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.