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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Barbara Mertz. () |
Elizabeth Peters (a pen-name of Barbara Mertz, born 29 September, 1927 in Canton, Illinois) is an American author of historical mystery fiction, featuring strong female protagonists and many archaeological connections. The name Elizabeth Peters was created for her two children, Elizabeth and Peter. Her Amelia Peabody series, involving the exploits of an entire family of Egyptologists in the early 1900s, is her most popular work. This prolific author also writes under the name Barbara Michaels, specializing in gothic fiction, romance novels and thrillers. Dr. Mertz also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Egyptology.
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Amelia Peabody
As of 2006, this series contains 18 books; the most recent, Tomb of the Golden Bird, was published in April 2006. The eponymous heroine is an Egyptologist and is married with one child. The stories are mostly set in Egypt; the time period covered ranges from the late 1800s to after the First World War.
- Tomb of the Golden Bird - Published March 2006
- The Serpent on the Crown - Published March 2005
- Guardian of the Horizon - Published March 2004
- Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium - Published October 2003
- Children of the Storm - 1919-20 Season - Published April 2003
- The Golden One - 1916-17 Season - Published 2002
- Lord of the Silent - 1915-16 Season - Published 2001
- He Shall Thunder in the Sky - 1914-15 Season - Published 2000
- The Falcon at the Portal - 1911-12 Season - Published 1999
- The Ape Who Guards the Balance - 1906-07 Season - Published 1998
- Seeing A Large Cat - Published 1997
- The Hippopotamus Pool - Published 1996
- The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog - Published 1992
- The Last Camel Died at Noon - Published 1991
- The Deeds of the Disturber - Summer 1896 - Published 1988
- Lion in the Valley - 1895-96 Season - Published 1986
- The Mummy Case - Published 1985
- The Curse of the Pharoahs - Published 1981
- Crocodile on the Sandbank - Published 1975
Vicky Bliss
The Vicky Bliss novels follow the adventures of an American professor of art history who keeps getting involved in international crime and her love interest, a charming art thief known as Sir John Smythe. Another Peters novel, The Camelot Caper (1969), while not technically a Vicky Bliss story, features Smythe. The novels can be enjoyed in any order, but the stories are highly sequential in nature and are probably better appreciated if read in order of publication.
- Borrower of the Night (1973)
- Street of the Five Moons (1978)
- Silhouette in Scarlet (1983)
- Trojan Gold (1987)
- Night Train to Memphis (1994)
- Laughter of the Dead Kings (2008)
There is a connection between these books and the Amelia Peabody series, but the references are cryptic and the author isn't telling. The two series are definitely set in the same fictional universe; a fictional tomb discovered by Amelia Peabody and her husband plays an important role in Night Train to Memphis. In the same book, John Tregarth's mother Jen mentions that her own mother had a connection to Egypt.
Jacqueline Kirby
Jacqueline Kirby is a librarian with a very large purse and a knack for solving mysteries. Though she appears mainly as a supporting character in The Seventh Sinner, her maturity, quirkiness, and pursuit of romantic relationships made her a standout. The character blossomed with Die For Love, which featured her wearing increasingly outrageous costumes, and writing a series of prehistoric romances, which continues into Naked Once More.
Other fiction
- The Jackal's Head (1968)
- The Camelot Caper (1969) - see above
- The Dead Sea Cipher (1970)
- The Night of Four Hundred Rabbits (1971)
- Legend in Green Velvet (1976)
- Devil-May-Care (1977)
- Summer of the Dragon (1979)
- The Love Talker (1980)
- The Copenhagen Connection (1982)
