The Mummy Case

I have always found mummies to be more than a little creepy (I won’t step foot in museums’ mummy exhibits!) but Elizabeth Peters’ The Mummy Case intrigued me for its Indiana Jones meets Agatha Christie style.

Adventure awaits Amelia Peabody, her husband Emerson and their son, Ramses when they travel to Egypt to excavate the pyramids at Mazghunah, which turn out to be countless graves of no real importance. Amelia’s interest lies not in the “pyramids” but in the murders and thefts that occur soon after their arrival.

I really enjoyed Ramses’ character. He is incredibly smart and has a huge vocabulary which he uses to Amelia’s great frustration. He is constantly getting into mischief, from stealing a duchess’ lion cub to exploring a rival archeologist’s pyramid.

This would be a great series for families with older kids (12+) to listen to in the car on a road trip. Overall, this book is a little dry but it is very witty and a good whodunit mystery.

-L.T.