If you’re like me, you’ve read every novel in Elizabeth Peters’ beyond-delightful Amelia Peabody mystery series about eight times over.
The wit! The adventure! The slow burn romance, archaeological mysteries, and prolific corpses!
Egyptologist Barbara Mertz (who wrote under the name Elizabeth Peters) was kind enough to give us twenty Amelia adventures before heading off to kibbutz with Osiris herself.
So what’s a voracious reader to do, once she’s reached the end of the list? Try out these other mystery series with parasol-wielding Victorian spinsters, sleuthing archaeologists, or ancient historians.
Enjoy. (Until we figure out how to clone departed authors.)
(Some of the links below include affiliate tags, which earn me a small commission on your purchase.)
Borrower of the Night
VICKY BLISS SERIES, BOOK 1
WHY:
It’s Elizabeth Peters! 1970s setting, art historian heroine, occult secrets, spooky German castle
A Curious Beginning
VERONICA SPEEDWELL MYSTERIES, BOOK 1
WHY:
Victorian setting, stabby scientist heroine, grumpy ripped taxidermist, dastardly kidnapping, royal scandal, so much witty banter
Soulless
PARASOL PROTECTORATE, BOOK 1
WHY:
Steampunk spinster, big messy werewolf, dead vampire, perfect Emerson-Amelia style witty banter, supernatural powers
Empire of Shadows
RAIDERS OF THE ARCANA, BOOK 1
WHY:
1890s feminist archaeologist meets roguish surveyor, Mayan history, lost city, all the banter
(Full disclosure: this one’s mine)
Artifact
JAYA JONES TREASURE HUNT MYSTERIES, BOOK 1
WHY:
Plucky South Asian archaeologist, legendary jewels, two intriguing love interests, Roman dig site in rural England, laugh-out-loud funny
A Deadly Affair
ANGUS BRODIE & MIKAELA FORSYTHE MURDER & MYSTERY, BOOK 1
WHY:
Tattooed Victorian spinster, irascible Scottish PI, slow burn, gritty London scandal
The Crossing Places
RUTH GALLOWAY SERIES, BOOK 1
WHY:
Forensic archaeologist heroine (and unapologetic spinster cat lady), mysterious bones, British Iron Age history
And Only to Deceive
LADY EMILY MYSTERIES, BOOK 1
WHY:
Scholarly widow of a dead antiquities collector, stolen artifacts, a surplus of suitors, slow burn, Ancient Greek history
Love the similar vibes of The Mummy movie (1999 version, of course)? Check out my list of reading recommendations!
