I am new to reading mysteries outside of those written by agatha christie. I picked up this book because I was intrigued to read about a smart and clever art historian as detective and also because this book seemed to get so many good reviews.

I am close to the end but so far it has been a total letdown. ugh!!! vicky is a big blond ditz who spends more time worrying about her hair and clothes than in learning about the suspects she is hired to find or about the art treasure she gets to visit. (there is very little info on the artwork at all, which was a letdown as I am a nerd and like learning about that stuff.)

vicky is not a sleuth! she needs to get rescued by a big strong man left and right. she can't figure out anything for herself. everything is spelled out for her, and for the reader, except that I was pretty much able to guess the guilty parties from the start. it isn't that hard!

the big mystery here is wondering why we are following such a vacant vicky around? why not a character who is informed and observes things?

the soap opera romance is cliche. this book is a bit of a letdown if you are hoping for a gripping intelligent thriller.

reader beware!

I have no idea where do those 5 stars from the numerous reviews come from. This book is closer to a soap opera then to a serious mystery novel. It reminds me little of M.C. Beaton novels, only that in my opinion those are significantly more enjoyable to read. Perhaps it has been a mistake to start with a 5th book in the series, if the 1st book in the series comes my way I will give it a try, if only to verify that the rest is not much better then the 5th. I guess these books are targeted towards female audience.
On the other thought, I might give this author miss in a future it took a considerable effort to get to the end of this book. Not my cup of tea.

I love this author. Her writing is whitty, and intelligent. I am also a great fan of her other mystery series.

Where, oh where, is another Vicky Bliss novel? Although I'm a major fan of the Amelia Peabody series, beginning with Crocodile On A Sandbank, I'm also a fan of Vicky Bliss (is it just me, or do others find her last name amusing, given her determination to be taken seriously?). Vicky and her fellow characters are an incredible bunch, and I've always enjoyed her adventures. This time it's off to Egypt, where she begins to doubt her own sanity, and as always, the sincerity of her some time lover, John Smythe. But fear not, gentle reader, all will be explained. Usually with the wit and humor this series is famous for. Elizabeth Peters writes wonderfully amusing dialogue, and the scenes crackle. My only complaint is that we haven't seen Vicky in a long time, and I, for one, miss this series. This one is a roller coaster in the manner of Indiana Jones. Don't miss this one, it's a real treat for fans!

Elizabeth Peters is one of the best authors I have read any books from, ever. In Night Train to Memphis, which was the first one I read in the Vicky Bliss series, I became absolutley hooked. Imagine my joy then, when I found that she had four more in the series, beginning with Borrower of the Night, proceeding to Street of Five Moons, which is succeeded by Silhouette in Scarlet, to Trojan Gold, and then back to Night Train to Memphis. It is much better to read them in order, I have learned, but it's ok if you've already started. I have read them all maybe 100 times and still love them. I have my fingers crossed and hands entwined in prayer that she will write another Vicky Bliss. To tide you over, I highly reccomend her Amelia Peabody Series, which starts with Crocodile on the Sandbank and has many things in them that are so fun to read in the Vicky Bliss books, such as the wit and strong female character.

and have many interesting adventures there.

In this 1994 adventure, the 5th, and unfortunately latest, in the Vicky Bliss series Dr. Vicky Bliss is approached to foil a planned robbery of Egyptian artifacts from the Cario museum. She is asked to pose as an expert on a Nile cruise, a cruise geared for amateur Egyptolists. Vicky protested her unsuitablity for this assignment until she realized that the suspected thief was none other than her sometime lover, the mysterious "Sir John Smythe".

Naturally Vicky does join the group, and does find her lover there - along with his mother and new bride. The adventure then takes off at a typical Peters breakneck pace, filled with bodies, false identities, lies, wild chases through the desert night, fantastic escapes and....well if you've read any of Peter's work you get the picture and if you haven't you should, just don't start with this one.

For fans of Peter's work there are many wonderful little treats in this one, John claims a name from his past as his own, hints at a long family connection to Egypt (could his real last name be Emerson?), Schmidt is developed as more than a cardboard comic character, a husband and wife Egyptologist team of the past century is mentioned and a 'writer of popular Egyptian mystery adventures' makes a cameo apprearance.

This is a particularly fun read, only marred by the fact that it is the last Vicky Bliss - so far - I refuse to give up hope!

I'm so delighted that I discovered these Vicky Bliss mysteries. The characters are good and Elizabeth Peters always provides fascinating settings for her stories.

In NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS, Vicky Bliss is asked by a police agency to be a part of a tour group as they cruise down the Nile River seeing the beautiful monuments and ancient pyramids of Egypt. The police suspect that some professional thieves will be on board and hope that Vicky can assist in identifying them. The characters are diverse and of course, Sir John Smythe also shows up for the tour. Vicky's dismayed to find him using a different name and traveling with a sweet young woman. Just a few months before the tour, John and Vicky had resumed their love affair and now she's thoroughly confused by the way that he's acting. There are a lot of surprises in this story.

I found it amazing to see that out of 32 reviews on this book, 30 reviewers gave this story a Five Star Rating. That has got to be some kind of a record. It shows what an excellent writer that Elizabeth Peters is and how she always delivers great fiction.