This is a collection of three short stories written by Elizabeth Peters. As a teenager, I enjoyed the books she wrote under the pen name Barbara Michaels, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I read one of her Amelia Peabody books (which really didn't grab me).

"Liz Peters, PI" is about a woman crime fiction writer/private investigator who has a friend drop dead in front of her in her own home. I loved the voice of Liz and laughed when she invoked the name of "St. Kinsey." This is a Christmas-themed story and did warm my heart.

"The Locked Tomb" is one of her ancient Egyptian-themed mysteries involving the robbery of a sealed tomb. I found this to be the least enjoyable of the three, primarily because it was so easy to deduce who robbed the tomb and how.

The third story is "The Runaway," about two teenage girls who ran away from home and have sought shelter in a derelict farmhouse out in the country. Not only did I like the voice of the younger sister, but I also found the story to be creepy and perfect for Halloween reading.

Did these stories tempt me to continue to read Elizabeth Peters? Only time will tell! ( )