Laughter of Dead Kings (Vicky Bliss, No. 6)
by Elizabeth Peters
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elizabeth PetersEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-08-19
ISBN: 0061246247
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: William Morrow
Book Reviews of Laughter of Dead Kings (Vicky Bliss, No. 6)
Book Review: Not Quite Up to Peabody, But Worth a Read
Summary: 3 Stars
Elizabeth Peters ended her delightful adventures of English Egyptologist Amelia Peabody with "Tomb of the Golden Bird" in 2006, as the Peabody-Emerson clan witnessed (and took part in) Howard Carter's 1922 excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamon. Now Peters returns to Egypt and the tomb of the boy pharaoh, in the guise of her modern day art historian Vicky Bliss.
Tutankhamon's mummy has been stolen, and Vicky's lover John Tregarth, an art thief turned respectable dealer, is being blamed. Together with their Egyptian friend Feisal (a successor to Howard Carter as Inspector of Antiquities for Upper Egypt) and Vicky's rather bizarre boss Schimdt, they set out to clear Tregarth's name. There are some great moments here for Peabody lovers: Tregarth seems a lot like Peabody's Sethos, the Master Criminal of the antiquities game turned spy for the British, and Vicky makes a passable counterpart to Sethos' lover (and later wife) Margaret Minton. Peters actually puts herself briefly into the book, in the role of the editor of the Peabody novels, looking for more journals of the Emerson clan to use for new works. This is wonderful. The most important scene of the book actually seems to take place in the Peabody-Emerson's old house near the Valley of the Kings, and Peabody's parasol and her son Ramses' knife and sword make an appearance.
On the other hand, there really isn't a whole lot of action in this book. Our heroes spend a lot of time eating. Vicky is supposed to be very brainy, but we don't really see a lot of that, and she's certainly not as central to the action as Peabody. Tregarth seems the most interesting character, but for much of the book he is unfortunately off stage. (The cover, featuring the Pyramids, is just wrong. There are no pyramids in this book, all the important action is in Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.)
One interesting aspect is the prominent role given to the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, under a different name. Zahi Hawass, the real head of the council, is one of the best-known Egyptians today. Peters seems to treat him about the same way she treated his Victorian Era French predecessors in the Peabody books. Instead of the trademark Hawass hat, his counterpart here seems to wear a pith helmet.
While it is fun to return to modern Egypt with Elizabeth Peters, to visit the Winter Palace again and the Valley of the Kings, much of the inspired feeling for the country of the Peabody books is missing here. But it's still a must read for any Peabody fan.
Summary of Laughter of Dead Kings (Vicky Bliss, No. 6)
Who stole one of Egypt's most priceless treasures? The Egyptian authorities and Interpol believe they know the identity of the culprit: "Sir John Smythe," the suave and dangerously charming international art thief who is, in fact, John Tregarth, the longtime significant other of famed art expert and sometime sleuth Vicky Bliss.
But John swears he is retired?not to mention innocent?and he vows to clear his name. With complete faith in her man's integrity, Vicky takes a hiatus from her job at a leading Munich museum and follows him to the Middle East. But dark days and myriad dangers await John, Vicky, and her employer, the rotund gourmand and insatiable adventurer Herr Doktor Anton Z. Schmidt. And the stakes are elevated considerably when a ransom note arrives accompanied by a grisly memento?because now it appears that murder has been added to the equation.
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