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As international tensions spiral out of control, we're all forced to contemplate the uncertain present and future role of Middle Eastern countries in global politics. Centuries-old ideological conflicts have spilled over geographic boundaries into our own daily lives, leaving roiling emotions in their tragic wake. Yet there was a time when this region that lies half a world away held a romantic allure for travelers and historians alike. The mystique of this ancient cradle of civilization sparked the imaginations of novelists like Mailer, Smith, McCullough and Michener, who transported us with a stroke of their pen to the stark deserts, lush river valleys and towering monuments of the Valley of the Kings. Bedouin tents and bustling bazaars fascinated visitors from all over the world.
Elizabeth Peters is one such author who found the beauty of the land and the rich history of its people a compelling backdrop for her historical fiction. With this latest novel, she continues to reach beyond the ugly realities of today's turbulent Middle East to a gentler era of the early 20th century, crafting her enchanting mysteries from the fabric of her own life experience.
CHILDREN OF THE STORM is the fifteenth journal of Peters's beloved fictional character, Amelia Peabody Emerson; it brings together all the family principals of previous novels in one grand reunion. The First World War has ended and the Peabody/Emerson generations are gathering in Egypt for what is hoped to be an uneventful season of reacquaintance and renewal, but fans of Amelia know that it isn't likely to remain that way for long. Ramses and Nefret, David and Lia, and Walter and Evelyn have arrived, accompanied by their respective children, to lend a hand with the latest archeological project that is preoccupying Amelia's husband, Radcliff. Descendants of the faithful Adbullah still comprise the household staff and lend their own colorful facet to the chaos that follows when the priceless Jewelry of the God's Wives goes missing and Ramses is briefly kidnapped by a woman claiming to be the legendary seductress, Hathor. Suspicion for the theft quickly settles on Emerson's half-brother, Sethos, who has shown up to aid in the search for the jewelry but Amelia is convinced that, despite his previous unsavory activities, he's not responsible for this latest criminal caper. As for the abduction of Ramses, there seems to be any number of possible candidates from his past youthful escapades, creating embarrassment and marital tensions for Amelia's handsome offspring.
While Amelia and her family are investigating these events, another familiar face reenters their lives through a mysterious encounter with a strange young boy in the marketplace. Even though she has taken great pains to disguise herself, Sethos's estranged daughter Maryam is eventually revealed to be one of the boy's traveling companions and she soon joins the household, adding further strain on the family dynamics. Ghostly visitors, a series of near-fatal accidents and cryptic messages from the grave all serve to keep the plot moving and the reader guessing. And, as usual, the formidable Amelia takes aggressive action to unravel the puzzle, which evokes Emerson's trademark tantrums and the inevitable verbal tugs of war.
As an Egyptologist, Elizabeth Peters utilizes her substantial expertise to provide an intriguing historical setting to the Amelia Peabody series, reflecting the ambiance of Egypt in the early 20th century. Although the realities of life on an archeological dig were far from glamorous, Peters captures that romanticism of a bygone era that we armchair adventurers love to experience. Ancient secrets, eerie tales and the magnificence of the tombs themselves provide a fertile springboard for the prolific storyteller. Perhaps in these perilous days, it's just the antidote we need to remind us that the true legacy of the Middle East was not always --- and hopefully will not always be --- the face of terrorism.
--- Reviewed by Ann L. Bruns
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