List of Amelia Peabody characters

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The Amelia Peabody series of historical mystery novels is written by Elizabeth Peters, set in Victorian Egypt among a family of eccentric archaeologists.

Contents

Note that, as with most character lists, the descriptions herein necessarily contain numerous spoilers.

Entirely fictional

The Emerson family

Amelia Peabody Emerson
The matriarch, sleuth, and fervent pyramidophile. Nicknamed "Sitt Hakim" ("Lady Doctor").
Professor Radcliffe Emerson
Amelia's husband, "The greatest Egyptologist of this or any other era." Nicknamed "Abu Shitaim" ("Father of Curses").
Walter Peabody "Ramses" Emerson
Amelia and Radcliffe's only child, born around July 1887. [lower-alpha 1] He is first described as "catastrophically precocious", since he is intellectually gifted but finds social interactions difficult. He is later dubbed "Akhu el-Efreet" ("Brother of Demons"), and grows up to become a renowned expert in ancient languages.
Nefret Emerson
Daughter of Willoughby Forth. Raised until the age of 13 in a lost Meroitic civilization, where she and her father were forced to remain. Adopted by the Emersons and later married to Ramses; nicknamed "Nur Misur" (Light of Egypt). First appears in The Last Camel Died at Noon .
Walter Emerson
Emerson's younger brother, the world-famous philologist.
Evelyn Forbes Emerson
Amelia's dearest friend, who has a heart of gold and nerves of steel. Wife of Walter the elder.
Amelia "Lia" Emerson Todros
Evelyn's daughter, named for Amelia Peabody, born around 1890. [lower-alpha 2] She defies convention to marry David Todros (in The Falcon at the Portal ).
David Todros
Abdullah's grandson, adopted by Walter and Evelyn. A natural artist and Ramses' partner in mischief, David first appears in The Hippopotamus Pool .
James Peabody
Amelia's eldest and least favorite brother, father of Percy and Violet. Referred to in Crocodile on the Sandbank , first seen in Deeds of the Disturber .
Percival "Percy" Peabody
Decidedly unpleasant nephew of Amelia and son of James. First seen in Deeds of the Disturber ; killed off in He Shall Thunder in the Sky .
Sennia Emerson
Percy's illegitimate daughter by a Cairo prostitute, abandoned by her father and later used by him in an attempt to discredit Ramses. She is adopted by the Emersons. Called "Little Bird." First appears in The Falcon at the Portal .
Seth Emerson, a.k.a. Sethos
Illegitimate half-brother of Professor Radcliffe Emerson. Alternately known as "The Master Criminal." First appeared in The Mummy Case . Discovered to be related to Emerson in He Shall Thunder in the Sky . Father of Maryam (Molly) (see also Enemies)
Charlotte "Charla" Emerson
Ramses' and Nefret's daughter, named for Amelia's mother. Twin sister of David John.
David John "Davy" Emerson
Ramses' and Nefret's son, named for David Todros and Evelyn and Walter's son, John, who died in the First World War. Twin brother of Charlotte.
Abdullah "Dolly" Todros
David's and Lia's son, named for David's grandfather. Older brother of Evelyn.
Evelyn "Evvie" Todros
David's and Lia's daughter, named for Lia's mother. Nicknamed Sekhmet for her "lion-colored mane of hair and her explosive temper." Younger sister of Abdullah.

The Emersons' staff and work crew

Abdullah ibn Hassan al Wahhab
The Emersons' loyal reis (foreman), who leads the excavations with Emerson. Devoted to Emerson, and initially resentful of Amelia ("Every year, another dead body!"), he eventually becomes just as devoted to her, and dies heroically defending her life ( The Ape Who Guards the Balance ). Reappears to Amelia in clairvoyant dreams; David and Lia's first child is named for him.
Selim
Abdullah's youngest son, friend of Ramses, with a technical mind and an eye for the ladies. When he grows up, he takes his father, Abdullah's, place as reis. Has two wives, Rabia and Taghrid.
Daoud
Abdullah's nephew, a giant of a man whose simple observations help solve mysteries and protect his friends. He adores Lia, David's wife, and his faith in Amelia's abilities verges on religious awe.
Fatima
(First introduced in "The Ape Who Guard's the Balance") Abdullah's daughter-in-law, the widow of one of his deceased sons. After her husband dies, she asks Amelia for a position of independence, and becomes the Emersons' dedicated housekeeper in Egypt, and enjoys learning to read and write.
Kadija
Daoud's wife. Born of a Nubian mother, whose dark coloring she shares, and stronger than many men. Keeps the secret recipe for the famous "green ointment" prescribed as a cure-all by all members of Abdullah's family.
Gargery
The Emersons' butler. Accompanies the Emersons on some of their later expeditions, acting as Sennia's bodyguard. Has been known to wield a cudgel to defend his employers.
Rose
The Emersons' housekeeper in Kent, completely devoted to Ramses.
Bassima
Sennia's Nanny. First appeared in The Falcon at the Portal .

Cats

Bastet
The matriarch of the long line of companions; she and Ramses have a deep bond with one another. After her death at a ripe old age (noted in Seeing a Large Cat ), it will take Ramses years before he even considers accepting another feline companion. Almost always referred to as 'the cat Bastet'. She first appears in The Curse of the Pharaohs .
Anubis
Originally belonged to the villainous Vincey but eventually bonds with Emerson, and fathers a large brood with Bastet. First appears in The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog .
Sekhmet
Called "the furry blob" by Ramses, she later defects to live a life of luxury with the Vandergelts. First appears in Seeing a Large Cat .
Horus
Bonds originally with Nefret but later defects to Sennia. They are the only two people he will tolerate. First appears in The Ape Who Guards the Balance .
Seshat
First appears in The Falcon at the Portal ; prefers Ramses.
The Great Cat of Re
Brought to the family, as a small kitten, by Horus; loyal to Ramses. Makes it plain he refuses to commute back and forth to England and remains resident at the Emerson's house at Thebes. First appears in The Golden One .

Horses

Risha
(Arabic, "feather") Silver-gray stallion, a gift to Ramses from a sheik friend of the Emersons, who fathers a large family of mounts for the rest of the family.
Asfur
(Arabic, "bird") Mare, a gift to David from the same sheik.
Moonlight
Mare, a daughter of Risha and Asfur, belongs to Nefret.
Melusine
Filly, appears in Children of the Storm

Dogs

Narmer
A "large, homely yellow dog", adopted by Nefret in The Falcon at the Portal . He initially barks at everything, including scorpions and spiders, but Nefret has hopes of training him to be a watchdog. His name is that of the first king of Upper and Lower Egypt
Amira
A "large tawny beast" which Daoud acquires at Ramses' request in The Serpent on the Crown to guard against unwanted visitors and to protect Charla and David John. Enormous but extremely submissive. Her name is Arabic for "princess."

Friends

Cyrus Vandergelt
Courtly American millionaire who longs for a rich find but finds loyal friends instead. First appears in The Curse of the Pharaohs .
Katherine Whitney-Jones Vandergelt
A schoolteacher, widowed after an unhappy marriage, who becomes a semi-fraudulent spiritual medium to support her two children. After her unmasking in Egypt, she and Cyrus fall in love. First appears in Seeing a Large Cat .
Bertie Vandergelt
Katherine Vandergelt's son by her first marriage, whom Cyrus later adopts and who comes to Egypt after being wounded and discharged during World War I; he proves invaluable both as an ally and an excavator. First appears in Lord of the Silent .
Anna Vandergelt
Katherine Vandergelt's daughter by her first marriage, whom Cyrus later adopts and who expresses interest in becoming a nurse at the outbreak of war. First appears in He Shall Thunder in the Sky .
Kevin O'Connell
An Irish reporter for the London Daily Yell, in whom "the journalist and the gentleman are always at war." He dogs the Emersons' steps for a story, but also pitches in when the crime-fighting gets tough. First appears in The Curse of the Pharaohs .
Margaret Minton
A female reporter (one of the few), with even fewer scruples than O'Connell. Bears a striking resemblance to Amelia. First appears in Deeds of the Disturber as O'Connell's professional rival, and subsequently develops a crush on Radcliffe Emerson. Later marries Seth Emerson.
Karl von Bork
A young German archaeologist who first appears in The Curse of the Pharaohs , marries the daughter of one of the suspects, and appears periodically in other stories.
Donald Fraser
Young English nobleman who first appears in Lion in the Valley using the alias "Nemo", an upright man who loses himself in the Cairo underground while searching for his scoundrel brother. He is rescued by the Emersons, and marries Enid Debenham, his childhood sweetheart. Reappears in Seeing a Large Cat .
Enid Debenham Fraser
Young Englishwoman who first appears in Lion in the Valley masquerading as a female archaeologist while searching Egypt for Donald. Begins a friendship with Ramses when he is still a child. Reappears in Seeing a Large Cat .
Jumana
A young Egyptian woman who aspires to be an archaeologist, and whom the Emersons strive to help achieve her goal in spite of others' prejudices. First appears in Lord of the Silent . As of the end of Tomb of the Golden Bird , she and Bertie are engaged. Daughter of Abdullah's brother Yusuf; sister of Jamil.
Maryam
Sethos's daughter by Bertha. First appears in He Shall Thunder in the Sky using the pseudonym Melinda "Molly" Hamilton, with a crush on Ramses. Manipulated by her half-sister in Children of the Storm to aid in a scheme of robbery and revenge.
Sir Edward Washington
English aristocrat and photographer. First appears in The Hippopotamus Pool , employed by the Emersons as their staff photographer, and one of Nefret's many admirers. Re-appears in The Ape Who Guards the Balance , and The Golden One . He is eventually revealed to be one of Sethos's most trusted lieutenants.
The Honourable Algernon Bracegirdle-Boisdragon, aka "Smith"
Sometime case-officer for British Intelligence for Ramses and later Sethos.
Ibrahim El-Gharbi
Kingpin of the prostitution houses of Cairo, known for his flamboyant transvestism. Though the Emersons despise his profession, he is a useful source of information and aid in tight spots. First appears in He Shall Thunder in the Sky . In Children of the Storm provides a key clue when Peabody consults him in his forced exile.

Enemies

Sethos
Nom de crime of the shadowy "Master Criminal" first encountered in The Mummy Case , who harbors a desire to possess Amelia. Although he is included here under "Enemies", Sethos and the Emerson clan declare a sort of truce, when it is revealed that Sethos is Emerson's illegitimate half brother in He Shall Thunder in the Sky . He is a master of disguise, able to take on almost any personality. He specializes in stealing and selling artifacts, though eventually he uses these talents as an agent of British intelligence. Father of Maryam (Molly).
Bertha
Daughter of a German father and an Egyptian mother, she first appears in The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog as a henchwoman of the villainous Vincey, but later founds her own criminal gang, composed mostly of women. A formidable foe of the Emersons, she particularly hates Amelia, possibly in jealousy over Radcliffe and Sethos. After working briefly with Sethos, she becomes independent again. She is killed ( The Ape Who Guards the Balance ) after trying to assassinate Amelia. Mother of Maryam (Molly) and Justin.
Matilda
Bertha's bodyguard and right hand. Intelligent, ruthless, and terrifyingly strong.
"Justin"
Bertha's daughter by Vincey, aka Schlange, a prostitute and later a criminal mastermind in her own right. Adept at disguise; appears in Children of the Storm as a young, disturbed boy. Never reveals her true name. Dies when she blows up her dahabeeyah.
Jamil
Abdullah's nephew and Jumana's brother. Cunning but volatile. First appears in Lord of the Silent ; dies in The Golden One .

Based on real persons

Archaeologists

Politicians and military officers

Footnotes

  1. ↑ It is stated in Guardian of the Horizon that "Ramses had just celebrated his twentieth birthday" at the end of July 1907.
  2. ↑ In The Mummy Case , Lia is said to be four years old in June 1894.

Related Research Articles

Amelia Peabody Emerson is the protagonist of the Amelia Peabody series, a series of historical mystery novels written by author Elizabeth Peters. Peabody is married to Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson and has one biological child, Walter "Ramses" Peabody Emerson.

Professor Radcliffe Archibald Emerson, M.A. Ox., D.C.L. (Ox.), L.L.D. (Edinburgh), F.B.A., FRS, FRGS, MAPS, Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Member of the American Philosophical Society, is one of the main characters in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series by author Elizabeth Peters. He is an Egyptologist who is typically addressed as Professor, although he hates his first name and prefers to be called "Emerson." For his explosive temper and dynamic use of language, his Egyptian friends and employees have nicknamed him Abu Shitaim, "Father of Curses".

<i>The Curse of the Pharaohs</i> (novel) Book by Barbara Mertz

The Curse of the Pharaohs is a historical mystery novel by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1981 and the second in the Amelia Peabody series of novels; it takes place in the excavation season of 1892–1893.

<i>The Mummy Case</i> Novel by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Mertz)

The Mummy Case is the third of a series of historical mystery novels written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring the character Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 1985. The story is set in the 1894–1895 dig season in Egypt.

<i>Lion in the Valley</i> Novel by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Mertz)

Lion in the Valley is the fourth novel in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 1986. The story is set in the 1895–96 dig season in Egypt.

<i>The Deeds of the Disturber</i> Novel by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Mertz)

Deeds of the Disturber is the fifth in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and first published in 1988. It features fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. This is the only book in the series which takes place entirely in England, mainly in London in Summer 1896.

<i>The Ape Who Guards the Balance</i> Book by Elizabeth Peters

The Ape Who Guards the Balance is the tenth in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1998, and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1906–1907 dig season in Egypt.

Sethos is the nom de guerre of the shadowy "Master Criminal" in the Amelia Peabody series of historical mystery novels.

<i>The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog</i> Novel by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Mertz)

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog is the seventh in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional archaeologist and sleuth Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 1992. The story is set in the summer of 1898 in England and the 1898-1899 archaeological dig season in Egypt.

<i>The Hippopotamus Pool</i> Novel by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Mertz)

The Hippopotamus Pool is the eighth in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and first published in 1996. It features fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1899-1900 archaeological dig season. Although one review found the novel "heavy handed" in its style, while recognizing the many fans of this series, other reviewers enjoyed the wit, the "melodramatic 19th-century writing style" and the dandy "romantic nonsense".

<i>Seeing a Large Cat</i> 1997 novel by Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Mertz)

Seeing a Large Cat is the ninth novel in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1997. The story takes place in Egypt during the archaeological dig season of 1903-1904.

<i>The Falcon at the Portal</i> Book by Barbara Mertz

The Falcon at the Portal (1999) is the 11th in a series of historical mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1999. It features fictional archaeologist and sleuth Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1911–1912 dig season in Egypt.

<i>He Shall Thunder in the Sky</i> Book by Elizabeth Peters

He Shall Thunder in the Sky is the 12th in a series of historical mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 2000, and featuring fictional archaeologist and sleuth Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1914–15 dig season in Egypt.

<i>Lord of the Silent</i> Book by Barbara Mertz

Lord of the Silent is the 13th in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 2001. The story is set in the 1915–1916 dig season in Egypt.

<i>The Golden One</i> (novel) Novel by Elizabeth Peters

The Golden One is the 14th in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 2002. The story is set in the 1916–1917 dig season in Egypt.

<i>Children of the Storm</i> Book by Barbara Mertz

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<i>Guardian of the Horizon</i> 2004 novel by Elizabeth Peters

Guardian of the Horizon is one of a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and published in 2004. It features fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1907–1908 dig season in Egypt. This places it chronologically between the 10th and 11th novels, although it is 16th in order of publication.

<i>Tomb of the Golden Bird</i> Book by Barbara Mertz

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The Amelia Peabody series is a series of twenty historical mystery novels and one non-fiction companion volume written by Egyptologist Barbara Mertz (1927–2013) under the pen name Elizabeth Peters. The series is centered on the adventures of the unconventional female Egyptologist Amelia Peabody Emerson, for whom the series is named, and an ever-increasing number of family, friends, allies, and characters both fictional and based on historical figures. The novels blend mystery and romance with a wryly comic tone, and at times also parody Victorian-era adventure novels such as those written by H. Rider Haggard. The series was published between 1975 and 2010, with the final, posthumous novel appearing in 2017.

Evelyn Emerson is a fictional character from the Amelia Peabody series of historical mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters. She is the closest friend, and later sister-in-law, of the protagonist, fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody.

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