Floodgates Paperback – Large Print, May 13, 2013

The Faye Longchamp series is one of my favorites. The characters are strong, interesting, and likable. The plots are plausible but but complex and compelling. I probably like this particular volume especially because it highlights engineering thought processes, and I, like the author, am an engineer. The book highlights the value of noticing subtle anomalies and analyzing situations thoroughly. It does all of this without giving up either excitement or the human foibles of its characters.

This book is one of my favorites from this author because it was set in New Orleans and painted such a vivid picture of the area and of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I had to visit for myself and truly marvel at that great city! There's mystery, tragedy, history and so much fun. This authors works truly stand out and this one is a gem. I highly recommend reading any and all in this series!

I enjoy Faye Longchamp Mystery books as they combine two of my favourite genres archaeology and murder. This particular book was interesting as it was very contemporary and we all remember the scenes on TV of Katrina's devastation. My only gripe is I am soooo over how wonderful, strong, and 'perfect' her hubby Joe is and how small she is, this does not have to be repeated over and over again. Nice if they weren't so perfect, flaws make characters more real and likeable. I am wondering if the Faye mysteries are starting to get tired as this book was not as strong as others in the series and I was able to work out who dunnit long before I reached the conclussion.Though I have given some negative feedback I still enjoyed this book and still inclined to read the next one, though not for awhile.

I'm a 70 year old retired lifelong reader. I don't have much money so generally only read the books offered for free by Amazon. I got the first book free and then bought and read the next four! I can't wait until I have the money to buy the last five books. Great stories, wonderful characters - everything I look for in a book! Mary Anna Evans is a talented writer with stories to tell.

I am working my way through Mary Anna Evans' Faye Longchamp mystery series. Thusfar I have really enjoyed them. This book, 'Floodgates', struck me like the second book 'Relics'. Both are good books and interesting reads, but perhaps not my favorites in the series.Perhaps it is because 'Floodgates' is set in New Orleans which is not a place I find appealing. The plot did not feel as tight and cohesive as the majority of her other books and the characters were not quite as likeable either.It was a fair book and I am glad I read it. I am hoping the next book is more my style.

I am a fan of this series for a lot of reasons but this is not my favorite. I thought the plot line was not up to Evans' usual standard and the archaeological elements of the story uninteresting. Not giving up on them - I love the main characters in these books - and have ordered another one, but for me this one was a waste of time.

I love all the Faye Longchamp books. They are the only series that I have every been willing to buy the hardback version. I gain some knowledge as well as entertainment. This one made me look at New Orleans in a new light. I had visited for the first time not long before reading this book. I swore I wouldn't go back for vacation. After reading this book I was eager to plan another trip to find the New Orleans she saw.

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) - DNFEvans, Mary Anna - 4th in seriesPoisoned Pen Press, 2009