Author: Elizabeth Peters
first published in 1976 by Dodd Mead
Susan had been infatuated with everything Scottish for as long as she could remember. When she arrived in Scotland to work on an archaeological dig, she thought it was a dream come true. But now the dream was rapidly becoming a nightmare.
She had no idea why a sinister soap box orator slipped her a cryptic message. Or why he was chasing her through the streets of Edinburgh. So when Jamie Erskine, a young Scottish laird came to her rescue, she was very grateful.
Before they could say Mary Queen of Scots, Susan and Jamie were being pursued by the police who wanted them for murder. And by someone who was intent on murdering them...
I think Elizabeth Peters is one of those authors where I end up liking her more when she writes under one of her other pen names. I think I mentioned before that I am a fan of Barbara Michaels's books. I am pretty sure I read all of them back in the 90s. But, other than her Amelia Peabody series that she writes under as Elizabeth Peters, I have had a hard time warming up to her other books. Legend in Green Velvet is just such a case.
The story ended up being just OK. It was definitely confusing at times. I'm not sure if I really get what they were looking for or why Jamie and Susan were being chased. The beginning was very slow and full of history that I think I tuned out at some key points and the story was lost on me. Neither character was very interesting and the romance was lackluster. I'm not sure I would recommend this one.
Author: Elizabeth Peters
First published in 1980 by Dodd Mead
Laurie has finally
returned to Idlewood, the beloved family home deep in the Maryland woods
where she found comfort and peace as a lonely young girl. But things
are very different now. There is no peace in Idlewood. The haunting
sound of a distant piping breaks the stillness of a snowy winter's
evening. Seemingly random events have begun to take on a sinister shape.
And dotty old Great Aunt Lizzie is convinced that there are fairies
about — and she has photographs to prove it. For Laurie, one fact is
becoming disturbingly clear: there is definitely something out
there in the woods — something fiendishly, cunningly, malevolently human
— and the lives of her aging loved ones, as well as Laurie's own, are
suddenly at serious risk.
I'm a fan of Barbara Michaels aka Elizabeth Peters, so I thought I would see if The Love Talker was like the other Barbara Michaels books I have read in the past. It was very similar, but it ended up being just an OK read for me It may have been the narrator of the audiobook. Her voices blended together too much so that it was sometimes hard to figure out who was talking. I may have liked it more if I had read it instead.
The mystery was easy enough to figure out. Even the reveals/twists at the end were nothing earth shattering. Although, I thought that one of the reveals was weird and not really needed. Especially since there was no follow-up with it. It had a major ick factor. The characters were just so-so. Laurie is kind of a flake and makes some dumb decisions. It also got frustrating that the whole reason that Laurie goes back home is because weird things are happening, yet no one wants to talk about it.
I'd say skip this one unless you have read all of her other books under both names. You won't be missing anything.
Author: Elizabeth Peters
First published in 1975 by Dodd Mead
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 archaeological site run by the Emerson brothers -- the irascible but dashing Radcliffe and the amiable Walter. Soon their little party is increased by one -- one mummy, that is, and a singularly lively example of the species. Strange visitations, suspicious accidents, and a botched kidnapping convince Amelia that there is a plot afoot to harm Evelyn. Now Amelia finds herself up against an unknown enemy -- and perilous forces that threaten to make her first Egyptian trip also her last...
I read the first of the Amelia Peabody books about 20 years ago. When I saw it available on my library's download site, I thought it might be fun to revisit the book. Crocodile on the Sandbank is still as good as I remember. While the mystery wasn't too hard to figure out, I still had fun and enjoyed the adventure in the desert.
I love the characters in the book. Amelia is such a great character. She is convinced she is plain and will be an old spinster. She is also smart and compassionate. I loved the banter and chemistry that she has with Emerson. They are well matched! While the romance is subtle, it was still very endearing. As for the peripheral characters, who wouldn't fall in love with Walter and Evelyn. Walter's declaration of love was very sweet and one of the best I have read.
I have not read beyond book 2 I think and I have been trying to figure out why I never continued. I am going to dig through my book shelves for the next book. With 20 or so books in the series, I have a lot of catching up to do!
Author: Elizabeth Peters
