Faye Longchamp, back in school to pursue her archaeological aspirations, has landed a job as chief archaeologist for a rural development project, so she heads to the hills of Alabama with Joe, her Cherokee assistant. She's looking forward to a legitimate dig and hopes to uncover the mystery of the Sujosa, an ethnic group of mysterious origin. The Sujosa have lived in Alabama's most remote hills for centuries and have shown an impressive immunity to many diseases, including AIDS.
Late one night, Faye awakens 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. The suspicious death leads Faye to a different sort of investigation. Then within days, a teenage boy jumps from a cell phone tower that, when completed, will connect the Sujosa with the outside world. Now Faye must use her professional and personal skills to identify the killer and discover the long-buried secret of the Sujosa as well.
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"This is the second installment of the Faye Longchamp series. While admittedly darker than the first, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending actually surprised me. I guessed wrong about who was behind the misdeeds in the story, which made the book all the more impressive to me."
— Stephanie (4 out of 5 stars)
“Faye Longchamp, girl archaeologist, is…in charge of finding the origins of an ethnic group of people in the Alabama hills… Soon, Faye is fighting for her own life against someone who doesn’t want the secrets of the Sujosa revealed. A fascinating look at contemporary archaeology but also a twisted story of greed and its effects.”
— Dallas Morning News“Evans’ second archeological mystery is every bit as good as her debut, Artifacts…Faye makes a compelling heroine, and she’s supported by an interesting array of suspects…Transcripts of Dr. Martinez’s interviews scattered throughout the narrative provide important clues for the discerning reader.”
— Publishers Weekly“The locale is wonderfully described and beautifully etched for the reader. A compelling read that holds the reader's attention throughout.”
— Midwest Book Review“Evans delivers a convincing [story] with life-sized, unique characters, not the least of whom is Faye’s Indian sidekick, Joe. The archaeological adventures are somewhat reminiscent of Tony Hillerman’s Jim Chee mysteries. While the story is complex, Relics will engage the imagination of readers attracted to unearthing the secrets of lost cultures.”
— School Library Journal“Evans combines a fascinating plot and an appealing investigator. As in Artifacts, the first in the series, the remote setting engenders an eerie sense of isolation and otherness that gives the story an extra dimension. Recommend this steadily improving series to female-sleuth fans or those who enjoy archaeology-based thrillers like Beverly Connor's Lindsay Chamberlain novels.”
— Booklist" This was an appealing book for me because of the combination of history, anthropology and archeology. "
— Janine, 12/1/2013" Excellent mystery with rich characters and surprises. I love books that are deep with characters and that I cannot figure out until near the end. This series is full of them. "
— Laura, 10/30/2013" A good read about an ancient geneological tribe of people living in the South-a sequal to Artifacts, an archeological dig and mystery around an ancient homestead on a secluded island near Mississippi. "
— Jane, 9/21/2013" Relics and Artifacts are a sequal-both interesting if interested in archeology and geneology. "
— Jane, 9/18/2013" Pretty good. I enjoyed it and would recommend it. "
— Stacey, 9/13/2013" Catherine thinks she is behind....I just started Mary Anna's second book. I am enjoying it! "
— Kristi, 9/8/2013" She is a good author because her characters are so interesting. She writes about the south. I especially like her offbeat leading male character, Joe. He is unusual in that he is a throwback to the way Native American people lived and is adapting that way of life to his own. "
— Jandrews, 9/3/2013" This series featuring archaeologist and amateur sleuth Faye Longchamp is really well written and entertaining. I'm surprised it isn't better known. "
— Glenn, 6/6/2013" Good solid mystery "
— Kari, 5/26/2013" Mystery takes place in Tuscalosa, AL....if it werent for the tornado that just hit that area, I'd not know where it was located! Faye helps at an archaeological site only to find corruption, murder and mayhem! 2nd book in series "
— Deb, 3/6/2013" Perfect for a genealogist but with some interesting twists and turns for everyone. "
— Charley, 3/4/2013" Second book in the series. Very interesting read; Faye and her adventures may become favourites "
— Deborah, 1/13/2013Mary 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.