Elizabeth Peters' "The Hippopotamus Pool" was a good idea poorly executed. The novel's plot is full of intrigue - from the opening scene, the reader is kept on her toes. Emerson and Peabody are met by a man cloaked in black silk who claims that he is the reincarnation of the Ancient Egyptian queen Tetisheri. This mysterious man fakes a seizure, assaults Emerson, and leaves without a trace - except for the clue of his golden hippopotamus-adorned ring. From there, our favorite family is off to Egypt to sail up the Nile in search of a sealed burial tomb, the dream of all Egyptologists. Throughout their journey, Emerson, Peabody, Ramses and Nefret are faced with several little mysteries. From kidnappings to evil antiquities dealers, there is never a dull moment on our excursion to Egypt. Half of the family's tribulations stem from them not knowing just who they can trust, and when...The novel's main drawback comes from Mrs. Peabody's asides. She has a habit of droning on little details about the people that surround her. While cute at first, two dozen glowing descriptions of her husband Emerson's chiseled features do nothing to speed up this 447-page tome. The book drags a fair amount once the family arrives in Egypt and never regains its original pace. Overall, this is an enjoyable book that is a sure hit for any budding Egyptologist.