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Faye Longchamp #5
Floodgates
2011 - Mississippi Author Award Winner "Evans has written a fascinating tale linking the history of New Orleans' levee system to the present and weaving into the story aspects of the city's widely diverse cultures." ― Booklist STARRED review Centuries of tragedy shadow New Orleans: wars, slavery, and a monumental flood that killed a thousand people and still threatens to wash all that history away. Faye Longchamp and her team of archaeologists, fighting to save New Orleans' past, are horrified when they discover a corpse that's far too new to be an archaeological find. The police presume it's just another dead body in the long, sad sequence of bodies left by Hurricane Katrina, until Faye shows them a truth that only an archaeologist could see: the debris piled on top of the dead woman is all wrong. Someone brought Shelly Broussard to this flooded-out house and left her dead body behind. Faye and her assistant Joe Wolf Mantooth are drawn into the investigation by a detective who believes their professional expertise is critical to the case. They quickly learn that trouble swirled around the victim like winds around the eye of a hurricane. Is Shelly's heroic rescue work in the aftermath of Katrina the reason for her death? Or does the sheaf of photos in her work files hold the answer? Will Faye and Joe be the next victims engulfed in this deadly deception?
400 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2008
50 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
Mary Anna Evans
36 books458 followersMary Anna Evans is an award-winning author, a writing professor, and she holds degrees in physics and engineering, a background that, as it turns out, is ideal for writing her new book, The Physicists' Daughter. Set in WWII-era New Orleans, The Physicists' Daughter introduces Justine Byrne, whom Mary Anna describes as "a little bit Rosie-the-Riveter and a little bit Bletchley Park codebreaker."
When Justine, the daughter of two physicists who taught her things girls weren't expected to know in 1944, realizes that her boss isn't telling her the truth about the work she does in her factory job, she draws on the legacy of her unconventional upbringing to keep her division running and protect her coworkers, her country, and herself from a war that is suddenly very close to home.
Her crime fiction has earned recognition that includes the Oklahoma Book Award, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards Gold Medal, the Mississippi Author Award, a spot on Voice of Young America’s (VOYA) list of “Adult Mysteries with Young Adult Appeal,” a writer’s residency from The Studios of Key West, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the Florida Historical Society’s Patrick D. Smith Florida Literature Award, and three Florida Book Awards bronze medals.
In addition to writing crime fiction, she writes about crime fiction, as evidenced by the upcoming Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie, which she coedited with J.D Bernthal.
For the incurably curious, Mary Anna’s first published work, her master’s thesis, was entitled A Modeling Study of the NH3-NO-O2 Reaction Under the Operating Conditions of a Fluidized Bed Combustor. Like her mysteries, it was a factually based page-turner but, no, it’s not available online.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryAnnaEvan...
Twitter: @maryannaevans
Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/maryannaevans/
BookBub: @maryannaevans
When Justine, the daughter of two physicists who taught her things girls weren't expected to know in 1944, realizes that her boss isn't telling her the truth about the work she does in her factory job, she draws on the legacy of her unconventional upbringing to keep her division running and protect her coworkers, her country, and herself from a war that is suddenly very close to home.
Her crime fiction has earned recognition that includes the Oklahoma Book Award, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards Gold Medal, the Mississippi Author Award, a spot on Voice of Young America’s (VOYA) list of “Adult Mysteries with Young Adult Appeal,” a writer’s residency from The Studios of Key West, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the Florida Historical Society’s Patrick D. Smith Florida Literature Award, and three Florida Book Awards bronze medals.
In addition to writing crime fiction, she writes about crime fiction, as evidenced by the upcoming Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie, which she coedited with J.D Bernthal.
For the incurably curious, Mary Anna’s first published work, her master’s thesis, was entitled A Modeling Study of the NH3-NO-O2 Reaction Under the Operating Conditions of a Fluidized Bed Combustor. Like her mysteries, it was a factually based page-turner but, no, it’s not available online.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryAnnaEvan...
Twitter: @maryannaevans
Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/maryannaevans/
BookBub: @maryannaevans
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 15, 2015
Faye is in New Orleans this time, a few years post-Katrina, taking a break from her PhD work for a paying job running her own dig on the site of an old home. She has hired two local people to help her out - including a voodoo mambo who also happens to be Faye's landlord for the time she's spending in New Orleans. A young park ranger who works near her job site offers to show her the ongoing damage in his neighborhood and in the Lower 9, and while there, a group of kids on a volunteer clean-up crew accidentally uncover a skeleton. Joe is on his way to NO anyway to visit Faye, so the two - once again - become embroiled in a murder mystery that threatens their lives in the process.
I continue to just adore these characters and want to spend more time with them. Sure, the plots are formulaic, but so are pretty much all murder mysteries. I enjoy the plots, but I stay for Faye and her crew. The characters of this series have totally sucked me in, and adding in the setting of New Orleans - a city I LOVE - for this one just made it all the more fun.
I continue to just adore these characters and want to spend more time with them. Sure, the plots are formulaic, but so are pretty much all murder mysteries. I enjoy the plots, but I stay for Faye and her crew. The characters of this series have totally sucked me in, and adding in the setting of New Orleans - a city I LOVE - for this one just made it all the more fun.
August 1, 2019
This is another solid addition to the Faye Longchamp series. It involves the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when a dead body turns up in the wreckage of a house and Faye notices that the body is underneath heavy items, not on top. There's some danger involved, as always. And there's a lot of interesting, thoughtful detail about New Orleans, aerial photographs, and hurricane wreckage. The protagonist's long-running relationship with Joe develops a little more through the book as well, so this is a nice step forward in what I think will be a very long multi-volume life arc. I liked some of the supporting characters, like the police officer Faye deals with.
The writing is really solid and copy-editing is great. No typos that I spotted.
The writing is really solid and copy-editing is great. No typos that I spotted.
May 22, 2021
I'm a fan of Faye & Joe! . . . The agenda behind this mystery didn't grab me. Even though I spent time on a short-term team that flew to New Orleans to clean up after Hurricane Katrina. But no matter what, I enjoy this series.
September 24, 2020
I'm totally addicted to these books
March 11, 2022
"Centuries of tragedy shadow New Orleans -- wars, slavery, and a monumental flood that killed a thousand people and still threatens to wash all the history away.
"Faye Longchamp and her team of archaeologists, fighting to save New Orleans' past, are horrified when they discover a corpse that's far too new to be an archaeological find. The police presume it's just another dead body in the long, sad sequence of dead bodies left by Hurricane Katrina, until Faye shows them a truth that only an archaeologist could see: the debris piled on top of the dead woman is all wrong. Someone brought Shelly Broussard to this flooded-out house and left her dead body behind. Presumably, that someone was her killer.
"Faye and her assistant Joe Wolf Mantooth are drawn into the investigation by a detective who believes their professional expertise is critical to the case. They quickly learn that trouble swirled around the victim like winds around the still, quiet eye of a hurricane. Is Shelly's heroic rescue work in the aftermath of Katrina the key to her death? Or does the sheaf of photos in he work files hold the answer? Will Faye and Joe be the next innocents engulfed in this deadly deception?"
~~front & back flaps
As always, a real nail biter. Also as always, Joe throws himself into danger of dying without giving it another thought because there's someone to be saved. Or who might be saved if they're not dead already. And Faye throws herself in after him. Joe is more than her assistant ... he's her fiance. And he comes to see her in New Orleans with one question on his mind: "When, Faye? You said you'd marry me. When?"
That lietmotif runs silently throughout the book, as Faye & Joe are slowly dragged deeper & deeper into the puzzle of Shelly's death. Which, as usual, is the last person you'd suspect, in spite of the few oblique hints and clues.
"Faye Longchamp and her team of archaeologists, fighting to save New Orleans' past, are horrified when they discover a corpse that's far too new to be an archaeological find. The police presume it's just another dead body in the long, sad sequence of dead bodies left by Hurricane Katrina, until Faye shows them a truth that only an archaeologist could see: the debris piled on top of the dead woman is all wrong. Someone brought Shelly Broussard to this flooded-out house and left her dead body behind. Presumably, that someone was her killer.
"Faye and her assistant Joe Wolf Mantooth are drawn into the investigation by a detective who believes their professional expertise is critical to the case. They quickly learn that trouble swirled around the victim like winds around the still, quiet eye of a hurricane. Is Shelly's heroic rescue work in the aftermath of Katrina the key to her death? Or does the sheaf of photos in he work files hold the answer? Will Faye and Joe be the next innocents engulfed in this deadly deception?"
~~front & back flaps
As always, a real nail biter. Also as always, Joe throws himself into danger of dying without giving it another thought because there's someone to be saved. Or who might be saved if they're not dead already. And Faye throws herself in after him. Joe is more than her assistant ... he's her fiance. And he comes to see her in New Orleans with one question on his mind: "When, Faye? You said you'd marry me. When?"
That lietmotif runs silently throughout the book, as Faye & Joe are slowly dragged deeper & deeper into the puzzle of Shelly's death. Which, as usual, is the last person you'd suspect, in spite of the few oblique hints and clues.
December 24, 2021
I like this series-- the archeological and historical aspects make the books so interesting. This one was set in New Orleans, a city that intrigues me. I have never been there, but I was on a ship in the Atlantic during Hurricane Katrina, and it was rough seas. Waking up to the news that morning of a devestated New Orleans was heartbreaking (I had to ban myself from the television so I wouldn't cry my whole honeymoon). I liked learning more about the canals and levees that made the city possible. Also, I just really like Faye. Glad to see her and Joe progressing.
January 23, 2011
Faye Longchamp is working on a historical site that may or may not be the site of a former plantation next to a National Park, a battlefield in New Orleans that sits next to the Mississippi River. The story takes place post Katrina and the effects of Katrina on the residents can still be seen in their eyes, in their loss, and in their stories they have to share. One of the park rangers, a young man, agrees to take Faye to the ninth ward where so much damage was done and people are still living in their FEMA trailers two years later. Faye can't believe the complete devastation and that it is taking so long for insurance companies to declare these places condemned so they can start fresh. They encounter a church youth group trying to clear a house out of debris until they discover a body. When the police come, Faye has already used her scientific reasoning to decide it was murder and not drowning. The body was weighted down with dumbbells so it wouldn't float.
The police detective hires her as a consultant and they work together along with Joe who shows up a few days later after he gets a school break to help out.
During this time Joe and Faye along with one of Faye's co -workers,Nina almost drown in the Mississippi. Nina has to be hospitalized so she takes the time to do some "consulting" this time with Joe. But he is so fascinated with the way water flows away from the water and he and a writer are seemingly always discussing the early days of New Orleans and the sewage systems. In the meantime, the body has been identified as a fellow archaeologist that Nina knew well. She finds another archaeological team working another site and gets some insight into Shelly, the dead body. She had a good eye for spotting things no one else would see in aerial view photos and could pick out tiny details. And she worked for the company that Nina's boyfriend works for and after Katrina, they were all in the same place doing what they could to send rescuers to places where the aerial photos showed survivors. Shelly's parents didn't survive, rescuers didn't get to them in time. But, then Shelly survived Katrina, but died a few days later. Faye is sure the two are connected.
It's hard to have an archaeological dig in New Orleans. First off, it's below sea level, so pumps are used to keep water out of the dig sites. Then, pounded by several hurricanes and floods, sediment washes over the layers of dirt making it difficult to determine if the piece of pottery found is from some one's collection broken during Katrina and settled into the earth and washed over with sediment or if it belonged to the plantation site below it. I'm simplifying things as I am not an archaeologist, but you can imagine the trouble I'm trying to describe.
And then there is the personal relationship between Joe and Faye. They are engaged, but Joe is nine years younger than Faye and she feels the difference is a problem. None of the men in her family have ever stuck around, whether they left or were killed. She's throwing road blocks up to getting married and tells Joe Christmas, this novel is taking place in April. We get a rare insight into Joe's point of view and he says basically, "Hell no. I don't care how I have to convince her, but we aren't waiting that long." Faye has to come to terms to the fact that Joe loves her. His head doesn't turn at the women that look at him, it goes deeper than her skin. They almost think like a team and she learns that in this novel. It turns out nicely.
Again, no sex, not even a kiss, just part of the story.
The story has a great ending best last line ever! A must read if you enjoy this series!Another great mystery for anyone interested in the history of New Orleans, Katrina, early drainage systems in New Orleans, a good mystery and archaeology.
Remember, I started the series with the last book called Strangers. I posted that review July 6th of 2010 if anyone wants to read it. In that one, Faye is pregnant with their first child. I have no idea if that is their only child or not.
The police detective hires her as a consultant and they work together along with Joe who shows up a few days later after he gets a school break to help out.
During this time Joe and Faye along with one of Faye's co -workers,Nina almost drown in the Mississippi. Nina has to be hospitalized so she takes the time to do some "consulting" this time with Joe. But he is so fascinated with the way water flows away from the water and he and a writer are seemingly always discussing the early days of New Orleans and the sewage systems. In the meantime, the body has been identified as a fellow archaeologist that Nina knew well. She finds another archaeological team working another site and gets some insight into Shelly, the dead body. She had a good eye for spotting things no one else would see in aerial view photos and could pick out tiny details. And she worked for the company that Nina's boyfriend works for and after Katrina, they were all in the same place doing what they could to send rescuers to places where the aerial photos showed survivors. Shelly's parents didn't survive, rescuers didn't get to them in time. But, then Shelly survived Katrina, but died a few days later. Faye is sure the two are connected.
It's hard to have an archaeological dig in New Orleans. First off, it's below sea level, so pumps are used to keep water out of the dig sites. Then, pounded by several hurricanes and floods, sediment washes over the layers of dirt making it difficult to determine if the piece of pottery found is from some one's collection broken during Katrina and settled into the earth and washed over with sediment or if it belonged to the plantation site below it. I'm simplifying things as I am not an archaeologist, but you can imagine the trouble I'm trying to describe.
And then there is the personal relationship between Joe and Faye. They are engaged, but Joe is nine years younger than Faye and she feels the difference is a problem. None of the men in her family have ever stuck around, whether they left or were killed. She's throwing road blocks up to getting married and tells Joe Christmas, this novel is taking place in April. We get a rare insight into Joe's point of view and he says basically, "Hell no. I don't care how I have to convince her, but we aren't waiting that long." Faye has to come to terms to the fact that Joe loves her. His head doesn't turn at the women that look at him, it goes deeper than her skin. They almost think like a team and she learns that in this novel. It turns out nicely.
Again, no sex, not even a kiss, just part of the story.
The story has a great ending best last line ever! A must read if you enjoy this series!Another great mystery for anyone interested in the history of New Orleans, Katrina, early drainage systems in New Orleans, a good mystery and archaeology.
Remember, I started the series with the last book called Strangers. I posted that review July 6th of 2010 if anyone wants to read it. In that one, Faye is pregnant with their first child. I have no idea if that is their only child or not.
February 6, 2016
Faye is working an excavation on a battlefield in New Orleans some 3 years after Katrina. The battlefield had not been flooded in the storm but there were plenty of areas in the City that showed the devastation from the storm. In fact, a new body is found that seems to be related to Katrina. There haven't been any such discoveries in a very long time. It turns out that this is Shelly Broussard who, like Faye, was an archaeology student. Once it is determined that this was probably a murder rather than an accidental drowning, Faye and Joe get involved as consultants to Detective Jodi Bienvenu due to their knowledge and ability to analyze the land and aerial photographs. Things get pretty dangerous as they get closer to discovering what happened.
The story is interspersed with excerpts from a (fictional?) book titled The Floodgates of Hell that describes some of the history of New Orleans with some reminiscences of Colonel James McGonohan, an engineer, in 1876. These could have been quite a distraction if they hadn't been so interesting. The story as a whole teaches much about the current and past struggles of New Orleans and its unique relationship with water.
The mystery of the death of Shelley moves along well and there is the wonderful growth of the relationship between Faye and Joe. Evans does a great job with all of the characters in this well-written story.
The story is interspersed with excerpts from a (fictional?) book titled The Floodgates of Hell that describes some of the history of New Orleans with some reminiscences of Colonel James McGonohan, an engineer, in 1876. These could have been quite a distraction if they hadn't been so interesting. The story as a whole teaches much about the current and past struggles of New Orleans and its unique relationship with water.
The mystery of the death of Shelley moves along well and there is the wonderful growth of the relationship between Faye and Joe. Evans does a great job with all of the characters in this well-written story.
July 6, 2012
First Sentence: Faye Longchamp was surprised at herself.
I very much enjoyed the first book of this series “Artifacts” but haven’t been able to get into any of the others. For a book set in such an evocative location, there lacked a strong sense of place. It was only through Detective Jodi Bienvieu are we given any character of the atmosphere.
The romance between Faye and Joe took the story into the realms of romance, but not in a good way; the character of Joe a bit too perfect and the relationship a bit too gushy for me.
As to the plot, a rather large coincidence is the set up to the mystery. I did like that Faye’s training and profession lead her to think logically, rather than emotionally, about situations. Unfortunately there just wasn’t enough to keep me interested or involved.
I’m afraid this is an author who has fallen off my “read” list.
FLOODGATES (Unl. Invest-Faye Longchamp-New Orleans-Contemporary) - DNF
Evans, Mary Anna – 4th in series
Poisoned Pen Press, 2009
I very much enjoyed the first book of this series “Artifacts” but haven’t been able to get into any of the others. For a book set in such an evocative location, there lacked a strong sense of place. It was only through Detective Jodi Bienvieu are we given any character of the atmosphere.
The romance between Faye and Joe took the story into the realms of romance, but not in a good way; the character of Joe a bit too perfect and the relationship a bit too gushy for me.
As to the plot, a rather large coincidence is the set up to the mystery. I did like that Faye’s training and profession lead her to think logically, rather than emotionally, about situations. Unfortunately there just wasn’t enough to keep me interested or involved.
I’m afraid this is an author who has fallen off my “read” list.
FLOODGATES (Unl. Invest-Faye Longchamp-New Orleans-Contemporary) - DNF
Evans, Mary Anna – 4th in series
Poisoned Pen Press, 2009
November 28, 2009
The author of this novel is an engineer, so she was able to deal authentically with the engineering aspect of the levees in this New Orleans mystery and provide a retrospective history on them.
But that's not the only thing that's different about this post-Katrina book. There is a Voodoo mambo who is very well portrayed including a powerful ritual with great symbolism that is integral to the plot.
As a fan of this series, I was pleased with the relationship content. The central character, archaeologist Faye Longchamp, is finally getting it right romantically.
There is a revelation about an ancestor of Faye's. It's not unexpected, but I liked the way it was handled.
But that's not the only thing that's different about this post-Katrina book. There is a Voodoo mambo who is very well portrayed including a powerful ritual with great symbolism that is integral to the plot.
As a fan of this series, I was pleased with the relationship content. The central character, archaeologist Faye Longchamp, is finally getting it right romantically.
There is a revelation about an ancestor of Faye's. It's not unexpected, but I liked the way it was handled.
November 27, 2013
Perhaps I have become lackadaisical in regard to reading fiction. Based upon the quick and easy choices, reading something more in depth like this book takes more energy, thought, and time than I've been used to allotting to my reading. There were too many details flooding the first half of the book that were not directly related to the story line itself, which definately hindered my interest. I enjoy the characters that the author has developed in this series and the unusual teaching moments. Maybe I'm just worn out preparing for more than I'm used to during this holiday season.
June 3, 2017
Faye Longchamp is an archaeologist in charge of a dig near a Revolutionary War Battlefield in New Orleans. One of the friendly Park Rangers asks her if she would like to take a drive around post Katrina neighborhoods ravaged by the flood. She jumps at the chance and during their tour discovers an unrecovered body of a woman. The NOPD detective called to the scene is so impressed by her observations that she hires Faye as a consultant when it becomes clear that this was a murder and not a disaster victim.
May 16, 2019
In the course of an archeological survey in New Orleans, Faye Longchamp and her team discover a set of remains that appear to be yet another victim of Katrina. However, the body turns out to be Shelly Broussard, who was seen by many working on the post-Katrina rescue attempts by finding survivors using satellite images and data. The murder mystery is not so intriguing, but the engineer’s perspective on the history of the city and the failures that made the hurricane such a disaster are fascinating. The author is a genius at creating strong, smart, and likeable female characters.
September 14, 2017
Very suspense, crime fighting mystery. Faye goes beyond her abilities and tries to save everyone around her and gets injured sometimes as well. Very little romance in this series so far.
The story keeps you right in and you want to find out what is happening and who the killer is . .. you will find out closer to the end if you haven't gotten it figured out as you read. . . loved this ending looking forward to reading book 6...
The story keeps you right in and you want to find out what is happening and who the killer is . .. you will find out closer to the end if you haven't gotten it figured out as you read. . . loved this ending looking forward to reading book 6...
March 14, 2011
I listened to this book and could not stay engaged. After discussing the book at Orca I feel vindicated, the book was not engaging and was contrived, predictable and did not make sense.
May 21, 2020
As always you can’t go wrong reading a Faye Longchamp mystery. Love that it was set in New Orleans after Katrina. It explains a lot about the Levies
February 7, 2021
The 5th book in the Faye Longchamp series. Faye and Joe work on an archaeological project in New Orleans. Captivating setting. Interesting characters. Enjoyable.
December 15, 2022
Floodgates (Faye Longchamp mystery #5), Mary Anna Evans, 2009, 256 pages, ISBN 9781590585917
This one stands out for its setting in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Thirteen Faye Longchamp mysteries, as of 2022: https://www.orderofbooks.com/authors/...
1718. New Orleans was designed. book 5 p. 86.
Previous books in the series:
2005.08.29 Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrica... Levee failures: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_le...
Book 5, Floodgates
2008.01 Faye & Nina spend January poring over histories of New Orleans battlefield. book 5 p. 52
2008.02 Faye & Nina dig test pits. book 5 p. 52.
2008.03 Dauphine joins Faye's team. book 5 p. 52.
2008.05 events of book 5. p. 52. Nina Thibodeaux is age 37. p. 79.
Author's websites:
https://www.mswritersandmusicians.com...
https://maryannaevans.com/
https://www.ou.edu/gaylord/about/facu...
This one stands out for its setting in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Thirteen Faye Longchamp mysteries, as of 2022: https://www.orderofbooks.com/authors/...
1718. New Orleans was designed. book 5 p. 86.
Previous books in the series:
2005.08.29 Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrica... Levee failures: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_le...
Book 5, Floodgates
2008.01 Faye & Nina spend January poring over histories of New Orleans battlefield. book 5 p. 52
2008.02 Faye & Nina dig test pits. book 5 p. 52.
2008.03 Dauphine joins Faye's team. book 5 p. 52.
2008.05 events of book 5. p. 52. Nina Thibodeaux is age 37. p. 79.
Author's websites:
https://www.mswritersandmusicians.com...
https://maryannaevans.com/
https://www.ou.edu/gaylord/about/facu...
March 30, 2024
I found this book quite interesting. This is the 5th book in the series about Faye Long champ who's an archeologists. The place where she is digging now is in New Orleans, LA. It takes place some time after Hurricane Katrina. Faye and others are trying to preserve the history of New Orleans, LA. During the time they are working a body is found. It is quickly determined that this body was not a result of Hurricane Katrina. The body is more resent based on the items placed on top of the deceased. The sheriff realizes that Faye and Joe are some people who can offer good council to the police regarding this deceased person.
I found the information, described in this book, quite interesting about the damage that "Katrina" caused. There is much discussion about how those in charge to keep New Orleans
save from Hurricanes were remiss in their responsibilities. The agencies involved pressed for Faye and others to stop investigating the deceased. Another worker on the dig is seriously injured. Why? Who did this? For what purpose?
The continuing story centered around Faye and Joe's relationship. Joe wants to marry soon. Faye is dragging her feet. I am anxious to read the next book in the series.
I found the information, described in this book, quite interesting about the damage that "Katrina" caused. There is much discussion about how those in charge to keep New Orleans
save from Hurricanes were remiss in their responsibilities. The agencies involved pressed for Faye and others to stop investigating the deceased. Another worker on the dig is seriously injured. Why? Who did this? For what purpose?
The continuing story centered around Faye and Joe's relationship. Joe wants to marry soon. Faye is dragging her feet. I am anxious to read the next book in the series.
January 16, 2020
Definitely my least favorite of the series so far. Faye has a job in New Orleans, where the entire story takes place, and Joe comes out to visit her. Joe is so perfect in this outing that I am afraid he will turn into a Mary Sue, or whatever is the male equivalent. This is unfortunate, as I liked Joe with his flaws intact. There are also excerpts from a 'historical text' which references New Orleans before the levees. This felt like filler to me. I'm glad I got this from the library and didn't pay for it. It puts me on the fence about continuing the series.
March 28, 2021
Faye is on the job in New Orleans -- and finds bones from someone missing since Katrina. But it doesn't look like the victim died during the hurricane. It looks like murder. Faye joins a New Orleans detective as a consultant and helps to figure out who did it. Joe arrives and helps with the investigation. Interesting stuff about the New Orleans history and levees as well as info about Katrina. Much of the action takes place near Chalmette National Battle Field which I visited years ago (before Katrina) and it was fun to imagine Faye in a place I had been!
December 28, 2018
The author should be charged with unnecessary overuse of a Thesaurus. The things the characters say and think are often unrealistic and contrived. That said, parts of the book concerning hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and archaeology are interesting and probably accurate. But those are like tasty bits of fresh sausage in a batch of rotten gumbo; you still can't eat it without getting sick. Since the GR rating is close to four and there are about 400 of them after eight years in print, maybe we can assume these are hardcore fans that live in the region. If you're not one of them, I'd save yourself some disappointment and move on.
September 20, 2020
Another great addition to this series! Faye and her fiancé, Joe are in New Orleans and stubble into a sad death which turns into an intriguing mystery. A young woman who appears to have died in the floodwaters following Hurricane Katrina. But sadly, her death and the injury of a friend and co-worker’s of Faye’s, is far darker, than a simple drowning.
September 27, 2024
This addition to this series revolves around the New Orleans flood, with well researched explanations of the channels and levies and the various authorities indicted or suspected as being at least partly responsible for the damage and loss of life. The novel educates as it unravels the puzzle of the focus murder.
March 24, 2018
Faye Longchamp series, book #5. While working in New Orleans, a woman's dead body is found while cleaning out a house devastated from Hurricane Katrina. The circumstances convince Faye that this woman did not drown--she was murdered.
July 28, 2019
+++Faye with her assistant Nina Thibodeaux & field tech Dauphine are excavating an area near the battlefield that figured so highly in the war of 1812. When a young Park Ranger takes her to visit his flood devastated neighborhood they find human bones under a pile of debris in one of the houses. A local detective Jody Bienvenu shanghais the archeologists to assist her in finding the young lady's killer. In the process they uncover a lot of dirt and not just at the archeological site.+++
October 22, 2019
Quite satisfying episode in the series with remarkable characters, vivid location, intriguing plot. Until it all fell apart at the exposure of the bad guys, the story was neatly coherent. Very interesting look at the preservation and devestation of New Orleans.
March 6, 2021
Archaeologist Faye Longchamp is in New Orleans on a dig sometime after hurricane Katrina devastated the city. The timing and the location make for an unusual mystery. Both Faye and Joe, her fiancée, escape some serious threats, but the ending brings some happy developments.
March 4, 2022
Mardi Gras, non!
Ok again. Some parts like the letters are too drug out. Romance does not work for me either. Better time could be spent on character development or archeological discovery. Liked the previous book better.
Ok again. Some parts like the letters are too drug out. Romance does not work for me either. Better time could be spent on character development or archeological discovery. Liked the previous book better.
April 19, 2022
I love this series so much. This one was good, but I found myself bored and rereading sections in the beginning because my mind wandered off here and there. Once it got going the book held my attention well enough.
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