This is a bit of little weight fun! Amelia Peabody (isn’t that a fabulous moniker?) considers herself a spinster at 32 years of age: ‘why should any independent, intelligent female choose to subject herself to the whims and tyrannies of a husband?’ This is set in Victorian England, so Amelia’s choice to travel rather than settle into domestic bliss is seen as quite bizarre.

Amelia finds herself a suitable companion in Evelyn Barton-Forbes and together they set off on their Egyptian adventure, sailing on the Nile and exploring all things archaeological, and before they know it, they are being menaced by a moaning mummy and wonder if they have been cursed.

The book was written in 1975, and Amelia is feisty, independent and ahead of her times with plenty of feminist ideals. However, she is often hampered by her clothing - she is constantly finding herself tangled in her nightwear, or tripping over her long dresses. Then she discovered the Rational Dress League (look them up, they did exist!) and had a dress made to their specifications, which included a ‘divided skirt’ - shocking! However, her clothes seem to be a constant constraint in this book. And Evelyn, however sweet and kind, is more hindrance than help, always fainting and having to be rescued.

There are some wonderful moments that made me laugh, mostly to do with the ridiculous constrains placed on women of the time. And the silly behaviour of men trying to be ‘manly’. There is an element of Dudley Do-Right in their behaviour, and I kept waiting for someone to say ‘I’ll save you Nell’!

I did enjoy Crocodile on the Sandbank, but it felt a little dated. The romance element was certainly rather silly, and the suspense was….well, not very suspenseful! In fact, I think this book would appeal to younger readers who like romantic-suspense novels.