The Painted Queen

With tears in my eyes I bought the last Amelia Peabody Emerson adventure. Started by Elizabeth Peters and finished after her death by Joan Hess, The Painted Queen will be the end of the Pedbody/Emerson clan's adventures. I have always been a fan of the dynamic, no-nonsense Amelia and her blustery, but brilliant husband Radcliffe.

The spectacular descriptions place the reader right in the middle of such exotic locations as Tell el-Amarna, Giza, Luxor and the Valley of Kings. And there's always a mystery. Amelia or a member of her family has been kidnapped, threatened, targets of assassins and much more, but through it all they prevail.

And for people who say they do not like to read history, Elizabeth Peters doses them in such a way the readers don't even know they are learning about history.


I met Elizabeth Peters AKA Barbara Mertz while I was volunteering at the American Library Association Chicago event many, many years ago. I was manning the booth and a small unassuming woman was walking down the aisles, but there was a buzz about the room.

"Who is that," I asked.

"That's Barbara Mertz," my friend responded

"Who is she?" I asked

"Elizabeth Peters"

I had all I could do to hold myself back from rushing to hug her and gush over how much I loved her books. When she came to the booth and spent time chatting with us, I was so thrilled.

I have loving caressed The Painted Queen, but I am reluctant to begin reading it because I know it will be finished very quickly and there will be no more. I want to cherish this last book.