Airtight Case: A Lindsay Chamberlain Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Beverly Connor (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lindsay Chamberlain | Publication Date: October 15, 2002

Another winner in a consistently strong series." —Booklist "Airtight Case ranks, hands down, as Connor’s best, most perfect mystery novel to date." —Crescent Blues Book Reviews

In a seemingly random event, forensic anthropologist Lindsay Chamberlain is attacked and left for dead. Buried in a shallow grave in the woods, she manages to escape, although she suffers from loss of memory as a result of the ordeal. When Lindsay’s memory returns, it is incomplete. She copes with the trauma by ignoring it, and she allows the authorities to handle the investigation. As the probe quickly comes to a dead end, however, the assault looms like a dark cloud over her peace of mind. Lindsay joins excavations at an 1830s farm site on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Unlike previous digs where Lindsay has worked, this site is an unhappy one. Crew members are on edge and argue among themselves, and the site director takes an instant dislike to Lindsay. Furthermore, the principal investigator is under suspicion of murdering a local resident and stealing valuable papers from her. If that weren’t enough, Lindsay and the crew are lodged in a haunted house, and even though she is the only crew member who doesn’t believe in ghosts, she is the only one who sees them. When very old sealed lead coffins dating from the 1700s are discovered, Lindsay becomes so excited with the discovery that she momentarily forgets her own troubles. However, her relief is short-lived, for inside one of the coffins are the disturbing remains of a woman who has something frighteningly in common with Lindsay. Then when one of the crew disappears, no one but Lindsay is worried or seems to care. If she doesn’t figure out what’s happening around her, she might lose her sanity, or worse, her life.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Returning from a conference, archaeologist Lindsay Chamberlain is captured on a lonely stretch of highway and buried alive. She escapes, recovers from amnesia, and joins a dig at a pioneer settlement in the Smoky Mountains. Everything is fine until it appears that there is a haunted house on the settlement, and its ghosts are after Lindsay. Plot and pace are even tighter here than in Connor's last Chamberlain novel, Skeleton Crew [BKL S 15 99]. All of the regular characters show continued growth as they tangle with two of the meanest killers imaginable. The mystery itself proves difficult to solve, and it is nicely incorporated with poignant profiles of mountain people, an appealing ghost story, and some fascinating reflections on amnesia. As always, the archaeological details--whether the trappings of a traditional dig or the lowdown on the latest space-age tools--are both integral to the action and fascinating in themselves. Another winner in a consistently strong series. John Rowen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Connor has written a wonderful, fresh and exciting mystery that will garner her new readers seeking previous Chamberlain novels. -- Midwest Book Review, Dec. 2000

Connor's books are a smart blend of Patricia Cornwell, Aaron Elkins, and Elizabeth Peters, with some good, deep-South atmosphere to make it authentic. -- Oklahoma Family Magazine, August 2000 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (October 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581822952
• ISBN-13: 978-1581822953
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,137,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will there be more Lindsay books?, July 28, 2001

By 

Jen (Costa Mesa, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Airtight Case: A Lindsay Chamberlain Novel (Lindsay Chamberlain Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Someone recommended this series to me and since I'm on summer break I just plowed through all 5 books. I sincerely hope to be reading Lindsay's adventures for years to come. There's a whole planet for her to excavate and find mysteries to solve. The worst part about finishing Airtight Case was knowing that I didn't have another Beverly Connor novel to read after this one!

Connor does a great job of exploring the fascinating world of Archaeology and manages to create interesting characters that she reintroduces with each book. The surrounding characters grow along with her protagonist, Lindsay Chamberlain, a highly intellegent, well-educated, and curious archaeologist.

I hope Connor has more ideas for Lindsay Chamberlain's adventures and her publisher has the foresight to see them put into print.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really well designed mystery, October 29, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Airtight Case: A Lindsay Chamberlain Novel (Lindsay Chamberlain Mysteries) (Hardcover)

The man claimed to be her fiancé coming to take her home from the hospital in Mac's Crossing, Tennessee. Mark Smith insists she is Lisa Christian, an amnesia victim. The woman feels that this is not right and refuses to go with him. All she knows is that she needs to escape and stay free until her memory returns.

As her mind begins to recall events, forensic anthropologist Lindsay Chamberlain joins a dig in the Great Smoky Mountains. However, the attitude of the crew is ugly and the excavation is stunned by a murder. Also hanging over Lindsay's head is the team of thugs trying to inter her permanently.

AIRTIGHT CASE is a fabulous mystery starring a strong character. The opening scenes are tremendous, as readers will believe Lindsay suffers from memory loss. The story line continues on its powerful path as Lindsay begins to recover bits of her memory including being buried in a grave. Though the climax is quite good, the ending still is not quite on the same level of super-excellence as most of the novel is9although it is very well done). Beverly Connor has written a wonderful, fresh and exciting mystery tale that will garner her new readers seeking previous Chamberlain novels (see RUMOR OF BONES and DRESSED TO DIE, etc.).

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I stayed up until 3 in the morning finishing this book --, July 15, 2004

By 

M. C. Crammer (Decatur, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Airtight Case: A Lindsay Chamberlain Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

On a weeknight. Knowing I had to get up and go to work in the morning. So be warned -- start this book when you know you'll have to read it nonstop (like a beach?)

It took about one sentence for me to get into the book. The action begins immediately -- archeologist Lindsay Chamberlain is in a hospital with amnesia, and some guy who claims to be her fiance wants to take her home, but she knows something's wrong and tries to get away from him... well, you get the idea.

Before long, the action shifts to an archeological dig in Tennessee just outside Smoky Mountains National Park. The crew on the dig are having major problems with a horribly belligerant site manager and lots of in-fighting. Somehow or another, these two stories have to come together, and they do, around archeologist Lindsay Chamberlain.

I highly recommend this book -- I think it's the best book I've read so far this year.