The Curse of the Pharaohs (novel)

This article is about the novel. For the alleged curse, see Curse of the pharaohs.

The Curse of the Pharaohs

First edition cover for The Curse of the Pharaohs
Author	Elizabeth Peters
Language	English
Series	Amelia Peabody mysteries
Genre	Historical mystery
Publisher	Dodd, Mead and Company
Publication date	1981
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages	357 pp
ISBN	0-396-07963-6
OCLC	7171397
Dewey Decimal	813/.54 19
LC Class	PS3563.E747 C8
Preceded by	Crocodile on the Sandbank
Followed by	The Mummy Case

The Curse of the Pharaohs is a historical mystery novel by Elizabeth Peters, the second in the Amelia Peabody series of novels; it takes place in the excavation season of 1892–93. [1]

Plot summary

The Emersons are at home in England, aching to return to Egypt, but finding no excuse to return until Lady Baskerville asks them to finish the excavation started by her husband, who died mysteriously just before opening a tomb in Luxor. No one else will continue as rumors of a curse on those who desecrate the tomb fly through the region.

Leaving their son Ramses at home, the Emersons arrive at the Baskerville compound near the Valley of the Kings to find sick employees, over-eager reporters, and an assortment of other characters trying to either get into the tomb, or keep the Emersons out.

Three recurring characters are introduced; Cyrus Vandergelt, Karl von Bork and Kevin O'Connell. Vandergelt is a wealthy amateur American Egyptologist, and over the years becomes Professor Emerson's closest friend. Bork is an expert in hieroglyphs who appears in a number of stories, usually assisting other Egyptologists. O'Connell is a reporter who eventually becomes a valuable outlet for the Emersons and their adventures.

See also

• List of characters in the Amelia Peabody series