The Falcon at the Portal (1999) is the 11th in a series of historical mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1999. It features fictional archaeologist and sleuth Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1911–1912 dig season in Egypt.
Reviewers of this novel found it well-written with rich characters, and the mystery was solved, yet found the ending unsatisfactory, or in the words of one, the novel demands a sequel.
Explanation of the novel's title
The title of the book refers to Harakhte, also known as Horus of the Dawn, son of Osiris. After passing through the underworld, he emerged through the "portal of the dawn" into a new day.
At the end of the book, Amelia dreams of Abdullah, who tells her: "The worst of the storm is yet to come, Sitt. You will need all your courage to survive; but your heart will not fail you, and in the end the clouds will blow away and the falcon will fly through the portal of the dawn."
Plot summary
A collector of Egyptian antiques visits the house in Kent in fall 1911, asking Emerson for a second opinion on a recent purchase. It is a fake; the visitor wants Emerson to buy it in return for silence on its source. The seller said it came from David Todros, selling his grandfather Abdullah’s collection. Thus begins the case to be solved: who wants to ruin David’s reputation while selling fakes as if true antiques? The Emersons opt not to tell David or Nefret, in this week before David’s wedding with Lia Emerson. Ramses will investigate the extent of items sold under this wholly false provenance.
The wedding takes place at the country estate of Walter and Evelyn Emerson, parents of Lia. Three guests travel from Egypt (Selim, Daoud, and Fatimah), and Cyrus and Katherine Vandergelt come from America. The newlyweds leave on their honeymoon, with plans to meet Amelia, Emerson and Ramses in Egypt.
Not invited to this wedding was Percy Peabody, offensive and evil nephew of Amelia. Percy published his memoir of one visit with his aunt in Egypt, entertaining due to his exaggerations and lies, written in grandiose style. Quotes from the fictional book open the chapters.
Arriving in Alexandria, Amelia is not pleased to see nephew Percy, in the uniform of the Egyptian army.
Emerson chose to excavate at Zawyet el'Aryan, south of the great pyramids of Giza. They take a villa in the area, near the tram between Cairo and the pyramids. New acquaintances Jack Reynolds, young Egyptologist, and his sister Maude, are neighbors. Geoffrey Godwin, another young Egyptologist, worked with Jack the previous season, in that area. Maude has set her sights on Ramses, from first meeting. He is not similarly attracted, still in love with Nefret, but never confessing his feelings. Geoff is attracted to Nefret. Geoff mentions meeting David, the newlywed archaeologist, last season.
They settle in quickly, in the villa and at the dig.
Nefret opened a clinic for women, particularly those forced into prostitution. A female physician staffs it. Nefret and Ramses meet Percy outside the clinic, where Nefret explodes at Percy about men’s role in prostitution.
Emerson and Amelia meet Karl von Bork, again working at a dig.
They begin listing possible suspects, narrowing to a man who is young, English or European, archaeologist, familiar with the Emerson family. A talented artist may also be involved.
Ramses seeks Wardani, a leader in the Egyptian nationalist movement, to emphasize the risks to David at the moment, given the harsh British policies on the movement. Alone on the boat, Nefret is accosted by Percy; in her efforts to get rid of him, she spills a secret tied to Ramses which may lead to more trouble for Ramses.
Someone shoots at Amelia as she rides on horseback from villa to the dig. Ramses adds that the perpetrator of the forgeries is living locally. He wants to seek more help from friends in finding the culprit, which is agreed.
A support fails in a grave, covering Ramses in the collapse. Ramses is unhurt. When Cyrus and Katherine arrive, the Emersons call a meeting with them, Selim and Daoud to discuss the forgery problem and the incidents so far. Cyrus suggests a focus on the dig site hiding something, which proves a wise insight.
After Christmas, starting to work inside the pyramid one morning, Ramses sees trouble. The body of Maude Reynolds is at the bottom of the shaft. She had been murdered; her body was brought to their dig. Her brother is distraught. Friend Geoff makes clear to Amelia his attraction to Nefret; he has already proposed to her and been turned down.