Thursday, November 08, 2018

Mystery Stories by Elizabeth Peters


This is a collection of three short stories written by Elizabeth Peters. As a teenager, I enjoyed the books she wrote under the pen name Barbara Michaels, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I read one of her Amelia Peabody books (which really didn't grab me).

"Liz Peters, PI" is about a woman crime fiction writer/private investigator who has a friend drop dead in front of her in her own home. I loved the voice of Liz and laughed when she invoked the name of "St. Kinsey." This is a Christmas-themed story and did warm my heart.

"The Locked Tomb" is one of her ancient Egyptian-themed mysteries involving the robbery of a sealed tomb. I found this to be the least enjoyable of the three, primarily because it was so easy to deduce who robbed the tomb and how.

The third story is "The Runaway," about two teenage girls who ran away from home and have sought shelter in a derelict farmhouse out in the country. Not only did I like the voice of the younger sister, but I also found the story to be creepy and perfect for Halloween reading.

Did these stories tempt me to continue to read Elizabeth Peters? Only time will tell! 

Mystery Stories by Elizabeth Peters
eISBN: 9781504055505
Open Road Integrated Media © 2018
eBook, 86 pages

Short Stories
Rating: B
Source: Purchased from Amazon.


 

6 comments:

  1. Some story collections really do tempt a reader to try that author's novels, Cathy. I know that's happened to me. And short stories can be just the thing when you want to dip in and out of something. Glad you found things to like here.

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    1. Since I'd enjoyed her Barbara Michaels books so much, I knew I would find something to like!

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  2. I think these sound great and I've read a lot of Barbara Mertz (Peters/Michaels) books. Yes, as a teenager I started with her Michaels books and then a very nice librarian told me that she also wrote under the Peters name. So, you and Amelia Peabody didn't get along - curious. I'm a little surprised at that. Did you read Crocodile on a Sandbank? The first one. Ah well, it's OK if our tastes go different directions at times. ;-)

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    1. Yes, Crocodile on a Sandbank was the book that I read. I was rather surprised that I didn't like it myself.

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  3. I feel somewhat cheated when I find out very early who did it!

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    1. So do I! I never will forget the book where I knew whodunit it by page SIX.

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