Faye Longchamp has lost nearly everything, except for her quick mind and a grim determination to keep her ancestral home, Joyeuse, a moldering plantation hidden along the Florida coast. No one knows how Faye's great-great-grandmother Cally, a newly freed slave barely out of her teens, came to own Joyeuse in the aftermath of the Civil War. No one knows how her descendants hung on to it through Reconstruction, world wars, the Depression, and Jim Crow, but Faye has inherited the island plantation—and the family tenacity.
When the property taxes rise beyond her means, Faye sets out to save Joyeuse by digging for artifacts on her property and the surrounding national wildlife refuge and selling them on the black market. A tiny bit of that dead glory would pay a year's taxes, and a big, valuable chunk of the past would save her home forever. But instead of potsherds and arrowheads, she uncovers a woman's shattered skull, a Jackie Kennedy–style earring nestled against its cheek bone. Faye is torn. If she reports her find, she'll reveal her illegal livelihood, thus risking jail and the loss of Joyeuse. She doesn't intend to let that happen, so she probes into the dead woman's history herself, unaware that the past is rushing toward her like a hurricane across deceptively calm Gulf waters.
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"It's geared to a younger audience, but I like them anyway. Love this genre and I thought it was pretty good. Began listening to the book as I started my trek from Tennessee to Florida and it was the perfect length. It ended as I was pulling into my parking space at home. :) I love mysteries and archeology. This was both."
— Katlaya (4 out of 5 stars)
“Artifacts is a haunting, atmospheric story in which a mysterious island holds the clue to long-buried family secrets. Mary Anna Evans brings passion and insight to her subject and has written a modern southern gothic novel about a biracial woman’s search for her heritage.”
— P. J. Parrish, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author“The shifting little isles along the Florida Panhandle—hurricane-wracked bits of land filled with plenty of human history—serve as the effective backdrop for Evans’ debut, a tale of greed, archaeology, romance, and murder.”
— Publishers Weekly“Evans introduces a strong female sleuth in this extremely promising debut, and she makes excellent use of her archaeological subject matter, weaving past and present together in a multilayered, compelling plot.”
— Booklist" First in a fun series. Hits all the things I love: mystery, characters who are easy to identify with and care about, archeological information, interesting settings. I've read the entire series on my Kindle and enjoyed every word! "
— Kat, 2/8/2014" I really liked this book. Excellent pacing of the story, solid character development, fascinating history woven in while a decades old murder is being solved by the very likeable heroine. And then there was a hurricane...Great book! Looking forward to continuing the series. "
— Amanda, 2/7/2014" It was a little slow to start but got better, looking forward to the next one. "
— Anne, 2/7/2014" I really liked this book. The characters seem authentic and while things move slowly, looking back that seems to be the right pace. "
— Wendy, 2/3/2014" Very interesting book. Much better than I thought it would be. I really didn't want to put it down but I had too many other interruptions. I will diffinately read more of Ms Evans books. "
— Darlene, 2/2/2014" I enjoyed it but for some unknown reason I have no desire to read any more in the series. "
— Mel, 2/1/2014" A fabulous mystery with a great sense of place and a nice use of history and archaeology. Also a story about identity and being comfortable with who you are. "
— Jenny, 1/19/2014" Pretty good. I enjoyed it and would recommend it. "
— Stacey, 1/19/2014" it seem long at times. it was ok.. "
— Mitch, 1/9/2014" It's not something I would normally read but it wasn't that bad. "
— Victoria, 12/25/2013" Good start to a series set in the Florida panhandle. Interesting main character and I enjoyed the historical/archaeological angle. I already bought the next book in the series. "
— Donna, 12/23/2013" Not a bad first in series, although I still have mixed feelings about Faye's character...the whole book and premise seemed rather surreal. Will read on and hope to get more of a grasp on her next time 'round. "
— Spuddie, 12/7/2013" The first in the series. I enjoyed it tremendously. Both for the archeological background and for the fun of reading a book that mentions both Panacea AND Sopchoppy, Fl. (Yes, they are real towns) "
— Deborah, 11/28/2013" Very good for a first novel. A likable main character facing a series of challenges in saving her ancestral home at any cost. Looking forward to reading the next installment in the series. "
— Steph, 10/5/2013" Mary Anna Evans, FREE on Kindle. I love a mystery series with fresh characters and an exotic, well-drawn setting. This has both. You can't help but root for Faye Longchamp as she fights for her heritage and solves a mystery as well. Very entertaining. "
— L.T., 9/15/2013" I really enjoyed this book though at times I thought the plot was a little weird. The book kept my interest and at times I couldn't put it down. "
— Donna, 9/12/2013" Heavy foreshadowing, but a different take on the local mystery genre. "
— Marybeth, 9/8/2013" This was a great mystery and my third good book in two days. It required a lot of knowledge of archaeology, history, geography and anthropology, plus the ability to create complex characters and unveil them gradually. I read this through in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed myself. "
— Kirsten, 6/16/2013" A good read. Think this was the first in a series. I read one previously and gave it 1 star and no explanation. Seems harsh. "
— Ruth, 3/30/2013" I liked this one much more than I thought I would! "
— Shelley, 2/16/2013" Just discovered Faye Longchamps...... learning about archaeology and solving mysteries. "
— Clare, 1/3/2013" A light fun summer read "
— Lisa, 12/30/2012" A Florida archeology student struggles financially to save her legacy and sustain herself with the bare boned necessities of life. While working on a dig, students disappear and unexpected graves turn up. Faye tries to determine if there is some connection. "
— Gretchen, 12/21/2012" I enjoyed this book a lot. The writer really brought the area alive for me and made me care not just about her protagonist but also her home. "
— Kendall, 11/27/2012" I really wanted to love this book. Sadly I just never connected with the characters or the story. "
— Karla, 11/2/2012Mary Anna Evans is the author of the Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries, which have received recognition including the Benjamin Franklin Award, the Mississippi Author Award, and three Florida Book Awards bronze medals. She is an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she teaches fiction and nonfiction writing.
Cassandra Campbell has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and the prestigious Odyssey Award for narration. She was been named a “Best Voice” by AudioFile magazine and in 2018 was inducted in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.