Will I love Crocodile on the Sandbank?

The story may evoke the rip-roaring thrillers of yore in terms of probability, but dang, from the first lines, I was hooked. There is nothing like seeing 19th-century Egypt through the eyes of Amelia Peabody.

I could practically hear the calls of the crowded streets of Cairo, feel the warmth of the desert sand and the spookiness of a night in a canyon. It was not intentional, I promise, but Miss Peabody’s voice may have had the tiniest bit of influence on a certain Victorian lady that I write about–and this book is why.

I consider this a must-read for anyone interested in the golden age of Egyptology, in the case of the Amelia Peabody books, the late 19th century to early 20th century. 

I loved the combination of bashing known historical archaeologists and bystanders while tackling history mysteries. The author is a well-respected Egyptologist who knows her stuff and writes with a catty and well-informed charm that would sit well with any Agatha Christie fan.

If you love a cozy mystery and haven't yet met Amelia Peabody--amateur Egyptologist and aspiring detective--then you're in for a treat! Formidable, self-confident, intelligent, and armed with a parasol, Amelia Peabody takes on the adventure and danger of the world of archeology in the Victorian Era, determined to unearth Egypt's tantalizing past, as well as uproot its present criminal networks. This first book in the series introduces Amelia in all her glory, and is as funny and charming as it is intriguing.

This book made me love historical mysteries. I absolutely adore the main character, Amelia Peabody, who lives in Victorian times but is very much NOT a Victorian woman: smarter and tougher than the guys and not afraid to own it. Like Amelia, Ancient Egypt has always fascinated me, and I love a good adventure.

The only thing I enjoy more is a will-they-or-won’t-why with whip-smart banter, and Amelia and Emerson deliver there, too. They drew me in immediately, with plenty of historical background, a twisty plot that kept me guessing until the end, and a great romantic payoff, too. I… show more.

The perfect meld of mystery and Egyptology is told in one of the most unique character voices in all of literature. Amelia Peabody is such a singular heroine, as charming as she is brave. I just adore her!

Elizabeth Peters is a brilliant writer. I admire her ability to tell a well-rounded story in the first person, and I did not figure out the solution to the mystery until the very end. Lots of history, humor, and intrigue had me flipping pages, and once I was done, I recommended the book to everyone I could.

Amelia Peabody, the heroine of this series, is that rarity, a female archeologist elbowing her way into digs and expeditions, the domain of men in 1890s Egypt. Amelia fearlessly deals with master criminals and tomb robbers, using a stout belt and large umbrella, solving crimes with panache.

In this book, the first of the series, she rescues a damsel in distress, falls in love, and uncovers the secret of a walking mummy.

It’s a rollicking romp of a read but doesn’t shy away from showing the divisions of the times between Europeans and ‘natives,’ men and women, rich and… show more.

I clearly remember the first time I opened a copy of this book. I was riding an exercise bike and looking for a distraction. Boy, did I find it! 

This is the book that proved to me that mysteries can be funny as well as intelligent. The heroine, Amelia Peabody, is a wonder, an ahead-of-her-times Victorian woman who is both plucky and smart. The man who will become her husband is irascible, irreverent, annoying—and completely adorable! 

You don’t have to love ancient history to join these two intrepid archaeologists in Egypt. Come for the mystery. Stay for the history, the… show more.

Admittedly, I have a soft spot for archaeologists, but Amelia Peabody is one of a kind. Armed with her tool belt (she calls it her “chatelaine”), her pistol and parasol, and her courage, she is a force to be reckoned with on the late 19th-century Egyptian archaeology scene. A firm believer in equality, Peabody (as her husband calls her) doesn't hesitate when action is required, facing down everyone from site looters to bureaucrats. Written by noted Egyptologist Barbara Mertz (as Elizabeth Peters), the books get the history and archaeology right, and the mysteries have more than a dash of humor… show more.

I stumbled across a dog-eared copy of this book at a college library sale and immediately fell in love. Crocodile on the Sandbank brings us to late Victorian Egypt, reproducing both the good (unparalleled discoveries) and the bad (British attitudes towards Egypt) of that time. Through it all strides Amelia Peabody, a confident, educated spinster with a medical kit in one hand and a parasol for whacking dastardly criminals in the other. She’s here to explore ancient ruins and chew bubblegum, and a dignified lady wouldn’t dream of chewing bubblegum. And what’s all this nonsense about a walking mummy?… show more.

My favorite historical mystery series was born in 1975 when Elizabeth Peters published Crocodile on the Sandbank. She died with a pen in her hand in 2013 at the age of 85, still writing this timeless series. In the novel, Amelia Peabody, a British feminist spinster in 1884, fights for her place in Egyptology—a world forbidden to her—while falling in love and being absolutely hilarious. The series follows her archeologist family into the 1920s and remains delightful throughout. The books are smart, pee-your-pants funny, and feature some of the most original characters in genre fiction. The author wields her… show more.