Janet Evanovich - Foul Play (1989)

This is one of the first books written by Evanovich and it was re-printed recently, along with a handful of others, that she says disappeared from print as soon as they came out. It's interesting to read an early Evanovich, you can see the character development. There are character names and aspects of personalities that start in these early books and are fleshed out for her Stephanie Plum series.

Amy Klasse is fired from her children's TV show job and replaced by a big breasted woman with a dancing chicken. Incensed, she rampages her way through a supermarket and runs into veterinarian Jake Elliott. Jake takes pity on her and gives Amy a job as his receptionist. Unfortunately, the chicken disappears and Amy is suspect number one in this wacky romantic adventure.

It's an okay book. It's a nice bit of fluff for the end of a tiring day when you just want a light crazy-romance-comedy-adventure with a happy ending.

Elizabeth Peters - The Deeds of the Disturber (1988)

This is the fifth book in the Amelia Peabody series and is set in England in the Summer of 1896. The Emerson family have only just returned from an excavation season in Egypt when they're approached by a wastrel brother who wants to dump his children on Amelia and a journalist who has senationalised recent mummy-related deaths and wants the Emersons to solve the mystery (solely for his readers peace of mind).

Needless to say, Amelia, Emerson and Ramses cannot resist a mystery - even when Emerson pretends he can.

This was enjoyable. I liked being in England for a whole book. It was interesting to see the difference in their daily lives and the culture of the era. I also liked how much Peters entwines the growing consciousness of women and their rights, as they slowly evolve, into each book. Even Peabody, a devout suffragist, finds herself thinking in male inequality terms and has to challenge herself to think of women as equal and capable of doing whatever they want to do.

Elizabeth Peters - Lion in the Valley (1986)

This is book four in the Amelia Peabody series and the Emerson family is back in Egypt in 1896 to excavate at Dahshoor, where Amelia finally gets her pyramids. Unfortunately the Master Criminal Sethos is back, showering Amelia with gifts and trying to woo her from Emerson in his own underhanded ways. Who said romance was dead?

Along the way Amelia picks up a new set of disgruntled lovers to unite, saves her son Ramses from constant impending doom (usually brought about by his own precocious mind), keeps her husband Emerson from alienating all of Egypt and clears her friends of murder. All the normal run of happenings in an excavation season for Mrs. Amelia Peabody Emerson!

These books are fun and I am rapidly reading my way through them. They make 1890s Egypt sound so romantic and interesting - you don't have to deal with flies, heat, thirst or general travel illnesses. Armchair-book-travel is the best way to go!