Rating: 
Summary: Great surprise
Review: Only fools never change their mind. My first two meetings with Amelia Peabody were far from successful - to use an euphemism. Yet I decided to give Peters a third, a last try. I was right, for Ra showed me the light. "Curse" is a winner. Not only because of a stronger plot, while it has a lot to do with it. For once there's a genuine puzzle, and both Amelia and Emerson do real sleuthing and deduction. Amelia's incredible bad faith paradoxically makes her sympathetic, and the book is filled with funny scenes. Characters are sketched with a great sense of caricature: they're some cartoonish, but believable. The book's true star, however, is Egypt itself. Ms. Peters (oops, Mrs. Emerson) reaches a visionary quality in describing a country she obviously loves very much. And all the archeological stuff is fascinating, if you're interested in those things (I am). Excellent, and a better introduction to the series than pilot "A Crocodile on the Sandbank".
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Bother
Review: Tedious and inane come to mind. It is written as a first person narrative consisting almost entirely of a stream of disparaging comments about everyone else written in a "catty" pseudo-feminist style, rambling descriptions of Egyptian archaeology - real or imagined - thinly veiled racist comments about the "ignorant natives" of Egypt and inept sexual innuendo. The book is very slow moving and the plot seems forced. The characters do not come across as real. Very disappointing. Leave this one on the library shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: History turned Mystery
Review: The Curse of The Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters provides an interesting approach to the excavation of the tombs of Ancient Egypt. The book starts off with the family and friends of Radcliffe Emerson and his wife, Amelia Peabody Emerson. It jumps quickly to them accepting an excavation of a recently discovered tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The previous archeologist on site had died mysteriously which had been rumored to be linked to the curse of the pharaohs. This did not dissuade the Emerson's from their dig; nor did the other bodies and mysterious happenings that occurred as they went further on their dig. Amelia played the part of Sherlock Holmes in trying to discover the identity of the person or people involved in the implementation of the curse. Though they met with many discomforts, they kept on and eventually got the man responsible. There was one flaw that stood out as I read further: the character developments were almost too much. With the character analyses' coming from the perspective of Amelia, each one gave you a little more insight on how the woman thought and how she perceived life and other people. There were some areas that were too wordy and in-depth that we could have done without. Do not let this put forth the view that I did not like the book. Overall, this was an excellent book which I highly recommend to others. It was quite interesting and hard to put down due to the fast paced readability. The book read more of a action and mystery novel than a history book which I expected when I first picked it up. I plan to read more of Peters' books in the future which I recommend others to do as well.
Rating:
Summary: Egypt of the Pharaohs, A review by David Burke
Review: The Curse of the Pharaohs tells an interesting and exciting story of a middle-aged Egyptologist, Amelia Peabody Emerson and her husband Radcliffe Emerson and their experiences and struggles during the excavation of an Ancient Egyptian tomb. The story has a well-developed plot and is full of unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed Elizabeth Peters' character development and detailed descriptions. It was especially interesting as a male reader to experience the story through a female point of view. The reader steps into the shoes of Amelia Emerson, a strong headed and opinionated woman, and experiences the feelings and emotions of a mother, wife and pleasantly arrogant woman. I really enjoyed hearing her descriptions of her husband Radcliffe as well as her motherly feelings and views towards her son, Ramses.The story begins in England at the Radcliffe household, and the reader gets a quick introduction to the Emersons' personalities, and their passion for Egyptology. When the opportunity comes they are somewhat hesitant but ultimately excited to accept a job to excavate an unopened tomb in the escarpments of Egypt, that has been causing controversy in the press for some time. This tomb is rumored to be cursed and possess spirits that protect the treasures within. The initial archeologist, Lord Baskerville, who had been previously working the excavation, experienced a suspicious death and his assistant mysteriously disappeared. Undeterred by the myths the Emersons proceed on the trip in search for science, ancient pharaohs and hidden treasure. When the couple arrive in Egypt, they are immediately faced with puzzling confrontations and threats that build on the suspense of the curse. Immediately Mrs. Emersons passion for problem solving and deductive reasoning lead her to formulate hypothesis as to who murdered the late Lord Baskerville and motives for this heinous crime. As the story continues the reader is introduced to a cast of characters all of who are possible suspects, including Lady Baskerville, Madame Berengeria and her daughter Mary, Mr. Milverton, Mr. Vandergelt, and a reporter Mr. O'Connell. The plot thickens when Mr. Milverton a prime suspect confides in Mrs. Emerson that he is actually the brother of Lord Baskerville, the dead archeologist. He is then later found in a nearly dead state, in a deep coma, caused by a viscous blow to the head. The mystery of the curse continues with numerous, unsolved deaths in a Clue like fashion. When the Emersons are finally fed up with all the hype of deadly curses and ghosts, and their work is being affected, they decide to get to the bottom of these crimes, which were obviously the work of someone with ulterior motives. In a dramatic final scene the culprit is brought to justice. This book was very entertaining and I would not hesitate to pick up another of Elizabeth Peters enchanted tales of Egypt.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: The plot line was painfully predictable, the characters underdeveloped, and the egotism of the heroine unreal and unbearable. The editor, if there was one, was asleep. The Curse of the Pharaohs lives on in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fun #2
Review: These are fun books; the author is having fun with her characters and with us, her tongue firmly in her cheek. In fact, the characters are more interesting than the pseudo-creepy mystery. Everybody is a "character." Even if they are stereotypical, Peters really differentiates them in intriguing ways. And she waxes almost poetic in her description of Egyptian desert sunrises and sunsets-no one would be out in the sun at noon, right? Readers who will especially enjoy the Amelia Peabody series are less those seeking a good mystery than a bit of eery suspense or those who (wish to) travel to Egypt or who enjoy history and archaeology. Peters scathes or satirizes Egyptology (in which she has a degree) as it was practiced a century ago by her contrasts between the deftly caricatured actual historical officials and her progressive protagonists. These novels will also appeal to readers who like novels of relationships and love conspiracies (which are dense and often unsuspected [hint, hint]), as well as gentle "modern" feminist sentiments in a Victorian romance, or light and quietly humorous writing. The mysteries are like an entertaining excuse to push her characters into incidents that reveal and develop them. It's also the rare series where child care is an issue (here the question of who stays with the baby), since we're beginning to see Amelia and Radcliffe's precocious child emerge in his obstreperous role through the early books of the series. This strong biographical flavor requires you to start at the beginning with CROCODILE.... (I once made the mistake of starting in the middle and gave up that try.)
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: This is the first Elizabeth Peters book I have ever read. I found her characters to be very funny and well written. MS. Peters is my new favorite author next to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I love how Amelia and Emerson have their detectival contest. Did either of them switch their envelope? We'll never know.
Rating:
Summary: A Bit Melodramatic
Review: This story about the pharaohs' curse is somewhat melodramatic, but Elizabeth Peters is a good writer, and that saves it from falling into a maudlin heap to my mind. I found the story a bit tedious in spots, and the mystery was fairly easy to figure out, but there was enough to keep me reading until the end in spite of that. I stil think the series gives a good look at Egyptology in the Victorian era, and Amelia, although caustic, is still quite funny. I will read more in the series hoping that they will get back to being as good as the first book was.
Rating:
Summary: Good start for Ramses
Review: What a good beginning for Emerson & Peabody's son Rames - I can't wait to see how he progresses as the series continues.
This was a really good story. The characters were all well written and the story kept you until the end, which what of course is a big surprise ending.
Rating:
Summary: Peters' Curse is a Success
Review: What could prompt gentlewoman Amelia (Peabody) Emerson to leave behind her young son and comfortable Victorian lifestyle to perform manual labor halfway around the world? - A love for Egyptology and a promising archeological site, of course. As the narrator and protagonist of Elizabeth Peters' The Curse of the Pharaohs, Peabody urges her husband, renowned archeologist Radcliffe Emerson, to accept Lady Baskerville's offer to head an excavation project outside Luxor. After leaving her son, affectionately nicknamed Ramses, with her in-laws, Peabody and Emerson are off to the land of the Pharaohs. .... .... Not being a fan of detective novels, I am surprised by my enjoyment of The Curse of the Pharaohs. I have never read a work by Elizabeth Peters before, but I am eager to acquire more of her novels. Peters' use of sandy Luxor and the mystery of the Ancient World breathes life into cliché whodunnits. Peters' characters are both suspicious and endearing. Particularly touching is the relationship between Peabody and Emerson. The reader envies their personal and professional partnership. The colorful descriptions and personal insights revealed by the narrator give each character a three-dimensional quality, no small feat in a narration. As a student of Egyptology, I can appreciate the knowledgeable references to Ancient Egypt throughout the novel. I think that both those experienced in and those new to Egyptian history will find the work fascinating. The mystery inherent in Egyptian tombs and pyramids serves as the perfect backdrop for a crime-solver. I fully enjoyed this novel and sincerely recommend it to all!
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