the curse of the pharaohs amelia peabody

Further complications arise from the presence of a young woman, Mary, chiefly because of her alcoholic and half-demented mother who thinks she is a reincarnation of an Ancient Egyptian Queen and Emerson is her husband - though she keeps changing her mind about which King he formerly was - plus two young men on the archaeological team who are rivals for Mary's affections. But a local Islamic cleric is opposed to their presence, and trouble looms from the notorious village of tomb robbers.

They settle in at a house built by Lord Baskerville within walking distance of the valley, accompanied by Abdullah, their foreman, and other men who have previously worked for them and are loyal.

An Irish newsman is soon peddling stories of a curse which becomes problematic during the story as the local people are all too ready to believe it.Īmelia takes a disliking to the widowed Lady Baskerville who seems rather too manipulative in getting men to dance attendance on her. The vacancy in Egypt has arisen because wealthy Lord Baskerville died unexpectedly, but leaving provision in his will for the work to continue, and his archaeologist has disappeared. They finally decide to go and they leave the child with Emerson's brother and his wife, their friend from book 1. An offer comes up for Emerson to take over management of an archaeological dig into what appears to be an undiscovered tomb in the valley of the Kings (note, this is about 35 years or so before the real life discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb there). Emerson and Amelia (who he still calls 'Peabody') are missing their ramshackle Egyptian experience but tied to England because of their son, since the climate of Egypt is not thought good for children. In book 2 of the series about five years have passed.

The curse of the pharaohs amelia peabody