Product Description

Dateline: Cairo and environs, 1915. Risking life, limb and her second-best hat, the intrepid Egyptologist Amelia Peabody and her irascible, handsome archaeologist husband Emerson embark on another season of exploration and crime solving. When a dead body tums up in the tomb they are excavating, Amelia vows to protect her family and find the killer no matter what the cost. Filled with surprises, including the return of a long-lost but certainly not forgotten enemy, here is delicious entertainment starring fiction's best loved and most indomitable lady sleuth.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #209674 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Review
"* 'I can't wait for the next Elizabeth Peters' - Angela Rippon * 'A writer so popular that the public library has to keep her books under lock and key' - Washington Post Book World * 'Between Amelia Peabody and Indiana Jones it's Amelia - in wit and daring - by a landslide' - New York Times Book Review

This is the 13th intrepid adventure of Victorian Amelia Emerson (nee Peabody). For those so far uninitiated they are a mixture of risky enterprise, a sound comprehension of Egyptology, and uxurious family togetherness: tales of high-jinks and low-cunning. Since her first parasol-waving visit to Egypt in the 1880s Amelia's life has become totally focused on two things: the discovery and study of Egypt's ancient treasures, and their rescue from the nefarious grave-robbers of many nationalities bent only on their own enrichment; and her family: husband Radcliffe Emerson, whom she met in the first novel (Crocodile on the Sandbank), their son Ramses, his wife Nefret and their barely-controllable six-year-old half- Egyptian ward Sennia; and from time to time Emerson's shady brother Sethos, a man with a dual personality: ex-British Intelligence, and, allegedly, 'the Master' - of the illegitimate tomb-robbers and sale of their rich hordes; though he does have a rival for this dubious title. Amelia's 'magic' waving parasol is still much in evidence, though not the original. The latest is a present from Emerson, and its 'magic' consists of a crafty little sword concealed in the handle, which Amelia would not scruple to use in defence of her family, or the priceless artifacts they are bent on salvaging. A great many others, friends and foes, are involved in this new enterprise: the detection and exploration of a so-far elusive site and its contents, before they are pre-empted. (In the event the site turns out to be something far more exciting than a mere tomb - but readers must be patient. In the meantime Sennia is temporarily abducted, rock-falls and bodies rain from above; there are hand-to-hand combats which keep Nefret and Amelia busy with their bandages and plasters. But since there must be a 14th novel, readers can rest assured ...... Elizabeth Peters keeps a tight grip on her subject, but the prevailing mood is light-hearted - and great fun. (Kirkus UK)

Synopsis
Dateline: Cairo and environs, 1915. Risking life, limb and her second-best hat, the intrepid Egyptologist Amelia Peabody and her irascible, handsome archaeologist husband Emerson embark on another season of exploration and crime solving. When a dead body tums up in the tomb they are excavating, Amelia vows to protect her family and find the killer no matter what the cost. Filled with surprises, including the return of a long-lost but certainly not forgotten enemy, here is delicious entertainment starring fiction's best loved and most indomitable lady sleuth.

About the Author
Elizabeth Peters eamed her Ph.D in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. She was named Grandmaster at the inaugural Anthony Awards and Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards. She lives in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Book Thirteen in the Series

Elizabeth Peters was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Peters was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lives in a historic farmhouse in western Maryland.

The Amelia Peabody books may or may not be an acquired taste, personally I love them. They are set in Victorian times when there were still very strict rules of etiquette and polite behaviour was the norm. Although most of the books are set in Egypt, in the desert under very trying conditions and extremely hot weather the `English' way of life was still expected to be adhered to, sometimes with quite hilarious consequences.

Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters' best loved and brilliant creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeology by storm with her no nonsense dress sense and forthright opinions.

Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson are once more in their beloved Egypt. Back among the sand, the heat and the flies, but they would not have it any other way. They still live their lives in a very English way and everything stops for tea. It is unusual if not impossible for a season of excavating to go by without some interruption from a crime or even murder and this one is no exception.

A dead body turns up in the tomb they are excavating, well it would wouldn't it and Amelia vows to protect her family with every bone in her body and at the same time find the killer.

Takes the Amelia Peabody Series to a Higher Level!
Elizabeth Peters has been gathering and developing her characters in masterful ways for some time in the wonderful Amelia Peabody series. In Lord of the Silent, Ms. Peters reaps a rich harvest from that preparation in order to provide the richest fabric ever of plot and suspense in the series.

Lord of the Silent is very much part two of a series that Ms. Peters wrote about World War I. I strongly urge you to read He Shall Thunder from the Sky (this book's immediate predecessor) before reading Lord of the Silent. The plots and characters of the two books are so intertwined that you will not appreciate and enjoy Lord of the Silent nearly as much without having read He Shall Thunder from the Sky.

The book opens with vivid scenes from war-time England. Zeppelin raids on London create fear that foreshadows the massive Battle of Britain in World War II. This sets a somber mood of uncontrollable threat for the whole book that is admirably suspenseful. You will wonder when the next bomb might burst. In many ways, the plot's complications are like the effects of a random bombardment . . . bringing danger, fear, discomfort, and damage.

The whole family is in England in 1915. Because of the war, English people cannot cross the continent for travel to Egypt. Ocean-going vessels are the only choice. But submarine warfare is a danger, and neutral liners (like the Lusitania) have been sunk. Should they take the risk and go to Egypt? Who should go? The book opens with these pressing questions. What would you have done?

Part of the family does make it to Egypt, and find a land transformed by the distant war. The hospitals are full of injured soldiers from the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. There are rumors of uprisings among the Bedouins in the desert that are encouraged by the Turks and Germans. Many old friends are missing for the duration because they are from enemy countries. Thieves are opening unprotected sites and taking away priceless archeological relics. Graffiti is appearing in the most unexpected places.

Professor Emerson is focusing his attention on some noble tombs (mastabas) that Amelia finds absolutely boring. She yearns for a pyramid. Soon, events intervene to make life seem rather too exciting. Can she keep her family safe?

The plot is nicely changed by having Ramses and Nefret as husband and wife. Although they still hide things from one another, they do less of that. As a result, you have a better balance between the professor and Amelia keeping secrets from the younger Emersons and vice versa. This makes for a smoother, faster-paced, and more interesting plot.

As usual though, if everyone had told everyone else what they knew, the whole problem could have been resolved in about one-third of the time. But that's the way people really are, so you won't mind it at all. They are just trying to protect their loved ones.

Sennia (aged 6) plays a bigger role in this story. She shows signs of having great potential as a character in the future. Adding a third generation to the story gives the plot much more diversity that you will enjoy.

The classic plot elements of an Amelia Peabody novel are all here: Amelia fighting off attackers, unexpected bodies, hidden treasure, red herrings, Nefret healing people, mysterious manipulations from a distance, Ramses operating in disguise, after-dark trips into the native Egyptian areas, officials complicating matters, nosy females who are attracted to the Emerson men, men who are attracted to the Emerson women, help from Abdullah's family, and a prophetic dream of meeting with Abdullah. Everything you have enjoyed in the past, you will find in this book . . . except more of it.

The book's title is a reference to the description of Amon, king of the gods, who was described as Lord of the Silent. Here are some of his other characteristics:

"who comes at the voice of the poor . . .

who gives bread to him who has none . . .

father of the orphan, husband of the widow . . . ."

Most importantly, "though the servant offends him, he is merciful."

Even more than usual, the Emersons play a role that reflects an Egyptian deity, as they succor all they find.

After you read this wonderful book, I suggest that you discuss with your family the issues raised here about when communication and when silence are the best ways to help one another. By learning from the examples in the book, I suggest that you err on the side of too much communication.

Expand your horizons and your relationships as Amon and Amelia Peabody would . . . especially in dangerous times and places!

I just loved it ...
Oh, this is just such FUN ..... The books are not taking themselves quite so seriously as they did and are sending themselves up something rotten. All the characters have ceased being lifelike and are in danger of becoming parodies of themselves but not yet .... Read it and love it (although don't necessarily take the advice offered to Ramses about his marriage !!)