Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Curse of the Pharaohs
    The Curse of the Pharaohs
    The Curse of the Pharaohs
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Curse of the Pharaohs

    Written by Elizabeth Peters

    Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Called back to Egypt to complete the excavation conducted by the recently-murdered Lord Baskerville, Amelia and Emerson encounter a tomb the locals believe to be cursed.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateSep 2, 2004
    ISBN9781440781063
    The Curse of the Pharaohs
    Author

    Elizabeth Peters

    Elizabeth Peters earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago’s famed Oriental Institute. During her fifty-year career, she wrote more than seventy novels and three nonfiction books on Egypt. She received numerous writing awards and, in 2012, was given the first Amelia Peabody Award, created in her honor. She died in 2013, leaving a partially completed manuscript of The Painted Queen.

    More audiobooks from Elizabeth Peters

    Related to The Curse of the Pharaohs

    Titles in the series (12)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Mystery For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Everlasting Lane

      Feb 24, 2022

      SEND FORUM SUBMISSIONS TO THE EDITOR: DRSUTTON@FORTEANTIMES.COM In the summer of 2020, when the first lockdown started to lift, I took up walking again. I was never going to repeat the crazy mile-munching escapades of my youth, like marching to the “

      3 min read

    • Article

      Everlasting Lane

      Feb 24, 2022

      SEND FORUM SUBMISSIONS TO THE EDITOR: DRSUTTON@FORTEANTIMES.COM In the summer of 2020, when the first lockdown started to lift, I took up walking again. I was never going to repeat the crazy mile-munching escapades of my youth, like marching to the “

      3 min read

    • Article

      Reader's Letter

      May 31, 2023

      SIR: I was astonished to read (Spring issue) that Hunter Davies believes he may be the only person left in the UK who has milk delivered in glass bottles every morning. Oop ’ere in t’north, we have milk delivered in this way. We also have Ringtons Te

      6 min read

    • Article

      Pats On The Back

      Dec 12, 2019

      I AM writing this column from a prone position. Reclining on my sofa in the library, propped up with cushions like some latter-day Lady Ottoline Morrell, but without the wit, brilliance and patronage. I wish I could say my current condition arose fro

      3 min read

    • Article

      That Changed My Life

      Mar 15, 2022

      The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde My adoration of Oscar Wilde was a gift from my father who introduced me to the novels and plays. The original film of The Importance of Being Earnest was a firm favourite and, when I was 16, my father to

      1 min read

    • Article

      Jan Morris

      Jun 15, 2018

      I have always rather envied the poet Ovid, who was banished from Rome by the emperor Augustus, you may remember, to a remote place called Tomis on the shores of the Black Sea. There he died, ten years later, and his exile has gone into legend and int

      17 min read

    • Article

      A Walk In Milk Wood

      Mar 9, 2023

      A Walk In Milk Wood
      5 min read

    • Article

      A Walk In Milk Wood

      Mar 9, 2023

      A Walk In Milk Wood
      5 min read

    • Article

      Retreading The City

      Nov 2, 2023

      It’s hard to pinpoint when and how inspiration strikes for a novel, but I know exactly when it did for The Detective. The Waiter and The Cook were the first two books in my Kamil Rahman thriller series about a disgraced policeman from Kolkata who co

      6 min read

    • Article

      Solving Riddles, Reading Poems

      Nov 28, 2017

      Solving Riddles, Reading Poems
      6 min read

    • Article

      To Catch A Woozle

      Apr 1, 2020

      To Catch A Woozle
      5 min read

    • Article

      Great Read

      Jun 16, 2021

      Great Read
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Warning To The Fortean

      Jul 14, 2022

      A Warning To The Fortean
      9 min read

    • Article

      Commonplace Book

      Jun 4, 2018

      I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. —Fred Allen I have always wondered, in reading travels, at the childish joy travellers felt at meeting people they knew, and their sense of loneliness when they did not, in

      4 min read

    • Article

      Commonplace Corner

      Nov 16, 2022

      A new series of sad, funny and intriguing insights from the great and the good I want to be who I was when I wanted to be who I am now. Marilyn Monroe As God said, and I think rightly… The opening of a speech by Field Marshal Montgomery Working is le

      2 min read

    • Article

      A Life Well Lived

      Dec 29, 2023

      WHAT is the collective noun for a group of hunting people? A guffaw, a gaggle, a pack? You could spot them if you looked closely among the people who had gathered in their hundreds for the funeral and memorial of Adam's friend, Ron Dobson, who died v

      2 min read

    • Article

      Commonplace Book

      Sep 4, 2018

      I have no hesitation in saying that I have ever considered the [Electoral College] as the most dangerous blot in our Constitution, and one which some unlucky chance will some day hit. —Thomas Jefferson, letter to George Hay, August 17, 1823 He who

      3 min read

    • Article

      A Mother’s Voice

      May 1, 2023

      A Mother’s Voice
      6 min read

    • Article

      Great Read

      Mar 23, 2022

      Great Read
      5 min read

    • Article

      Growing Up With the Odyssey

      Aug 7, 2017

      Growing Up With the Odyssey
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Curse of the Pharaohs

    4.5/5

    115 ratings23 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Amelia Peabody returns in the second in Elizabeth Peters' series set in Egypt towards the end of the 19th century. Peabody is now married to her archaeologist love Emerson and they have a son, Ramses who they rather heartlessly leave in England with family while they go off rampaging round Luxor, digging up mummies and solving murders. Amelia Peabody is a character and a half, written with a great deal of affection by Peters. The dry and dusty surroundings of Egypt during the period are also captured perfectly and the muder mystery at the centre of the plot keeps the reader guessing right up until the final chapter where there is an almost Agatha Christie-like "grand reveal."
    • 4/5
      A good case, a good excavation and a story to be continued! Elizabeth Peters shines once more.
    • 4/5
      Excellent continuation of the series. Dragged a tiny bit at times, but in general a great listen. The narrator cannot possibly be any better.
    • 4/5
      After I had smoked through the debut novel of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, Crocodile on the Sandbank, I was extremely excited to start the sequel.Only thing was, after 50 pages I was still scratching my head.Where was the hilarious banter between Amelia and Emerson? Where was the adventure and excitement?Truth be told, the first few chapters are beyond terrible, and are a complete flip from where we left off with Emerson and Peabody.We re-join their life-in-progress in perpetually rainy England where the Emersons read as the worst parents in existence who seem to begrudge the presence of their young toddler son, Ramses.Emerson does nothing but work as a professor, complain and huff about not being in Egypt. Amelia berates her family at will, hates the neighbours, is nothing but sour towards her husband, despises being a housewife and admittedly feels animosity and bitterness towards her own offspring.This does NOT motivate me to read further, it doesn't even read as dysfunctional, it's just plain AWFUL.But...it gets better.No really, in a matter of 30 pages or so, they accept the offer of a rich widow in Egypt to take over the excavation duties of a supposedly cursed tomb......and then the party starts!They leave their young son in the capable hands of relatives and rush off to the beautifully characterized landscapes of Victorian Egypt.And then Elizabeth Peters rolls into what she does, classic mystery storytelling and clever humorous dialogue.We meet a cast of quirky characters that quickly turn into suspects in a murder case. It's so very 'Colonel Mustard in the Library with a candle-stick' but you don't care, it's funny and you want to roll through to the end to see if your guess was right as to who was the true killer!In keeping with Crocodile, it's not just a murder mystery, it's a study in Egyptology and it's hard to not at least learn a bit about the Ancients while reading such intelligent and enthusiastic passages about mummies, tombs and elusive burial chambers.Lastly, the relationship between Amelia and her temperamental bull-like husband is one worth reading alone. They're loving, doting, argumentative and competitive, all while keeping to their Victorian English mannerisms.Overall, if you ignore the presence of the first few chapters in England which were utterly out-of-character, the book is a winner and definitely worth the read.
    • 4/5
      After several seasons away from active digs in Egypt, Peabody and her husband find themselves off to complete the dig of a colleague who suddenly passed. Peabody is convinced the death is suspicious and of course starts to dig not only into sand, but into the lives of those at the site trying to uncover what is really behind "the curse" the locals are going on about.So far, both Amelia Peabody books I've read have been real slow starts for me. I don't know if it is when I'm reading them or if that is just how they are written. It takes me a fair bit of time to get wrapped up in the book. That isn't to say I don't enjoy the beginnings. I just love Peter's writing style and I almost always learn a couple new vocabulary words too (many Egyptology related of course). I'm very much looking forward to the next read in this series.
    • 3/5
      I did like this book more than the first. Amelia and Emerson's relationship is quite amusing, and (perhaps sadly) I can relate to Amelia's unusual relationship with her son Ramses, and her reticence to place him before her life work. It will be interesting to see how this series progresses, and what other fantastic situations Amelia and Emerson find themselves in.
    • 3/5
      Emerson and Peabody, having met in the tombs - end up married and having a child whom everybody calls Ramses due to his coloring. Leaving Ramses at home with her friend Evelyn and Emerson's brother Walter they're back to Emerson's beloved Egypt - and once more The Father of Curses and the Sitt Hakim find themselves in the midst of a murder - as Abdul would say in the coming years - another year, another dead body.Even without Ramses antics, Peters crafts a good story.
    • 3/5
      This is the 2nd book in the Amelia Peabody series and is in my opinion much better than the 1st one. Amelia and her husband are back in Egypt taking over a dig from the previous archeologist who had died-some say from the pharaoh's curse. As the body count and mishaps continue to add up can Emerson and Amelia find out who is behind the trouble..? I like reading and watching shows about Egypt and Archeology so these are fun books for me.
    • 3/5
      Even better than the first novel in the series. Full-steam-ahead Peabody and her gruff husband Emerson - who I imagine as a bluff Bill Travers or young Peter O'Toole. The series has been described elsewhere as a Victorian Scooby-Do, which I think sums it up, plus you get an Egyptian tomb excavated, and the identity of the serial killer keeps you entertainingly guessing.
    • 4/5
      This was my second dip into the Amelia Peabody series, just to solidify my opinion. Amelia & her husband (grouchy, dark & handsome Radcliffe Emerson) are back in Victorian England, raising their genius archaeologist toddler "Ramses". An eminent Egyptologist gets murdered and his partner goes missing, leaving a greiving widow to pick up the pieces and continue the expedition. The Emersons travel back to their beloved Egypt to solve the mystery, debunk the superstitious and complete the dig. Very light reading, suitable for any age.
    • 5/5
      The banter between Peabody and Emerson is even funnier in this second adventure. I had to pause the recording several times because my laughter drowned out their continuing dialogue. The narration is so descriptive, and the character voices so distinct, the visualization is like watching a movie playing in your head. A good movie. ?
    • 4/5
      This is the second in the Amelia Peabody series. In this one Amelia and Emerson have settled in their new home in England with their little terror son Ramses. Amelia is not very motherly at all so it is funny seeing her interact with the very precocious Ramses. After a few months of settlement Emerson and Amelia both begin to get the itch to go back to Egypt for another excavation except with Ramses to consider future excavations are at a halt. That is until they get an offer they can’t refuse from the newly widowed Lady Baskerville.

      Lady Baskerville’s husband found a new tomb believed to belong to royalty. However, as soon as the tomb is open the Pharaoh’s curse reins its ugly head. All those associated with the tomb start dropping dead or seeing the white lady which in Egypt is the symbolism of death. The story of the Pharaoh’s Curse makes its way into the gossip paper and of course no one wants a part of it for fear that the Curse will get them. Of course, the Pharaoh’s Curse is no match for the fearsome duo- Amelia and Emerson. When Lady Baskerville asks them for their help they both pretty much jump at the chance. Leaving Ramses behind with Walter, Evelyn and their terrified children Amelia and Emerson go off on a new excavation filled with mystery and murder.

      Amelia has definitely not lost her wit in this second book and the chemistry between her and Emerson still has fire in it. There is a whole new set of colorful characters and Peters does a beautiful job describing the setting which puts the reader right there in the story. I hope that the rest of the books contain the same magic as the first and second book.
    • 5/5
      Set some five years after the events of "Crocodile on the Sandbank" Amelia and Emerson are now happily married, have settled in the Kent countryside and are doting parents to the tyrannically charming Ramses. The sudden death of Lord Baskerville the day after he opens up a tomb in Luxor, which is closely followed by the disappearance of his assistant, Alan Armadale (I love the literary references here) fills the press with rumours of a 'Curse of the Pharaohs. So Emerson and Amelia travel to Luxor determined to excavate the tomb, discover why Baskerville died and in the process dispel the myth of the curse. Along the way there are some hilarious encounters and some wonderfully funny and witty asides from Amelia. Its really nice to see that marriage and motherhood haven't diminished Amelia's sense of humour or her ability to wield a parasol. Superb.
    • 4/5
      Oh, but I love Amelia Peabody and look forward to reading every book. One of a dozen or so I read on a Mediterranean cruise.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this book even more than the 1st book of the series. Amelia's commentary is hilarious as usual. Her son Ramses is also proving to be an interesting character. I liked how Amelia Peabody is a strong female character. I did guess the identity of the villain, but I wasn't always sure and enjoyed watching the story unfold.
    • 4/5
      The Curse of the Pharaohs is the second book in the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, and my first on audiobook read by the incomparable Barbara Rosenblat. After five years of domestic bliss (more or less), Amelia and Emerson are off again to Egypt to take over the late Lord Baskerville's last archaeological excavation. Amelia is determined to discover Lord Baskerville's murderer (assuming he was murdered, of course), but all Emerson cares about is the dig. Once in Egypt, the Emersons are joined by a mismatched group of possible suspects. There is Karl von Bork, a German scholar; Cyrus Vandergelt, an American archaeologist; Madam Berengeria, a delusional old woman, and her lovely daughter Mary; Charles Milverton, a young English photographer; Kevin O'Connell, the ubiquitous Irish reporter; and of course Lady Baskerville, beautiful, affected, and recently widowed. Everyone has something to hide, some ulterior goal. Who profits from the rumor that Lord Baskerville died as the result of an ancient curse?The mystery is not bad, though I did guess the murderer (amidst, I confess, many other conflicting hypotheses). The murderer's method is rather creative. The characters are a lot of fun, and they are further fleshed out by Rosenblat's excellent narration. She voices each character distinctly, complete with accent — British, American, German, Irish, and Arabic, she does them all! I have a feeling that many of the characters introduced in this story will be back for more adventures later in the series, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Peters does with them. And I am sure we have not heard the last of the redoubtable Ramses. Not by a long shot!Perhaps it is because of Rosenblat's narration, but I found Amelia more likeable than she is in the first book. The character seems much less anachronistic in her feminism, and Peters really develops Amelia's comic voice. However, this impression could just be an optical (auditory?) illusion, as Rosenblat's narration really is outstanding and certainly gives the character a more defined presence in my imagination.For readers who are uncomfortable with references to sex, this series may not be for you. The frequent references to conjugal relations are for comic effect, and Amelia is never explicit about it (which is in itself a source of humor). I found it quite funny, but I'd hesitate to recommend the series to younger readers and I'm sure this won't please everyone's taste.One thing I found hilarious, that had nothing to do with the story itself, was the back cover blurb. It was obviously written by someone who had no idea what the story is about. Besides the description being more than usually vague, the last line says, "Instead of digging up the treasures of a lost age, it appears that Amelia and her friend are excavating a deadly curse." Who, pray, is Amelia's little buddy? Could they mean... Emerson? Her burly bear of a husband? LOL! Overall, this is an excellent follow-up to the first book, and it leaves me eager for the next story. I will certainly be raiding my local library in search of the audiobook version; I understand Rosenblat has narrated all the Amelia Peabody books. Great fun!
    • 4/5
      Now married, Amelia and Emmerson live in England with their son Ramses, and are frankly quite bored. After the death of Lord Baskerville in Egypt, Lady Baskerville approaches Emmerson to take over the dig. They of course jump at the chance. This propels them into Luxor and mystery. Thoroughly enjoyable. Peters is excellent at describing Victorian-era Egypt and her characters are very well developed.
    • 5/5
      This book finds our heroine Amelia Peabody married to the archeologist she met in Crocodile on the Sandbank. They have made their home in England where they have put their first love (digging around in Egypt) on hold while they raise their son and Professor Emerson teaches archeology. But this life is not what they are suited for. When an opportunity presents itself to re-engage themselves in an expedition whose leader died (or perhaps murdered)they jump at the chance. As the Emersons set about to dispel the idea of the Curse of the Pharoahs (a trumped up idea) they meet with a plethora of strange characters, each a possible suspect in the death of Lord Baskerville who was the original archeologist. There is the tabloid writer, the brash American investor, the superstitious Egptian natives, two other archeologists who are assisting the Emerson team, a young woman and her mother (Madame Berengeria) who believes that she is the reincarnation of a high-ranking Egyptian queen and that Professor Emerson is her long-lost love. There is also the appearance of the white veiled figure who threatens the group during the nights and leaves danger in its wake. All in all a captivating story for mystery fans. The plot moves along rapidly and it would behoove the reader to pay attention to the details as set forth in order to find the true culprit. I would say this is a most satisfying story either as a summer read or one to curl up with by the fire.
    • 3/5
      Amelia Peabody loves to talk and explain in detail all that is happening. Sometimes the detail is too much and the reader gets lost in all this description. The story takes many twists and turns, but the overcome and exposure of the killer is very trite. Amelia openly praises the character of her husband, her son, and herself, too much. I enjoy the description of the exploration into the Egyptian tombs, and can feel the heat and hard work necessary to uncover history. Of course, Peters hints at an active martial relationship between Emerson and Peabody. Isn't the hint more seductive than the blatant description of most authors?
    • 4/5
      While occasionally Amelia Peabody can be an irritating character this is also her strength. She's a believable character, full of flaws and foibles and quite likely to deliver a stern lecture to you about stepping in the way of danger while efficiently bandaging you.Sir Henry Baskerville has discovered a tomb in Egypt but after his find dies under bizarre circumstances, Amelia and her husband Radcliffe Emerson are summoned to continue his work. Amelia applies herself to this work and also to the work of finding out the truth, as the bodies stack up.I enjoyed the story, there were times when Amelia irrited me with her superior attitude but it was still a great deal of fun.
    • 3/5
      The Curse of the Pharoahs had a better plotline, in the sense of having a much larger cast of potential suspects and motives for the three mysterious murders. It left me guessing until close to the end. This book also did an excellent job portraying the racism inherent in British colonialism and ex-pat upper crust society. Both books include generally sympathetic portrayals of Egyptians and Muslims.The story takes place several years after Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia and Emerson have a young son whom they leave in Evelyn and Walter's care while they take over as expedition leaders when the original sponsor mysteriously dies. This time it is a mysterious "lady in white" who appears to be haunting the dig, then there are the bodies with no apparent cause of death but a hieroglyphic on the forehead suggesting nothing natural.The cast of characters include the widow of the original expedition leader, a rich American Egyptology enthusiast, an Irish tabloid journalist, a German Egyptologist, a young British girl and her wacky mother who thinks she's a reincarnated Egyptian Queen, a young British photographer, and various Egyptian field staff (some of these minor characters from the first novel) and local villagers. My major issue--once again a fat woman is portrayed as the worst person in the story--selfish, drunken, greedy, bizarre, emotionally manipulative--while just about everyone else is various degrees of nice, at least on the surface (and ignoring the blatant racism of the day).This story isn't as predictable as the first, but it also has a few holes left wide open at the end. It was perfectly enjoyable though. And their son Ramses was hysterical in every scene where he appeared, either in person or via his letters. I expect to continue with the series.
    • 4/5
       In this second installment, Ms. Peters brings the now married Emerson and Peabody out of retirement and back to Egypt. One of the funnest bits of this novel is all the competition between the duo - and also the continual references to their attraction for each other. We also get a glimpse of Ramses, who promises to be a colorful character in his own right.
    • 4/5
      The Curse of the Pharaohs is the second installment in Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series... and does anyone else think it's weird that it's only the second book and she's married, thus is no longer named Amelia Peabody? It's Amelia Emerson now, though her husband Radcliffe Emerson (usually just called Emerson) uses "Peabody" as a term of endearment. At the close of The Crocodile on the Sandbank, we knew what was in store for the Emersons -- a few years of happy excavations and the promise of a baby, perfectly planned to arrive after their working season with enough time for Amelia to be ready to return to work the following season. Well, here we learn that their blessed bundle of joy turned out to be a boy, named Walter for his uncle... but unsurprisingly is quite precocious and is turning out to be a bit of a tyrant, thus more frequently referred to as "Ramses." Indeed, after their first season away from the boy, Radcliffe found he couldn't bear to be parted from his offspring, and since even the Emersons realized one should probably not take an infant/toddler out to the deserts of Egypt, they spent five years in England, slowly going out of their minds with boredom. Thank goodness for mysterious deaths and Egyptian curses, because it's the combination of these two things that give the Emersons the excuse they need to return to Egypt. Ramses is left with his capable Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Walter while the Emersons go to take over a famous excavation that has captured the attention of the tabloids due to the mysterious death of the expedition leader, Lord Baskerville. Without an apparent cause of death and the sudden disappearance of a trusted crew members goes missing, the tabloids naturally assume that this chap must have killed Lord Baskerville. This is all interesting to Amelia, of course, who considers herself to be a bit of a sleuth in addition to an uncertified lady doctor. Emerson, however, is much more concerned with the tomb... and possibly a little bit with the widow of Lord Baskerville, who evidently has known Emerson for a long time. While we the readers know that Emerson would never go astray, the woman in question is certainly one to keep an eye on. Mix in the expedition photographer (who is really Lord Baskerville's estranged brother's son in disguise and thus the heir and new Lord Baskerville), a vile drunkard of a woman who fancies she can remember her past lives (which happen to include Emerson as her husband and lover), the woman's lovely daughter, a German expedition member who worships Emerson's brother's work, and an American amateur Egyptologist looking to get in on all the action... well, once again, we have a work that is far more entertaining for the characters than the mystery.The mystery is, indeed, quite easy to figure out -- at least this time, Emerson and Amelia write their respective guesses and leave them in a sealed envelope, proving that our dynamic duo each at least solved the case around the same time as the reader. I would have to admit that I didn't enjoy The Curse of the Pharoahs as much as I had hoped, though it was a perfectly pleasant and quick read. I was warned upon starting this series that I should brave it out for a few books before things picked up -- and I believe this might be the book to spark such a warning. It isn't that anything is particularly wrong, it's just not terribly fresh. Emerson and Amelia are charming in their banter -- it's nice to see a couple that can feud well and you still believe that they can be in love at the same time. I predict that Ramses will be quite a handful and, indeed, perhaps a bit annoying if we have a few books where he's still quite young... so I'm thankful for at least this book where we can still enjoy Emerson and Amelia on their own. Again, a quick read and an amusing installment, but I must admit I'm looking for Peters to sharpen her sleuthing skills so that we have some more interesting cases to which we can look forward.