Order of Elizabeth Peters Books

If you’ve ever felt the thrill of solving a mystery from the comfort of your armchair or imagined yourself brushing dust off ancient relics in the burning Egyptian sun, then chances are—you’ve met Elizabeth Peters, or rather, the brilliant mind behind that name.

Born as Barbara Louise Mertz on September 29, 1927, in Canton, Illinois, Elizabeth Peters wasn’t just a writer; she was a scholar, a humorist, and a master of suspense cloaked in archaeological charm. But here's where the story gets ironic—instead of becoming just another academic tucked away in dusty university libraries, Mertz used her doctorate in Egyptology (yes, she had a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, 1952) to do something most wouldn’t dare: bring the ancient world into popular fiction.

And how did she do that?

By adopting the pen name Elizabeth Peters, she created one of the most iconic female sleuths in literary history—Amelia Peabody, a feisty Victorian-era Egyptologist who could wield a parasol and a pistol with equal flair. And yes, she gave Sherlock Holmes a run for his money…with a dash more eyeliner and far more sand.

But the twist?

Elizabeth Peters wasn’t just Elizabeth Peters.

She also wrote romantic suspense as Barbara Michaels and published non-fiction under her real name, Barbara Mertz. A literary triple-threat who kept readers hooked across genres, she juggled archaeology, gothic suspense, and dry humor with effortless elegance. Her characters were bold, witty, and dripping with intelligence—much like the author herself.

What makes her life even more ironic—and quite epic—is how she transformed her deep academic knowledge into riveting page-turners. While many scholars remained confined to academia, Mertz took the highbrow world of ancient texts and turned it into bestselling mysteries accessible to millions. She made hieroglyphs hot and archaeology exciting without a single fedora-wearing action hero (though Amelia Peabody might argue she was one).

Elizabeth Peters wrote more than 35 novels, with her Amelia Peabody series standing as a hallmark of historical mystery fiction. These weren’t just books—they were time machines wrapped in clever plots, spiced with danger, and powered by characters that refused to play by the rules of their time.

She passed away on August 8, 2013, at the age of 85, but don’t think for a second that her stories are done. Readers around the world still get lost in her desert adventures, fall in love with her fearless female protagonists, and laugh out loud at her razor-sharp wit.

Why Elizabeth Peters Still Matters

Because in a world of predictable thrillers and recycled tropes, Elizabeth Peters was one of a kind. She made intelligence thrilling. She made ancient ruins seductive. And she proved that a woman with a Ph.D. in Egyptology could outwit criminals, charm readers, and build an empire of stories that would live far beyond her final chapter.

If you haven’t read her yet—beware. One page in, and you might just find yourself booking a flight to Cairo, wearing linen in October, and imagining that every suspicious character in a museum has a secret worth killing for.

And trust us—Amelia Peabody would approve.