Cumberland House Publishing (Hardbound),
ISBN 1-581-82042-9
Dr. Lindsay Chamberlain, forensic anthropologist, steps atop the 35-foot high cofferdam and into the middle of an espionage that spans centuries. The surreal metal construction, built by her old acquaintance John West, holds back the Atlantic Ocean. The huge bulkheads create a unique dry marine archaeological excavation site centering around the Spanish galleon, Estrella de Espana. But is the newly discovered galleon, last seen off the Georgia coast in 1558, truly the heart of this treasure hunt? Or do conspirators seek yet another galleon -- one filled with gold, rather than water-logged artifacts? 

Chamberlain soon finds herself in the center of the maelstrom of murder and mystery fueled by fear and greed. She staunchly faces high-tech pirates, fends off angry biologists, stumbles over dead bodies on a tropical island and calls upon her survival skills to overcome sabotage and nature's angry forces. As the plot twists and builds toward a life and death ending, she and the hot-blooded Native American, John West, draw together for a romantic interlude. West and Chamberlain met in a previous dispute over the excavation of West's ancestors, as reported in Connor's second novel, Questionable Remains. 

Everyone comes under suspicion, because the professional reputations of fellow workers, West and Chamberlain's new boss, Francisco Lewis, hinge on the success of this expensive and cutting-edge archaeological venture. Using her expertise, Chamberlain reads bones, follows clues in the mysterious galleon passenger's diary and finds the answer to a long-ago mystery, while solving the current double murder. 

A forensic anthropologist who resembles her fictional heroine in more ways than one, Connor calls upon her own experiences and education in her quest for realism. Connor's simple, straightforward, story-telling style wraps around a well-researched, multi-layered plot. Her characters display a professional scientific edge rather than a passionate, irrational trial-and-error approach to life. Each of her four works of fiction in the Lindsay Chamberlain series not only speak of murder but entertainingly educate readers into the mysteries of archaeology and techniques of excavation while unearthing hidden historical truths. The author also presents controversial issues and surreptitiously urges readers to acknowledge the value of human life. 

Just don't let the title fool you into thinking this all new, fourth novel in the Lindsay Chamberlain series bears any relationship to Stephen King's Skeleton Crew. Connor's Skeleton Crew does, however, follow in the footsteps of the other Lindsay Chamberlain novels: Rumor of Bones, Questionable Remains and Dressed to Die. Although each novel stands alone, I recommend reading the entire series to prepare for the subtle relationships and motivations at play in Connor's latest novel. Sample chapters are available online at Lindsay Chamberlain Mysteries. 

Dawn Goldsmith

Click here to share your views.