The Peabody dynasty finds danger in 1910 Palestine.
While Ramses Peabody toils on a dig near Jerusalem, his parents, Amelia and Emerson, together with their adopted daughter Nefret and David, the Egyptian boy they’ve taken in, are relaxing in England until Emerson is approached by the government to sort out a problem with Mr. Morley, a treasure hunter who’s secured permission from the corrupt Ottoman Empire to excavate near the Temple Mount. The enterprise would be guaranteed to cause trouble with members of the three major religious groups who hold the area sacred even if Morley weren’t suspected of being a German spy at a time when Germany is trying to gain influence in the volatile area. Soon enough, Morley departs, deserting his colleague, the Reverend Panagopolous, who seems to be a mentally disturbed religious fanatic. Meanwhile, back in Palestine, Ramses is kidnapped when he learns too much about the German archaeologist Madame von Eine and her mysterious companion Mansur. His family arrives in Palestine, where they have permission to dig near Morley, expecting Ramses to join them. When he fails to appear, David sneaks off to find him. Indefatigable Amelia wastes no time organizing both the dig and the effort to find Ramses and David. Though the family receives help from a shadowy group known as the Sons of Abraham, they all face grave danger before their mission can be accomplished.
Fans should welcome an installment significantly less convoluted than most of Amelia’s adventures (Tomb of the Golden Bird, 2007, etc.).
