Amelia Peabody first appeared in Elizabeth Peters' 1975 novel, The Crocodile on the Sandbank. At the time, our heroine was a 32 year old Victorian spinster who had recently inherited her father's wealth, as well as his love of antiquities. On a trip to Egypt, Amelia solved her first mystery and met Radcliff Emerson, a dashing Egyptologist. This outspoken, self-confident feminist found her match in the unconventional, quick-tempered Emerson, and by the end of the novel they were happily married and on their way to many more adventures. In the ensuing years, Amelia and Emerson sired a son, dubbed "Ramses," and acquired a foster daughter, Nefret, who spent her formative years as an Egyptian priestess. They encountered a variety of skilled and bumbling villains, but Amelia's nemesis, the Master Criminal named Sethos, always eluded them.

It is now 1907. Both Ramses and Nefret are young adults. Amelia and Emerson must be approaching 50. The Emerson family is preparing for their annual season in Egypt, where Emerson unfortunately has been banished to the most unpromising excavation sites (Emerson has a talent for speaking his mind and offending absolutely everyone, especially persons in authority). Nevertheless, the annual trip is anticipated by all. The family has an urgent reason to embark on their trip post haste this year. While participating in a London suffragist rally, Amelia is almost kidnapped and it appears that someone means to do her harm. It seems to be a good idea to get out of England.

When they arrive in Egypt, Amelia and company discover that her life may still be in danger. Several people with whom they come in contact are found dead in the Nile River, their bodies horribly mangled by crocodiles. However, everyone knows that there are no longer any crocodiles in Egypt. All signs point to the notorious Sethos, although he once swore never to harm Amelia. In the meantime, an almost apoplectic Emerson (whose Egyptian nickname means "Father of Curses") must struggle to contain himself when an unworthy rival makes a fascinating archeological discovery.

The absolute joy of reading this series comes from Amelia's erudite first-person narrative. She is completely full of herself, far too melodramatic and blissfully ignorant that her words inspire more humor than awe. Still, if the reader laughs at her, it is only in the most affectionate manner. Her devotion to Emerson (and their rather passionate nature, which is slyly alluded to but never explicitly stated) is enough to satisfy those mystery readers who appreciate romance as well.

The series has benefited greatly from the recent addition of several new voices. Part of The Ape's narrative is written in third person from Ramses' point of view. As he is now the character who is doing most of the dangerous adventuring, this serves to keep the action moving. Ramses has evolved from a rather obnoxious boy into a fascinating young man who usually keeps his emotions well hidden, with one significant exception. He has recently admitted to himself that he is desperately in love with Nefret. His torment as he interacts with this beautiful, spirited young woman who treats him like a little brother is poignant.

For the first time in the series, Nefret gets a chance to chime in, as the narrative also consists of letters she has written to an unspecified recipient who is referred to as "dear" or "darling." I must admit to a certain mistrust of Nefret until this point, but her letters make her appear much more human. It will be fascinating to see where Elizabeth Peters takes the so-far unrequited and unspoken love that Ramses has for his foster sister.

In the end, the perpetrator of the crimes against Amelia and the murder victims is revealed, but by then I was more interested in a different human drama that was being played out at the same time. You can't go wrong with an Elizabeth Peters novel, and this installment in the Amelia Peabody series is an extremely rich, enjoyable entry.

While The Ape Who Guards the Balance is currently available only in hardcover, another recent Amelia Peabody novel, Seeing a Large Cat, has recently been released in paperback, and is also highly recommended.

--Susan Scribner