As we continue the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, our path leads us to “The Lord of the Silent.” World War I is still raging, making travel between England and Egypt more difficult. This, however, does not stop the Emersons from their yearly gallivant in the tombs. Emerson is as keen as ever to get on with his beloved occupation, and Amelia is no less excited to help him.
However, a different type of danger lurks for Ramses. He served his country as a double agent in our last adventure, and there are those who know his true identity. Not long after arriving in Egypt, he is attacked by a confederate of his old enemy, leaving his arm wounded and dripping. To make matters worse, Miss Margaret Minton, a journalist who used her wily ways to gain entrance to the Emerson household a few years back in the guise of a parlormaid, has shown up and is determined to get a story this time. It would appear that her resemblance to Amelia put her in harm’s way – she was abducted, only to be rescued by Sethos, the Master Criminal, who mistook her for Amelia but upon discovering it wasn’t her, rescued Margaret anyway.
Amelia has the sad duty of telling Margaret that Sethos was killed the year before, not long after his heroic rescue. Margaret is heart-broken; there’s just something about that thief and rogue that appeals to women and she is not immune to his charms.
Meanwhile, the attack on Ramses was not the only adventure the family is to have. While investigating a tomb site, Ramses is nearly crushed by a boulder, with a body falling from above to follow. The man who wounded him with the knife is found dead, buried in a pile of rubble in Emerson’s excavation site (which puts a serious crimp in Emerson’s plans) and it is decided that Ramses and his new wife Nefret (I was trying to keep that a surprise but it seems I’ll have to tell you eventually) go to Luxor to get out of harm’s way. But harm is determined to follow them wherever they go, and even ends up as a guest on their houseboat.
I loved this episode in the Emerson’s lives. In fact, I have a confession to make – I have become so wrapped up in the doings of this family that when I heard of the earthquake in Kent, my first reaction was, “Oh, no! That’s where the Emerson’s summer house is!” That, to me, is the mark of good writing. When I forget that we’re dealing with fictional characters and I become concerned for them when I hear of a real natural disaster, I know the author has done some great characterization.
(This book was published in 2001 by Avon Books.)
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