Strangers (Faye Longchamp Archaeological Mysteries, 6) Paperback – June 30, 2012

***WARNING - POSSIBLE SPOILERS***After being slightly disappointed with the last in the Faye Longchamp mystery series, 'Floodgates', this book was back to the enjoyable kind of tale that makes this series such a delight.The characters are lively and interesting and we get to catch up with Faye's mentor and friend, Magda.I would have given it five stars if not for a couple of sticking points:1) The character of Glynis' father was not fleshed out to its full potential. Early on we get a sense of forboding as to the ruthlessness of this man, but in the end it just peters out. I feel he could have been used to a much greater extent and quite possibly would have strengthened the story. The end of the book felt a bit rushed and cut off, which is not at all like the other Faye mysteries.2) Sadly, I found myself becoming aggravated with Faye. She is such a strong, wonderful heroine and I have admired her pluck and intelligence throughout the series. However, her insistence on not taking care of herself, and therefore her unborn child, really got under my skin. Her irritation with Joe, Magda and others who expressed concern over her activities while hugely pregnant only ended up making me irritable with her. We have heard many times throughout the series how badly she wanted a child and now that she is so close to having that wish fulfilled, she seems to have taken leave of most of her common sense and refuses to exercise due caution. I don't know if this relates to her underlying worry about her and Joe's age difference and her realization that she is reaching middle age or what. Whatever the cause it detracted from the enjoyment of the story.I understand that Faye is a physical character and the other books have centered around her being slim, fit, and ready for any adventure. If Ms. Evans needed to work the pregnancy into the book for the sake of the character's timeline, it would have made more sense for Faye to react more intellectually to the mystery at hand and had the other characters shoulder the burden of the physicality of it or perhaps have set this story in the very earliest stages of her pregnancy.All in all, a good book with a wonderful progression of Faye and Joe's story, but with just a couple of drawbacks.

Love this series and this book did not disappoint at all. Mix In archeology with the aforementioned triple threat and you have an irresistible read. Did I finish in one day ? You bet! Have I just downloaded the next one - of course!

I like this series so much. Mysteries and archaeology go together so well, I think. Faye Longchamp and her husband, Joe Mantooth, have started their own archaeological consulting business and, while awaiting the birth of their first child, are on a site in St. Augustine, Florida, to excavate the back property of an old mansion, now a luxurious bed and breakfast. The owners want to build a swimming pool; however, St. Augustine has strict laws about construction due to the amount of important artifacts found in the area, and, of course, it's historical significance in early America.As a result, Faye and Joe and their team, including Magda and her little daughter, Rachel, have been called in. The author has once again wound several mysteries into this story - the disappearance of a young assistant to the owners of the property, baby items found buried under tiles from an earlier swimming pool, a mentally challenged elderly man who "lives" on the property as a self-designated "protector", and the murder of a young movie star, a guest at the mansion during the early 1900's. Any more and I'll give away too much of the story so I'll stop by favorably comparing Ms Evans to Beverly Connor, one of my favorite mystery writers.

I have really enjoyed all the books in this series. I love history and these books have brought to life a lot of history I wasn't aware of and truly enjoy learning about. I also enjoy the characters and like watching them grow. In a couple of them there has been something that the author has messed up. Nothing major but little things that tend to stick in my head and take a little away from the book. In this one, the cell phone....... she had it to go out to call the police, but then just minutes later she was wishing she hadn't left it on the dresser with her watch....... ? Not a huge thing, but those kinds of things bother me so 4 stars rather than 5.

I am familiar with St. Augustine and the setting was realistic enough that I kept wondering just where the house was located. It seems like you would take a left after crossing the Bridge of Lions, then drive down those little streets until they turn into sand covered limestone and peter out in front of little houses not much nicer than the ruin in which the old man lived. Then the mansion would be behind a garden wall, just out of sight. I also kept wondering what hours the mansion was open for tours. Pretty realistic.

I like books that are set in places with which I'm not familiar so I can learn about them. This series is set in the Gulf side of Florida, a place I've never been. Fully developed characters in dire situations, but somehow made to seem real. Good work.

I've read the books in this series with great pleasure. While reading about Faye's archeological endeavors, I've learned historical facts. And I've followed the relationship between Faye and Joe with much interest. I highly recommend these books.

I got hooked when I read the first in the Faye Longchamp series, Artifacts. The mix of historical facts and intriguing mystery makes for a very enjoyable read.The stately old Florida mansion is a perfect setting for the story in Strangers and Faye and Joe are once again tossed into the midst of mystery and murder. The 1565 diary of a priest that Faye finds in the dusty attic gives us a priceless look into the history of the founding of St. Augustine. Anyone who hasn't read this entire series should!

Like all Evans' books, the appealing characters carry the story, but the situation in this one is verging on unbelievably far-fetched, and Evans will need to raise her game to banish a creeping sense of going through the motions.