In The Gaps challenge.
Retro Friday Reviews are hosted by Angieville. Basically you review an older book on Friday.
Other Reviews of Crocodile On the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters:
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There’s been a scarcity of reviews this week because of BEA and ArmchairBEA. I think it’s great that you had scheduled posts in advance. I’m really curious about this but haven’t found it in local bookstores. Okay, I just checked and it’s available in the Book Depository. Maybe I can include it in my next order.
Oh! I’ve been meaning to read this book for forever! I read the first half at a friend’s. Thanks for reminding me! And I agree, major props to you for remembering to schedule reviews while you’re at BEA 🙂
Oh if I could only express to you how much more awesome these books become as they go on. Amelia and Emerson remain just as much fun, and they have an extremely entertaining child, and eventually there is a Master Criminal. There’s a Master Criminal. It is so great.
I want to read this one! I was recommended this book by another blogger and it sounds fantastic. I’m definitely convinced to pick this one up after your review! 🙂