Reviewed By Liz

ISBN 1-59058-342-6

Faye Longchamp and Joe Wolf Mantooth return in Effigies, the third book by Mary Anna Evans. Faye and Joe are part of a team excavating a site in Mississippi in advance of road construction. But as soon as they arrive on the site, they notice a very intriguing mound on a neighboring property. When the leader of the team abruptly approaches the property owner, Carroll Calhoun, and asks about excavating the possibly ancient Native American mound, Calhoun is outraged and tries to destroy the mound rather than tolerate people on his property. The situation quickly gets out of hand as the archaeologists and local Choctaw try to protect the mound and its history and Calhoun and his fellow farmers try to protect his property rights. An impasse is reached, but Calhoun is murdered that night.

Unable to proceed with excavating the mound, the archaeologists relax at night at the Neshoba County Fair. There they hear an impassioned speech by a former resident of the area, later a Congressman, who is seeking the identities of two men – one tried to kill him many years ago and the other who saved him. His story intrigues Faye and Joe and they offer to help him in his quest. The fact that he passed a large mound during his escape strongly hints that he may have been nearby their current excavation site on the night of his ordeal.

Evans is an excellent writer who loves her subject and it shows in her characters and settings and in the way she draws the reader into the world of history and archaeology. However, this book has a few very awkward moments when she needs to introduce specific pieces of information. The coincidence factor is too high and the reader is pushed out of the story as they question the credibility of the turn of events or changes in characters. However, the book is still a very good read.

Favorite character? Joe. Did I guess it? Mostly. Will I read another? Yes.

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

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