Elizabeth Peters's unforgettable heroine Amelia Peabody makes her first appearance in this clever mystery. Amelia receives a rather large inheritance and decides to use it for travel. On her way through Rome to Egypt, she meets Evelyn Barton-Forbes, a young woman abandoned by her lover and left with no means of support. Amelia promptly takes Evelyn under her wing, insisting that the young lady accompany her to Egypt, where Amelia plans to indulge her passion for Egyptology. When Evelyn becomes the target of an aborted kidnapping and the focus of a series of suspicious accidents and mysterious visitations, Amelia becomes convinced of a plot to harm her young friend. Like any self-respecting sleuth, Amelia sets out to discover who is behind it all.

Altogether, a charming, witty mystery. There's no harm in that, right?

Ok, here's the true confession.

Since getting this in mid- August, I have listened to it over and over and over again. I don't listen to music when I sew or clean, no, no. I listen to this book. And when it's done, I listen to it again.

I've tried to break the cycle, I assure you. I listened to part of The House of Blue Mangos. It was too hard to concentrate on what I was doing and listen. I listened to part of Anne of Green Gables, figuring I know the story, so concentration shouldn't be an issue. Yeah, but I didn't like it, all the same. I even tried another Amelia Peabody mystery. I made it all the way through it, but then I went right back to the other one. And music? I have over 20 GB of music, but I don't listen to that either. Why? Because I obviously have a problem, people!

So if you'll excuse me, I have a birthday cake to bake for my Mommy, and yes, I will be listening to Amelia Peabody while I do so. I may be sick, but at least I am consistent.