This was a fun novel for those who enjoy archaeology, Victorian era culture, indomitable heroines, rascally villains and mysterious plots. I enjoyed living vicariously through the heroine, Amelia Peabody, an independently wealthy and happily unmarried lady who dared to defy the constricting conventions of her day in almost every conceivable way. She surprises her male compatriots with her leadership and deductive skills in the treacherous circumstances surrounding an archaeological dig in Egypt, and by the end of the book she has not only solved the mystery, but she has found a way to ditch the petticoats and wear honest to goodness trousers for the freedom and sheer joy of it. Bless her. I was shocked on reading the copyright page just now to see that it was written in 1975 because, unlike other novels that go out of fashion with the years, it in no way shows its age. There was perhaps a little more “mushy” romance in the story for my own personal taste, but I liked Miss Peabody’s gumption and intelligence enough that I may read another in this series.