The Painted Queen audiobook

***ARC received via Amazon Vine***The first Elizabeth Peters novel I read was The Seventh Sinner (highly recommended if you haven’t read it). After reading it, I immediately went and read every book of hers I could find. Then, when I discovered she also wrote under the name Barbara Michaels, I read those. In fact, my very first review on Amazon way back in 1999 was for an Elizabeth Peters book! I loved them all.But most of all, I found I loved her Amelia Peabody series.When Ms. Peters (Michaels/Mertz) passed away in 2013, I was so saddened. Her books brought (and still continue to bring) such joy.When given the opportunity to read The Painted Queen, I was excited…and worried. I’ve never read Joan Hess. Would she do the book and our beloved characters justice?Oh, I’m so happy to say that she did - this is an Elizabeth Peters book! Within a few pages, I forgot my worries and was thoroughly enmeshed in an Egyptian Adventure! Amelia and her cutting wit (and equally dangerous parasol). Handsome Emerson (sigh). Nefret and Ramses and David and, of course, murder and mayhem and tombs (oh my!). Oh, and wondrous secrets from Ancient Egypt.Hess does Peters justice!While I’m very sorry that this is the last book we’ll read from a favorite author, I felt like this book was a little gift to her fans. And I think Ms. Peters would have been absolutely delighted with the end result.And a quick note: you may want to skip the introductions and get right to the treasure of the story. Take the time to read them. They are by people who knew Ms. Mertz (Peters/Michaels) well. They’re funny, touching (have Kleenex), and will give you a chance to get to know your favorite author a little better. Hint: there’s a lot of Amelia in her!And a quick note to Ms. Hess: Thank you for doing our Amelia and her author justice. This fan appreciates it!

I have been eagerly awaiting the final installment of the Amelia Peabody series ever since I heard that the late author Elizabeth Peters had one final book in the works. Thanks to the gracious folks who responded to my request at William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers, I was able to get my hands on this advance reader's edition, and you may be sure that I devoured it!For those who may be coming to this book with no prior knowledge of the series, even though this book is #20, it fits chronologically about two-thirds of the way into the series and fills in a gap between previously published books. The Painted Queen will certainly be most meaningful to you if you have read the books that precede it, but I think it would stand up even if you came to it without that context.That being said, here are my thoughts:This is a stellar addition to the Amelia series. On page one, I admitted to myself some reservations. Joan Hess is the co-author for this work; I wondered, how would the collaboration flow? Would I really recognize my favorite characters? Would I be able to suspend disbelief and go along on their adventures with the same thrill I've gotten in many of Elizabeth Peters' other works?I realized by about page seven that the answer to all of those questions was YES! In fact, this book may actually mark the series' peak of comedy, derring-do, and suspense. It's very, very funny, and the action is tightly plotted without any slow bits.I love the premise, which is absurd and therefore sits fair and square in Amelia's world. Without any apology whatsoever, she OWNS the fact that her life is straight out of the most sensational of novels. She and her family of archaeologists are just beginning their latest venture in Egypt when a villain with a monocle bursts into her bath chamber, gasps "Murder!" and collapses in a dead heap on the floor moments before he would have strangled her. Naturally, she hoists herself out of the tub and begins going through his pockets. When she and her husband Emerson begin speculating about the presence of the monocle, she immediately informs him that it must be the insignia of a secret society, and that assassins sometimes travel in gangs."Assassins do not travel in gangs," says Emerson.(They are the perfect duo!)This is the point at which I began to dissolve into fits of chuckling.And that is just the beginning of an adventure that involves a whole parade of monocled men named after the great traitors of history. Also, you know the iconic treasure sitting in a museum in Berlin, the Nefertiti bust? The Emerson family is seamlessly inserted into that historical narrative. (I love the way Elizabeth Peters has always had them at or near the scene of great discoveries, but always in such a way that real history is left intact...they get their hands all over the story, but in the end they leave no trace!)So, yes, the Nefertiti bust has been discovered, but then it vanishes, but then it reappears again...and again...and again...how many of them can there be? Amelia's son Ramses and his best friend David traverse Cairo hunting down each new copy.This keeps Ramses mostly away from Nefret, the Emerson family's ward, now a grown woman with a tragedy in her past. Readers of The Falcon at the Portal and He Shall Thunder in the Sky know that since this new book is filling in that chronological gap, the relationship tension must be kept intact. It simmers ever so slightly below the surface.I must mention one other big thing that I adored in this book....the appearances of the Emerson family's perpetual nemesis (actually, at this point, "frenemy" is probably a more accurate description). Yes, it's Sethos, or as Amelia likes to call him, the Master Criminal. His disguises and plots are ongoing joys of the series. When he shows up in The Painted Queen, it's with greater panache than ever before. There are thundering hooves. There are dramatic interventions. It's glorious. Those who know the rest of his story will revel in these moments.So, in review, this book is everything I wanted the last Amelia Peabody novel to be. I'm sad that there won't be any more of her adventures, but I'm happy that The Painted Queen is such a fitting swan song. I am totally elated to have read it, and you will be too. It goes on sale July 25!***SO MANY THANKS to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers who provided me with this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review

I'll start off my review by saying that this is for the Advanced Reader copy I received, and I fully intend to read the official copy in July.I waited on pins and needles since I first heard whisperings of this book. I was intrigued and excited that, yes, Amelia would be gracing us one final time. And then suddenly, she was here, in the rough stage, maybe, but here nonetheless. I vowed to read slowly, and slowly I did.Here's a confession. When was in the first few chapters, and even at times near the end, I experienced what I can only describe as psychological block. I felt as though there was a strange barrier between me and the characters. I can only assume this is because another author was attached to the writing. I think knowing this had me so worried everything would be different, that I couldn't settle at first. Maybe reading so slowly exacerbated this feeling, or maybe in the long-run, being able to reflect on the contents of each chapter helped me recognize the characters for who they've always been.Ms. Hess did not disappoint me. I eventually was able to see past the fact that this wasn't 100% MPM, and fell into the story with pleasure. Amelia and Emerson were FANTASTIC. I was laughing often at their banter with each other and other characters, as I followed the fantastical mystery along, fully enjoying how so very Amelia Peabody it was. So many assassins, so little time.AND SETHOS. GUYS, SETHOS WAS A DREAM. All the crazy disguises and appearances had me in stitches. I think that perhaps he won the day with this book. The sass was strong as ever, and his interactions with Ramses were amazing.I think my only issue with it was that Ramses and David felt a little off to me at times. I think this was mostly due to them saying things occasionally that didn't strike me as quite Them. And I was sad at the lack of Nefret, and a little surprised at the lack of interaction she had with Ramses. Now, obviously, I understand that they probably can't even stand to look at each other what with Falcon being the previous book in the timeline, but I was hoping for something verbal to illustrate the stress between them. Mostly, we get the idea through Amelia's observations of the pair. Perhaps some of these little things will be altered in the official copy, since I know some changes were definitely made.One of my favorite things about this book were all the little Easter eggs thrown in, which the Reader will certainly recognize when he or she comes across them. They'll make you smile very hard!!!As all of you who have read this Amelia and all the others know the feeling, suddenly I hit the last chapter. I couldn't really believe this was it, despite the July release, and I had to mentally prepare myself. In the words of JK Rowling, all was well. The ending showcases Amelia in all her vivacious glory, and I couldn't have been happier with it. The fact that Painted Queen takes place primarily in Amarna seems to me a wonderful way to bookend a series that has been so much to me these past few years, and I give my thanks to MPM, Joan Hess, and Salima Ikram for their hard work in giving us this final, wonderful Peabody adventure.

Sorely missed Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody novels. I was extremely saddened when Barbara Mertz passed away... Joan Hess did a great job completing this novel. Now I need to go back and re-read prior novels to compare the styles. I almost want to say that Joan's version better describes the interactions and relationships of the main characters (and the cursing). But that could be my memory playing with me. Regardless, she does Amelia, Ramses, Nefret, and Emerson justice! Oh, and Sethos too. Quite enjoyable.

Hmmmm.What did I think.Okay, here's what I think I thought: I enjoyed the book. This was an unfinished Amelia Peabody that Elizabeth Peters' estate gave to Joan Hess, a friend of hers, to finish. Fortunately, according to Ms. Hess, the plot and notes already existed.Except for knowing that the book was completed by someone else, it was a nice read and a familiar story. This one seems a little more prat-fally, and a little like Thursday Next is somewhere in the background being stalked by the Minotaur. There's a lot of really weird things that happen in this book, is the point I'm trying to make. And they're not exactly out of place, they're just also not exactly things that might happen to the Emerson clan. You already know this, but I'll say it for the new people: while this is the last book, this is not the last book choronologically. As you are no doubt aware, Reader, the books were not published in chronological order. This one continues that confusing tradition. It falls somewhere after (spoilers, btw, if you haven't read the rest) Nefret's first husband dies and before she remarries. The Nefret story seems oddly unfinished, but that may well be because her story was not concluded at the time of Peters' death. While she's still an important character, it seems like several times she just appeared from nowhere to have a short speaking part, then disappeared again (maybe to help Thursday with the Minotaur, I don't know. I just know that she spends a lot of time staring pensively off into space, acting as if she remembers something, then departing the room. We never find out why.)There were a few places where the dialog was repetitive, as in, nearly exactly the same paragraph twice in a row. I'm unclear whether this was the result of the book being partially written, or if I just don't know enough about Ms. Hess's style.If you've read them all, you won't regret reading this one.I mean, you will, but it's because it's the last one we'll ever get. So make it last.

I'm sure it wasn't easy for Joan Hess to take up Peters' notes and create a final tale of intrepid archaeologist Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson (surely the top archaeologist of any century), but with the help of consultants she acknowledges in a preface, she did a creditable job. I've been reading reader reviews, and many mention characters and plot discrepancies, but I'm not that close a reader (and have a limited memory for plots) so I simply sat back and enjoyed being in their company again, with the marvelous Barbara Rosenblat narrating this 20th entry (and all the others) in the series. Lots of details--historical, character, archaeological--slow the plot a bit, though it moves at a steady pace, more urgently at time; series characters--Amelia, Emerson, Ramses, Nefret, Sethos--are a big draw and there are secondary characters who re-appear with much of the humor from the secondary characters and their quirks (for example, there are 5 aptly-named assassins out to get Amelia and they die in ways tied to their names: Guy (as in Fawkes) from an explosion, Absalom (King David's rebellious son) caught in a tree, for example; multiple, twisty plot lines involving primarily a newly discovered bust of Nefertiti (the famous one in Berlin) and the myriad forgeries that appear to complicate the mystery; language features witty repartee, descriptions, authentic stylistic variants and vocabulary; and the tone is amusing, dramatic, frankly melodramatic, and playful. Peters was scrupulous about her Egyptian history and archaeological details, and those remain one of the pleasures of the book. I don't expect any more titles discovered in Peters' attic, more's the pity. The only way to fill the void left by Peters' death in 2013 is to go back to the first and listen to all of them again. Crocodile on the Sandbank, the first title, is set in Amarna, and Painted Queen brings us back there, full circle. A vastly entertaining series--mystery, adventure, history, clever writing, and a touch of romance.

This was an excellent book. The transition from Elizabeth Peters to Joan Hess was almost undetectable. There were many Easter eggs referring to earlier books in the series. I shall miss Peabody, Emerson, Nefret, Sethos and especially Ramses. I highly recommend this book, and I wish there could be more written by Joan Hess.

A Historical Cozy Mystery series dealing with archaeologists Amelia Peabody and her beloved husband, Radcliffe Emerson as they survive the tomb robbers, incompetent officials and occasional murderer in Egypt in the late 1800's and early 1900's thru World War I. This book deals with the discovery of the bust of one of Egypt's most famous Queens, Nefertiti! It is the Winter Season of 1912 - 1913. Prior to leaving Cairo for their excavation site in Amarna, Amelia is attacked by an assassin while taking a bath. Amelia and Emerson head to Amarna as they puzzle thru who the assassin was. Dodging more assassins, would be thieves and the strange happenings at the dig site, it is the start of another ordinary dig season for the famous and infamous couple. This is a MUST READ SERIES for anyone who enjoys archaeology, especially Egyptian, an engrossing plot line that extends from the first book to this last one. The characters are lovable, wacky and will have you laughing at the things they get into. Each book has multiple plots that gradually merge into one as you keep turning the pages, unable to stop. Absolutely one of my very favorite authors and series. I have impatiently awaited each new book and devoured them non-stop. This is the 20th and final book in the series as Elizabeth Peters died before filling in all the details but her close friend and fellow author, Joan Hess finished the final draft before her own recent death. Elizabeth was actually Barbara Mertz, an acclaimed Egyptian scholar and author with a Ph. D in the subject. This the final published book but the series is not in chronological order, which doesn't detract from them.

I loved this book and I am very sad that the series is now finished. Rest In Peace, dear Elizabeth Peters.

It is with mixed feelings that I write this review and say Goodbye to the series. I have read both authors' books many times. I admire both their satire. Elizabeth Peters was and still is my favorite author. I still remember the first time I read CROCODILES ON THE SANDBANK many years ago. I laugh throughout the book. Together they have given the fans one last Amelia Peabody adventure. The plot is good and held my attention. Yes, there are errors in the Peabody timeline, I noted them but they did not take away my enjoyment of the book.

And here endeth one of the best series written. I hated to see it end but enjoyed it as much as the others in the series. Good work Ms Hess in finishing Ms Peters work. A few things were left dangling but I for one will tie them up as I please.

It was fun to read this book. It made me want to go back and read the series. They were such fun.

A full-length novel, The Painted Queen is 11.5 chronologically and twentieth (and last) publication-wise in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series revolving around a forceful female and her archeologist husband. This story is set in Egypt in 1912.My Take…I do so hate when an author I like dies. There oughta be a law against that! Technically, The Painted Queen is Peters’ last story, which was actually finished by Joan Hess. For the most part, it reads like one of Elizabeth Peters’ stories with just that little bit off, with less warmth, without more effort in tying the non-core characters into the story, and too much leaping to conclusions. Nor could I buy into Peabody’s dream sequence with Abdullah either.As usual, it’s good triumphing over evil, but only after lots of adventures, attempted assassinations, kidnappings, escapes, chases, and the use of disguises. Part of what I like about the series is, well, hey, Egypt, history, and archeology along with a mystery. What’s not to like?What really pulls me in are the characters who are so colorful and decent at the same time. I love that Peabody is such a mothering woman who hasn’t a prejudiced bone in her body when it comes to people. Types? Yeah. She has no patience for crooks or evil people. She doesn’t suffer fools or the discourteous either and terrifies most of those around her who have no idea how to counter such a forceful woman, lol.Peabody has no need of women’s lib, since she’s already more liberated than even women today, *more laughter* and supports other women in pursuing their dreams. She can be annoying with that attitude of hers in always knowing what’s right and what to do in any situation, including medical emergencies.I do enjoy the premise that Elizabeth Peters is merely transcribing Peabody’s diary, which helps explain the first-person protagonist point-of-view, although Peters could have gone further in making this more realistic. Yes, even though I do like the story(ies)! Peters has also given Peabody a unique voice — those word choices and sentence structure are so very Peabody-ish — that conveys the intellect and mores of the time period.As for the niggles… What’s the deal with Maspero? At first he’s all gung-ho about Emerson taking over Morgenstern’s dig, and then he starts retreating. Why didn’t the Emersons make inquiries about the German ambassador? As for Miss Smith, her identity became obvious too quickly. And I must re-read the series (I wanna anyway, *grin*), as I don’t remember Emerson being so very hasty. I do wish Peters/Hess had provided a clearer reason as to why Ramses and David are so intent on scooping up all those fakes.……The back history Peters/Hess includes is nicely integrated and just enough to nudge the “little gray cells” into remembering bits and pieces (and making me want to do that re-read).…The Story…Their first day back in Egypt and Amelia Peabody is already threatened with assassination. In the bath!Even more disconcerting is M. Maspero’s plea for Emerson’s aid at a prestigious dig site, after all, most of the archeological authorities in Egypt hate Emerson. But Herr Morgenstern is behaving erratically, and Amarna is too important.As for that first assassination, it’s soon followed by more and more with yet more attempts at the end. For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable.…The Characters…Amelia “Sitt Hakim” Peabody Emerson is the forceful wife of Professor Radcliffe “the Father of Curses” Emerson, an eminent (and irascible) archeologist who does not suffer fools. Dr. Nefret “Nur Misur” Forth, a doctor, is their foster daughter ( The Last Camel Died at Noon , 6), recovering from events in Falcon at the Portal , 11, with those evil “revelations” continuing to affect her attitude. Walter “Ramses” Emerson, a.k.a., “Brother of Demons”, is their brilliant and adventurous son. David Todros, Abdullah’s grandson, is Ramses’ best friend and "partner in crime", and married to Lia Emerson, a niece. (Some of Ramses’ and David’s disguises include Lord Cavendish, Higginsnort, and Arbaaz.)Selim is the Emersons’ current reis; Abdullah had been their first. Fatima is Selim's wife and their cook and housekeeper. Mahmoud is their steward. Daoud is a trusted part of the crew. Mohammed is their carpenter. Ilyas. The dahabeeyah is the Egyptian houseboat Emerson commissioned (and named) for Amelia. Cyrus and Katherine Vandergelt are American friends who come to dig in Egypt every season.Service des Antiquités is……a government department in charge of handing out firmans (a license to excavate) for archeological digs in Egypt, and M. Maspero is its director. Sir Flinders Petrie is an archeologist. Zawaiet el-Aryan is supposed to be the dig to which Peabody and Emerson are headed.Tell el-Amarna is……the city which Akhenaton, the Heretic Pharaoh, created as his new capital. The Workmen’s Village is part of the dig there. Thutmose had been the court sculptor there back in its heyday. The man in charge of the dig, Herr Borchardt, has gone back to Germany and been replaced by Herr Morgenstern. Abdul Azim has been Morgenstern’s reis for years. Eric von Raubritter is Morgenstern’s second-in-command. Liezel Hasenkamp is a colleague of Eric’s who is pretending to be his fiancée. The sponsor for the dig is Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft for whom James Ridgemont is a major contributor. Octavius Buddle is his aide.Thomas Russell is the chief of police in Cairo. Helmut Gunter is the German ambassador’s aide. Latif is a twelve-year-old child who is an informant for Ramses in Cairo. Omar Hassan el-Tayeb escaped the English family who used him as a houseboy. Ikram is his mother. Sheikh Nasir el-Din is the angry leader of Omar’s tribe. Tahir is an accommodating cousin of David’s.Shepheard’s is……an elite hotel in Cairo. Mr. Baehler is the manager. Ali is a suffragi , which is something like a footman in that his duty is to patrol the hallways, direct visitors to their rooms, and prevent them from being annoyed. Dr. Forbes is the hotel physician.Sethos, the “Master Criminal”, is a master of disguise and an antiquities thief extraordinaire. Some of his aliases include Professor Ambrose Doyle. Other tomb robbers include Mahmud Farouk, Asmar, Agha, and Mustafa Ahmed. Aslimi has a shop in the Khan el-Khalili in Cairo; Abubakar also sells to tourists. Fahmi sells cloth. Harun is the best forger in Cairo. Mayer sells an assortment of objects. Shamal has aided Sethos before.Sponsored by the Enlightened Brethren of the Church of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the hairy Theodor Dullard is a missionary preaching about Jesus to the Coptic congregation. Ermintrude de Vere Smith is the author of lurid romance novels about sheiks and innocent young girls, and she's excited about Peabody's adventures. Jamil assists her. Lucinda is an American tourist.Dr. Willoughby is the Emersons’ family physician in England. Sir Reginald Arbuthnot is with Scotland Yard. MDMA is a drug prototype.Geoffrey Godwin is Nefret’s late and very unlamented husband. He has five more brothers: Judas, Cromwell, Absalom, Guy, and Flitworthy.…The Cover and TitleThe cover is a sunset of some few orange, red, and yellow streaks over the deep purple silhouette of the archeological dig with some few pillars which stand against the deeply purple sky. The foreground descends into the reddish sand of the desert. It is the background for the focus of the story, a bust of The Painted Queen, an artifact looted from a dig and “on the run”. The authors’ names are in a shadowed yellow at the top with the title in white below Queen Nefertiti. Between and to the right of the queen is the series information in yellow.…

I am always a little cautious when they hire someone to finish a book by a favorite author upon his or her death, but this has proven to be an exception. Amelia Peabody Emerson and her husband Radcliffe Emerson have returned for another season to Egypt in 1912. They are being assigned to work in Amarna, which places them close to one of the world's real-life mysteries dealing with an ancient Egyptian artifact, the stolen bust of Queen Nefertiti. They arrive in Cairo to make final preparations before heading to Amarna, and as Amelia settles into a comfortable bath at the hotel, she finds herself visiting her in the most inappropriate place. Sadly, he simply staggers before crumpling to the floor dead. Who he is is a mystery since all that can found among his things is a sheet of paper with her name and room on it and another with just the name Judas on it. Apparently, someone is out to assassinate her, but why did the assassin die instead of her.It does not take long her that savior to be shown as Sethos, a master of disguise and sometimes foe to the Emersons. He has found himself with an interest in their new assignment because it has become known that a mysterious and priceless artifact has been found in Amarna and it has likely gone missing. That interest is not likely to lead to anything good.Upon arriving at their dig, they find that things are even more muddled at Amarna than anyone realized. There is a missing archaelologist, a mysterious person in charge, and even more men with monocles who seem to want to help Amelia leave the realm of the living.Thankfully, Amelia and her husband Emerson are joined by their son Ramses, adopted daughter Nefret, and Ramses' good friend David as they set out to figure out what really happened to the bust of Nefertiti and who might have committed murder at the dig since the young man who has been left in charge has turned up dead. Will they sort it all out before anyone in the Emerson family ends up becoming a victim.Joan Hess, a good friend to Peters, was hired to pick up where the well-known author and archaeologist (real name Barbara Mertz) left off when she passed away, has done an amazing job of capturing the right tone and feel as she finished this book. It would be difficult for any of Peters' fans to know that the book was not finished by Mertz. I really did enjoy this one final reading experience with Peabody and the the gang.

Thank you to Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book. A wonderful adventure with Amelia Peabody and her family on the trail of archeological treasure and murderers. The historical and archeological information was fascinating and blended into a very enjoyable read!