Status
Available
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Publication
HarperCollins
Description
Fiction. Literature. Mystery. HTML: On a trail that leads from modern wonders to ancient mystery, a determined young woman and an arrogant "prince" must uncover shocking secrets carefully guarded in a beautiful Danish city. Elizabeth Jones, vacationing from her New York publishing job, is off to do touristy things in Denmark: gawk at the Little Mermaid, stroll in the Tivoli ... look for a missing person? By a strange twist of fate�??and luck�??the plane ride introduces Elizabeth to her idol, Nobel Prize�??winning historian and famed eccentric Margaret Rosenberg, as well as to her long-suffering but handsome son, Christian. But luck can change in an instant. Margaret soon vanishes in Copenhagen, so Elizabeth joins the irascible Christian in searching the city, from underground crypts to the graves of queens. What they encounter is a baffling ransom demanding a bathrobe, not money, and what they dig up will connect a modern disappearance with an ancient artifact, along with the oldest of motives for cr… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ewalrath
I think I may be forgiven the use of the god-awful word "romp" when describing this book. Because that is was it is. A joyful romp through Denmark in pursuit of love and a woman with a penchant for strange clothing.
LibraryThing member jguidry
This was an okay cozy mystery. It was very predictable in parts. Some of the characters were way out there and the plotline was more of a slapstick comedy, but overall Peters kept the story and the characters together. Fortunately, this is not a series, if it was I don't think I'd continue with it.
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But, I'm not sorry I read this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member thornton37814
Elizabeth Jones finds herself on the same plane to Denmark with her favorite writer Margaret Rosenberg and her son Christian. When an accident incapacitates Margaret's secretary, Elizabeth offers to help. When Margaret disappears, Elizabeth and Christian team up to find her without a clue what they
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are up against. It's a a mediocre read with a plot that is sometimes hard-to-follow. This is not one of Peters' better books. Show Less
LibraryThing member miyurose
This was basically a cute little caper with a convenient romantic entanglement. Not as well-written or in depth as Peters’ Amelia Peabody series, but an entertaining read none-the-less.
LibraryThing member antiquary
A rater naïve young would-be poet who works at a publisher because it publishers her favorite author goes on holiday to Denmark and on the way meets the said author, an eccentric historian/novelist, and her disagreeable nephew. Shortly after reaching Copenhagen the novelist disappears and the
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young woman and the nephew have to seek her. Show Less
LibraryThing member mutantpudding
Decent, but kinda overly complex yet also not thought out. I love Elizabeth Peters but not one of her best. it was ok.
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
I'm not at all sure what to say about this book. It's ... not great. Definitely not one of Peters' best by a long shot, but it's oddly readable.
The MC, Elizabeth, is on the plane, on her way to Denmark for a long awaited vacation, when she spots her literary idol on the plane too. In an effort to
This whole setup is the most improbable part of the story. From here it devolves into the author going missing - did she leave on her own or was she kidnapped? - being spotted in various disguises around Copenhagen, threatening notes, ransom demands, kidnapping and, of course, romance. With the tall, taciturn, jackass of a son. What Elizabeth sees in him I haven't a clue, because even when he's saving her (just the once, and not really), he's a pompous braggart. This one definitely falls into the 'ludicrous' category of romantic adventure.
Still, Peters' has a way about her writing, so that even when it's bad, it's not DNF bad. In this particular example I can't guess what that way is, because really, the characters weren't that great, and got knows the plot was ... dumb. Yet I kept reading it, and I wasn't yelling at it, or even complaining. Smirking ... there was an above average amount of smirking. Think of it as an entertaining read in the way old 'B' movies are entertaining. No value, but not the worst way you could waste a few hours.
The MC, Elizabeth, is on the plane, on her way to Denmark for a long awaited vacation, when she spots her literary idol on the plane too. In an effort to
Show More
meet her, Elizabeth contrives to make an idiot of herself (sorry, I don't understand fandom), but she does get to meet her. Upon dis-embarking the flight, the author's secretary suffers an 'accident' that breaks her arm, and Elizabeth is there to offer her temporary services. Did I mention the author's son is traveling with her? The tall, good-looking, yet taciturn son?This whole setup is the most improbable part of the story. From here it devolves into the author going missing - did she leave on her own or was she kidnapped? - being spotted in various disguises around Copenhagen, threatening notes, ransom demands, kidnapping and, of course, romance. With the tall, taciturn, jackass of a son. What Elizabeth sees in him I haven't a clue, because even when he's saving her (just the once, and not really), he's a pompous braggart. This one definitely falls into the 'ludicrous' category of romantic adventure.
Still, Peters' has a way about her writing, so that even when it's bad, it's not DNF bad. In this particular example I can't guess what that way is, because really, the characters weren't that great, and got knows the plot was ... dumb. Yet I kept reading it, and I wasn't yelling at it, or even complaining. Smirking ... there was an above average amount of smirking. Think of it as an entertaining read in the way old 'B' movies are entertaining. No value, but not the worst way you could waste a few hours.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
Elizabeth Jones who works as an assistant at a publishing company in New York has saved up for a couple of years to take her dream trip to Denmark. She really wants to see the Little Mermaid statue and has pored over all the guidebooks to plan her trip. Her trip doesn't start out very well since
She makes an embarrassing approach which winds up with her spilling coffee into Rosenberg's son Christian's lap and slinks back to her seat. However, they are destined to meet again at the baggage claim when she witnesses an accident which happens to Rosenberg's secretary. Both to spend more time with her idol and because her boss who is Rosenberg's publisher would like it, she volunteers to fill in for the secretary who has a broken arm.
Being in close proximity to Margaret lets her see all of Margaret's eccentricities and makes her understand why Christian might be such an uptight sort of man. He recruits her to help ride herd on Margaret. However, she barely gets started in the job when Margaret disappears from the hotel suite.
Elizabeth and Christian begin a hunt all over Denmark to try to find his missing mother. Who hasn't been kidnapped but has taken off on her own for reasons she hasn't shared with her son. There are villains who want to find Margaret and get something she has. Elizabeth and Christian keep running into them in their pursuit of Margaret.
The story is packed with action. I did feel that the romance between Elizabeth and Christian was a little too insta-love to be believable though. Going from sniping at each other to love seemed awfully fast. The characters were otherwise interesting and well-rounded.
Grace Conlin did the narration. She wasn't the best at the male voices and sometimes I was confused about whether Elizabeth or Christian was doing the talking. She did a great job with the pacing and the suspense though.
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her seatmate is determined to tell her all about her family's medical issues in great detail. When Elizabeth escapes to the restroom, she discovers that her literary idol Margaret Rosenberg is on the same flight. She makes an embarrassing approach which winds up with her spilling coffee into Rosenberg's son Christian's lap and slinks back to her seat. However, they are destined to meet again at the baggage claim when she witnesses an accident which happens to Rosenberg's secretary. Both to spend more time with her idol and because her boss who is Rosenberg's publisher would like it, she volunteers to fill in for the secretary who has a broken arm.
Being in close proximity to Margaret lets her see all of Margaret's eccentricities and makes her understand why Christian might be such an uptight sort of man. He recruits her to help ride herd on Margaret. However, she barely gets started in the job when Margaret disappears from the hotel suite.
Elizabeth and Christian begin a hunt all over Denmark to try to find his missing mother. Who hasn't been kidnapped but has taken off on her own for reasons she hasn't shared with her son. There are villains who want to find Margaret and get something she has. Elizabeth and Christian keep running into them in their pursuit of Margaret.
The story is packed with action. I did feel that the romance between Elizabeth and Christian was a little too insta-love to be believable though. Going from sniping at each other to love seemed awfully fast. The characters were otherwise interesting and well-rounded.
Grace Conlin did the narration. She wasn't the best at the male voices and sometimes I was confused about whether Elizabeth or Christian was doing the talking. She did a great job with the pacing and the suspense though.
Show Less
Original publication date
1982
DDC/MDS
| Fic Mystery PetersEz |