Have you read any of the Elizabeth Peters 'Amelia Peabody' books? The series starts in the 1890's (from memory) and goes through to the early 1920's.
Amelia and her archeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are forever engaging with all types of crooks, scoundrels and archeological 'finds' in Egypt. The books are written in a wonderfully witty style.
I used to eagerly await for the next in the series to be published.