Amelia Peabody, her beloved Emerson, and the rest of her extended family are back for a 19th adventure. The years in 1910, and Amelia and Emerson are preparing for another expedition to the Middle East, though this time, they will not be in their beloved Egypt. Instead, they are planning to work in Palestine, largely because they have been banned from Egypt by the Antiquities Service becomes of prior disagreements.

They are not the only archaeologists eying sites in Palestine. They are planning on following Major George Morley has a theory that the Ark of the Covenant may be in the area of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Emerson and Amelia's interest in the amateur archaeologist is not solely in regard to his historical hunt. Instead, there is a concern that Morley may be working as a spy for the Germans, who seem to have a growing connection to the Ottoman Empire, of which Palestine is a territory. The patriotism and archaeological skills of the Emersons make them perfect choices for just an assignment as the British secret service wants to get the scoop, protect important historical sites, and avoid any awkward entanglements that could occur in such a volatile region.

Rameses, Amelia and Emerson's son,finds himself on a bit of a side adventure when he is kidnapped. In the process, he is able to obtain some important information that his parents will need for their assignment, but getting that information to them will be quite the challenge. Will he escape in time to contact them? Will the Emerson-Peabody clan be able to sort out what they need to protect their home and adopted countries?

Reading a book from this series is always like visiting old friends. Amelia and Emerson are a model Victorian/Edwardian couple. Readers have seen Ramses and his adopted sister Nefret grow and mature. Their cousins Lia and David have followed suit, allowing the next generation to follow in the steps of their intelligent, talented, and problem-solving parents.

As with some of the more recent books in the series, Peters has pulled her characters away from a basic mystery, though a body definitely turns up. Instead this novel brings them into the world of political and military intrigue. That does not make the book any less interesting, and a change of pace can always be a little refreshing. Fans of the series will love this new addition, and newcomers will probably find it an interesting introduction.