The Jackal's Head

by Elizabeth Peters

Althea Tomlinson's ostensible reason for returning to Egypt is to chaperone a spoiled teenager through this fabulous desert land. The truth is more complex . . . and dangerous. Ten years ago, something that happened here brought about her father's ruin and subsequent death—and Althea intends to clear her disgraced parent's name and finally lay a dark past to rest. But there are some mysteries best left buried in the shifting sands, and a devoted daughter's search for answers is stirring up forgotten memories almost too painful to endure, that propel her onward among ancient tombs, legendary treasures, miraculous discoveries . . . and ever-closer to her own threatened doom.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Egypt, Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Elizabeth Peters is a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels as well as her own name. Born and brought up in Illinois, she earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. Mertz was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lived in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, western Maryland until her death.

Reviews

[Yinzadi · Rating 1 out of 5]

The protagonist's future love interest chokes her until she passes out, because he wants her to stop talking. Her other male companion on the expedition shakes her and threatens to spank her. After she is brutally attacked, she blames herself for provoking the man. I kept wondering if I were somehow misinterpreting things, it was so unbelievably terrible.

If this is your first Elizabeth Peters book, don't let it put you off trying her other works. The Amelia Peabody series is excellent, and thankfully a lot more feminist than this parade of normalized abuse.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gentle reader, do not judge author Elizabeth Peters (one of several pseudonyms employed by author and Egyptologist Barbara Mertz) for her debut mystery-romance cozy. It has not held up well since it was first published in 1968, a much more sexist and violent time. The arrogant love interest spends most of the novel verbally abusing our allegedly plucky heroine, Althea “Tommy” Thompson, and even bruises her due to his uncontrolled anger. She’s a poster child for co-dependency. (Sadly, this isn’t a spoiler: You can tell from the beginning that she’s going to end up with this controlling domestic abuser.)

Is the book worth a read? It depends on how much time you have on your hands. The mystery is an interesting one. But The Jackal’s Head is not even close to the standard set by her later books, such as her Vicky Bliss series (begins with Borrower of the Night) or her Jacqueline Kirby series (begins with The Seventh Sinner). Readers would also love the paranormal mysteries, most of them standalones, that Mertz published under the pseudonym Barbara Michaels.

So make your own decision. You can hold your nose to the outdated misogyny in order to sample a decent plot. Or you can decide that, on second thought, with so many great books that Mertz produced under various pseudonyms, you’ll just skip this one.

[Maygirl7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleased that my appreciation of Elizabeth Peters’s writing holds up after all this time. The dialogue was just as much fun as I remembered. And I love the setting in Egypt. Listening to a childhood favorite is really comforting.

As others have mentioned the sexual politics are not great in the light of 2020, but my affection for a youthful favorite glosses over it in a way I don’t I could accept in other books.

Off to listen to more.

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Barbara Michael's standalone novels, which felt like a modern Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson in 1968; "The Jackal's Head" surprised my by being highly enjoyable. Perhaps because "jackal" can have ugly connotations and having disliked one of her single novels, set in México; I long put this aside, bracing myself for a dud. What a joy to get it out of the way and love it. I wanted to bestow five stars, for the flying of pages and breathless circumstances of great discovery while evading danger. The last few chapters were like "Relic Hunter", a 1990s Canadian television show I loved. Intelligence, knowledge of a subject, and calm are the engrossing way to save any protagonist; no implausible happenstance here.

I give four stars because one secondary character was written as too horrid a personage, dissimilar to the gruff Radcliffe in Barbara's Amelia Peabody series, who has a loving nature with family. Her writing of early scenes of this novel disgusted me, actually, with her thinking it all right to have a character who strangles the protagonist until she is about to black out; as if not killing her all the way makes this acceptable. Her reason for him acting so violently is just as inappropriate: the protagonist daring to tell him off! Who the hell strangles a girl for that! That she later thinks of this jackass as a love interest shows one stupidity of that fictional era.

If we excuse that, more concrete villains emerge and we turn from Father-avengement to a speeding archaeological race. The target is an Egyptologist's highest dream: the resting place of Queen Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, who died in 1331 BC and her controversial husband, Akhenaten, who was Tutankhamen's brother. All dialogue is very natural and wittily funny along our present day lines.

[Linniegayl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough one to evaluate. I listened to this in audio and liked the narration. I also enjoyed the mystery itself, and since it's set in Egypt I loved all of the details of ancient Egypt. This was written in the 1960s, and many of the stereotypes of women feel offensive at this point (although accurate for the time). I also had a lot of problems with the "romance" that was fortunately just thrown in at the end. So overall, while I enjoyed it, I don't see myself listening to this again.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published 1968 and unfortunately not Peters’ best work, without her trademark feminism nor quirky characters. Extra star for tomb description. Sometimes I wonder why they republished these when she got popular - these are formulaic and conservative even for the time. Zero chemistry between the heroine and love interests. This reads like a Harlequin draft of some of her better work.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young woman returns to the Egyptian Valley of the Kings to vindicate her late father only come full face with her past and stumble upon an archeological discovery that brings danger. Elizabeth Peters wrote a hit series with her Amelia Peabody books and this standalone, The Jackal's Head, might be more modern in time, but brings readers right back into an engaging archeological mystery and heroine set in Egypt.

Althea 'Tommy' Tomlinson has been coasting through her life since her father left his previous livelihood under the dark cloud of getting caught selling a fake artifact. His dismissal and subsequent death devastated her and she bitterly blames the others who turned him in.
A letter from her father's former Egyptian foreman and friend bringing her back to Egypt to get the proof and fling it at her father's naysayers. She goes in the guise of a wealthy Egyptian collector's daughter's travel companion, but her plans are diverted from the moment she gets there.
John and Mike, her dad's former coworkers at the archeological institute in the Valley, force her to face the truth of the past about her dad and his tarnished halo. The clues she has in her possession lead to archeological fever for an undiscovered royal tomb, but someone in the shadows is ruthless in getting there first.

Tommy had some growing to do and does as she acknowledges her bitter grief, idolizing a man who had a tarnished halo, and the need to move on and stop denying what she really wants. She cracked me up with her sarcastic wit and the way she sharpened her verbal knife on the two men from her past- John, the director with his bombastic personality who knows how to push her buttons and Mike, her dad's old apprentice who is now a full-fledged archeologist these days and not the awkward guy she used to torment with spiders in his bed.

I loved how it led to a big climax and Tommy was the heroine of the hour.

Grace Conlin voiced this wise-cracking archeological suspense so well getting the colorful characters and tone just right.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Spoilers*




Much as I enjoyed the idea of discovering Akhenaten's tomb, the romance really bothered me in this one. John is extremely controlling, doesn't listen to Althea at all, and gets so angry with her that he chokes her till she blacks out. How the ever loving hell is that supposed to be romantic!?!?!?!?

[Rosario · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very early book in Peters/Michaels' career; in fact, this and Ammie Come Home were her first novels, both written in 1968.

In a way, it's a bit of a precursor to the Amelia Peabody series, which she wouldn't start publishing for 7 more years. The setting is Egypt, and the world of archaeologists, and it was really good fun to see the differences between this book's setting and that in the Peabody series, several decades before. We see several of the same places, like Gurnah, for instances. Although it blew my mind to realise that the period between today and when The Jackal's Head was set is quite a bit longer than the period between that and the setting of Tomb of the Golden Bird (1922-23)!

The plot was fun, although the villain was a little bit obvious. It really could not have been anyone else. And quite a few things about this book have not aged well. The romance is... not great. I think we were made to find the declaration that her love interest had fallen for Althea when she was 15 romantic, but that doesn't read quite like that these days, I'm afraid. And there was a point where physical violence from his is portrayed as no big deal. Also, the characterisation of a couple of the secondary characters, namely Hassan and Dee, were pretty problematic.

So this would be a C+/B- for me, mainly on the strength of the setting.

[Teri-K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an early Peters, written before the Amelia Peabody books were begun. It's interesting to see in it the seeds of the later series - this book visits many of the same places, including the Winter Palace and Gurnah. There's even reference to a Master Criminal, and John, (a name Peters apparently loved), is kind of an early Radcliff Emerson. Reading it that way may be more fun than reading it for straight romantic suspense, because it's only partly successful as such, as Peters hadn't yet reached her strengths as a writer. Still it's not a bad book, only suffers in comparison with her later work. Fans of Mary Stewart's romantic suspense might like this. 2.5 stars

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book of this novel I first read decades ago. I remembered very little except that one of the archaeologists the heroine hangs with ended up being one of the bad guys and one turns out to be the love interest. It is a credit to Peters that she kept me guessing as to which one. As always Peters' wryly humorous voice shines through and is very enjoyable. It left me wishing that she had written a sequel featuring the two main characters. I wanted a lot more writing devoted to their relationship as it is an intriguing match up.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY RATING GUIDE: 4 Stars. I was in the mood for a light adventure traipsing through the land of Egypt. Elizabeth Peter’s delivered with her usual style.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT (perfect for my mood); 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).

Althea Tomlinson’s widowed father, an accomplished archeologist, raised Althea until the age of 15 among the hills and tombs outside of Luxor, Egypt. At age 15, Althea’s father was professionally disgraced in Egypt resulting in both Althea and her father immediately returning to America. Just 1wk after their return home, Althea’s father supposedly commits suicide, but Althea has never believed any of it. Now 10yrs later, at 25yrs, Althea returns to Luxor searching for answers. What exactly happened 10yrs ago in Egypt? Who was present, in Luxor, at that time? Who had something to gain from her father’s removal and/or death? If Althea’s father was innocent, who had the opportunity to set him up? Why? Within days of Althea’s arrival in Luxor, several near-death accidents occur among Althea’s acquaintances. It seems someone wants the past to remain firmly in the past.

Comments ~
JACKAL’S HEAD (copyright 1968) is a Standalone title written with a similar setting and tone as Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody series (pub from 1975-2017, posthumously) and her Vicky Bliss books (pub 1969-2008). Several of the main characters in JH share traits from both series. JACKAL’S HEAD is an easy and quick read - along the lines of an adventure-romp-mystery. After completing a rather serious read before beginning JH, I enjoyed this lighter story. I listened to the audiobook available free through my subscription service, performed nicely by Grace Conlin.
Readers who enjoy JACKAL’S HEAD and haven’t yet read Peters’ Amelia Peabody (and Emerson) Egyptologist mystery series, might want to check it out, as well (or vice versa). The 20bk Amelia Peabody series contain similar settings and adventures as JH.

READER CAUTION ~
This book contains adult language but minimal violence and no intimacy scenes.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I had read all the Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels books, but, deciding to start with the first, I realized I had not read it. Perhaps--horror of horrors--my library did not own it! It's not her finest work, I confess, but it provides glimmers of the author Peters became: a woman with feminist tendencies, gothic elements, lots and lots of Egyptology, a strong sense of place, a decent puzzle. And readers will certainly recognize the makings of Emerson from the Amelia Peabody series in archaeologist John here. The story verges on romantic suspense, although the heroine pretty much saves herself. (Still, she steps back and lets the hero finish things off). Lots to like here but possibly only for completists.

[Sep · Rating 5 out of 5]

An early Elizabeth Peters in which the clever reader can see the embryo of later better developed characters. Althea Tomlinson returns to Egypt after an absence of ten years. (She was 15 or 16 when she left.)

Her attempts at disguise are easily foiled, and she ends up with the same group of archeologists she lived with as a child AND towards whom she bears the same grudges.

The plot swirls around with authentic scenes of Egypt in the 1960s. Slight condescension both positive and negative towards non Euros, but not by the main characters.

[Chari Small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize Elizabeth Peters wrote anything other than the Amelia Peabody mysteries - but she did! This story is of a woman haunted by the death of her father and the mystery surrounding that event. Well written with good characters, this is a fun, light read.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a different heroine but the same setting as so many of Elizabeth Peter's books, Egypt during the time of great archeologist finds. I love her books.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only somewhat enjoyed this novel. As much as I did find it a quick read, there were parts of the story I did not actually enjoy or found difficult to follow. The idea that the daughter of a renowned archeologist who was killed has returned to Egypt to clear her families name seems like a good premise for a story. I found the romance at the end odd & almost not necessary. I did enjoy the history of Ancient Egypt but the story itself I was just not a true fan of.

[Catherine Philhower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody writes Egypt like Elizabeth Peters! And, while I missed the indomitable Amelia Peabody, I thoroughly enjoined her counterpart-in-a-different-era, Althea (Tommy) Tomlinson.

Althea is the daughter of an archaeologist whose ruin and subsequent demise remain in shadow for much of the story. Although Althea has, indeed, returned to Egypt, it is strictly in the form of chaperone to a spoiled teenager who is taking in the sights. Ah, but nothing about this trip is as it seems, from the letter that lured Althea home to the beloved friends and coworkers she finds when she arrives - even spoiled teenagers may not be quite what one anticipated.

And so, the games afoot! Althea takes the reader on a ride though the marvelous Egyptian landscape, though the tombs and treasures, mummies and sarcophagus'. Peters has an incomparable voice when it comes to all things Egypt - her writing is, as always, as magical as the landscape itself. How I miss this author! I love to think of her as one of the bright stars in the constellations over her beloved pyramids.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very early Elizabeth Peters thriller, so don’t expect Amelia Peabody for a heroine or Ms. Peters' trademark humor. This book’s heroine is the type who has the reader thinking “Don’t open that door” and “Don’t go down that passage” as she flounces off to prove her independence and gets into a fix requiring the hero to come to the rescue. The strongest part of the book is the Egyptian setting and archaeological background.

[Suzyq · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very early book by Elizabeth Peters, and not one of her best. The Egyptian setting is terrific, but the abusive and controlling behavior of the main character’s potential romantic interest, while typical of gothic romances of that era (1968), has not aged at all well. In addition, the plotting is full of strange holes, with the action dropping many scenes just when a climax seems to be about to take place, which robs the story of a lot of its potential emotional impact.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an older book, written back in the sixties. Tommy (a female) travels to Egypt to clear her father from charges made 10 years ago that he was selling antiquities. The truth was that he had discovered an unknown tomb. Tommy strives to find the tomb, find out who is buried there and find the bad guys.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it.. i have read it 3 times over the years i always enjoy the plots twist the characters are enjoyable they keep the story line moving with all the excitement and historic land marks
i am a big Elizabeth Peters fan she got me hook after i finished this book a few years ago :)

[Lori S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a lot of ways, this book reads like a primer for the later Vickie Bliss novels.

[Shiloah · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is something slightly addictive about Peters' novels!

[Darla · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Genre:Fiction/mystery) 2.5 stars. Althea (or Tommy) Tomlinson grew up in Egypt with her archeologist father. But when he was dismissed from his position for attempting to sell a fake antiquity, they returned to the states. Tommy's father died in an accident shortly thereafter, leaving her an orphan at age 15. It's been 10 years since then and Tommy has been living and modeling in New York. But when she receives a cryptic letter from her father's Egyptian friend/dig worker, she knows she has to return and face her past as well as her father's dishonesty and death. Finding passage to Egypt in the company of a rich man's daughter, Tommy soon finds herself in the middle of a mystery, surrounded by people she hasn't seen in 10 long years. A mystery that centers squarely on her father & his career ending disgrace.
Meh. It was an okay mystery. While I did guess who the bad guy was, there were at least 2 plot twists that I didn't see coming. I didn't always like the voice of the main character and I thought the romance that they threw in at the end to be crazy (like 'why would you want to be with someone who treats you like that' kind of crazy). But the setting was interesting and you can tell that Peters knows her subject (Egyptian archeology). So 2.5 stars it is.
Note: I listened to this book on CD and that might have affected how I felt about it. It had more profanity than I liked, as well as some suggestive content. Nothing overly explicit, though.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romantic suspense title was a reread for me. I likely read this one more than 40 years ago. Since I saw it as an Audible Plus title, I decided to listen to it this time.

Althea Tomlinson grew up in Egypt where her father was an archaeologist. She left when she was fifteen and her father died in an accident shortly afterwards. But when a letter comes from an Egyptian who worked with her father, she feels she needs to go back and find some answers and get some closure.

Not having the funds to travel on her own, she eagerly takes the job of chaperoning a spoiled teenager who is on her way to Egypt to rendezvous with her father who is a wealthy collector of antiquities. Her attempts to remain incognito are ruined when she meets a couple of her father's colleagues - men she blames for her father's disgrace - and finds herself moving in with them after an attack.

There is a hidden tomb, antiquities thieves, and a growing romance. The story was told through Tommy's voice and viewpoint. I was reminded a lot of the author's Amelia Peabody series but mainly I think because of the character of one of the archaeologists. Of course the setting is the same though this is a contemporary story rather than historical fiction.

It was an entertaining story to listen to. It was also a pleasure to revisit the story after such a long time. I enjoyed it this time too.

[ScholasticPerturbation · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Jackal's Head isn't on par with most of E Peter's other works but considering she has dozens of gold standard books it's hardly a big deal that one or two are slight flops. The main issue with this book are the characters and not so much any big plot fault. Many of the characters have attributes that her later characters display in spades (with far more charm and endearment) but these come across as unpolished, unfinished personalities that can't quite shine and instead become a bit annoying. Her men are often stereotypical misogynists of the time (but knocked down a few pegs through circumstance or other characters) but usually have redeeming qualities (not quite achieved here). Her female leads are usually more sure of themselves than the one presented, who still registers as immature and incapable in general (which leaves an uneasy feeling with the final love-interest resolution).

Peter's is an impeccably professional writer so any book of hers is hardly a waste of time but the book being a fairly short one isn't unwelcome, either.

[Culture-Vulture · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this is my first time reading this novel, I felt a tremendous sense of deja vu while reading it. This must be the author's very first novel about Egypt, and encapsulated in it is nearly every element she touches on in her later Egypt-based novels. Hence the feeling of familiarity.

I guessed a lot of the plot very early on, but only because I'm very used to the devices used by the author. Anyhow, despite that, this was a fun read. Like going to the source of the river, and drinking from the pure head-waters that form it.

It's always nice to return to an author you've read, on and off, through most of your adult life. I enjoyed this read. Not sure others will, but I did.

[Megan Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hesitated to pick up this story because I didn’t want to break the spell that Elizabeth Peters cast over me with the Amelia Peabody series. While Althea is no Amelia, she is a strong female protagonist. And though she has a bit less sarcasm and charm than Amelia, I still found myself extremely interested in the story and transported back to one of my favorite bookish places to visit: The Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Some parts (the end) dragged a bit, but since I sped through this novel faster than anything so far this summer, I decided it was worth a solid 4 star rating.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such promise, but the romance just doesn’t work. This seems to have been the precursor to Night Train to Memphis. I think she knew she hadn’t done this story justice and revamped it with Vicky Bliss. Glad she did. Jackal has a lot to the of the themes and situations presented in the Vicky Bliss novels that take place in Egypt, but is in some ways more subtle and others too blunt.

But yeah. If the the eventual romantic interest didn’t strangle the heroine until she passed out, I may have been more forgiving in this review and given it three stars. But he did. Can’t give it more than 2.