The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters

As the 1911 archaeological season begins, Amelia and famille have arrived in Egypt for their annual excavation. While the reappearance Ramses' dreadful cousin Percy is to be lamented, the marriage of his best friend David to Amelia's niece Lia is a source of joy for everyone. But the bride has barely walked down the aisle before trouble begins stalking the family. First, David is accused of selling ancient Egyptian artifacts that are actually high-priced, almost undetectable fakes. Then, though this year's site appears ordinary enough - dull, really - some deadly surprises await the professional touch of Professor Radcliffe Emerson, the Father of Curses, holder of innumerable honorary degrees, scourge of the underworld, and the greatest Egyptologist of this or any other age.

But even as Amelia and company endeavor to clear David's name and expose the real culprit, worse crimes are surfacing. The first is the body of an American at the bottom of the Emerson's excavation shaft. Then, as accusations of drug dealing and moral misconduct start flying, the appearance of small child of mysterious antecedents sparks a crisis that threatens to tear the Emerson family apart. Meanwhile, as Amelia brings her brilliant powers of deduction to bear on all of this, someone is shooting bullets at her and coming awfully close.

As the tension mounts Amelia and family have arrived in Egypt for the 1911 archaeological season—after the marriage of young Ramses' best friend David to Amelia's niece Lia. But trouble finds them immediately when David is accused of selling ancient artifacts. While Amelia and company try to clear his name and expose the real culprit, the body of an American is found at the bottom of their excavation shaft. As accusations of drug dealing and moral misconduct fly, a child of mysterious antecedents sparks a crisis that threatens to tear the family apart. Amelia brings her brilliant powers of deduction to bear, but someone is shooting bullets at her—and coming awfully close!Amelia and family have arrived in Egypt for the 1911 archaeological season—after the marriage of young Ramses' best friend David to Amelia's niece Lia. But trouble finds them immediately when David is accused of selling ancient artifacts. While Amelia and company try to clear his name and expose the real culprit, the body of an American is found at the bottom of their excavation shaft. As accusations of drug dealing and moral misconduct fly, a child of mysterious antecedents sparks a crisis that threatens to tear the family apart. Amelia brings her brilliant powers of deduction to bear, but someone is shooting bullets at her and coming awfully close!

As the tension mounts and accidents increase at the site, it becomes clear that the Land of the Pharaohs harbors more secrets than any tomb can hide, If Amelia doesn't expose a dangerous gallery of kills quickly, she may find herself the next candidate for burial.

Aaahh....there is nothing like an Amelia Peabody book to get the reading juices flowing. This book had it all - there was subterfuge, romance, multiple suspects, loss, spying, renegade family members. You name it, it will probably be part of it.

The book starts in England where Ramses' best friend David has just married his cousin Lia. There is a cloud hanging over the happy event though, as David has been named as being suspected of either selling stolen or fake artifacts. As David goes off blissfully unawares on his honeymoon, the rest of the Peabody clan are desperately trying to clear David's name.

On arrival in Egypt, they are soon reunited with old friends from previous books, but there is also more drama surrounding David as he is linked to both nationalistic causes and drug running. Is it possible that David has gone completely off the rails, despite the fact that Amelia and Emerson practically raised him.

The dig that the Emerson's have been allocated appears to be very boring indeed, although Amelia is delighted that she has a pyramid to explore! She is not quite so delighted when first she and then other members of her family find themselves being shot at. As the heat of an Egyptian desert dig builds, so does the pressure as bodies are discovered, and theories of what is going on are both developed and then discarded.

The mystery aspect of this book was good, although at times very busy with so many different aspects to keep in control and then to tie up at the end but Peters manages admirably.

For all of that, for me, this book is really about Ramses and a couple of the relationships in his life.

*************SPOILER*************

There were times in this book where my heart was literally in my mouth, just hoping and praying that Nefret would finally realise that Ramses is totally in love with her. There were hints, and then there finally a moment, that turned into a night, and the promise of future happiness. In true romance fashion though, the path to true love never runs smoothly and the romantic relationship between Nefret and Ramses is basically destroyed before it even got going due to a BIG misunderstanding. Nefret then reacts rather impulsively, leaving a heartbroken Ramses in her wake.

I also loved seeing both Ramses and Emerson interact with the little girl, Sennia, who is introduced into the series at this point. Reading the descriptions of Ramses and Emerson interacting with the girl, and then the cat Horus' attachment to her had me smiling as I read them - an outward sign of my inward delight of the character development that we are still seeing in these books despite the fact that this is the 11th book in the series.

I loved this part of the storyline...absolutely loved it, and very nearly went rushing off to the library to get the next book in the series. If I had it, I would have started it straight away, because I was so invested in what will happen, in what HAS to happen soon!

The strange thing about this whole part of this post, is that when I wrote my reviews of the Harper Connelly series, one of my main focuses was on the fact that I found it kind of off-putting that Harper got it together with Tolliver, who was her step brother. Despite the fact that it is a very similar familial connection (Nefret is Ramses adopted sister), there was none of that uncomfortableness in reading this storyline - only cheering and then subsequent despair as everything comes apart.

Maybe I should go to the library tomorrow night to get the next book in the series. The fact that I have a load of books due back before I that one would shouldn't matter should it. I HAVE to know what happens....and soon!



The Crocodile on the Sandbank
The Curse of the Pharoahs
The Mummy Case
Lion in the Valley
Deeds of the Disturber
The Last Camel Died at Noon
The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog
The Hippopotamus Pool
Seeing a Large Cat
The Ape Who Guards the Balance
The Falcon at the Portal
He Shall Thunder in the Sky
Lord of the Silent
The Golden One
Children of the Storm
Guardian of the Horizon
Serpent on the Crown
Tomb of the Golden Bird