Relics (Faye Longchamp Mysteries, No. 2) [Paperback]

Mary Anna Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 9, 2007

Faye Longchamp, back in school to pursue her dream of becoming an archaeologist, has been asked to run a project for which she is barely qualified, under the direction of a man who doesn't seem to like her much. Her assignment: to uncover the origins of a mysterious ethnic group. The Sujosa have lived in Alabama's most remote hills for centuries and have shown impressive immunity to many diseases...including AIDS. Late one night, Faye awakes to find the house in flames. She saves herself and one of her housemates. But her friend Carmen, the project historian, never had a chance. Then within days, an 18-year-old boy jumps from a cell phone tower that, when completed, would connect the outside world to the Sujosa community.... Mary Anna Evans has degrees in physics and chemical engineering, but writing about archaeologist Faye Longchamp lets her indulge her passion for history, archaeology, science, and architecture. Relics is second in this award-winning series, after Artifacts, and followed by Effigies and Findings. www.maryannaevans.com

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Evans' second archeological mystery is every bit as good as her debut, Artifacts (2003). Soon after archeologist Faye Longchamp joins a team in rural Alabama researching the "Sujosa," an isolated dark-skinned people with Caucasian features and an unusual resistance to AIDS, she discovers that the man in charge of the project has made a hash of the preliminary dig. Faye determines to prove her own worth by planning the excavation of a more likely site, but she gets sidetracked when an act of arson kills Dr. Carmen Martinez, an oral historian who was gathering old tales and songs to learn about the group's mysterious origins. The apparent suicide of an 18-year-old Sujosa boy deepens the puzzle. Faye makes a compelling heroine, and she's supported by an interesting array of suspects, though her making use of some conclusions she's jumped to about the Sujosa to unmask the murderer may strike some readers as a stretch. Transcripts of Dr. Martinez's interviews scattered throughout the narrative provide important clues for the discerning reader.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–Evanss Artifacts (Poisoned Pen, 2003) introduced readers to Faye Longchamp, detective and archaeologist. Here, the woman is sent to a rural Alabama settlement to lead a team assigned to unearth the mysteries of the Sujosa tribe. The group is distinguished by a rare eye color and unusual immunity to diseases, especially AIDS. Not long after Faye arrives, an oral historian assigned to the archaeological dig dies in a fire of suspicious origin. Soon after, an 18-year-old Sujosa boy reportedly commits suicide. Now Faye suspects that there is much more intrigue in the tribes history and that a murderer lurking in the community is responsible for both deaths. Unless she can discover the secrets of the Sujosa, she is sure that she will be the next target. Evans delivers a convincing read with life-size, unique characters, not the least of whom is Fayes Indian sidekick, Joe. The archaeological adventures are somewhat reminiscent of Tony Hillermans Jim Chee mysteries (HarperCollins). While the story is complex, Relics will engage the imagination of readers attracted to unearthing the secrets of lost cultures.–Catherine Gilbride, Farifax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (February 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590583620
• ISBN-13: 978-1590583623
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,144,215 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm the author of the award-winning Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries: ARTIFACTS, RELICS, EFFIGIES, FINDINGS, and FLOODGATES. The sixth in the series, STRANGERS, will be published in October.

I'm a a chemical engineer by training and license, with a degree in engineering physics thrown in for spice, but I love reading about history and writing about an archaeologist. Truth be told, I'm a little jealous of Faye and her archaeological adventures.

I enjoy reading, writing, gardening, spending time with my family, cooking, and playing my 7-and-a-half-foot-long monster of a grand piano. My cat helps me write, so I should probably put his name on my books. Check them out here on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.