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Quick answer: If you loved Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody books, read the next one, The Curse of the Pharaohs, then try The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Silent in the Grave and Death on the Nile. All blend archaeology, history and witty heroines.
Amelia Peabody is a Victorian Egyptologist who investigates crimes alongside her husband Emerson. The series mixes humor, romance and real archaeology. The books below share that adventurous, historical tone. Most are adult mysteries, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Crocodile on the Sandbank | Elizabeth Peters | Adult | the series starter |
| The Curse of the Pharaohs | Elizabeth Peters | Adult | the next Peabody |
| The Beekeeper's Apprentice | Laurie R. King | Adult | Holmes fans |
| Silent in the Grave | Deanna Raybourn | Adult | Victorian heroines |
| And Only to Deceive | Tasha Alexander | Adult | antiquities mysteries |
| Death on the Nile | Agatha Christie | Adult | Egyptian settings |
| Murder in Mesopotamia | Agatha Christie | Adult | dig-site mysteries |
| The Cater Street Hangman | Anne Perry | Adult | Victorian crime |
| The Silver Pigs | Lindsey Davis | Adult | ancient Rome humor |
| The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax | Dorothy Gilman | Adult | older heroines |
| Ammie, Come Home | Barbara Michaels | Adult | gentle ghost stories |
| King Solomon's Mines | H. Rider Haggard | Adult | classic adventure |
| River God | Wilbur Smith | Adult | ancient Egypt epics |
| The Egyptian | Mika Waltari | Adult | big historical fiction |
| Death Comes as the End | Agatha Christie | Adult | ancient mysteries |
1. The Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
The first Amelia Peabody novel sends Amelia to Egypt, where she meets Emerson and a mummy that seems to walk. Start here if you have not read it.
Best for: the series starter.
2. The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters
The second book follows the Emersons to Luxor and into a curse. Funny and fast.
Best for: the next Peabody.
3. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
A teenage girl meets a retired Sherlock Holmes in Sussex. Smart, historical and charming.
Best for: Holmes fans.
4. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Lady Julia Grey investigates her husband's death in Victorian London. Witty, romantic and moody.
Best for: Victorian heroines.
5. And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
A widow takes up study of antiquities and uncovers a mystery. Elegant and lively.
Best for: antiquities mysteries.
6. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot investigates a murder on a Nile steamer. Clever and classic.
Best for: Egyptian settings.
7. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie
A nurse narrates a murder on an archaeological dig. Christie drew on her own time at digs.
Best for: dig-site mysteries.
8. The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry
A Victorian family is shaken by murders in London. Class, manners and crime.
Best for: Victorian crime.
9. The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis
Marcus Didius Falco, an informer in ancient Rome, hunts for stolen silver. Wisecracking and historical.
Best for: ancient Rome humor.
10. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
A bored widow becomes a CIA courier. Light, cheerful and adventurous.
Best for: older heroines.
11. Ammie, Come Home by Barbara Michaels
A haunted Georgetown house and a medium. Michaels is another pen name of Elizabeth Peters.
Best for: gentle ghost stories.
12. King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard
Allan Quatermain leads an expedition for lost treasure in Africa. The classic adventure novel, dated in places.
Best for: classic adventure.
13. River God by Wilbur Smith
A slave in ancient Egypt tells of war, love and gods. Epic and detailed.
Best for: ancient Egypt epics.
14. The Egyptian by Mika Waltari
A physician in the time of Akhenaten tells his life. A classic historical novel.
Best for: big historical fiction.
15. Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie
Christie's only novel set in ancient Egypt, a family murder mystery. Unusual in the canon.
Best for: ancient mysteries.
How to Choose
For more Peters, continue with The Curse of the Pharaohs. For Victorian women sleuths, choose Silent in the Grave or And Only to Deceive. For archaeology, pick Murder in Mesopotamia. For adventure, King Solomon's Mines or River God. The Peabody books are long-running, so you may want to read them in order for the characters' growth. If you want the whole Peabody experience, read the books in order and take notes on the recurring characters. Many readers listen to the audiobooks, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat, whose performance is widely loved. Pair the novels with a nonfiction title on Egypt, such as a museum guide, for extra context. You can also visit the Egyptian collections of a local museum.
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Frequently Asked Questions
In what order should I read Amelia Peabody?
Start with The Crocodile on the Sandbank. The series continues with The Curse of the Pharaohs and The Mummy Case.
Is Amelia Peabody based on a real person?
No, but Elizabeth Peters, a trained Egyptologist, drew on real archaeology and Victorian-era figures.
How many Amelia Peabody books are there?
There are more than 20 novels in the main series.
Are these books funny?
Yes. Peters's humor and Amelia's strong voice drive the series.
Who is Elizabeth Peters?
It is a pen name for Barbara Mertz, who held a doctorate in Egyptology.
Where do the Amelia Peabody books take place?
Mostly in Egypt, at digs such as Amarna and the Valley of the Kings, with trips to England between seasons.
Are they cozy mysteries?
They are lighter than most crime novels, with humor and adventure, though there is some danger.
Is there a TV show?
No. The series has not been adapted for television.