Author(ess) Elizabeth Peters / Barbara Michaels dead at 85

Cafe Society
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NEW YORK (AP) — Barbara Mertz, a best-selling mystery writer who wrote dozens of novels under two pen names, has died. She was 85.

Mertz died Thursday morning at her home, in Frederick, Md., her daughter Elizabeth told her publisher HarperCollins.

Mertz wrote more than 35 mysteries under the name Elizabeth Peters, including her most popular series about a daring Victorian archaeologist named Amelia Peabody. She also wrote 29 suspense novels under the pen name Barbara Michaels, and under her own name, she wrote nonfiction books about ancient Egypt.

StG

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Damn.

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I really love her books. I think she’s about the first mystery writer I read, can’t remember why now. I know I gave one of her books to my 2nd cousin who loved it too.

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I loved her books, the Barbara Michaels a little more than the Elizabeth Peters. I am really sorry to hear this.

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Aw, man! I love her books, under both names (haven’t read the nonfiction ones). I was always hoping she’d write another Jacqueline Kirby story.

:(:frowning:

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I loved her Barbara Michaels books. Quality light reading.

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This makes me sad. I loved the Barbara Michaels books, but I had no idea she was also Elizabeth Peters! I have heard of Peters but never read any of her books, now I need to go check them out. Amazon here I come…

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i really enjoyed her books. amelia peabody was a fantastic character.

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Oh, sorry to hear this. I enjoyed both her Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters books. Amelia Peabody is a hoot, and Ammie, Come Home was one of the best ghost stories I’d come across at that time. I figure I’ll do a reread of them all come long winter nights. Reasonably smart, fun popcorn reading. So many books, and only a few of them were clunkers.

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I’ve read most of the Elizabeth Peters books, but I’ve never tried Barbara Michaels. I thought she was a romance novelist. Not that there isn’t a strong romance theme in the Elizabeth Peters novels, but I don’t think of them as romancey.

If I were to start with Barbara Michaels, any recommendations?

StG

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Sad to hear. I really like her Amelia Peabody books.

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I loved House of Many Shadows and Patriot’s Dream.

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I preferred her writings on Ancient Egypt history and archeology. Sad to hear of her passing.

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The Camelot Caper, The Copenhagen Connection, Houses of Stone, and Summer of the Dragon are all EXCELLENT. I can second Aimee, Come Home, as well as its sort-of-sequels Shattered Silk and Stitches in Time. Then there’s The Love Talker, and Devil May Care, and Vanish With The Rose… really almost anything she’s written as Barbara Michaels is good.

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Most, but not all, of the Barbara Michaels novels have a paranormal element, as well as romance, so be aware of that. Most of them aren’t as funny as the Elizabeth Peters books, either. Any humor is very low-key. I think Ammie, Come Home is the best. It was written and published in the 1960’s, so references to ironing hair and mini-skirts may amuse you.

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I first read Ammie, Come Home as a Readers Digest Condensed Book when I was a kid, and fell in love. I bought it about a year ago for my Kindle, and it’s still wonderful.

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I’ll miss her. I love her books. Shattered Silk (Barbara Michaels) is on my reread list. It’s very creepy.

Of the Elizabeth Peters books, I like Vicki Bliss and Legend in Green Velvet. Odd tidbit about Legend in Green Velvet is that there is a character named Ewan MacGregor (which I imagine is a more common name in Scotland.)