From Publishers Weekly
A fast-moving, intrigue-filled plot propels MWA Grand Master Peters's 15th novel (after 2002's The Golden One) to feature beloved archeologist and amateur sleuth Amelia Peabody Emerson. The end of WWI offers Amelia, now a grandmother, and her family little respite when mysterious events start to plague friends, allies and coworkers. One person dies after suddenly turning to religion, while others fall victim to sabotage. Valuable artifacts go missing, and Amelia's son Ramses is lured into a bizarre encounter with a woman who appears to be the living embodiment of the goddess Hathor. Given the growing unrest against British rule in Egypt, Amelia has to wonder if politics are behind the strange occurrences. In addition, the clan has made many enemies over the course of their adventures. While the preface does a good job of outlining the characters and their complicated connections, the previous 14 novels covered a lot of ground that new readers will find challenging to master. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable read in its own right, powered by evocative depictions of 1919 Egypt and the engaging voice of Amelia herself-a bright, independent woman, who relishes her role as family matriarch. Her affectionate, give-and-take relationship with her Egyptologist husband, Emerson, continues to enchant.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-World War I has ended and the Emerson family now includes several children of an entirely new generation. Everyone comes together in Egypt to work on the Emersons' newest dig. The adults are puzzled as strange, seemingly unrelated events occur: a theft, a murder, the appearance of a woman dressed as a goddess, the sinking of a boat, and attacks on a cousin. This complex series continues with witty dialogue, mysterious twists and turns, and delightful characters. A brief introduction summarizes relationships and provides a broad overview of the series, but it will serve best as a review for fans. Purchase where earlier titles have been popular.Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
The Great War is finally over, but if Amanda Peabody thinks that this year's excavations will be uneventful, she has something else coming. April 1 marks the one-day laydown. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Egyptian nationalism is on the rise in the early twentieth century; Amelia Peabody Emerson and her volatile husband are grandparents; and a new season of archaeological exploration has begun in the Valley of Kings. This season promises to be special as the Emersons are looking forward to a reunion with extended family that will fill their lives to bursting. The joyous gathering is tempered, however, by some seemingly unrelated occurrences-a strange theft, son Ramses' kidnapping, the sabotage of a boat on which the family is traveling. Unfortunately, it takes the redoubtable Amelia an inordinately long time to figure things out, with excitement at a premium until the last few pages (though Amelia's brief masquerade as an Egyptian fisherman--complete with a patch on her eye--is almost worth the wait). Until then, Peters mostly tinkers with relationships among her large cast, many of whom play some role in unmasking the villains. Readers who enjoy this series for its crisp repartee and interpersonal dynamics will be sufficiently entertained; those who long for more old-fashioned heroics and adventure will have to wait for the next book. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Bestselling author Elizabeth Peters has delighted historical mystery fans with the adventures of Victorian Egyptologist Amelia Peabody, a strong-willed woman with a talent for foiling criminals, for many years. Though the antiquities she loves remain the same, Amelia's world has changed a lot since her first visit to Egypt in 1884, and over her career, Amelia has gone from being an unconventional spinster to an independent-minded wife and a rather unorthodox mother. Now, as her 15th adventure, Children of the Storm, begins in 1919 -- one year after the end of the First World War -- Amelia has morphed again, this time into a delightfully eccentric grandmother. But her insatiable curiosity and passion for justice are as strong as ever, and that means her new season of excavation with her ever-expanding extended family is sure to uncover trouble￯﾿ﾽ. Sue Stone

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"The Great War has ended at last. No longer must archaeologist Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, the distinguished Egyptologist, fear for the life of their daring son, Ramses, now free from his dangerous wartime obligations to British Intelligence. The advent of a season of joy and peace marks a time of new beginnings in Luxor, with delightful additions to the growing Emerson family and fascinating wonders waiting to be discovered beneath the shifting Egyptian sands." "But in the aftermath of conflict, evil still casts a cold shadow over this violence-scarred land. The theft of valuable antiquities from the home of a friend causes great concern in the Emerson household. Ramses's strange encounter with a woman costumed in the veil and gold crown of a goddess only deepens the mystery. And the brutal death of the suspected thief washes the unsettling affair in blood." Amelia's investigation sets her on a terrifying collision course with an adversary more fiendish and formidable than any she has ever encountered. And in her zeal to make things right, the indomitable Amelia may be feeding the flames of a devastating firestorm that threatens the fragile lives of the tender and the innocent.

SYNOPSIS

The Great War has ended -- no longer must archaeologist Amelia Peabody fear for her family. Until her son, Ramses, encounters a mysterious, veiled goddess, and a suspected thief dies a brutal death. Can Amelia defeat a devilish adversary without endangering innocent lives?

FROM THE CRITICS

The New York Times

Peters has always known how to romance us; but by letting history sweep through her fanciful tale, she also proves herself a conscientious scholar. — Marilyn Stasio

Publishers Weekly

A fast-moving, intrigue-filled plot propels MWA Grand Master Peters's 15th novel (after 2002's The Golden One) to feature beloved archeologist and amateur sleuth Amelia Peabody Emerson. The end of WWI offers Amelia, now a grandmother, and her family little respite when mysterious events start to plague friends, allies and coworkers. One person dies after suddenly turning to religion, while others fall victim to sabotage. Valuable artifacts go missing, and Amelia's son Ramses is lured into a bizarre encounter with a woman who appears to be the living embodiment of the goddess Hathor. Given the growing unrest against British rule in Egypt, Amelia has to wonder if politics are behind the strange occurrences. In addition, the clan has made many enemies over the course of their adventures. While the preface does a good job of outlining the characters and their complicated connections, the previous 14 novels covered a lot of ground that new readers will find challenging to master. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable read in its own right, powered by evocative depictions of 1919 Egypt and the engaging voice of Amelia herself-a bright, independent woman, who relishes her role as family matriarch. Her affectionate, give-and-take relationship with her Egyptologist husband, Emerson, continues to enchant. Agent, Dominick Abel. (Apr. 1) Forecast: To honor Barbara Mertz (aka Elizabeth Peters), the publisher will kick off the publicity campaign with a party at "Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo" (aka New York City's Plaza Hotel). Expect another run up bestseller lists. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

In the latest and welcome addition to Peters's popular Amelia Peabody mystery series, World War I has finally ended, and the Emerson clan has returned to their excavations in Egypt. The family has expanded a bit, with the addition of Ramses and Nefret's precocious (naturally) two-year-old twins, Charla and Davy. Amelia, not one to let being a grandmother slow her down, immediately plunges into investigating the sudden disappearance of an archaeologist, along with valuable jewelry stolen from an excavation. The jewelry was promised to the museum in Cairo, and Amelia hopes to retrieve it before the authorities discover the theft. Meanwhile, a nemesis from the past reemerges: the "young serpent who also had poisoned fangs." This wickedly entertaining tale from the prolific Peters is an essential purchase for all public libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/02].-Laurel Bliss, Yale Arts Lib., New Haven, CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal