A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

Elizabeth Peters is a prolific author who is at her best when writing archaeological mysteries. She has several series of books but my favourite is the series that stars Amelia Emerson and her family.

Generally the books are set in Egypt and over the years the family has had many adventures while excavating different archaeological sites. This book is in a different setting, Jerusalem.

Early in the 1900’s, Amelia’s husband is asked by the British Government to go to Israel and stop someone who is attempting to locate the Ark of the Covenant. The Government is afraid that a sloppy excavation could cause an unstable political situation to become worse and the Emersons are asked to use their considerable knowledge and skill to prevent any trouble.

Never ones to travel lightly, the whole family and some extras are brought along for the adventure. As is typical of the Emersons murder, kidnappings and general mayhem quickly ensue.

It was nice to have a change of setting. One of the things I enjoy about these novels is the bit of historical facts that are included. The Biblical setting and ensuing discussions were also an interesting addition to this novel. This was an enjoyable addition to the Ameila Peabody Series.