He Shall Thunder in the Sky (Amelia Peabody Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have one bit of caution to share with you. If you have not read any of the books in the series, DO NOT START WITH THIS ONE! The reason I say that is because much of the pleasure of this book comes from the admiration you will have for the skillful development of this plot in building on many prior books. Without reading the earlier books, you will not fully appreciate the plot development in this one. And that would be a shame because this plot is masterful!

The setting for this book is wonderful: Egypt just before the Ottoman empire attacks the Suez Canal with German help near the beginning of World War I. Everyone is on edge. No one is who they seem to be. Ramses is shamed in public for his pacifist feelings by being treated as a shirker. Ladies give him white feathers to protest his lack of military service. David has been sent to India until the war is over to keep him from helping the Egyptian independence movement. Lia is pregnant and awaiting their child in England. Wardeni is hiding from the authorities who wish to arrest him. Letters are censored. Uniformed men are everywhere. Soldiers are dropping like fall leaves on the Western Front.

Because Germans are no longer welcome in Egypt, Emerson has finally gotten a good site to excavate. Soon, that site will yield unexpected returns. But the War intrudes in many ways.

Many important characters from the past return to haunt the Peabodys such as Wardeni and the Master Criminal, Sethos. Lurking in the background is the ambiguous role of Percy.

Emerson, Amelia, Nefret, and Ramses confide in each other even less than usual so there are a lot of mysterious comings and goings to keep you intrigued. Throughout the process, their relationships strengthen in new and important ways. These developments promise important new opportunities for future plots when the series continues in the next book. You will be wondering what will come next quite a bit after reading He Shall Thunder in the Sky.

Some of the important themes that are developed in this book concern loyalty, brotherhood, charity, family, love, duty, honor, and being true to oneself. Rarely will you find a mystery that will extend into such fundamental and important topics as these areas.

But be sure to pay attention to a mysterious little story that begins the book. It connects into a very important mystery that is resolved just at the end of the book. Keep looking for the initial story's importance throughout and you'll enjoy the book even more.

I cannot praise this book highly enough. The dialogue is wonderful, the plot fascinating, the suspense is palpable, the historical backdrop is magnificent, and the exploration of the themes is masterful. Elizabeth Peters is at the top of her form!

I would tell you more about the plot, but you'll enjoy it more by reading this book without advance warning of what comes next.

After you finish reading the book, carefully consider the relationships you have with those you care about, and ask yourself what important things you have not told each of them. Then, please do tell them.