The Hippopotamus Pool is the eighth in a series of mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody

Amelia Peabody

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

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Explanation of the novel's title

The title of the book comes from an ancient Egyptian tale about warring princes Apophis and Sekenenre, wherein Apophis sends Sekenenre a message: "The roaring of the hippopotami in your pools prevents me from sleeping! Hunt them and kill them, that I may rest." There are also several references to the goddess Taueret, who is represented as a hippo.

As Amelia tries to untie the mystery of who is doing what to whom, she and Nefret begin to refer to Riccetti's group as the "Hippopotamus Gang".

Plot summary

Amelia and Emerson are in Cairo to greet the 20th century, when a mysterious Mr. Shelmadine presents them with a gold ring from a unknown tombe bearing the cartouche of Queen Tetisheri. The same Shelmadine then goes in a fit that spell out a new case for Amelia. Not even this time will Amelia's archeological season be left alone by criminals and tomb robbers. Only this time she's up against two unknown parties, one to save, one to avenge.

This book also introduces David Todros, Ramses's lifelong friend and partner in crime. Evelyn and Walter Emerson come back to the land of the pharaohs for the first time since their romance in the ruins of the heretical pharaoh's city, Amarna.