REVIEW: A Fugitive Truth

Title: A Fugitive Truth
Author: Dana Cameron
Protagonist: Archaeologist Emma Fielding
Setting: western Massachusetts
Series: #4
Rating: A-

First Line: I stared, uncomprehendingly, at the blood as it welled up into a perfect sphere, balanced precariously on the ball of my thumb.

Emma has just finished some fieldwork on the 18th-century home of Margaret Chandler. Now she has the chance of a lifetime: to spend a month in a prestigious research library with Margaret's diary. Before she can even crack it open, she meets her three roommates who are certainly an odd bunch, but Emma has Margaret on the brain and she knows she can put up with the other three for a month. Margaret's diary is indeed fascinating and parts of it are written in a code that Emma is itching to decipher, but before she can start on that, one of her roommates is murdered. Being the Type A person that she is, Emma finds herself drawn away from her research and into the investigation.

I think Cameron, in this fourth book, finally hits her stride. Her characterizations are vivid, and the two plot lines involving the old diary and the murder of roommate are both strong. Michael Glasscock, a fellow researcher, is particularly appealing, and I'm wondering if he'll make repeat appearances in future books. Since he made me laugh more than once, I hope the answer is yes.

This series is proof positive that sometimes you have to be patient with an author, that not all series start out with a bang. This one has developed slowly and gotten stronger with each book. I'm glad my interest in Emma and her occupation made me stick with it.