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Elizabeth Peters

エリザベス・ピーターズ

Erizabesu Pītāzu

Aliases: Barbara Mertz / Barbara Michaels
Pen Names: Elizabeth Peters（Pen name used for the Amelia Peabody series and many mysteries）, Barbara Michaels（Pen name used for gothic and supernatural themed novels）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1927-09-29 （Canton, Illinois, United States）
Died
2013-08-08 （Frederick, Maryland, United States） age 85
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Chicago, Illinois (study and academic work) → Frederick, Maryland (later-life residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Egyptologist
Active Years
1964-2010
Affiliations
Editorial advisory board member of KMT magazine, James Henry Breasted Circle, Oriental Institute (University of Chicago)
Memberships
Editorial advisor, KMT magazine, James Henry Breasted Circle, Oriental Institute (University of Chicago)
Influenced By
John A. Wilson

Education

University of Chicago
Oriental Institute / Near Eastern Studies / Egyptology
Degree: Ph.D.
Period: 1946-1950
Year of Graduation: 1950
Country: United States
Studied under John A. Wilson and earned a Ph.D.

Awards

Anthony Award — Grand Master
1986
Category: Grand Master
Organization: Bouchercon / Anthony Awards
Result: Winner
Anthony Award — Best Novel (nomination)
1988
Work: Trojan Gold
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Bouchercon / Anthony Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel
1989
Work: Naked Once More
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Winner
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
1991
Work: The Last Camel Died At Noon
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
1992
Work: The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
1994
Work: Night Train to Memphis
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
1997
Work: Seeing a Large Cat
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
1998
Work: The Ape Who Guards the Balance
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
2000
Work: He Shall Thunder in the Sky
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Anthony Award — Best Novel (nomination)
2000
Work: He Shall Thunder in the Sky
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Bouchercon / Anthony Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Best Novel (nomination)
2002
Work: The Golden One
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Nominee
Agatha Award — Non-Fiction
2003
Work: Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium
Category: Non-Fiction
Organization: Malice Domestic / Agatha Awards
Result: Winner
Edgar Award — Criticism/Nonfiction (nomination)
2003
Work: Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium
Category: Criticism/Nonfiction
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: Nominee

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Crocodile on the Sandbank

1975 Mystery / Historical fiction

Introduction to the Amelia Peabody series: Amelia travels to Egypt, combining archaeology, adventure and mystery.

Ancient EgyptArchaeologyFamily and detective work
Translations
  • Translated into Japanese by Nobuko Aoyagi (Gentosha/Harashobo reference in Japanese source, 2011)

Naked Once More

1989 Mystery

A Jacqueline Kirby mystery with gothic overtones, featuring investigations around houses and personal relationships.

GothicDomestic secretsMystery

Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium

2003 Non-fiction / Companion

Compendium about the Amelia Peabody series including background, setting details and explanations related to Egyptology.

Series companionEgyptology

Bibliography

  • Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs (1964)
  • Red Land, Black Land (1978)
  • Crocodile on the Sandbank (1975)
  • A River in the Sky (2010)
  • Naked Once More (1989)

Adaptations

  • TV movie 'The House That Would Not Die' (based on Ammie Come Home / also known as A House That Would Not Die; starred Barbara Stanwyck)

Translations of Works

  • Crocodile on the Sandbank — Japanese translation by Nobuko Aoyagi (Harashobo/Genbun reference in source, 2011)
  • Naked Once More — Japanese translation by Yoshinobu Tamura (Tokuma Bunko, 1993)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Witty, clear first-person narrationHistorical mystery grounded in archaeological detail
Recurring Motifs
Ancient Egypt and excavationsFamily teamworkStrong female protagonist (Amelia Peabody)

Legacy

Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Mertz / Barbara Michaels) combined scholarly Egyptological knowledge with popular historical mystery, creating the widely beloved Amelia Peabody series. She received multiple awards and nominations in the mystery field and is regarded as a leading figure in novels that blend archaeology and detective fiction.

Academic Societies

  • Editorial advisor, KMT magazine
  • James Henry Breasted Circle, Oriental Institute (University of Chicago)

In Popular Culture

  • The Amelia Peabody series is highly regarded among historical mystery fans; its mix of academic detail and humor has influenced other writers in the genre.

Trivia

  • Birth name Barbara Mertz.
  • Published under multiple pen names including Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters.
  • Earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago at age 23.
  • The name Amelia Peabody was inspired by names in the author's family.