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Amelia Peabody #20
The Painted Queen
Egypt, 1912—Amelia Peabody and her dashing archeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are once again in danger as they search for a priceless, stolen bust of legendary Queen Nefertiti and Amelia finds herself the target of assassins in this long-awaited, eagerly anticipated final installment of Elizabeth Peters’ bestselling, beloved mystery series.
Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia is relaxing in a well-earned bubble bath in her elegant hotel suite in Cairo, when a man with knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word—"Murder"—before collapsing on the tiled floor, dead. Among the few possessions he carried was a sheet of paper with Amelia’s name and room number, and a curious piece of pasteboard the size of a calling card bearing one word: "Judas." Most peculiarly, the stranger was wearing a gold-rimmed monocle in his left eye.
It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin—someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman. Discovering a terse note clearly meant for Emerson—Where were you?"—pushed under their door, there can be only one answer: the brilliant master of disguise, Sethos.
But neither assassins nor the Genius of Crime will deter Amelia as she and Emerson head to the excavation site at Amarna, where they will witness the discovery of one of the most precious Egyptian artifacts: the iconic Nefertiti bust. In 1345 B.C. the sculptor Thutmose crafted the piece in tribute to the great beauty of this queen who was also the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.
For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable. Throughout her journey, a parade of men in monocles will die under suspicious circumstances, fascinating new relics will be unearthed, a diabolical mystery will be solved, and a brilliant criminal will offer his final challenge... and perhaps be unmasked at last.
Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia is relaxing in a well-earned bubble bath in her elegant hotel suite in Cairo, when a man with knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word—"Murder"—before collapsing on the tiled floor, dead. Among the few possessions he carried was a sheet of paper with Amelia’s name and room number, and a curious piece of pasteboard the size of a calling card bearing one word: "Judas." Most peculiarly, the stranger was wearing a gold-rimmed monocle in his left eye.
It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin—someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman. Discovering a terse note clearly meant for Emerson—Where were you?"—pushed under their door, there can be only one answer: the brilliant master of disguise, Sethos.
But neither assassins nor the Genius of Crime will deter Amelia as she and Emerson head to the excavation site at Amarna, where they will witness the discovery of one of the most precious Egyptian artifacts: the iconic Nefertiti bust. In 1345 B.C. the sculptor Thutmose crafted the piece in tribute to the great beauty of this queen who was also the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.
For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable. Throughout her journey, a parade of men in monocles will die under suspicious circumstances, fascinating new relics will be unearthed, a diabolical mystery will be solved, and a brilliant criminal will offer his final challenge... and perhaps be unmasked at last.
544 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2017
About the author
Elizabeth Peters
135 books3,217 followersElizabeth Peters is a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels as well as her own name. Born and brought up in Illinois, she earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. Mertz 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 lived in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, western Maryland until her death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 861 reviews
July 30, 2017
It is obvious Joan Hess admired Barbara Mertz greatly and wanted to do her stories justice. Her introduction is heartfelt and I can only imagine the difficulty of writing a book in the middle of such an established series. Unfortunately, I agree with those who have described the Painted Queen as mediocre fanfiction. In his moving tribute to the Amelia Peabody novels following the death of Elizabeth Peters, Orson Scott Card pointed out that many mystery writers mistakenly believe they are funny. Elizabeth Peters was funny! She also wrote characters who were flawed, true to their own time, and still endlessly endearing. Her mysteries were fun and engaging, without ever feeling over-the-top. The same praise cannot be given to The Painted Queen.
The Painted Queen falls at a particularly emotionally fraught point in the story, between two of the most intertwined novels of the series (in my opinion). The characters seem unlike themselves in general, from . Amelia also seems to have lost some of her feminist principles, hoping Ramses did not learn among other odd comments.
More grievous was the characterization of Nefret and Ramses, both of whom act like pre-Falcon at the Portal versions of themselves beyond a few bits of lip-service paid to the events of that novel. Ramses also . We are told who the characters are, frequently, but they never act like themselves, and the relationships characters are off for the time period in which this novel is supposed to take place, especially with .
The errors in continuity, such as Nefret being referred to as Ramses' little sister in spite of her being three years older and the fact that she is continuously referred to as Dr. Forth even though she didn't become a doctor until she spent 1913 in Switzerland, could have been overlooked had the overall plot been better constructed and the characters felt more like themselves. As it stands, I'm grateful Elizabeth Peters herself wrote Tomb of the Golden Bird before her death, and that this book is so obviously flawed that I can easily ignore it as canon.
The Painted Queen falls at a particularly emotionally fraught point in the story, between two of the most intertwined novels of the series (in my opinion). The characters seem unlike themselves in general, from . Amelia also seems to have lost some of her feminist principles, hoping Ramses did not learn among other odd comments.
More grievous was the characterization of Nefret and Ramses, both of whom act like pre-Falcon at the Portal versions of themselves beyond a few bits of lip-service paid to the events of that novel. Ramses also . We are told who the characters are, frequently, but they never act like themselves, and the relationships characters are off for the time period in which this novel is supposed to take place, especially with .
The errors in continuity, such as Nefret being referred to as Ramses' little sister in spite of her being three years older and the fact that she is continuously referred to as Dr. Forth even though she didn't become a doctor until she spent 1913 in Switzerland, could have been overlooked had the overall plot been better constructed and the characters felt more like themselves. As it stands, I'm grateful Elizabeth Peters herself wrote Tomb of the Golden Bird before her death, and that this book is so obviously flawed that I can easily ignore it as canon.
March 11, 2021
There have been examples before of someone taking the unfinished work of a beloved author, and doing a very good job of it. The prime example I would think of is Jill Paton Walsh, who not only took Dorothy L Sayer's Thrones, Dominations and completed it believably, but has gone on to write her own Peter Wimsey mysteries. She occasionally gets a detail wrong, but overall, the transition is nearly seamless.
Unfortunately, the selection of Joan Hess to finish this book was not an equally wise decision. She was a good friend of Barbara Mertz (Elizabeth Peters), she had talked about her work with her, she had visited Egypt with her. But her own charming mysteries are modern day books set in the American South, and her writing skills just don't mesh with Peters' work. She doesn't have the feel for the just-before-WWI setting, for the nuances of daily life. Small details, like the mention of "pita" and "hummus", terms NOT in Amelia's vocabulary, jarred me. The interaction between the characters feels awkward. She may love the characters Peters left behind, but she doesn't catch their voices. I was constantly aware that this wasn't a true Amelia book.
What this winds up being is Peters' manuscript combined with very high quality fan fiction. And though I could wish for more Amelia books, from the forward I gather that Hess clearly isn't planning on writing them. And no matter how well this book sells (and it will) I hope that Mertz's heirs stick to that plan!
Unfortunately, the selection of Joan Hess to finish this book was not an equally wise decision. She was a good friend of Barbara Mertz (Elizabeth Peters), she had talked about her work with her, she had visited Egypt with her. But her own charming mysteries are modern day books set in the American South, and her writing skills just don't mesh with Peters' work. She doesn't have the feel for the just-before-WWI setting, for the nuances of daily life. Small details, like the mention of "pita" and "hummus", terms NOT in Amelia's vocabulary, jarred me. The interaction between the characters feels awkward. She may love the characters Peters left behind, but she doesn't catch their voices. I was constantly aware that this wasn't a true Amelia book.
What this winds up being is Peters' manuscript combined with very high quality fan fiction. And though I could wish for more Amelia books, from the forward I gather that Hess clearly isn't planning on writing them. And no matter how well this book sells (and it will) I hope that Mertz's heirs stick to that plan!
May 2, 2017
***ARC received via Amazon Vine***
The first Elizabeth Peters novel I read was The Seventh Sinner (highly recommended if you haven’t read it). After reading it, I immediately went and read every book of hers I could find. Then, when I discovered she also wrote under the name Barbara Michaels, I read those. In fact, my very first review on Amazon way back in 1999 was for an Elizabeth Peters book! I loved them all.
But most of all, I found I loved her Amelia Peabody series.
When Ms. Peters (Michaels/Mertz) passed away in 2013, I was so saddened. Her books brought (and still continue to bring) such joy.
When given the opportunity to read The Painted Queen, I was excited…and worried. I’ve never read Joan Hess. Would she do the book and our beloved characters justice?
Oh, I’m so happy to say that she did - this is an Elizabeth Peters book! Within a few pages, I forgot my worries and was thoroughly enmeshed in an Egyptian Adventure! Amelia and her cutting wit (and equally dangerous parasol). Handsome Emerson (sigh). Nefret and Ramses and David and, of course, murder and mayhem and tombs (oh my!). Oh, and wondrous secrets from Ancient Egypt.
Hess does Peters justice!
While I’m very sorry that this is the last book we’ll read from a favorite author, I felt like this book was a little gift to her fans. And I think Ms. Peters would have been absolutely delighted with the end result.
And a quick note: you may want to skip the introductions and get right to the treasure of the story. Take the time to read them. They are by people who knew Ms. Mertz (Peters/Michaels) well. They’re funny, touching (have Kleenex), and will give you a chance to get to know your favorite author a little better. Hint: there’s a lot of Amelia in her!
And a quick note to Ms. Hess: Thank you for doing our Amelia and her author justice. This fan appreciates it!
The first Elizabeth Peters novel I read was The Seventh Sinner (highly recommended if you haven’t read it). After reading it, I immediately went and read every book of hers I could find. Then, when I discovered she also wrote under the name Barbara Michaels, I read those. In fact, my very first review on Amazon way back in 1999 was for an Elizabeth Peters book! I loved them all.
But most of all, I found I loved her Amelia Peabody series.
When Ms. Peters (Michaels/Mertz) passed away in 2013, I was so saddened. Her books brought (and still continue to bring) such joy.
When given the opportunity to read The Painted Queen, I was excited…and worried. I’ve never read Joan Hess. Would she do the book and our beloved characters justice?
Oh, I’m so happy to say that she did - this is an Elizabeth Peters book! Within a few pages, I forgot my worries and was thoroughly enmeshed in an Egyptian Adventure! Amelia and her cutting wit (and equally dangerous parasol). Handsome Emerson (sigh). Nefret and Ramses and David and, of course, murder and mayhem and tombs (oh my!). Oh, and wondrous secrets from Ancient Egypt.
Hess does Peters justice!
While I’m very sorry that this is the last book we’ll read from a favorite author, I felt like this book was a little gift to her fans. And I think Ms. Peters would have been absolutely delighted with the end result.
And a quick note: you may want to skip the introductions and get right to the treasure of the story. Take the time to read them. They are by people who knew Ms. Mertz (Peters/Michaels) well. They’re funny, touching (have Kleenex), and will give you a chance to get to know your favorite author a little better. Hint: there’s a lot of Amelia in her!
And a quick note to Ms. Hess: Thank you for doing our Amelia and her author justice. This fan appreciates it!
July 27, 2017
I love the Amelia Peabody books. I was won over by Elizabeth Peter's humor and the extraordinary way she wove mystery, archaeology, history and social commentary. She could juggle a cast of dozens and make you feel like each character was a three dimensional human being. I would have loved to read her version of this story.
I can't imagine a more daunting task than to try to complete this last novel for her. Amelia's voice was so much a part of Barbara Mertz that to do so successfully is probably too much to ask of any author.
I was struck within a chapter or two with how drastically wrong the "voices" of the characters were. Their dialog was off. The humor was missing. The story does not transition from scene to scene as flawlessly as I have come to expect from Elizabeth Peters. Worst of all, though, is that characters began behaving wrong. For example, Fatima fights with Emerson, David and Ramses have a bitter disagreement, and Ramses argues for a violent solution before trying a nonviolent one.
After awhile, I began tracking errors for entertainment. Fatima is the cook and punishes the Emersons for being late for the meal by burning the meat. Mahmoud is the steward and serves the meals placidly. Amelia is proficient in Hebrew even though she couldn't read or write it in The River in the Sky. Katherine Vandergelt is her oldest friend who has know Ramses since he was born even though the Emersons didn't meet her until Seeing a Large Cat when Ramses was a teen.
(I guess I shouldn't have prepared for reading this book by rereading all the Amelia Peabody novels that lead up to the events in this book.)
I gave this book one star because it does not measure up to the other books in the series. A good editor familiar with Elizabeth Peter's work should have been able to spot these errors and eliminate them. Someone who loved the Amelia Peabody series, like me, might like to read this to see where Elizabeth Peters wanted to take us. And some sardonic types might take perverse pleasure is seeing how many continuity errors they can find. But unfortunately, I cannot recommend the book.
I can't imagine a more daunting task than to try to complete this last novel for her. Amelia's voice was so much a part of Barbara Mertz that to do so successfully is probably too much to ask of any author.
I was struck within a chapter or two with how drastically wrong the "voices" of the characters were. Their dialog was off. The humor was missing. The story does not transition from scene to scene as flawlessly as I have come to expect from Elizabeth Peters. Worst of all, though, is that characters began behaving wrong. For example, Fatima fights with Emerson, David and Ramses have a bitter disagreement, and Ramses argues for a violent solution before trying a nonviolent one.
After awhile, I began tracking errors for entertainment. Fatima is the cook and punishes the Emersons for being late for the meal by burning the meat. Mahmoud is the steward and serves the meals placidly. Amelia is proficient in Hebrew even though she couldn't read or write it in The River in the Sky. Katherine Vandergelt is her oldest friend who has know Ramses since he was born even though the Emersons didn't meet her until Seeing a Large Cat when Ramses was a teen.
(I guess I shouldn't have prepared for reading this book by rereading all the Amelia Peabody novels that lead up to the events in this book.)
I gave this book one star because it does not measure up to the other books in the series. A good editor familiar with Elizabeth Peter's work should have been able to spot these errors and eliminate them. Someone who loved the Amelia Peabody series, like me, might like to read this to see where Elizabeth Peters wanted to take us. And some sardonic types might take perverse pleasure is seeing how many continuity errors they can find. But unfortunately, I cannot recommend the book.
July 27, 2024
I love this series. I've read or listened to all of the books several times. But when this book was announced I was skeptical. I don't believe I've ever read a book completed under these circumstances that was nearly as good as the original author's work. But the early reviews were pretty good so I gave it a try, and ended up not finishing it. In fact I returned my audio copy to Audible for a refund.
I didn't expect the characters voices to be true - that seems to be a detail only the original author could get right. But I did expect them to act according to character. And I thought the series would be treated with care, which to me means doing your best to get the continuity right. Neither of these things happened.
Amelia, Ramses, Nefret, and even Emerson all acted out of character, and when they were in character it often felt forced, not natural. I found myself wondering who these people were that had taken on the persona of characters I knew so well. :(
As for continuity, I'm actually not a big stickler for it. Especially when an author comes back and fills in a series I expect some things to be fudged, ignored, or glossed over. Timelines, for instance, often have to be altered. So I didn't think the problems others mentioned in their reviews would bother me that much. It became, however, a matter of what I could bear. Like a roof buried under too many feet of snow, eventually the errors piled up so I just didn't want to read any more. For me the final insult was when Amelia sat down with a lady novelist she'd just met and discussed their adventures at the oasis. No. Just - no. They never discussed this with anyone outside the family. And when they talked among themselves they were careful not to be overheard. Anyone who knows the series well knows that.
I don't actually blame Hess for these errors. She has several of her own series to keep track of and doesn't have time in her life to become an expert on Amelia. But they should have found somebody who was an expert and had them check the manuscript. It wouldn't be difficult to find such people, and they took their time releasing this one anyway. So why not take the time and trouble to get it mostly right? To me it feels disrespectful not to bend over backwards to release a final book everyone could be proud of. Instead we're left with this mess that I just couldn't finish.
(Though I'm sure some day I'll grab it from the library and read it all. Just not right now, when I've recently reread the series and it's fresh in my mind. I'd rather say goodbye to Amelia and her family with good memories.)
I like to think of it as a tribute to Peters that no one can copy her style or capture the characters, setting and time like she did. :)
I didn't expect the characters voices to be true - that seems to be a detail only the original author could get right. But I did expect them to act according to character. And I thought the series would be treated with care, which to me means doing your best to get the continuity right. Neither of these things happened.
Amelia, Ramses, Nefret, and even Emerson all acted out of character, and when they were in character it often felt forced, not natural. I found myself wondering who these people were that had taken on the persona of characters I knew so well. :(
As for continuity, I'm actually not a big stickler for it. Especially when an author comes back and fills in a series I expect some things to be fudged, ignored, or glossed over. Timelines, for instance, often have to be altered. So I didn't think the problems others mentioned in their reviews would bother me that much. It became, however, a matter of what I could bear. Like a roof buried under too many feet of snow, eventually the errors piled up so I just didn't want to read any more. For me the final insult was when Amelia sat down with a lady novelist she'd just met and discussed their adventures at the oasis. No. Just - no. They never discussed this with anyone outside the family. And when they talked among themselves they were careful not to be overheard. Anyone who knows the series well knows that.
I don't actually blame Hess for these errors. She has several of her own series to keep track of and doesn't have time in her life to become an expert on Amelia. But they should have found somebody who was an expert and had them check the manuscript. It wouldn't be difficult to find such people, and they took their time releasing this one anyway. So why not take the time and trouble to get it mostly right? To me it feels disrespectful not to bend over backwards to release a final book everyone could be proud of. Instead we're left with this mess that I just couldn't finish.
(Though I'm sure some day I'll grab it from the library and read it all. Just not right now, when I've recently reread the series and it's fresh in my mind. I'd rather say goodbye to Amelia and her family with good memories.)
I like to think of it as a tribute to Peters that no one can copy her style or capture the characters, setting and time like she did. :)
July 30, 2017
After rereading one novel in the Amelia Peabody universe, my excitement for The Painted Queen grew exponentially, as did the poignantly bittersweet ache of returning to my absolute favorite fictional family for the final time. The Painted Queen takes place the year after Falcon, in the lead up to WWI. Cue the drama! Cue the ridiculous adventure!
And... I have to admit that I was vastly disappointed. Elizabeth Peters only completed a third of the manuscript prior to her illness, and to a devout student of her work (aka ardent fan girl), the transition between Peters and Hess was obvious. For the majority of the novel, the characters are shells of themselves. The series' strongest trait is its characters, and none of them feel right. It's like reading fan fiction by a writer who is not up to par with all her canonical facts.
Ramses: Too honest, too direct, too snappish. And there are no brooding passages, no sardonic self deprecating remarks, no cynicism. Nothing swoon worthy.
Nefret does not giggle nor is she as impulsive, brave, or involved as usual, and neither she nor Amelia would nap so frequently or admit it at the very least.
Amelia is even more prone to silly bouts of derring do, and it doesn't work as well in this context. I became -- dare I admit it? -- a trifle bored.
And the plot inconsistencies: the big one is the location of Nefret's Cairo clinic that Hess has in Luxor. And then the common knowledge of the Lost Oasis. I can't imagine that Amelia would admit that to anyone, especially a new acquaintance. That was a well kept secret. The length of Katherine and Amelia's friendship is also confused with Evelyn, and then there are the flagrant anachronisms.
The best part of this is the introduction for MPM: a send off to one of my favorite writers. In the future, I will revisit beloved books in the canon in order to get my Emerson family fix.
I did appreciate Hess's attempt to bring closure to this final manuscript. No one can take MPM's place, but Hess does succeed in providing an ode to her and-- of course Amelia's -- indomitable memory.
2.5 stars.
And... I have to admit that I was vastly disappointed. Elizabeth Peters only completed a third of the manuscript prior to her illness, and to a devout student of her work (aka ardent fan girl), the transition between Peters and Hess was obvious. For the majority of the novel, the characters are shells of themselves. The series' strongest trait is its characters, and none of them feel right. It's like reading fan fiction by a writer who is not up to par with all her canonical facts.
Ramses: Too honest, too direct, too snappish. And there are no brooding passages, no sardonic self deprecating remarks, no cynicism. Nothing swoon worthy.
Nefret does not giggle nor is she as impulsive, brave, or involved as usual, and neither she nor Amelia would nap so frequently or admit it at the very least.
Amelia is even more prone to silly bouts of derring do, and it doesn't work as well in this context. I became -- dare I admit it? -- a trifle bored.
And the plot inconsistencies: the big one is the location of Nefret's Cairo clinic that Hess has in Luxor. And then the common knowledge of the Lost Oasis. I can't imagine that Amelia would admit that to anyone, especially a new acquaintance. That was a well kept secret. The length of Katherine and Amelia's friendship is also confused with Evelyn, and then there are the flagrant anachronisms.
The best part of this is the introduction for MPM: a send off to one of my favorite writers. In the future, I will revisit beloved books in the canon in order to get my Emerson family fix.
I did appreciate Hess's attempt to bring closure to this final manuscript. No one can take MPM's place, but Hess does succeed in providing an ode to her and-- of course Amelia's -- indomitable memory.
2.5 stars.
July 30, 2017
I adore Amelia and her clan so was extraordinarily excited when this book was announced.
Unfortunately, the pacing and dialogue are off, the characters are not themselves, and the plot makes no sense. There are numerous glaring conflicts with the Amelia canon, which drove me nuts. Shouldn't the editor have caught these things? Maybe I wouldn't have noticed had I not re-read the three preceding books in anticipation of this one. I had hoped for a story that would shed more light on the resolution of the trauma at the end of Falcon at the Portal, but all of that pain and suffering was brushed aside and instead there were comic book villains in the form of Geoffrey's family.
The archaeology bits are interesting in light of the real controversy around Nefertiti, but there was far less archaeology than in the other books. Instead, lots of naps, baths, flitting around, and odd arguments. I'm going to re-read He Shall Thunder in the Sky now and pretend The Painted Queen never happened.
Unfortunately, the pacing and dialogue are off, the characters are not themselves, and the plot makes no sense. There are numerous glaring conflicts with the Amelia canon, which drove me nuts. Shouldn't the editor have caught these things? Maybe I wouldn't have noticed had I not re-read the three preceding books in anticipation of this one. I had hoped for a story that would shed more light on the resolution of the trauma at the end of Falcon at the Portal, but all of that pain and suffering was brushed aside and instead there were comic book villains in the form of Geoffrey's family.
The archaeology bits are interesting in light of the real controversy around Nefertiti, but there was far less archaeology than in the other books. Instead, lots of naps, baths, flitting around, and odd arguments. I'm going to re-read He Shall Thunder in the Sky now and pretend The Painted Queen never happened.
February 16, 2018
I was thrilled for the chance to read THE PAINTED QUEEN. Before I started to read this book I didn't know that this is the last book in the Amelia Peabody series. Elizabeth Peters never finished it before she died and her good friend, Joan Hess, took over and spent three years working with it before it was released. I have to admit that reading about Elizabeth Peters made me a bit sad about the fact that she never got to finish this book. She was a wonderful person who was a dedicated author who loved writing.
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
July 31, 2017
I am a long time fan of Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels/Barbara Mertz. I own the Amelia Peabody series in hardcover and paperback and e-book.
This book will not be added to my collection.
The relationships were off, the voices were off. Stupid mistakes threw me out of the story. Then Nefret started giggling and said something and in my mind I was hearing Claire Malloy's annoying daughter, Caron, and that was it for me.
The story descended into a sly parody starring Claire as Amelia, Pete as Emerson, and Caron as Nefret.
It seemed like the series had not been read prior to this book being written. No mention made of the reason Nefret went off to marry Geoffrey or where that "reason" was. No mention of Walter or Evelyn? Amelia saying "Inshallah"? I was thrown out of the story constantly. The ending was abrupt to say the least.
This is not the way I want to remember the Emersons.
I just want to cry...
This book will not be added to my collection.
The relationships were off, the voices were off. Stupid mistakes threw me out of the story. Then Nefret started giggling and said something and in my mind I was hearing Claire Malloy's annoying daughter, Caron, and that was it for me.
The story descended into a sly parody starring Claire as Amelia, Pete as Emerson, and Caron as Nefret.
It seemed like the series had not been read prior to this book being written. No mention made of the reason Nefret went off to marry Geoffrey or where that "reason" was. No mention of Walter or Evelyn? Amelia saying "Inshallah"? I was thrown out of the story constantly. The ending was abrupt to say the least.
This is not the way I want to remember the Emersons.
I just want to cry...
February 15, 2018
Honestly, this book missed the mark. Badly.
I can tell that Joan Hess was trying to do justice to the series, but fell far short. If I loved the series less it might be possible to look beyond the constant mischaracterization and frequent continuity errors (I could elaborate on them but I'd be here all day).
I'm glad I read it for the sake of completeness, and the last chapter (which was written by Mertz before her death) was a lovely reminder of the best parts of the series and shows what the book could have been.
I can tell that Joan Hess was trying to do justice to the series, but fell far short. If I loved the series less it might be possible to look beyond the constant mischaracterization and frequent continuity errors (I could elaborate on them but I'd be here all day).
I'm glad I read it for the sake of completeness, and the last chapter (which was written by Mertz before her death) was a lovely reminder of the best parts of the series and shows what the book could have been.
September 11, 2020
Hell and damnation, what a letdown! This book is one hot mess from start to finish. I so wanted to like this book, but all my efforts were thwarted one by one.
While I believe the friends, family and colleagues of Ms. Peters entered into this project with love and the best of intentions, it might have been best to leave well enough alone. Not to mention, a number of people should have reread the series, as I did, before delving into "The Painted Queen" and numerous errors throughout might have been avoided (more on those later in the review).
All the dear, old, familiar characters came off as cartoonish versions of themselves. Emerson acts like a dimwitted, blustering, jerk. Ramses is arrogant to the point of dislike. Amelia behaves like a simpleminded pig constantly stuffing her face with food and on the verge of fainting at the drop of a hat. Nefret has no distinct personality at all, possibly because the author had no idea what to do with her. David came off as a rube. And, worst of all, kind, gentle Daoud is portrayed as a smirking baby ready to pounce on anyone without the last name of Emerson at the drop of hat. Do you recognize these characters? I sure as heck did not. Every single voice of every single character was off somehow.
Also, there were far too many asides in parentheses. Yes, Amelia's journals normally employ this technique, but it seemed excessive to the extreme in "The Painted Queen".
On to the numerous errors.
-Emerson did not kick Kevin O'Connell down the stairs at the Winter Palace, but at Shepheard's.
-The alcohol on the belt of tools should be brandy not whiskey.
-While we are normally told of Amelia shopping for Christmas gifts, the reader isn't usually given such a detailed (and unnecessary) description of each gift. Only if it's important to the storyline.
-Katherine Vandergelt did not know Ramses from birth. She made her first appearance in "Seeing a Large Cat" when Ramses was 16.
-What is up with the continual reference to Emerson, Selim and the handshake? Contrary to Ms. Hess' supposition, this has not happened before.
-Nefret's medical clinic in Luxor was located in an attached area of the house where she lived AFTER she and Ramses were married. Her hospital for women is located in CAIRO. Aargh.
-No, no, Mahmoud did not always burn the roast, he burned the SOUP!
-Since when do Emerson and Fatima argue so often and so nastily?
-Ramses did not choose his nickname since Emerson gave it to him shortly after birth.
Sorry for the caps, but I grew extremely annoyed over time. Am I nitpicking? Perhaps, but geez, that's a lot of errors. And I may have missed other missteps, as there are too many to count properly.
One of the highlights of the previous nineteen books in the series is the witty and brisk dialogue between characters. In "The Painted Queen" conversations sound banal and stiff. Examples follow.
-(between Amelia and Ramses)"I shall now retreat to the bath chamber to prepare myself to call on Mr. Russell and M. Maspero."
"I shall accompany you on these visits," Ramses announced. (pg. 99, sounds very stiff and formal)
-"You make us sound like crocodiles on the sandbank, awaiting a tasty meal of bratwurst." (pg. 84) Does anybody really think this sounds like Ramses?
-(Amelia and Ramses) "It is a bit early in the day for this (whiskey), is it not?"
"If I am correct," Ramses said. "it is five o'clock in Mongolia." (pg.118) Really? Can we be pulled anymore violently into the 21st Century by this currently popular euphemism?
And you'd think no one ever used contractions in everyday speech.
In reality, the book probably didn't even deserve two stars, though I added the extra out of respect for Elizabeth Peters and the intriguing premise she created. Too bad she wasn't able to craft the story in its entirety before her death. I will definitely reread the Amelia Peabody series again one day, all nineteen books. This aberration, number 20, will not be included. As I stated earlier, I believe the heart of everyone involved in this project was in the right place, but they just did not pull it off.
While I believe the friends, family and colleagues of Ms. Peters entered into this project with love and the best of intentions, it might have been best to leave well enough alone. Not to mention, a number of people should have reread the series, as I did, before delving into "The Painted Queen" and numerous errors throughout might have been avoided (more on those later in the review).
All the dear, old, familiar characters came off as cartoonish versions of themselves. Emerson acts like a dimwitted, blustering, jerk. Ramses is arrogant to the point of dislike. Amelia behaves like a simpleminded pig constantly stuffing her face with food and on the verge of fainting at the drop of a hat. Nefret has no distinct personality at all, possibly because the author had no idea what to do with her. David came off as a rube. And, worst of all, kind, gentle Daoud is portrayed as a smirking baby ready to pounce on anyone without the last name of Emerson at the drop of hat. Do you recognize these characters? I sure as heck did not. Every single voice of every single character was off somehow.
Also, there were far too many asides in parentheses. Yes, Amelia's journals normally employ this technique, but it seemed excessive to the extreme in "The Painted Queen".
On to the numerous errors.
-Emerson did not kick Kevin O'Connell down the stairs at the Winter Palace, but at Shepheard's.
-The alcohol on the belt of tools should be brandy not whiskey.
-While we are normally told of Amelia shopping for Christmas gifts, the reader isn't usually given such a detailed (and unnecessary) description of each gift. Only if it's important to the storyline.
-Katherine Vandergelt did not know Ramses from birth. She made her first appearance in "Seeing a Large Cat" when Ramses was 16.
-What is up with the continual reference to Emerson, Selim and the handshake? Contrary to Ms. Hess' supposition, this has not happened before.
-Nefret's medical clinic in Luxor was located in an attached area of the house where she lived AFTER she and Ramses were married. Her hospital for women is located in CAIRO. Aargh.
-No, no, Mahmoud did not always burn the roast, he burned the SOUP!
-Since when do Emerson and Fatima argue so often and so nastily?
-Ramses did not choose his nickname since Emerson gave it to him shortly after birth.
Sorry for the caps, but I grew extremely annoyed over time. Am I nitpicking? Perhaps, but geez, that's a lot of errors. And I may have missed other missteps, as there are too many to count properly.
One of the highlights of the previous nineteen books in the series is the witty and brisk dialogue between characters. In "The Painted Queen" conversations sound banal and stiff. Examples follow.
-(between Amelia and Ramses)"I shall now retreat to the bath chamber to prepare myself to call on Mr. Russell and M. Maspero."
"I shall accompany you on these visits," Ramses announced. (pg. 99, sounds very stiff and formal)
-"You make us sound like crocodiles on the sandbank, awaiting a tasty meal of bratwurst." (pg. 84) Does anybody really think this sounds like Ramses?
-(Amelia and Ramses) "It is a bit early in the day for this (whiskey), is it not?"
"If I am correct," Ramses said. "it is five o'clock in Mongolia." (pg.118) Really? Can we be pulled anymore violently into the 21st Century by this currently popular euphemism?
And you'd think no one ever used contractions in everyday speech.
In reality, the book probably didn't even deserve two stars, though I added the extra out of respect for Elizabeth Peters and the intriguing premise she created. Too bad she wasn't able to craft the story in its entirety before her death. I will definitely reread the Amelia Peabody series again one day, all nineteen books. This aberration, number 20, will not be included. As I stated earlier, I believe the heart of everyone involved in this project was in the right place, but they just did not pull it off.
Shelved as 'ugh'
October 9, 2018DNF PG 106
Why?
I might get around to finishing it sometime, but I doubt it. There was a plethora of issues, but the final straw that broke this camel's back was Amelia blithely stating "I shall have another session of hypnosis with him this afternoon." about a man that she is, apparently, hypnotizing with a compass.
...
Other remarks to follow.
I'm in an interesting position with this book. You see, I am a fan of Elizabeth Peters work, have been since I was first introduced to The Last Camel Died at Noon from a used bookstore over 15 years ago. She is the only author of mystery books that has stayed a 'must buy' for me through my transition into reading spec fiction. For many, many years I considered her my favorite author.
I also, many, many years ago (closer to 20 than 10) was a fan of Joan Hess' books. Hers, however, did not stand the test of time and now, looking back, I know that I wouldn't enjoy them.
This book…is exactly what I most feared: more Hess than Peters.
The characters are still here in name, but they are changed. Emerson and Amelia are caricatures of themselves. Egypt is still there in name but…what happened to the archeology?
I cannot imagine how daunting a task it must have been for Hess to finish this book even if she wasn't the close friend to Peters that her author note made obvious she was. However, Hess was a poor choice to finish the book. Sure, she traveled to Egypt with Peters (once?) but her books were all humorous contemporary mysteries and her writing in this book shows it.
After the events of the previous, chronological, book, to have the villains in here be more of a … honestly? Horace and Jasper from 101 Dalmatians (so glad my mom's been watching those movies or I'd have nothing to compare them to) feels disrespectful. And like 'ooh, look at me, I'm funny' which is something these books never were, instead just being dryly amusing. (And anyone else notice the overuse of parentheses?)
Why?
I might get around to finishing it sometime, but I doubt it. There was a plethora of issues, but the final straw that broke this camel's back was Amelia blithely stating "I shall have another session of hypnosis with him this afternoon." about a man that she is, apparently, hypnotizing with a compass.
...
Other remarks to follow.
I'm in an interesting position with this book. You see, I am a fan of Elizabeth Peters work, have been since I was first introduced to The Last Camel Died at Noon from a used bookstore over 15 years ago. She is the only author of mystery books that has stayed a 'must buy' for me through my transition into reading spec fiction. For many, many years I considered her my favorite author.
I also, many, many years ago (closer to 20 than 10) was a fan of Joan Hess' books. Hers, however, did not stand the test of time and now, looking back, I know that I wouldn't enjoy them.
This book…is exactly what I most feared: more Hess than Peters.
The characters are still here in name, but they are changed. Emerson and Amelia are caricatures of themselves. Egypt is still there in name but…what happened to the archeology?
I cannot imagine how daunting a task it must have been for Hess to finish this book even if she wasn't the close friend to Peters that her author note made obvious she was. However, Hess was a poor choice to finish the book. Sure, she traveled to Egypt with Peters (once?) but her books were all humorous contemporary mysteries and her writing in this book shows it.
After the events of the previous, chronological, book, to have the villains in here be more of a … honestly? Horace and Jasper from 101 Dalmatians (so glad my mom's been watching those movies or I'd have nothing to compare them to) feels disrespectful. And like 'ooh, look at me, I'm funny' which is something these books never were, instead just being dryly amusing. (And anyone else notice the overuse of parentheses?)
July 27, 2017
Disappointing.
It seems the author was trying too hard and fell short. There were inconsistencies with the rest of the series, for in chapter 5 we read "Katherine was my closest confidante; she had watched over Ramses since his birth and was as bemused as I by his eccentric nature." However Katherine doesn't meet the Emerson's until Ramses is 16 in Seeing A Large Cat. Also some of the characters didn't ring true. Nefret is portrayed as someone who would never harm anyone, but in the other books she sleeps with a knife under her pillow. It's a good story but just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the series
It seems the author was trying too hard and fell short. There were inconsistencies with the rest of the series, for in chapter 5 we read "Katherine was my closest confidante; she had watched over Ramses since his birth and was as bemused as I by his eccentric nature." However Katherine doesn't meet the Emerson's until Ramses is 16 in Seeing A Large Cat. Also some of the characters didn't ring true. Nefret is portrayed as someone who would never harm anyone, but in the other books she sleeps with a knife under her pillow. It's a good story but just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the series
August 2, 2017
As general fiction, it was fine. As an Amelia, it was not. I know it was a labor of love and I appreciate all the effort that went into it, but the characters acted and spoke so uncharacteristically that I could never really get into the story. There were also not only storyline-related continuity errors, but some general ones as well. This book could have been improved by a good editor. This painted queen should have stayed buried.
May 18, 2017
I hate to let Amelia go but this was a fine final installment. Ms. Hess did an admirable job finishing Ms. Peters manuscript - a task that must have been intimidating.
August 12, 2017
3.5 stars
Amelia Peabody Emerson and her husband, Professor Radcliffe (never call him that) Emerson, the greatest Egyptologist of the 19th- and (dare Amelia say it) 20th-century are back in Egypt for the 1912-1913 season. After their last season was cut tragically short, they hope to finish excavations where they left off and hope Emerson will keep from enraging M. Maspero (again) long enough to get a firman for a better location. The season gets off to an exciting start when a murderous thug enters Amelia's private chamber intent on harm when someone intervenes to stop the attack. Surprised and confused, Amelia sets about trying to figure out who her enemies are (the list is long). Emerson, on the other hand, is determined to protect the love of his life with his own brute strength and sheer will no matter what. Meanwhile, Ramses and David are in Palestine doing who knows what and Nefret is continuing her study of medicine. With the children grown, Amelia and Emerson can finally be alone! Not so fast- M. Maspero has a job for the Peabody-Emersons: go to Amarna and find out what on earth is happening with Herr Morgenstern, who is supposed to be excavating the site, but has been behaving erratically. The Peabody-Emersons discover Herr Morgenstern's behavior is linked to a bust of Queen Nefertiti or should I say busts? There are several floating around but only one is genuine and different parties are after it with their own agenda.
Another exciting adventure for Amelia and co. Unlike everyone else, this book isn't the end of the road for me because I am reading on chronological order in which the stories take place. I needed to know what happened next after the shocking ending of the previous installment. This one picks up the threads but all was not resolved entirely to my satisfaction. I need to read on I suppose! The plot is fast paced with danger lurking around every corner and Sethos not far behind. The narrative sticks with Amelia's point-of-view for most of the book when a few fragments of "Manuscript H" work their way in to show what is happening with Ramses and David. Their plot was far more interesting than the wildly improbable assassination attempts by bungling idiots. From their names to the ridiculous ways they were vanquished was all to coincidental and smacked of a silly novel by the likes of Miss Smith. I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know who and what was going on. The ending was too abrupt and anticlimactic for me. I was left feeling a bit lost and confused as to how the two stories come together. I guessed the identities of the villains just before Amelia did. The story also contains the age old debate between Amelia's firm belief in Christian doctrine and Emerson's atheism. I love the way Amelia and Emerson concluded the debate. Amelia, thankfully, refrains from Victorian moralizing in this book. On the negative side, the reader almost has to be aware of the political situation at that time or some of the undercurrents in the plot don't make sense.
I just adore Amelia and Emerson. They're one of my favorite literary couples. Even after so many years of marriage and all they've been through, they're still deeply in love. Emerson even manages to say so, in his own special way. I loved every scene they were in alone and how they're still a healthy married couple despite everything else that is going on. They made me chuckle a lot.
Ramses has the best traits of his parents but is his own independent man. Despite me not liking him as an adult, I found myself missing him when he took so long to enter the story. I was disappointed there wasn't more from his point-of-view, especially earlier in the story. Nefret is as sweet and loving as ever, but with a new soberness from her experiences. None of the story is from her point-of-view and I was frustrated because I wondered what was going on inside her head. David is a real action hero. Lia will be pleased when he returns home to relate his adventures. I was surprised she didn't insist on joining him. Sethos manages to be very enjoyable despite who he is. We get to see a new side of him here when Ramses tries to outmaneuver a master.
There are several new characters here. Herr Morgenstern is the most important. He is a noted archeologist who has been behaving erratically. The mystery is why and what happened to Nefertiti? He comes across as naive at times and at other times possessed by something or even cursed. Herr M provides a lot of chuckles here. There's also Mr. Buddle, a mysterious man who acts for the financial backer of the excavation. I didn't really care for him much. He was a bit pompous and stupid. Herr von Raubritter is another mysterious man claiming to be an archeologist but doesn't seem to know the first thing about excavating. He isn't in the story long enough to get an idea of his personality. He seems like he could be a villain but is he? Mr. Dullard is a hairy missionary with a voice that doesn't match his figure. Like Emerson, I didn't trust him at first but then I grew to like him. I was surprised by the outcome of his plot. Finally, there's Miss Ermentrude DeVere Smith, a writer of silly romance novels (the kind Amelia secretly enjoys). Like Emerson I have little use for made up, silly, affected women and Miss Smith is no exception. Amelia is too kind to Miss Smith. There is ONE more new character introduced at the end. I found him enjoyable and amusing- a fresh and youthful charm to keep the novel's tone light.
I didn't notice a whole lot of difference in the writing so overall, great job to Joan Hess for taking on the daunting task of finishing another author's work. I'm sure her friend Barbara is smiling on from the Egyptian afterlife.
I did notice some anachronisms and American speech patterns pop up once in awhile. I didn't question the word choices too much but high sticklers beware.
For those who haven't read any of the other books in the series, Amelia recaps past adventures but I wouldn't recommend starting with this one.
Amelia Peabody Emerson and her husband, Professor Radcliffe (never call him that) Emerson, the greatest Egyptologist of the 19th- and (dare Amelia say it) 20th-century are back in Egypt for the 1912-1913 season. After their last season was cut tragically short, they hope to finish excavations where they left off and hope Emerson will keep from enraging M. Maspero (again) long enough to get a firman for a better location. The season gets off to an exciting start when a murderous thug enters Amelia's private chamber intent on harm when someone intervenes to stop the attack. Surprised and confused, Amelia sets about trying to figure out who her enemies are (the list is long). Emerson, on the other hand, is determined to protect the love of his life with his own brute strength and sheer will no matter what. Meanwhile, Ramses and David are in Palestine doing who knows what and Nefret is continuing her study of medicine. With the children grown, Amelia and Emerson can finally be alone! Not so fast- M. Maspero has a job for the Peabody-Emersons: go to Amarna and find out what on earth is happening with Herr Morgenstern, who is supposed to be excavating the site, but has been behaving erratically. The Peabody-Emersons discover Herr Morgenstern's behavior is linked to a bust of Queen Nefertiti or should I say busts? There are several floating around but only one is genuine and different parties are after it with their own agenda.
Another exciting adventure for Amelia and co. Unlike everyone else, this book isn't the end of the road for me because I am reading on chronological order in which the stories take place. I needed to know what happened next after the shocking ending of the previous installment. This one picks up the threads but all was not resolved entirely to my satisfaction. I need to read on I suppose! The plot is fast paced with danger lurking around every corner and Sethos not far behind. The narrative sticks with Amelia's point-of-view for most of the book when a few fragments of "Manuscript H" work their way in to show what is happening with Ramses and David. Their plot was far more interesting than the wildly improbable assassination attempts by bungling idiots. From their names to the ridiculous ways they were vanquished was all to coincidental and smacked of a silly novel by the likes of Miss Smith. I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know who and what was going on. The ending was too abrupt and anticlimactic for me. I was left feeling a bit lost and confused as to how the two stories come together. I guessed the identities of the villains just before Amelia did. The story also contains the age old debate between Amelia's firm belief in Christian doctrine and Emerson's atheism. I love the way Amelia and Emerson concluded the debate. Amelia, thankfully, refrains from Victorian moralizing in this book. On the negative side, the reader almost has to be aware of the political situation at that time or some of the undercurrents in the plot don't make sense.
I just adore Amelia and Emerson. They're one of my favorite literary couples. Even after so many years of marriage and all they've been through, they're still deeply in love. Emerson even manages to say so, in his own special way. I loved every scene they were in alone and how they're still a healthy married couple despite everything else that is going on. They made me chuckle a lot.
Ramses has the best traits of his parents but is his own independent man. Despite me not liking him as an adult, I found myself missing him when he took so long to enter the story. I was disappointed there wasn't more from his point-of-view, especially earlier in the story. Nefret is as sweet and loving as ever, but with a new soberness from her experiences. None of the story is from her point-of-view and I was frustrated because I wondered what was going on inside her head. David is a real action hero. Lia will be pleased when he returns home to relate his adventures. I was surprised she didn't insist on joining him. Sethos manages to be very enjoyable despite who he is. We get to see a new side of him here when Ramses tries to outmaneuver a master.
There are several new characters here. Herr Morgenstern is the most important. He is a noted archeologist who has been behaving erratically. The mystery is why and what happened to Nefertiti? He comes across as naive at times and at other times possessed by something or even cursed. Herr M provides a lot of chuckles here. There's also Mr. Buddle, a mysterious man who acts for the financial backer of the excavation. I didn't really care for him much. He was a bit pompous and stupid. Herr von Raubritter is another mysterious man claiming to be an archeologist but doesn't seem to know the first thing about excavating. He isn't in the story long enough to get an idea of his personality. He seems like he could be a villain but is he? Mr. Dullard is a hairy missionary with a voice that doesn't match his figure. Like Emerson, I didn't trust him at first but then I grew to like him. I was surprised by the outcome of his plot. Finally, there's Miss Ermentrude DeVere Smith, a writer of silly romance novels (the kind Amelia secretly enjoys). Like Emerson I have little use for made up, silly, affected women and Miss Smith is no exception. Amelia is too kind to Miss Smith. There is ONE more new character introduced at the end. I found him enjoyable and amusing- a fresh and youthful charm to keep the novel's tone light.
I didn't notice a whole lot of difference in the writing so overall, great job to Joan Hess for taking on the daunting task of finishing another author's work. I'm sure her friend Barbara is smiling on from the Egyptian afterlife.
I did notice some anachronisms and American speech patterns pop up once in awhile. I didn't question the word choices too much but high sticklers beware.
For those who haven't read any of the other books in the series, Amelia recaps past adventures but I wouldn't recommend starting with this one.
May 16, 2017
I have been eagerly awaiting the final installment of the Amelia Peabody series ever since I heard that the late author Elizabeth Peters had one final book in the works. Thanks to the gracious folks who responded to my request at William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers, I was able to get my hands on this advance reader's edition, and you may be sure that I devoured it!
For those who may be coming to this book with no prior knowledge of the series, even though this book is #20, it fits chronologically about two-thirds of the way into the series and fills in a gap between previously published books. The Painted Queen will certainly be most meaningful to you if you have read the books that precede it, but I think it would stand up even if you came to it without that context.
That being said, here are my thoughts:
This is a stellar addition to the Amelia series. On page one, I admitted to myself some reservations. Joan Hess is the co-author for this work; I wondered, how would the collaboration flow? Would I really recognize my favorite characters? Would I be able to suspend disbelief and go along on their adventures with the same thrill I've gotten in many of Elizabeth Peters' other works?
I realized by about page seven that the answer to all of those questions was YES! In fact, this book may actually mark the series' peak of comedy, derring-do, and suspense. It's very, very funny, and the action is tightly plotted without any slow bits.
I love the premise, which is absurd and therefore sits fair and square in Amelia's world. Without any apology whatsoever, she OWNS the fact that her life is straight out of the most sensational of novels. She and her family of archaeologists are just beginning their latest venture in Egypt when a villain with a monocle bursts into her bath chamber, gasps "Murder!" and collapses in a dead heap on the floor moments before he would have strangled her. Naturally, she hoists herself out of the tub and begins going through his pockets. When she and her husband Emerson begin speculating about the presence of the monocle, she immediately informs him that it must be the insignia of a secret society, and that assassins sometimes travel in gangs.
"Assassins do not travel in gangs," says Emerson.
(They are the perfect duo!)
This is the point at which I began to dissolve into fits of chuckling.
And that is just the beginning of an adventure that involves a whole parade of monocled men named after the great traitors of history. Also, you know the iconic treasure sitting in a museum in Berlin, the Nefertiti bust? The Emerson family is seamlessly inserted into that historical narrative. (I love the way Elizabeth Peters has always had them at or near the scene of great discoveries, but always in such a way that real history is left intact...they get their hands all over the story, but in the end they leave no trace!)
So, yes, the Nefertiti bust has been discovered, but then it vanishes, but then it reappears again...and again...and again...how many of them can there be? Amelia's son Ramses and his best friend David traverse Cairo hunting down each new copy.
This keeps Ramses mostly away from Nefret, the Emerson family's ward, now a grown woman with a tragedy in her past. Readers of The Falcon at the Portal and He Shall Thunder in the Sky know that since this new book is filling in that chronological gap, the relationship tension must be kept intact. It simmers ever so slightly below the surface.
I must mention one other big thing that I adored in this book....the appearances of the Emerson family's perpetual nemesis (actually, at this point, "frenemy" is probably a more accurate description). Yes, it's Sethos, or as Amelia likes to call him, the Master Criminal. His disguises and plots are ongoing joys of the series. When he shows up in The Painted Queen, it's with greater panache than ever before. There are thundering hooves. There are dramatic interventions. It's glorious. Those who know the rest of his story will revel in these moments.
So, in review, this book is everything I wanted the last Amelia Peabody novel to be. I'm sad that there won't be any more of her adventures, but I'm happy that The Painted Queen is such a fitting swan song. I am totally elated to have read it, and you will be too. It goes on sale July 25!
***SO MANY THANKS to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers who provided me with this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review
For those who may be coming to this book with no prior knowledge of the series, even though this book is #20, it fits chronologically about two-thirds of the way into the series and fills in a gap between previously published books. The Painted Queen will certainly be most meaningful to you if you have read the books that precede it, but I think it would stand up even if you came to it without that context.
That being said, here are my thoughts:
This is a stellar addition to the Amelia series. On page one, I admitted to myself some reservations. Joan Hess is the co-author for this work; I wondered, how would the collaboration flow? Would I really recognize my favorite characters? Would I be able to suspend disbelief and go along on their adventures with the same thrill I've gotten in many of Elizabeth Peters' other works?
I realized by about page seven that the answer to all of those questions was YES! In fact, this book may actually mark the series' peak of comedy, derring-do, and suspense. It's very, very funny, and the action is tightly plotted without any slow bits.
I love the premise, which is absurd and therefore sits fair and square in Amelia's world. Without any apology whatsoever, she OWNS the fact that her life is straight out of the most sensational of novels. She and her family of archaeologists are just beginning their latest venture in Egypt when a villain with a monocle bursts into her bath chamber, gasps "Murder!" and collapses in a dead heap on the floor moments before he would have strangled her. Naturally, she hoists herself out of the tub and begins going through his pockets. When she and her husband Emerson begin speculating about the presence of the monocle, she immediately informs him that it must be the insignia of a secret society, and that assassins sometimes travel in gangs.
"Assassins do not travel in gangs," says Emerson.
(They are the perfect duo!)
This is the point at which I began to dissolve into fits of chuckling.
And that is just the beginning of an adventure that involves a whole parade of monocled men named after the great traitors of history. Also, you know the iconic treasure sitting in a museum in Berlin, the Nefertiti bust? The Emerson family is seamlessly inserted into that historical narrative. (I love the way Elizabeth Peters has always had them at or near the scene of great discoveries, but always in such a way that real history is left intact...they get their hands all over the story, but in the end they leave no trace!)
So, yes, the Nefertiti bust has been discovered, but then it vanishes, but then it reappears again...and again...and again...how many of them can there be? Amelia's son Ramses and his best friend David traverse Cairo hunting down each new copy.
This keeps Ramses mostly away from Nefret, the Emerson family's ward, now a grown woman with a tragedy in her past. Readers of The Falcon at the Portal and He Shall Thunder in the Sky know that since this new book is filling in that chronological gap, the relationship tension must be kept intact. It simmers ever so slightly below the surface.
I must mention one other big thing that I adored in this book....the appearances of the Emerson family's perpetual nemesis (actually, at this point, "frenemy" is probably a more accurate description). Yes, it's Sethos, or as Amelia likes to call him, the Master Criminal. His disguises and plots are ongoing joys of the series. When he shows up in The Painted Queen, it's with greater panache than ever before. There are thundering hooves. There are dramatic interventions. It's glorious. Those who know the rest of his story will revel in these moments.
So, in review, this book is everything I wanted the last Amelia Peabody novel to be. I'm sad that there won't be any more of her adventures, but I'm happy that The Painted Queen is such a fitting swan song. I am totally elated to have read it, and you will be too. It goes on sale July 25!
***SO MANY THANKS to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers who provided me with this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review
June 15, 2017
I'll start off my review by saying that this is for the Advanced Reader copy I received, and I fully intend to read the official copy in July.
I waited on pins and needles since I first heard whisperings of this book. I was intrigued and excited that, yes, Amelia would be gracing us one final time. And then suddenly, she was here, in the rough stage, maybe, but here nonetheless. I vowed to read slowly, and slowly I did.
Here's a confession. When was in the first few chapters, and even at times near the end, I experienced what I can only describe as psychological block. I felt as though there was a strange barrier between me and the characters. I can only assume this is because another author was attached to the writing. I think knowing this had me so worried everything would be different, that I couldn't settle at first. Maybe reading so slowly exacerbated this feeling, or maybe in the long-run, being able to reflect on the contents of each chapter helped me recognize the characters for who they've always been.
Ms. Hess did not disappoint me. I eventually was able to see past the fact that this wasn't 100% MPM, and fell into the story with pleasure. Amelia and Emerson were FANTASTIC. I was laughing often at their banter with each other and other characters, as I followed the fantastical mystery along, fully enjoying how so very Amelia Peabody it was. So many assassins, so little time.
AND SETHOS. GUYS, SETHOS WAS A DREAM. All the crazy disguises and appearances had me in stitches. I think that perhaps he won the day with this book. The sass was strong as ever, and his interactions with Ramses were amazing.
I think my only issue with it was that Ramses and David felt a little off to me at times. I think this was mostly due to them saying things occasionally that didn't strike me as quite Them. And I was sad at the lack of Nefret, and a little surprised at the lack of interaction she had with Ramses. Now, obviously, I understand that they probably can't even stand to look at each other what with Falcon being the previous book in the timeline, but I was hoping for something verbal to illustrate the stress between them. Mostly, we get the idea through Amelia's observations of the pair. Perhaps some of these little things will be altered in the official copy, since I know some changes were definitely made.
One of my favorite things about this book were all the little Easter eggs thrown in, which the Reader will certainly recognize when he or she comes across them. They'll make you smile very hard!!!
As all of you who have read this Amelia and all the others know the feeling, suddenly I hit the last chapter. I couldn't really believe this was it, despite the July release, and I had to mentally prepare myself. In the words of JK Rowling, all was well. The ending showcases Amelia in all her vivacious glory, and I couldn't have been happier with it. The fact that Painted Queen takes place primarily in Amarna seems to me a wonderful way to bookend a series that has been so much to me these past few years, and I give my thanks to MPM, Joan Hess, and Salima Ikram for their hard work in giving us this final, wonderful Peabody adventure.
I waited on pins and needles since I first heard whisperings of this book. I was intrigued and excited that, yes, Amelia would be gracing us one final time. And then suddenly, she was here, in the rough stage, maybe, but here nonetheless. I vowed to read slowly, and slowly I did.
Here's a confession. When was in the first few chapters, and even at times near the end, I experienced what I can only describe as psychological block. I felt as though there was a strange barrier between me and the characters. I can only assume this is because another author was attached to the writing. I think knowing this had me so worried everything would be different, that I couldn't settle at first. Maybe reading so slowly exacerbated this feeling, or maybe in the long-run, being able to reflect on the contents of each chapter helped me recognize the characters for who they've always been.
Ms. Hess did not disappoint me. I eventually was able to see past the fact that this wasn't 100% MPM, and fell into the story with pleasure. Amelia and Emerson were FANTASTIC. I was laughing often at their banter with each other and other characters, as I followed the fantastical mystery along, fully enjoying how so very Amelia Peabody it was. So many assassins, so little time.
AND SETHOS. GUYS, SETHOS WAS A DREAM. All the crazy disguises and appearances had me in stitches. I think that perhaps he won the day with this book. The sass was strong as ever, and his interactions with Ramses were amazing.
I think my only issue with it was that Ramses and David felt a little off to me at times. I think this was mostly due to them saying things occasionally that didn't strike me as quite Them. And I was sad at the lack of Nefret, and a little surprised at the lack of interaction she had with Ramses. Now, obviously, I understand that they probably can't even stand to look at each other what with Falcon being the previous book in the timeline, but I was hoping for something verbal to illustrate the stress between them. Mostly, we get the idea through Amelia's observations of the pair. Perhaps some of these little things will be altered in the official copy, since I know some changes were definitely made.
One of my favorite things about this book were all the little Easter eggs thrown in, which the Reader will certainly recognize when he or she comes across them. They'll make you smile very hard!!!
As all of you who have read this Amelia and all the others know the feeling, suddenly I hit the last chapter. I couldn't really believe this was it, despite the July release, and I had to mentally prepare myself. In the words of JK Rowling, all was well. The ending showcases Amelia in all her vivacious glory, and I couldn't have been happier with it. The fact that Painted Queen takes place primarily in Amarna seems to me a wonderful way to bookend a series that has been so much to me these past few years, and I give my thanks to MPM, Joan Hess, and Salima Ikram for their hard work in giving us this final, wonderful Peabody adventure.
March 24, 2018
Probably not the best book for a first encounter with Amelia Peabody: 1/3 Elizabeth Peters and 2/3 Joan Hess, apparently. It opens with an extremely positive testimonial-cum-eulogy by the Distinguished Professor of Egyptology at American University in Cairo for the deceased scholar-author, who “managed to educate without bludgeoning people with too many facts.” Call me a masochist, but I would have appreciated more facts and historical detail and less time taking tea, visiting shops, toodling between Cairo and archeological digs, and perpetually bantering with smug, British colonial quips. They might well sound plausible enough for Englishmen abroad c. 1910, but nevertheless struck me as more closely akin to 21st-century TV sitcom-mystery caricature. Promised amusement, mystery, and excitement were slow in coming, even as foiled assassination attempts multiplied and perpetrators' bodies piled up. I abandoned the book around page 100, wondering if I need to search out another from the previous 20 in the Amelia Peabody series to confirm the Distinguished Professor’s assessment. Can anybody recommend another as especially good?
June 14, 2017
Clearly written with love by Joan Hess and a must read for dedicated fans, but unfortunately for me the voice of all the characters ( except perhaps Sethos) was so different that it was really hard to finish. I read an ARC so maybe there will be some changes. I also found several mistakes in the "canon".
July 26, 2018
July, 2018: Five Stars for Barbara Rosenblat’s narration, which is unbearably wonderful. Early on it occasionally seemed that her voice caught, and I took the time to mourn Elizabeth Peters too. By the end, her rollicking interpretation of the goofball Hess additions fit the whole piece together (wish I could say “Rasputin” that way!). Her audio made the whole thing worth reading again and again.
Aug, 2017: it is impossible to settle on a rating for this loving completion of Peters' last book. Bits are magnificent, capturing all the right voices. It's a tricky time period for the characters - after Nefret's disasterous marriage, before the resolution of the love story, before the reform of Sethos, as the First World War appears on the horizon - and the ludicrous (wonderful!) plot makes it all the more difficult. At times it reads like a pastiche, at times like an exaggeration, at times like Peters herself and at times like she sounded when she was making fun of her own style. The characters do not have their usual depth, but then, they weren't so deep in the earlier novels as they became later. But Amarna! Nefertiti! Crazy tours of Cairo! Farce! It was nice to visit with the Peabody Emersons, whether they seem themselves or not.
Aug, 2017: it is impossible to settle on a rating for this loving completion of Peters' last book. Bits are magnificent, capturing all the right voices. It's a tricky time period for the characters - after Nefret's disasterous marriage, before the resolution of the love story, before the reform of Sethos, as the First World War appears on the horizon - and the ludicrous (wonderful!) plot makes it all the more difficult. At times it reads like a pastiche, at times like an exaggeration, at times like Peters herself and at times like she sounded when she was making fun of her own style. The characters do not have their usual depth, but then, they weren't so deep in the earlier novels as they became later. But Amarna! Nefertiti! Crazy tours of Cairo! Farce! It was nice to visit with the Peabody Emersons, whether they seem themselves or not.
September 4, 2017
This is a wonderful example of a true team effort. The forward written by professor of Egyptology Salima Ikram was both interesting and illuminating. Next, in the preface Joan Hess writes about her relationship with the author, and how this last volume in the series was developed. Then, comes an introduction by the Trustee of the Barbara Mertz Trust who lists each member of the team who brought this work to life. I am only surprised by the omission of the marvelous narrator, Barbara Rosenblat who has enraptured audiobook listeners including myself. Rosenblat portrays the characters consistently and skillfully throughout each volume including this final one. Indeed, in my experience the combination of author's words and narrator's voice truly brought the characters to life in a very special way. I can't imagine one without the other. All the characters I have come to know and love were present in this final volume, as were the other ingredients such as humor, especially the tongue-in-cheek kind, and the sense of place and time that make this such an interesting and engaging series.
June 19, 2017
Sorely missed Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody novels. I was extremely saddened when Barbara Mertz passed away... Joan Hess did a great job completing this novel. Now I need to go back and re-read prior novels to compare the styles. I almost want to say that Joan's version better describes the interactions and relationships of the main characters (and the cursing). But that could be my memory playing with me. Regardless, she does Amelia, Ramses, Nefret, and Emerson justice! Oh, and Sethos too. Quite enjoyable.
July 12, 2018
TRAVESTY RATHER THAN TRIBUTE
The Painted Queen, was touted to be published as a tribute to the late Elizabeth Peters, so I was dumbfounded to discover so many glaring errors in the story line and the character’s traits.
I read the first hundred pages and got so distressed by the obvious flaws, I decided to do something I never do to a book. I got out a highlighter, read from the beginning, and marked up the book.
Undoubtedly, Joan Hess had a different writing voice. She was a talented author of cozy mysteries, so that could be acceptable if it weren’t for the fact that I must question whether she read any of the books in the Amelia Peabody series. Many of the story line errors in The Painted Queen are seen to be in direct disagreement with The Falcon At The Portal, which is the one to be read just prior to this one, to maintain chronology of the series.
What happened to Jennifer Brehl, Ms. Peter’s longtime editor? Didn’t she or anyone else edit the book? It certainly reads like an incomplete draft. There are sixty-four ONE Star reviews of this book on Amazon, which is far greater number and percentage of negative reviews than any other book in the series. Some of those readers indicated they would have given ZERO Stars if that were an option. Many of those reviewers noted the astonishing expanse of obvious mistakes. Some of them wrote up a partial list in their reviews, but no review nearly covered the faults with character traits.
Elizabeth Peters wrote these books in such a way her readers got engaged with the characters. I find it shameful the traits in Amelia Peabody, in this book, turned her into a different person in her actions, attitudes towards the world, and her own self-esteem. Emerson comes off as himself having the British condescension towards the Egyptians that he despised in every of book in the series. Ramses, no longer stony faced, to keep his emotions hidden, sounds like a twit. David is so outrageously altered I can’t begin to describe it other than note he too seemed a bit anti-Egyptian. The entire relationship between the Abdullah and Emerson family members is made to look as though the Emersons felt the Egyptians were beneath them and unworthy, becoming bad tempered servants at best, or dismissed as menials, like Selim and Abdullah nearly are.
I got hooked on the Amelia Peabody series years ago and even purchased copies for other people to read so they would get to love or be addicted, too. I will keep this book, but whether I read it again when I reread the series is unlikely. This book does not add to the family saga and in many ways detracts from it, so I can safely not include it in my future reads of the series.
As an author of books that are a series, I would not consider it a tribute if any of my author friends took my notes and churned out a book where the people thought, acted, and spoke in ways totally out of their original character.
Since it was another author who picked up the manuscript after her death, I was willing to expect a different style of writing, however, I cannot believe anyone who truly appreciated the Amelia Peabody series would allow this book to be released in the condition it is in. I ask, were the people who could withhold the book until it was properly edited, too lazy or too greedy?
At any rate, Elizabeth Peters doesn’t need to turn over in her grave, as one reviewer put it, because her fans will continue to read and re-read the other books in the Amelia Peabody series.
I say: Rest In Peace, Amelia Peabody—Elizabeth Peters—Barbara Mertz.
Your devoted fan, May Sinclair
The Painted Queen, was touted to be published as a tribute to the late Elizabeth Peters, so I was dumbfounded to discover so many glaring errors in the story line and the character’s traits.
I read the first hundred pages and got so distressed by the obvious flaws, I decided to do something I never do to a book. I got out a highlighter, read from the beginning, and marked up the book.
Undoubtedly, Joan Hess had a different writing voice. She was a talented author of cozy mysteries, so that could be acceptable if it weren’t for the fact that I must question whether she read any of the books in the Amelia Peabody series. Many of the story line errors in The Painted Queen are seen to be in direct disagreement with The Falcon At The Portal, which is the one to be read just prior to this one, to maintain chronology of the series.
What happened to Jennifer Brehl, Ms. Peter’s longtime editor? Didn’t she or anyone else edit the book? It certainly reads like an incomplete draft. There are sixty-four ONE Star reviews of this book on Amazon, which is far greater number and percentage of negative reviews than any other book in the series. Some of those readers indicated they would have given ZERO Stars if that were an option. Many of those reviewers noted the astonishing expanse of obvious mistakes. Some of them wrote up a partial list in their reviews, but no review nearly covered the faults with character traits.
Elizabeth Peters wrote these books in such a way her readers got engaged with the characters. I find it shameful the traits in Amelia Peabody, in this book, turned her into a different person in her actions, attitudes towards the world, and her own self-esteem. Emerson comes off as himself having the British condescension towards the Egyptians that he despised in every of book in the series. Ramses, no longer stony faced, to keep his emotions hidden, sounds like a twit. David is so outrageously altered I can’t begin to describe it other than note he too seemed a bit anti-Egyptian. The entire relationship between the Abdullah and Emerson family members is made to look as though the Emersons felt the Egyptians were beneath them and unworthy, becoming bad tempered servants at best, or dismissed as menials, like Selim and Abdullah nearly are.
I got hooked on the Amelia Peabody series years ago and even purchased copies for other people to read so they would get to love or be addicted, too. I will keep this book, but whether I read it again when I reread the series is unlikely. This book does not add to the family saga and in many ways detracts from it, so I can safely not include it in my future reads of the series.
As an author of books that are a series, I would not consider it a tribute if any of my author friends took my notes and churned out a book where the people thought, acted, and spoke in ways totally out of their original character.
Since it was another author who picked up the manuscript after her death, I was willing to expect a different style of writing, however, I cannot believe anyone who truly appreciated the Amelia Peabody series would allow this book to be released in the condition it is in. I ask, were the people who could withhold the book until it was properly edited, too lazy or too greedy?
At any rate, Elizabeth Peters doesn’t need to turn over in her grave, as one reviewer put it, because her fans will continue to read and re-read the other books in the Amelia Peabody series.
I say: Rest In Peace, Amelia Peabody—Elizabeth Peters—Barbara Mertz.
Your devoted fan, May Sinclair
August 10, 2017
Hmmmm.
What did I think.
Okay, here's what I think I thought: I enjoyed the book. This was an unfinished Amelia Peabody that Elizabeth Peters' estate gave to Joan Hess, a friend of hers, to finish. Fortunately, according to Ms. Hess, the plot and notes already existed.
Except for knowing that the book was completed by someone else, it was a nice read and a familiar story. This one seems a little more prat-fally, and a little like Thursday Next is somewhere in the background being stalked by the Minotaur. There's a lot of really weird things that happen in this book, is the point I'm trying to make. And they're not exactly out of place, they're just also not exactly things that might happen to the Emerson clan.
You already know this, but I'll say it for the new people: while this is the last book, this is not the last book choronologically. As you are no doubt aware, Reader, the books were not published in chronological order. This one continues that confusing tradition. It falls somewhere after (spoilers, btw, if you haven't read the rest) Nefret's first husband dies and before she remarries. The Nefret story seems oddly unfinished, but that may well be because her story was not concluded at the time of Peters' death. While she's still an important character, it seems like several times she just appeared from nowhere to have a short speaking part, then disappeared again (maybe to help Thursday with the Minotaur, I don't know. I just know that she spends a lot of time staring pensively off into space, acting as if she remembers something, then departing the room. We never find out why.)
There were a few places where the dialog was repetitive, as in, nearly exactly the same paragraph twice in a row. I'm unclear whether this was the result of the book being partially written, or if I just don't know enough about Ms. Hess's style.
If you've read them all, you won't regret reading this one.
I mean, you will, but it's because it's the last one we'll ever get. So make it last.
What did I think.
Okay, here's what I think I thought: I enjoyed the book. This was an unfinished Amelia Peabody that Elizabeth Peters' estate gave to Joan Hess, a friend of hers, to finish. Fortunately, according to Ms. Hess, the plot and notes already existed.
Except for knowing that the book was completed by someone else, it was a nice read and a familiar story. This one seems a little more prat-fally, and a little like Thursday Next is somewhere in the background being stalked by the Minotaur. There's a lot of really weird things that happen in this book, is the point I'm trying to make. And they're not exactly out of place, they're just also not exactly things that might happen to the Emerson clan.
You already know this, but I'll say it for the new people: while this is the last book, this is not the last book choronologically. As you are no doubt aware, Reader, the books were not published in chronological order. This one continues that confusing tradition. It falls somewhere after (spoilers, btw, if you haven't read the rest) Nefret's first husband dies and before she remarries. The Nefret story seems oddly unfinished, but that may well be because her story was not concluded at the time of Peters' death. While she's still an important character, it seems like several times she just appeared from nowhere to have a short speaking part, then disappeared again (maybe to help Thursday with the Minotaur, I don't know. I just know that she spends a lot of time staring pensively off into space, acting as if she remembers something, then departing the room. We never find out why.)
There were a few places where the dialog was repetitive, as in, nearly exactly the same paragraph twice in a row. I'm unclear whether this was the result of the book being partially written, or if I just don't know enough about Ms. Hess's style.
If you've read them all, you won't regret reading this one.
I mean, you will, but it's because it's the last one we'll ever get. So make it last.
August 13, 2017
I'm sure it wasn't easy for Joan Hess to take up Peters' notes and create a final tale of intrepid archaeologist Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson (surely the top archaeologist of any century), but with the help of consultants she acknowledges in a preface, she did a creditable job. I've been reading reader reviews, and many mention characters and plot discrepancies, but I'm not that close a reader (and have a limited memory for plots) so I simply sat back and enjoyed being in their company again, with the marvelous Barbara Rosenblat narrating this 20th entry (and all the others) in the series. Lots of details--historical, character, archaeological--slow the plot a bit, though it moves at a steady pace, more urgently at time; series characters--Amelia, Emerson, Ramses, Nefret, Sethos--are a big draw and there are secondary characters who re-appear with much of the humor from the secondary characters and their quirks (for example, there are 5 aptly-named assassins out to get Amelia and they die in ways tied to their names: Guy (as in Fawkes) from an explosion, Absalom (King David's rebellious son) caught in a tree, for example; multiple, twisty plot lines involving primarily a newly discovered bust of Nefertiti (the famous one in Berlin) and the myriad forgeries that appear to complicate the mystery; language features witty repartee, descriptions, authentic stylistic variants and vocabulary; and the tone is amusing, dramatic, frankly melodramatic, and playful. Peters was scrupulous about her Egyptian history and archaeological details, and those remain one of the pleasures of the book. I don't expect any more titles discovered in Peters' attic, more's the pity. The only way to fill the void left by Peters' death in 2013 is to go back to the first and listen to all of them again. Crocodile on the Sandbank, the first title, is set in Amarna, and Painted Queen brings us back there, full circle. A vastly entertaining series--mystery, adventure, history, clever writing, and a touch of romance.
May 16, 2017
This was an excellent book. The transition from Elizabeth Peters to Joan Hess was almost undetectable. There were many Easter eggs referring to earlier books in the series. I shall miss Peabody, Emerson, Nefret, Sethos and especially Ramses. I highly recommend this book, and I wish there could be more written by Joan Hess.
January 28, 2018
I feel mean writing a critical review of this book. Joan Hess gave most of the last few years of her life to this project as a labor of love for her much-missed friend, sacrificing the opportunity to put some kind of finish on her own career and her own book series(es), and struggling with ill health throughout. But the book has serious problems.
Hess wrote in the introduction about her efforts to have the plot make sense, to match Amelia's "voice," and to mimic Barbara Mertz's characteristic humor. I think she did a pretty good job with all three of these. The plot is pretty typical of an Amelia Peabody plot: silly, convoluted, and utterly implausible, but reasonably coherent and suspenseful. There is a lot of humor in the book and it's not too dissimilar to Mertz's usual style, which makes sense since Barbara and Joan were good friends who shared many jokes together. And Amelia's narrative voice sounds somewhat like herself, with some exceptions.
The worst of the exceptions is that several times in the book (perhaps 5-10) Amelia uses one of her fancy vocabulary words wrongly or infelicitously. Though Mertz frequently satirizes Amelia's vanity, insularity, obliviousness to certain matters, etc. in her first-person narration, she never makes fun of Amelia in that way and I'm afraid it reads as Hess trying to be erudite like Amelia and not quite making it. The effect is jarring.
Another exception is that the narrative pace is far too brisk, lacking the divigations, philosophical musings, and most of the self-congratulations that Amelia typically indulges herself in. Everything gets told too fast and efficiently. For instance, one time the family is walking from their home to the dig site. They encounter a pregnant Egyptian woman whom they have to stop Emerson from attacking in the mistaken belief that she is Sethos, disguised. Amelia points out that she is certainly not Sethos because she is about to give birth, which she does, so Amelia and Nefret deliver the baby and proceed on to the dig site. This is told almost this fast, in a couple of paragraphs. It is ridiculous.
I have read that the book was about one-third written when Barbara Mertz died, and I have also read that it was "in the editing stage." Hess's preface states "I kept almost all of Barbara's prose, although some changes were necessary." I am wondering how much of the difference in narrative style I noticed might have been due to Barbara herself. Did she typically write out her plots in a more outline style and then go back and make the narrative more elaborate and Amelia-ish? Was her style simplifying as her health deteriorated? I don't know but I do know that when I went from The Painted Queen to He Shall Thunder in the Sky (the next book chronologically) it was an enormous relief, like slipping into a hot bath, to return to the REAL Amelia narrative style.
One result of the change in this book is that it flattens Amelia's character, stripping her of the contemplative side of her nature and lessening her empathy for others less able or fortunate than herself. Hess doesn't convincingly portray her as feeling much affection for anyone besides Emerson, especially not for Ramses, Nefret, or David, and most especially not FOR SENNIA.
Which leads me to the next fault I found in this book---some serious flaws of logic and consistency with the rest of the series. The worst by far is the complete absence of Sennia, the little girl the family adopted at the end of the previous book. You would think that a four-year-old girl, one who is so traumatized that she insists on being with Ramses, the only person she trusts, as much as possible and who has won the heart of the entire family, including Fatima and all her female relatives, would make some kind of impact, or would at least be MENTIONED, in the next book. But no one mentions her, no one thinks about her, no one explains where she is. She is just forgotten, even when the family sort of adopts ANOTHER child, a boy (who of course will never again be mentioned in the later books of the series).
Lia is eliminated almost as cavalierly. She is at least mentioned, as writing letters to Nefret from ... somewhere ... and missing her husband David, whom she is living separately from because ... reasons?? There are also---and this is a serious flaw and completely unexplained---NO CATS.
I was also bothered by a family with half-brothers who share a mother but not a father identifying themselves by the same last name. Huh? And why were they from Cornwall, a place that will have great significance in the series beginning in the very next book (chronologically)? Of course Emerson has no reaction to the mention of a criminal family that is described as "the scourge of Cornwall," just as David has no input into, or meaningful reaction to, a plot that involves both Coptic Christians and attempted rebellion against the British occupiers of Egypt. And these Cornish criminals have no apparent connection to the Tregarth family or anything like that. I think it would have been better to put them in any other county in England.
Also, as many have pointed out, Amelia's friend Katherine has certainly NOT "watched over Ramses since his birth," since she didn't meet him until Seeing a Large Cat, when he had just returned from his summer with the sheik and was dealing with the romantic attentions of Dolly Bellingham and Enid Fraser. Someone really should have caught that one. There are plenty more little mistakes too.
But if this book flattens and simplifies Amelia's character, that is nothing to what it does to Ramses, Nefret, and David. One gets the impression that Joan Hess had stopped reading the series before the romantic interest switched to Ramses/Nefret, because she seems to have little or no interest in their love story. She completely leaves out all the little touches that Mertz puts in to make Ramses sexy to the reader---descriptions of his thin brown hands, etc., and revelations of his constant emotional pain. She also leaves out all the descriptions of what Nefret is wearing, how pretty she is, etc., and doesn't show (or talk about) her charm. Ramses and David revert in this book to their old characterizations as Plucky Boy Detectives, while Nefret hardly has any impact in the book at all, except that she shares Amelia's new and very uncharacteristic preference for hanging around the houseboat a lot and taking many naps.
I can't help wondering if all these naps reflect the poor health that Hess and possibly also Mertz were experiencing during the writing of this book. Not only does Amelia nap more than in the rest of the books put together, but she has headaches and other physical weaknesses that she doesn't usually have.
I think Nefret is lucky to have her character almost ignored in the book, because Ramses's character is changed for the worse. He comes across as breezy and boastful---constantly proclaiming himself the Brother of Demons in a loud voice to intimidate native Egyptians---and the various excerpts from "Manuscript H" are nothing like they should be in style. The excerpts report Ramses's and David's doings in the exact same brisk and efficient tone as the rest of the book, with nothing of Ramses's usual flowery, self-deprecating musings, and absolutely no revelation of his feelings about Nefret. Instead of Ramses's thoughts, we see a lot of jokey conversations between Ramses and David, where most of the dialogue could have been put in either of their mouths and is just there to move the action plot along. Like the rest of the book, there is no emotional risk and little emotional conflict, just simple suspense related to the doings of the bad guys.
Sethos appears several times but he's not very interesting and he doesn't interact significantly with the bust of Nefertiti. We do see a sort of development of the separate relationship with Ramses that he will have in future books, so that's one good thing, though it could have been done much better.
So why, with all these severe criticisms, am I giving this book three stars, instead of 1 or 2? Well, just because it's not up to the Mertz standard doesn't mean it's not entertaining. It is. It's funny and suspenseful, and feels (to me) convincingly set in the Egypt of 1812-1813. Amelia and Emerson are pretty close to their regular selves, the dialogue is snappy, and all the stuff about the Nefertiti bust is amusing and interesting. And I have to give it SOME credit for Joan Hess's heroic effort.
Hess wrote in the introduction about her efforts to have the plot make sense, to match Amelia's "voice," and to mimic Barbara Mertz's characteristic humor. I think she did a pretty good job with all three of these. The plot is pretty typical of an Amelia Peabody plot: silly, convoluted, and utterly implausible, but reasonably coherent and suspenseful. There is a lot of humor in the book and it's not too dissimilar to Mertz's usual style, which makes sense since Barbara and Joan were good friends who shared many jokes together. And Amelia's narrative voice sounds somewhat like herself, with some exceptions.
The worst of the exceptions is that several times in the book (perhaps 5-10) Amelia uses one of her fancy vocabulary words wrongly or infelicitously. Though Mertz frequently satirizes Amelia's vanity, insularity, obliviousness to certain matters, etc. in her first-person narration, she never makes fun of Amelia in that way and I'm afraid it reads as Hess trying to be erudite like Amelia and not quite making it. The effect is jarring.
Another exception is that the narrative pace is far too brisk, lacking the divigations, philosophical musings, and most of the self-congratulations that Amelia typically indulges herself in. Everything gets told too fast and efficiently. For instance, one time the family is walking from their home to the dig site. They encounter a pregnant Egyptian woman whom they have to stop Emerson from attacking in the mistaken belief that she is Sethos, disguised. Amelia points out that she is certainly not Sethos because she is about to give birth, which she does, so Amelia and Nefret deliver the baby and proceed on to the dig site. This is told almost this fast, in a couple of paragraphs. It is ridiculous.
I have read that the book was about one-third written when Barbara Mertz died, and I have also read that it was "in the editing stage." Hess's preface states "I kept almost all of Barbara's prose, although some changes were necessary." I am wondering how much of the difference in narrative style I noticed might have been due to Barbara herself. Did she typically write out her plots in a more outline style and then go back and make the narrative more elaborate and Amelia-ish? Was her style simplifying as her health deteriorated? I don't know but I do know that when I went from The Painted Queen to He Shall Thunder in the Sky (the next book chronologically) it was an enormous relief, like slipping into a hot bath, to return to the REAL Amelia narrative style.
One result of the change in this book is that it flattens Amelia's character, stripping her of the contemplative side of her nature and lessening her empathy for others less able or fortunate than herself. Hess doesn't convincingly portray her as feeling much affection for anyone besides Emerson, especially not for Ramses, Nefret, or David, and most especially not FOR SENNIA.
Which leads me to the next fault I found in this book---some serious flaws of logic and consistency with the rest of the series. The worst by far is the complete absence of Sennia, the little girl the family adopted at the end of the previous book. You would think that a four-year-old girl, one who is so traumatized that she insists on being with Ramses, the only person she trusts, as much as possible and who has won the heart of the entire family, including Fatima and all her female relatives, would make some kind of impact, or would at least be MENTIONED, in the next book. But no one mentions her, no one thinks about her, no one explains where she is. She is just forgotten, even when the family sort of adopts ANOTHER child, a boy (who of course will never again be mentioned in the later books of the series).
Lia is eliminated almost as cavalierly. She is at least mentioned, as writing letters to Nefret from ... somewhere ... and missing her husband David, whom she is living separately from because ... reasons?? There are also---and this is a serious flaw and completely unexplained---NO CATS.
I was also bothered by a family with half-brothers who share a mother but not a father identifying themselves by the same last name. Huh? And why were they from Cornwall, a place that will have great significance in the series beginning in the very next book (chronologically)? Of course Emerson has no reaction to the mention of a criminal family that is described as "the scourge of Cornwall," just as David has no input into, or meaningful reaction to, a plot that involves both Coptic Christians and attempted rebellion against the British occupiers of Egypt. And these Cornish criminals have no apparent connection to the Tregarth family or anything like that. I think it would have been better to put them in any other county in England.
Also, as many have pointed out, Amelia's friend Katherine has certainly NOT "watched over Ramses since his birth," since she didn't meet him until Seeing a Large Cat, when he had just returned from his summer with the sheik and was dealing with the romantic attentions of Dolly Bellingham and Enid Fraser. Someone really should have caught that one. There are plenty more little mistakes too.
But if this book flattens and simplifies Amelia's character, that is nothing to what it does to Ramses, Nefret, and David. One gets the impression that Joan Hess had stopped reading the series before the romantic interest switched to Ramses/Nefret, because she seems to have little or no interest in their love story. She completely leaves out all the little touches that Mertz puts in to make Ramses sexy to the reader---descriptions of his thin brown hands, etc., and revelations of his constant emotional pain. She also leaves out all the descriptions of what Nefret is wearing, how pretty she is, etc., and doesn't show (or talk about) her charm. Ramses and David revert in this book to their old characterizations as Plucky Boy Detectives, while Nefret hardly has any impact in the book at all, except that she shares Amelia's new and very uncharacteristic preference for hanging around the houseboat a lot and taking many naps.
I can't help wondering if all these naps reflect the poor health that Hess and possibly also Mertz were experiencing during the writing of this book. Not only does Amelia nap more than in the rest of the books put together, but she has headaches and other physical weaknesses that she doesn't usually have.
I think Nefret is lucky to have her character almost ignored in the book, because Ramses's character is changed for the worse. He comes across as breezy and boastful---constantly proclaiming himself the Brother of Demons in a loud voice to intimidate native Egyptians---and the various excerpts from "Manuscript H" are nothing like they should be in style. The excerpts report Ramses's and David's doings in the exact same brisk and efficient tone as the rest of the book, with nothing of Ramses's usual flowery, self-deprecating musings, and absolutely no revelation of his feelings about Nefret. Instead of Ramses's thoughts, we see a lot of jokey conversations between Ramses and David, where most of the dialogue could have been put in either of their mouths and is just there to move the action plot along. Like the rest of the book, there is no emotional risk and little emotional conflict, just simple suspense related to the doings of the bad guys.
Sethos appears several times but he's not very interesting and he doesn't interact significantly with the bust of Nefertiti. We do see a sort of development of the separate relationship with Ramses that he will have in future books, so that's one good thing, though it could have been done much better.
So why, with all these severe criticisms, am I giving this book three stars, instead of 1 or 2? Well, just because it's not up to the Mertz standard doesn't mean it's not entertaining. It is. It's funny and suspenseful, and feels (to me) convincingly set in the Egypt of 1812-1813. Amelia and Emerson are pretty close to their regular selves, the dialogue is snappy, and all the stuff about the Nefertiti bust is amusing and interesting. And I have to give it SOME credit for Joan Hess's heroic effort.
October 18, 2023
How does one review a book originated by a beloved author, but which was actually written by someone who may have been a good friend of that author but who definitely has their own writing style and quite obviously did not have a good grasp on the characters, their personalities, quirks, or of the landscape they live in? sigh.
I wanted to love this book, but it felt like something written as a fanfic by someone who likes the series but really doesn't "get" it. It's frustrating to read about Daud, a big, lovable, friendly guy being relegated to nothing more than a hulking thug. Yes, he is capable of the actions he does in this book, but it's not his normal behavior. His wonderful wife Kadija totally disappears from the narrative. Similarly, Selim, the Emersons' rayiys and good friend, takes a back seat, being barely on page for this story.
Sethos, the Emersons' rival, known as the "Master Criminal" and seems to have some ESP when it comes to being in the right place at the right time to not only save Amelia from at least two deadly encounters with the bad guys in this book, but also to help Ramses and David Todros out of a pickle in Cairo. He's good at what he does, but not quite that good.
Amelia herself is a bit off kilter. Yes, she waxes on about Emerson's good looks, etc., but she has never used "manly chest" in any but the most roundabout ways. Each time she said it, I winced. She was off her game too, for all that she's headstrong and quite willing to walk into danger without a second glance, she's also not silly about it either. I wanted to strangle her to be honest.
Nefret is off kilter here too, but at least she has an excuse from the previous story in which she married someone who turned out to be a bad choice.
The adventure here is a bit muddled as the characters end up chasing down copies of the Nefertiti statue/bust, chasing after a German archaeologist who likes to get drunk, and also deal with a drug that causes all kinds of troubles all its own (and with which the plot would have been fine without).
I will miss Elizabeth Peters and any future stories she might have told, but I will always have the first 19 books in this series to enjoy and keep this as one of those off the page "missing" adventures in future.
😐
I wanted to love this book, but it felt like something written as a fanfic by someone who likes the series but really doesn't "get" it. It's frustrating to read about Daud, a big, lovable, friendly guy being relegated to nothing more than a hulking thug. Yes, he is capable of the actions he does in this book, but it's not his normal behavior. His wonderful wife Kadija totally disappears from the narrative. Similarly, Selim, the Emersons' rayiys and good friend, takes a back seat, being barely on page for this story.
Sethos, the Emersons' rival, known as the "Master Criminal" and seems to have some ESP when it comes to being in the right place at the right time to not only save Amelia from at least two deadly encounters with the bad guys in this book, but also to help Ramses and David Todros out of a pickle in Cairo. He's good at what he does, but not quite that good.
Amelia herself is a bit off kilter. Yes, she waxes on about Emerson's good looks, etc., but she has never used "manly chest" in any but the most roundabout ways. Each time she said it, I winced. She was off her game too, for all that she's headstrong and quite willing to walk into danger without a second glance, she's also not silly about it either. I wanted to strangle her to be honest.
Nefret is off kilter here too, but at least she has an excuse from the previous story in which she married someone who turned out to be a bad choice.
The adventure here is a bit muddled as the characters end up chasing down copies of the Nefertiti statue/bust, chasing after a German archaeologist who likes to get drunk, and also deal with a drug that causes all kinds of troubles all its own (and with which the plot would have been fine without).
I will miss Elizabeth Peters and any future stories she might have told, but I will always have the first 19 books in this series to enjoy and keep this as one of those off the page "missing" adventures in future.
😐
October 29, 2021
For the final installment of the Amelia Peabody series we get Amelia and her family trying to find the missing Nefertiti bust and investigate Germany's Deustche Orient-Gesellschaft involvment, dodge Geoffrey Godwin's vengeful, monocle-wearing family, and solve a murder at Amarna. First I want to thank Joan Hess for working on and completing this book in Elizabeth Peters stead. It's not an easy task to write in another authors style with their different time period and characters. I know that she worked off of some version of a completed manuscript, but it's still an undertaking.
Now about the actual book, which unfortunately, due to more technical issues than the actual story, falls a bit flat. As other reviewers have mentioned, all the characters at one point or another had strange or stilted dialogue. I know that Amelia and her family bicker, have their jokes etc, but they all truly care about one another, but it doesn't seem as believable in this book. Amelia especially seemed out of character. She would be roaming about one minute, and then damsel in distress the next. She has gotten into many fixes, and faced many adversaries and criminals, but usually persevered through her quick thinking and bravery, being compassionate but strong when difficult things happen. Rameses and David bickered and act more like frenemies than actual brothers. Emerson and Nefret barely show up, and are really just there to fill in the ultimate piece of the mystery rather than engaging in it. Finally the writing itself can be choppy, with many sudden jumps in time or places. I was surprised when one moment they would be having breakfast, and then by the next paragraph it would be the next day after a full day at the dig site. In fact many days at the dig would be mentioned, but never in detail, which I understand because Hess didn't have the same experience Mertz did in archaeology.
Overall, I'm glad that I completed the series, and that one of the "missing journal" years was filled in.
Now about the actual book, which unfortunately, due to more technical issues than the actual story, falls a bit flat. As other reviewers have mentioned, all the characters at one point or another had strange or stilted dialogue. I know that Amelia and her family bicker, have their jokes etc, but they all truly care about one another, but it doesn't seem as believable in this book. Amelia especially seemed out of character. She would be roaming about one minute, and then damsel in distress the next. She has gotten into many fixes, and faced many adversaries and criminals, but usually persevered through her quick thinking and bravery, being compassionate but strong when difficult things happen. Rameses and David bickered and act more like frenemies than actual brothers. Emerson and Nefret barely show up, and are really just there to fill in the ultimate piece of the mystery rather than engaging in it. Finally the writing itself can be choppy, with many sudden jumps in time or places. I was surprised when one moment they would be having breakfast, and then by the next paragraph it would be the next day after a full day at the dig site. In fact many days at the dig would be mentioned, but never in detail, which I understand because Hess didn't have the same experience Mertz did in archaeology.
Overall, I'm glad that I completed the series, and that one of the "missing journal" years was filled in.
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