Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody, #1)

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Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1)

by Elizabeth Peters

3.99 · rating details · 9,916 ratings · 1,176 reviews

Amelia Peabody, that indomitable product of the Victorian age, embarks on her debut Egyptian adventure armed with unshakable self-confidence, a journal to record her thoughts, and, of course, a sturdy umbrella. On her way to Cairo, Amelia rescues young Evelyn Barton-Forbes, who has been abandoned by her scoundrel lover. Together the two women sail up the Nile to an archeol...more

Mass Market Paperback, 262 pages

Published January 1st 1988 by Mysterious Press (first published 1975)

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Community Reviews

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Oct 31, 2007

Celia Powell rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, favourites

What a marvellous, marvellous book. I've seen Elizabeth Peter's books around, of course, but knew nothing of what they were about, and the covers never particularly attracted me. After seeing them recommended on someone's blog, I thought I'd pick up the first of her Amelia Peabody series - and what a joy it was.

This is a nominally a mystery, but it's not really the meat of the book, nor what is so enjoyable about it. Amelia Peabody - strong-minded, independent, sarcastic Amelia,...more

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Apr 10, 2007

Katie rated it

If my memory serves me correct, this is the first Amelia Peabody mystery novel. I now have probably at least 15 of these books on my shelf and Elizabeth Peters keeps popping a new one out every year. Amelia is a Egyptologist at the beginning of the 20th century. Each book contains new mysteries ("every year, another body") that threaten the acheological digs she is participating in. You get to watch the characters grow over the years, deal with real historical issues (Britain's of occu...more

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Oct 15, 2009

Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it

Recommends it for: Fans of Cozy Mysteries or Adventure Stories in Exotic Settings

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-2009, cozy-mystery

Reviewed for THC Reviews
It has been many years since I've read a mystery story, and I wasn't quite sure if I would still like them as much as I had in my youth. Either I do, or I simply chose the right book with which to renew that genre interest, because I found Crocodile on the Sandbank to be an enjoyable read. It reminded me of a cross between Indiana Jones and a younger version of Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher (I loved Murder, She Wrote when I was a kid), or perhaps a more mature ver...moreReviewed for THC Reviews
It has been many years since I've read a mystery story, and I wasn't quite sure if I would still like them as much as I had in my youth. Either I do, or I simply chose the right book with which to renew that genre interest, because I found Crocodile on the Sandbank to be an enjoyable read. It reminded me of a cross between Indiana Jones and a younger version of Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher (I loved Murder, She Wrote when I was a kid), or perhaps a more mature version of the Nancy Drew books that I was crazy about in my tweens/teens, only in a more exotic location. Crocodile on the Sandbank, and the entire Amelia Peabody series, fall into the cozy mystery genre as they are very gentle mysteries that aren't particularly frightening and don't have any objectionable elements. Even more mature content like Evelyn's affair is merely alluded to and never spelled out in so many words. This made for some fun, old-fashioned sleuthing that is, in my opinion, appropriate for mystery aficionados of all ages, although the advanced vocabulary and authenticity of the historical voice would probably be more suited for teen and adult readers. Elizabeth Peters began writing the Amelia Peabody series in the 1970s, and had I heard of it back then, I may have been reading them as a teen.

Amelia was a fun character to read about. She is a firmly on-the-shelf spinster who has no intentions of marrying and an independent woman of means, so she decides to indulge her passion for history and her dream of traveling by going on a trip to Egypt. Amelia is an unflappable, no-nonsense woman with a plucky, adventurous spirit and a very straight-forward way of dealing with life. This forthright nature was very much in evidence in the first question that she asked Evelyn after her friend confessed to having had an affair. Somehow, it didn't really surprise me, but it did make me laugh nonetheless. Amelia is also a feminist who has little use for the traditional Victorian conventions, and sometimes wishes she had been born a man, so that she would be more respected. Even though Amelia is very much a thinker and a scholar, it is obvious that she has a very kind heart and a willingness to help others. She is quite skilled in medical matters and assists many people along the way who are sick or injured which always seems to help put her in their good graces. She is also the consummate matchmaker when she realizes that Evelyn has fallen in love. I found it interesting and amusing that Amelia immediately recognized Evelyn's love for Walter, but when she started falling for Emerson, she didn't initially discern it as the same emotion in herself. All in all, I really admired Amelia, and a part of me would love to be her, but in reality, I'm probably much closer in personality to Evelyn.

Crocodile on the Sandbank is told in first-person perspective with Amelia, of course, as the narrator. It is written in a slightly different style than other first-person books that I have read, so it took me a little while to get used to it. For me, the reading of the book was rather like sitting down to tea with Amelia while listening as she related her story. It had a rather quaint, intimate feel to it. The book takes a “just-the-facts” approach and is a little light on descriptive details of the environment. In fact, early in the story, Amelia comments that she will not indulge in such descriptions so as not to bore the reader, and if the reader wants more detail, they should go read a travelogue. Normally, this would be a downside for me, because I tend to enjoy lush, vivid depictions of the setting, but for the most part, enough information was given to make me feel like I was in the hot sands of the Egyptian desert with Amelia. There are also not a lot of deep insights into the secondary characters. The reader really only gets to know them through Amelia's eyes. Even though I usually prefer to know the other characters' thoughts and feelings, I once again, for the most part, did not view this as a weakness as I normally would. I think this was owing in large part to the genre. Since the story is primarily about the mystery of a mummy stalker who appears to be trying to scare them away from their archaeological dig site, rather than the relationships, I didn't necessarily feel a burning need to get inside the other characters' heads like I would if it were a romance.

As things were, I got to know the other characters well enough. I liked Amelia's friend, Evelyn. She is a sweet, and perhaps slightly naïve, young woman who allowed herself to be seduced by a scoundrel which ruined her relationship with her grandfather and left her destitute. Amelia rescues her off the street and hires her as a companion for her trip. On the outside, Evelyn seems very delicate, but on the inside she is made of much sterner stuff than one might think at first glance, and in spite of her indiscretion, she has a certain strength of character as well. I adored Evelyn's love interest, Walter, the more charming and amiable of the two Emerson brothers, a team of archaeologists who are working to unearth the history and treasures of Egypt. If he were one of my romance heroes, he'd be the sweet beta who gets all moony-eyed over his lady love, but can't quite bring himself to declare his feelings. Yet, when he finally does (at Amelia's prodding), it was in the most romantic way possible, giving me a major, “Awwwww!” moment. Then there is Emerson. Actually his name is Radcliffe, but Amelia never calls him by his first name. It's OK though, because he always call her Peabody instead of Amelia too. If Walter is the romantic beta, Emerson is the alpha. He's rude and abrasive, rarely having anything nice to say about anyone, and he gets under Amelia's skin in more ways than one right from the moment they meet. Although Emerson certainly tries his best, Amelia never allows him to run rough-shod over her, instead giving back as good as she gets whenever he let the insults fly which made for some fun bantering. Even though he could be a real bear sometimes, I liked that Emerson's heart was in the right place when it came to the preservation and proper study of the antiquities that were being treated with flippancy even by the government agency that was supposed to be protecting them. Other than the antiquities though, Emerson could seem pretty cold and indifferent at times, so it took me a while to really warm up to him. When he finally started to reveal his feelings, it was worth the wait.

Aside from the colorful characters, Crocodile on the Sandbank had a fun plot. In fact, I waffled a bit on my star rating, and the only thing that really prevented it from earning keeper status from me was that the pacing is a little too slow in places. Especially during the first half of the book, there are several long passages of narration where there isn't much excitement or action. There are also a couple of passages where a secondary character goes off into what is essentially a soliloquy of narration. Preferring a more liberal mixture of narrative and dialog, I found these passages to be a bit too sluggish for my taste, leaving my mind occasionally wandering. Once the mystery portion of the story really got going, I thoroughly enjoyed the action, adventure and intrigue, as well as trying to figure out the answer to the puzzle. I did correctly discern the culprit and their motive (although not all the details of “how”) before it was revealed, but it didn't detract from the fun of getting there, as I ended up second guessing myself more than once. Overall, the narrative built very nicely to an exciting conclusion. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery/adventure yarn with a plucky heroine, an exotic setting and a dash of romance, should like this book. Crocodile on the Sandbank is the first of the Amelia Peabody series, and my first read by Elizabeth Peters. I found it to be a nice departure from my usual romance fare that has left me looking forward to trying the next book in the series when I'm, once again, in the mood for something different. There are currently 18 books in the Amelia Peabody series. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on the official Amelia Peabody website.(less)

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Apr 04, 2009

Heather rated it

Shelves: crime-mystery-thriller, historical-fiction, series

This was a really fun, light read! I fell in love with Amelia and her witty personality. There was so much humor laced throughout the story, and I think I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading it. I guessed the "mystery" part of the story fairly early on, but I still enjoyed seeing how it all played out.

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May 17, 2008

Bunxena rated it

Recommends it for: historical mystery fans, Egypt aficionados

Recommended to Bunxena by: Top 100 list

Shelves: top-100-crime-novels, bibliotheque, 2008

I can definitely see why this book was added to one of my Top 100 Crime Novels list -- it is brilliant.

The story begins in Rome, where Amelia Peabody, an irrepressible, resolute woman, rescues an unfortunate young lady from death in the streets. The young lady, Evelyn, was disinherited by her wealthy grandfather after she was seduced by a cad named Alberto. Alberto, of course, was after her fortune, and when she no longer had access to it, he left her behind. Amelia takes Evelyn unde...more

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Jun 29, 2009

Marcy rated it

I always enjoy a little Amelia Peabody. I put an * next to my favorites (since they get a bit formulaic), and I just bought those 5 to add to my library. If you do read them all I recommend skipping #11. I think she's now written more in the series, too.

1. Crocodile On The Sandbank*
2. The Curse Of The Pharaohs
3. The Mummy Case
4. Lion In The Valley*
5. Deeds Of The Disturber
6. The Last Camel Died At Noon*
7. The Snake, The Crocodile & The Dog
...more

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Feb 02, 2008

kellyn rated it

I was sick with a virus and didn't move off the floor for 5 days while listening to this on CD. I love Amelia dearly, so much so that in the days after I've finished one of her 'memoirs' I find myself wondering how they are and what they must be doing next.
Amelia 'Peabody' Emerson and her husband 'Emerson' are Egyptologists and explorers and their adventures are set in Victorian era England (and, of course, Egypt). Amelia is a feminist in the truest sense of the word. She adores her husba...more

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Sep 09, 2011

Myfavoritegeorgie rated it

Recommends it for: mystery lovers, Egypt lovers.

Shelves: british-mysteries, and, strong-women

This book is the first in a series about Amelia Peabody, and one of my favorites of all time. It has become a "comfort read" for me when I need to escape for a little while and don't want to be too taxed.

Amelia inherited a large sum of money and decided to see the world. She considered herself an old and unmarriagable spinster and decided to enjoy herself and do the things that she had not done as her father's "keeper".

In Rome, she picks up a "stray" gentle Englishw...more

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Dec 07, 2010

Kirsty Darbyshire added it · review of another edition

Delving out into the realms of books which come to me with good reports but I'm not really sure are my thing and I found myself in 1880s Egypt with the first episode of a long series featuring Amelia Peabody. For the first half this was a fun book, it's pretty much a parody of 1880s writing and of what ladies should be like at that time, and I enjoyed it in a slow kind of way. Amelia is a likeable character and it's pleasant to pass the time with her.

It wasn't until the middle of the book tha

...more

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Mar 31, 2009

Terran rated it

Shelves: for-fun, reviewed

I read this book on advice from my friend Amanda, who's a big fan. It was a fairly light read, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

Like many Europeans since the Eighteenth Century, I am fascinated by "antiquities" and especially by Egypt. It's such an ancient and alien culture, yet one that has, in some ways, shaped who we are today. And those who know me will also know my interest in the Victorians. So what better to do than take a romp down the Nile in the la...more

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Feb 02, 2009

Ruth rated it

Amelia Peabody is not your typical Victorian-age woman. When she inherits her father's sizable estate, she decides to fulfill a life-long dream of traveling the world rather than doing something more conventional - like getting married. She heads to Egypt where she meets Evelyn, a young lady with more than her share of baggage. The two join forces, and soon Amelia must discover the sinister forces seeking to destroy Evelyn, or risk losing her closest friend.

This book is so much fun!...more

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Jan 25, 2009

Barky rated it

Shelves: adult-fiction, audio-edition, brit-lit, mystery, egypt, funny, archaeology, gentle, borrowed-from-the-library

Amelia inherits a large sum of money and decides to use this to go traveling in Egypt. During her travels she meets a young woman, Evelyn, who was abandoned by her lover under *very* scandalous circumstances. Amelia invites her to be her traveling companion and protects her from her former lover, and a most persistent cousin. While they are working on an archaeological dig, they discover a mummy, which then seemingly comes to life and begins harassing them. Amelia makes it her business to fi...more

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Jan 27, 2012

Barbara Tom rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Barbara Mertz, writing as Elizabeth Peters (inspired by her children, Elizabeth and Peter), began her Amelia Peabody series in 1975 with this book. River in the Sky, the 19th book in the series, was published in 2010. There are readers who began reading the series when the first book came out and still eagerly look forward to the next entry. And Amelia Peabody still draws new readers today. That's not a surprise.

After receiving a Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago, Mert...moreBarbara Mertz, writing as Elizabeth Peters (inspired by her children, Elizabeth and Peter), began her Amelia Peabody series in 1975 with this book. River in the Sky, the 19th book in the series, was published in 2010. There are readers who began reading the series when the first book came out and still eagerly look forward to the next entry. And Amelia Peabody still draws new readers today. That's not a surprise.

After receiving a Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago, Mertz raised a family instead of taking off for archaeological digs. The character of Amelia Peabody grew out of Mertz's love of Egypt. She began to live vicariously through Amelia, who was a 32-year-old woman in 1884 in Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia traveled to Egypt, fell in love with and married Radcliffe Emerson, an archaeologist. The characters age throughout the series. Amelia and Emerson, as she refers to him, raise their son, Ramses, who grows up, marries an Egyptian woman, Nefret, and has a child of his own. Ramses has his own adventures and intrigues in World War I. Eventually the series wends its way to the early 1920s. The Peabody-Emerson family lives a rich fictional life, and their trials and triumphs have won countless accolades and awards for their creator.

Despite having read and enjoyed several of the episodes, I had never read the first book. It was time to remedy that.

Obviously, there were some things that were not a surprise to me. This is the book in which Amelia and Emerson meet, and knowing that they wind up married didn't disturb my enjoyment of the will-they-or-won't-they subplot. It was fun to see Peters give them their cat-and-mouse relationship without resorting to cute and trite descriptions and dialogue.

And speaking of vicarious … it was tremendous fun to visit an Egypt in which there were still hidden treasures to be discovered and the legendary Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo to stay in, to float down the Nile, and to see Cairo's pyramids surrounded by desert sands, not suburban housing.

Here is the story in a nutshell. Amelia inherits money. In 1884 England, she makes a decision to indulge her desire to travel and her love of Egyptology, which is more than just the current fad to her. On her trip of discovery, she rescues Evelyn, a destitute and disgraced English gentlewoman, who becomes her friend and travel companion. The two women meet the brothers Emerson who are involved in a dig to uncover an ancient, royal tomb. And away they go, replete with mummies who walk at midnight, curses, cobras, chaste romance, and nefarious villains.

Become beguiled by this charming story. Share it with everyone, because it is multi-generationally friendly. It is the ultimate escape.

Barbara Mertz celebrated her 83rd birthday last September. Here's to many more!(less)

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Nov 09, 2011

Lina rated it

· review of another edition

And I'm back to the 19th century murder mysteries with strong female characters who fall for arrrogant, proud, preferably large and hairy men (the hairy chest thing seems to be a big turn-on in these books).

Amelia Peabody, a wealthy old maid of 32 decides to go travelling after the death of her beloved, scholarly father. She is headstrong, smarter than most and does not suffer fools gladly (my favourite kind of heroine).She's bound for Egypt via Italy when her plans are delayed by the ...more

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Oct 26, 2011

Heather E added it

I picked this book up for a reread after a hiatus of about five years, and I have to say that it's improved with maturity (mine). Narrator Amelia Peabody, a 32 year old forward-thinking Victorian spinster, has the kind of decisive character that will either delight or grate. She is verbose, egotistical, and sentimental while being entirely convinced that she is none of those things. I find her hilarious.

The story is set in Egypt, whither Amelia has ventured in search of adventure. Pete...more

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Oct 12, 2011

Ivanalessia rated it

· review of another edition

http://illibroeterno.blogspot.com/2011/0...
“La sfida della mummia” (Crocodile on the Sandbank, 1975) è il primo titolo di una serie di gialli storici ambientati nell’era vittoriana.
La protagonista è Amelia Peabody, una donna ribelle e anticonformista.

Amelia Peabody è una giovane ereditiera con la passione per l’archeologia, ha una forte personalità e nonostante i suoi trentadue anni non cerca marito e vuole viaggiare intorno al mondo.
Durante una visita a Roma, salva ...more

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Oct 03, 2011

Kate Savage rated it

Shelves: mystery-crime, series

Miss Amelia Peobody, a practical, no-nonsense, late 1800's witty Englishwoman aptly holds her own in the midst of a cursed Egyptian archeaological adventure.

This is the first in the Amelia Peabody series. Peters writes Peabody as sensible but not frumpy or stuffy. She frowns upon corsets and will dare to convert her skirt into makeshift pants if the situation calls for it. As a 30-something who is quite intelligent in a scholarly way but is somewhat lacking when it comes to experien...more

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Aug 13, 2011

Ruth rated it

Shelves: cozy-mystery

This is the first of a long and very satisfying series of books. The characters are wonderful and the audiobook voice of Barbara Rosenblatt is on of the best in the business. I never wonder which character is speaking. I know instantly because of the voices she uses. Even the author has said that Barbara brings Amelia Peabody and Radcliff Emerson to life. These are the books I put on when I have a job to do in the kitchen or too much laundry to fold. I can push a button and be with Amelia ...more

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Jun 02, 2011

Michelle rated it

Shelves: adventure-romance

Elizabeth Peters is one of my favorite authors. I have been waiting for the right time to start this series because it's long, and still continuing, but now I am ready to jump into Amelia Peabody's world. She's an independent (an independantly wealthy) Egyptologist in the 1880's who, for her time, was fearless and progressive.
What I like most about this book - and series to come - is that the character evolves as people really do. She marries, has a son, and changes locations but the ...more

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Mar 25, 2011

Victoria Evangelina rated it

Shelves: audible-com, funny, in-english

~I HAVE DISCOVERED MISS AMELIA PEABODY!~

Egypt is in my heart: they say if you once drank from the Nile, the return to its banks will haunt you forever. I spent a couple of extremely short years in Egypt, mostly in Cairo, with weekend trips out to deserts and sea banks, with numerous 10-15 day long travels all over this land of the mysteries and a thousand cats...

I had a wonderful company and all the possible comforts to endure into such travels, including, oh my, that wa...more
~I HAVE DISCOVERED MISS AMELIA PEABODY!~

Egypt is in my heart: they say if you once drank from the Nile, the return to its banks will haunt you forever. I spent a couple of extremely short years in Egypt, mostly in Cairo, with weekend trips out to deserts and sea banks, with numerous 10-15 day long travels all over this land of the mysteries and a thousand cats...

I had a wonderful company and all the possible comforts to endure into such travels, including, oh my, that was a TOTAL luxury! - a shower bag, which you secure on top of your Jeep and it gets so pleasantly hot by the end of the day that you can take your evening shower in much comfort and meet the coolness of the night by the fire, all freshened up :)

Miss Amelia Peabody and her friends did not have such arrangements. They were traveling on donkeys, bringing some comforting things and clothes from the dahabea (boat) to the caves in the Amarna desert, where they soon encountered love and hate, betrayal and some scary... o, I shall stop! It is nearly impossible to tell you about the book without giving up the clever twists and turns of the events!

I will tell you this much: I HATE doing home chores, but listening to this audio book, read BRILLIANTLY by funny, sarcastic, charmingly witty Barbara Rosenblat, I kept on cleaning and washing and folding clothes and even considered making dumplings, for I needed to justify listening to this lovely book to the very end! It made me laugh and brought me quite a lot of nostalgia, too.

The first in the Amelia Peabody series, Crocodile on the Sandbank is written in 1975 and covers the 1884–85 years. I learned that the series go on for another 19 (!!) books with the last one published as recently as in April 2010! "Elizabeth Peters" is a pen name of Barbara Mertz, born in 1927, a PhD in Egyptology (so you can rely on the abundance of facts she presents you with in her books!!) Mrs. Mertz started her writing career with academic books on Egypt; under a pen name of Barbara Michaels she writes Gothic and supernatural thrillers. What a talent!!! I hope she takes a good care of herself and I am sending her loads on Angels to help her be well and sound and continue writing!!! I am quite determined to go onto a second book in the series: The Curse of the Pharaohs, and of course, it is going to be an Audible.com purchase: read by the same narrator, it is going to be quite a treat!

Charm, fun, witty, intelligent: if you want a spec of these in your life.... PLUS getting the chores done quickly and with more pleasure than you have ever had when cleaning your house or walking a dog or running on a treadmill.... then this audio book is for you!

Victoria Evangelina Belyavskaya(less)

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Mar 23, 2011

maricar rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-thriller

A strong-willed woman finding high adventure in an Egyptian dig? Dammit… where did I stash my little green-eyed monster…?

Oh yeah. Bring on the romanticism. The sensational accounts of mystery and mysticism. And while you’re on it, throw in the backdrop of ancient Egyptian ruins and the serpentine Nile on the mix.

No worries. I’ll just be here, making a curled-upper-lip-fish-face of bitter envy as I read through Peabody’s – what did the back say? — “debut Egyptian adventur...more

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Mar 01, 2011

Angie rated it

It's hard to say exactly what kept me from diving into this series for so long. It's been on my radar for simply ages and everyone who's anyone appears to love it dearly. I first became aware of Elizabeth Peters back in the Readerville days, and I did give the first book in her Vicky Bliss series a go awhile back, with fair to middling results. But the consensus does seem to be that the Amelia Peabody books are superior and that, given my love for all things historical and mysterious, I should h...moreIt's hard to say exactly what kept me from diving into this series for so long. It's been on my radar for simply ages and everyone who's anyone appears to love it dearly. I first became aware of Elizabeth Peters back in the Readerville days, and I did give the first book in her Vicky Bliss series a go awhile back, with fair to middling results. But the consensus does seem to be that the Amelia Peabody books are superior and that, given my love for all things historical and mysterious, I should have read them years ago. So when I saw a copy of CROCODILE ON THE SANDBANK just sitting there meekly on my local library's book sale shelf, I couldn't pass it up one more time. I confess to being a bit nervous, but quite excited, about what I might find inside. On a side note, I had absolutely no idea this book was first published in 1975. Of course, there are now something like 19 books and counting in this venerable series, so I should have guessed it started awhile back.

Miss Amelia Peabody is a singular soul. The only daughter among scads of sons, she is the one who took care of their father at their country estate. While the boys were off living their lives, making their fortunes, Amelia was left at home with her father. And so it was to her he left his fortune upon his passing from this world. Shocked, Amelia decides it is high time to start living her life. Unabashedly intelligent and unreservedly blunt, she sets out putting her affairs in order and heading off on the adventure of a lifetime. Having always wanted to explore the antiquities of ancient Egypt, she sets off for that land. While on a break in Rome, she quite literally stumbles across a young woman on the brink of death. Nursing her back to health, Amelia determines the young, disinherited heiress Evelyn will make the perfect traveling companion and the two set off for Cairo. Once there, they make the acquaintance of the inimitable Emerson brothers. Quiet and affable Walter and irascible Radcliffe are excavating down the Nile and Amelia and Evelyn soon find their way to their camp. Unfortunately, they are unknowingly being tracked by a highly unusual enemy. And the four of them will have to combine forces in order to stay alive.

This is a charming debut in what has become a very long-running and much beloved series. It's hard not to cotton onto Amelia right away. She's forthright to a fault and always speaks her mind. I found myself delighted with how little patience she has for stupid conventions and even stupider men. As it happens, Emerson has a similarly low tolerance for incompetence, though rather a low estimation of women. The two of them together are combustible and hilarious. I wish they had shared more scenes, though I'm aware this is just the beginning and several people have assured me it only gets better from here. And while it was a fun and quick read, it did lack some of the depth of character I've come to crave in my historical fiction. The secondary characters were quite spare, so I'm happy to hear things progress apace in future installments. Amelia's friendship with Evelyn does have its very sweet moments, particularly as Amelia has had very little contact with other women of her age. And her growing attachment to the stubborn Emerson certainly whets the reader's appetite for more. This is a light and witty Victorian adventure mystery and it made me laugh several times. I have hopes for the rest of the series and will definitely be picking up the second book in the near future. For those of you who've immersed yourselves in this series, which ones are your favorites? And do the storytelling and character arcs really hold up across so many books? I'm curious.(less)

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Sep 28, 2010

Jane Stewart rated it

Shelves: young-adult-mystery-adventure

Good book for teenage girls. Nice mystery adventure story with a little romance.

The main character is a strong and fascinating woman named Amelia Peabody, an excellent role model. Other characters were also interesting. I laughed out loud a few times at some clever lines.

Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: none. Setting 1884 mostly Egypt (some England and Rome). Copyright: 1975. Genre: young adult, mystery, adventure.

There are many books in thi...more

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Jul 25, 2010

Mike (the Paladin) rated it

My wife loved all these books (and a great many other things Elizabeth Peters, Barbara Michaels, Barbara Mertz wrote). I'm giving it 3 stars as I recognize that this/these are very well written books. They are well constructed, the characters are fully fleshed out and if you follow the series they will remain fairly true to themselves. So, why only 3 stars? First, I like very few mysteries. While these are well crafted mysteries it's not a genre I find a "go-to" for myself...that's one...more

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Jun 25, 2010

Lady Knight rated it

Shelves: egypt, historical-fiction, mystery, victorian-edwardian, adult, 19th-c, favorites, on-my-shelf-book, 2009-tbr-pile-read

I love Amelia Peabody! Elizabeth Peters writes these mysteries so cleverly and you can't help but love everything about them! "Crocodile on the Sandbank" is the first in the series and starts out with Amelia inheriting her father's fortune (much to her brothers' chagrin). Since she's a spinster with no prospect of marriage (presumably since she's in her thirties and this is the 19th c. she is no longer considered marrigable except by the most desperate) she decides to take the money an...more

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May 09, 2010

Heather rated it

A few months ago a friend mentioned that she’d recently begun reading a series about a turn of the century female archeologist that’s centered around ancient Egyptian lore and sites. I’ve long harbored a closet fascination for all things ancient Egypt, and because I do also enjoy mysteries with strong female leads I thought this would be the perfect new series for me to take on. I went a little crazy on Amazon, spending my previous month’s salary on books, many of which happened to be the first ...more

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Apr 07, 2010

Lisa added it

This was the beginning of my all time favorite mystery series. This series is set in Egypt circa 1900. The two protagonists are a husband/wife archeology team. I adore Amelia for her fortitude and persistence in a time when it was unthought of for women to do that kind of work. The plots in the series are fantastic and keep the reader on edge enough to make any mystery fan happy, but what captured me was all the information on Egypt and what it was like during that era. The research is very...more

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Mar 26, 2010

Robin rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: books-in-10

This was one of my mother's favorite books ever. So I got her the kindle edition as a late surprise for her birthday when it came out.

Since we share a kindle account, I decided to take a moment and read it for myself, since I'd never gotten around to it.

I loved it! I was more than a little concerned, because I read "Trojan Gold" by "Elizabeth Peters" and thought it was terrible. I wanted to slap the heroine, and I sure didn't care who had done it by ...more

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Feb 23, 2010

Sarai rated it

Shelves: general-fiction, mystery, romance-historical

Amazon.com Review
Elizabeth Peters's unforgettable heroine Amelia Peabody makes her first appearance in this clever mystery. Amelia receives a rather large inheritance and decides to use it for travel. On her way through Rome to Egypt, she meets Evelyn Barton-Forbes, a young woman abandoned by her lover and left with no means of support. Amelia promptly takes Evelyn under her wing, insisting that the young lady accompany her to Egypt, where Amelia plans to indulge her passion for Egyptology...more

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Oct 13, 2009

Nicole rated it

Shelves: reviewed

Crocodile on the Sandbank is the first book in the Amelia Peabody Mystery series and although categorized as a mystery I think I smiled and chuckled all the way through. Amelia Peabody is such a character – a strong willed, opinionated, bossy woman, who thinks the only appeal she has is the inheritance left to her by her father.

Touring Rome Amelia’s companion falls ill and must be sent home before they can reach their final destination of Cairo. She encounters a young Englishwoman, E...more

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About Elizabeth Peters

Elizabeth Peters is a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also writes as Barbara Michaels as well as her own name.

Elizabeth Peters was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Peters was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edg...more

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Books by Elizabeth Peters

The Curse of the Pharaohs (Amelia Peabody, #2)

The Last Camel Died at Noon (An Amelia Peabody Mystery, #6)

Lion in the Valley (An Amelia Peabody Mystery, #4)

The Snake, the Crocodile & the Dog (Amelia Peabody #7)

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Quotes from Crocodile on the Sandbank

“Peculiar or not, it is my idea of pleasure. Why, why else do you lead this life you don't enjoy it? Don't talk of duty to me; you men always have some high-sounding excuse for indulging yourselves. You go gallivanting over the earth, climbing mountains, looking for the sources of the Nile; and expect women to sit dully at home embroidering. I embroider very badly. I think I would excavate rather well. ” — 18 people liked it

“I disapprove of matrimony as a matter of principle.... Why should any independent, intelligent female choose to subject herself to the whims and tyrannies of a husband? I assure you, I have yet to meet a man as sensible as myself! (Amelia Peabody)” — 15 people liked it

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Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1)

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