THE LAUGHTER OF DEAD KINGS, By Elizabeth Peters

Vicky Bliss, museum curator and involuntary art sleuth without peer, is at it again, this time in the shadow of her lover John Tregarth (aka Sir John Smythe, legendary and supposedly-retired art thief) whose fingerprints may be all over the heist of a famous pharaoh’s remains from the Valley of the Kings. Grand Master Peters, another without compare (how many books has she published, anyway?), has set up a delicious tale involving Vicky, her dumpling of a boss Schultz (with a surprise up this sleeve), a seductive American agent (CIA, FBI, ATF?), a sneaky cousin, stressed authorities, devious plots, and last-minute surprises. This is a solid 4, the perfect weekend read.

Comments