Review: Crocodile on the Sandbank

Just what I was looking for!  I loved it.

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:

Set in 1884, this is the first installment in what has become a beloved bestselling series. At thirty-two, strong-willed Amelia Peabody, a self-proclaimed spinster, decides to use her ample inheritance to indulge her passion, Egyptology. On her way to Egypt, Amelia encounters a young woman named Evelyn Barton-Forbes. The two become fast friends and travel on together, encountering mysteries, missing mummies, and Radcliffe Emerson, a dashing and opinionated archaeologist who doesn't need a woman's help — or so he thinks.

Thirty-one-year-old Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody has not only inherited her father's fortune, but she is also blessed with his strong will as well. Now she's headed for Cairo, accompanied by a girl with a tarnished past, to indulge her passion for Egyptology. Little did she know that murder and a homicidal mummy lay in wait for her.

I loved the time period, the British humor, and the fact that Amelia Peabody is an independent woman in a time period where women were not permitted to have many of the freedoms they do now.  She was stubborn, pushy, full of sarcasm, and not afraid to use her parasol as a weapon.  The banter and eventual romance between her and the main male character of Emerson had me laughing out loud at times.  Emerson's brother Walter and Amelia's companion Evelyn also lend to the enjoyment of the story.  In fact, all of the characters were interesting and it was fun trying to figure out who the bad guys were.

The main mystery occurs when a "mummy" starts lurking around the archaeological site where our characters are digging for artifacts in Egypt.  Of course they know there is no real mummy but they are certainly in danger and need to work together to figure out the real reason why the mummy is trying to chase them away. As they hatch their plans to try to solve the mystery, they also learn about each other and about themselves and what is truly important.

I am on to the second book because I can't wait to see what happens to the characters next!