Barbara Mertz received her doctorate in Egyptology from the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago at the age of 23. Since then, she has written more than 60 novels of mystery and suspense and three works of nonfiction. Her books about Egypt--Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs and Red Land, Black Land--have been in print for 30 years and are considered basic works for beginning students. Completely revised and updated editions are being published by Morrow. Mertz is better known in some circles as Elizabeth Peters, author of more than 30 mystery novels, many of which make use of her academic training. As Barbara Michaels, Mertz is the author of more than two dozen novels of romantic suspense, several of which have been New York Times bestsellers.

She lives in an old farmhouse in the Maryland countryside, and her two children are grown and married, with children of their own. In her spare time, she collects vintage clothing, cats in all forms and a variety of other objects. Her hobbies include gardening, reading, music, embroidery and long conversations with fellow mystery writers.

On your nightstand now:

Law in Action by Macauley, Friedman, & Mertz (Okay, I'm reading it because my daughter is one of the editors); The Bronte Encyclopedia by Louise and Robert Barnard; Lord Peter by Dorothy Sayers; and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Favorite book when you were a child:


Probably Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery



Your top seven authors:

Dickens, Austen, Twain, Renault, Isak Dinesen, Tolkien, Loren Eiseley

Book you've faked reading:

Mark Twain by Ron Powers. I love Twain and it's a great book, but for some reason I ran out of steam about halfway through.


Book you are an evangelist for:

Anything by Terry Pratchett


Book you've bought for the cover:

None. What am I, illiterate?

Book that changed your life:

Three. History of Egypt by J. H. Breasted pulled me into Egyptology, which has been a life-long obsession; The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan; and Dracula by Bram Stoker (I didn't realize until years later that it was the godfather of Barbara Michaels).


Favorite line from a book:

"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."--The Book of Matthew

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque