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Civil War battles. Old letters pointing the way to buried treasure. Grave robbers. A love that transcended time. It sounds all so much more exciting than FINDINGS delivers. The fourth in the Faye Longchamp archeological mysteries starts with our heroine washing off the results of her latest dig, a huge emerald. Although it's technically hers – it was recovered from a dig on her own family's lands – she is willing to donate it to her friend Douglass' museum. But that night, Douglass' home is broken into, his possessions trashed, and he is beaten to death. Faye is ready to blame herself for putting him in the path of robbers, but whoever did it not only missed the emerald, they left behind rare art and other artifacts. When the mess is cleaned up, the only things missing are the least valuable ones on the property, a couple of Faye's books of field notes. What kind of robber would miss jewelry in their rush to take descriptions of archeological digs? Answering that question will lead Faye into the lives of her Civil War ancestors, Civil War re-enactors, Confederate politics, and the path of someone who is willing to kill to ensure that she leaves the past alone. This book never quite gelled into a compelling read for me. The author seems more interested in romance than action; in most of the text we're discussing Faye's love life or Faye is examining Civil War letters between a husband and wife. Even Douglass' murder is told more from the point of view of his widow than from what actually happened. It's also not a book for re-enactors; throughout it, Civil War re-enactors are generally classed as foolish amateurs with no grasp of or respect for real history. If you're looking for a leisurely read with a moderate puzzle, you may be entertained, however.
Reviewed by Linnea Dodson, July 2008
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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