Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: Crocodile on the Sandbank
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Published: 1975
Length: 290 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters’ most brilliant and best-loved creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeology by storm with her shocking men’s pants and no-nonsense attitude!

In this first adventure, our headstrong heroine decides to use her substantial inheritance to see the world. On her travels, she rescues a gentlewoman in distress – Evelyn Barton-Forbes – and the two become friends. The two companions continue to Egypt where they face mysteries, mummies and the redoubtable Radcliffe Emerson, an outspoken archaeologist, who doesn’t need women to help him solve mysteries — at least that’s what he thinks!

How and when I got it:

I bought a used paperback edition at least five years ago.

Why I want to read it:

I’m wracking my brain trying to remember how I first heard of this book. I feel pretty certain that it was recommended by an author I follow (Gail Carriger? Dana Stabenow?), enough to make me want to check it out.

The Goodreads reviews are really mixed, but I have a feeling that’s because the book was first published in 1975, so I’m sure the subject matter and style feel a bit dated by now. But, if you weed out the comparisons to more recent fiction, the reviews tend to be more upbeat, praising the writing, the setting, and the lead character.

I really like the sound of the plot, with mummies and Egyptologists and potential curses. While I don’t often gravitate toward mystery series (this is the 1st in a series of 20 books), this book does sound like a fun, engaging read.

What do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

• Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
• Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
• Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!