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Site Unseen

by Dana Cameron

Readers interested in American archaeology as well as murder mysteries will enjoy Site Unseen. This is a first novel by a talented writer who follows the unwritten law of writing about what you know best. Dana Cameron has a PhD. plus experience in both New and Old World archaeology herself. In addition, Ms. Cameron writes knowledgeably about the psychological spectrum provided in human relationships.

Dana Cameron's protagonist and heroine in Site Unseen is Professor Emma Fielding, discovered on the opening pages of the book as having just returned from her dig to the Caldwell College dormitory, her temporary home and place of employment. Emma is a brand new professor on the college staff, and as yet untenured. In Site Unseen, she hopes to make her reputation by redefining history through her present work. Her acrhaeological site is located on the Saugatuck River in Maine, and Emma's work day at the dig has just included discovery of a body on the river's beach below the bluff where that site is located.

The archaeological dig was begun to uncover the possible remains of what could be the earliest inhabitation of the American mainland by British troops, Fort Providence. Although the fort was known to most history buffs, its actual existence was never proven. No previous clues were ever found as to exactly where on the Saugatuck River the fort may have been built. The Fort's location was finally suggested to Emma by a close friend, Pauline Westlake. Pauline had found a few pieces of pottery from the period around the roots of an overturned tree on her property, named Greycliff. Those pottery shards gave Emma the needed clue.

Site Unseen contributes a number of interesting incidents to the reader. Emma is married to a chemist (Brian) whose base is in Massachusetts, but whose job requires him to travel at times. Currently, this places Brian as far away from his wife as one can get in this country – California. Emma and Brian's differing careers, causing constant separation, mean only week-end meetings at their Massachusetts apartment, since it's become easier for each to remain on any location the job might require rather than the expense of constant travel back and forth. Besides her personal concerns, Emma has found the body on the beach, and is also threatened by a manic stranger who invades her dig with a metal detector – and a gun.

Both her discovery of the body and the stranger's appearance lead Emma to the acquaintance of the local sheriff, Dave Stannard. Complications develop from a visit by one of the bigwigs in Emma's college, a Tony Markham, as well as a maturing romantic relationship between two of her student helpers on the site. Still another problem is presented to Emma by Alan, also a student, but one who is proving to be less than adequate or careful in his work. It seems that Alan has been pressured into archaeology by his father, who happens to be an influential member of Emma's college department.

Materialization on the scene of a bully-boy known to Emma from a painful previous encounter comes next. Then Greycliff is suddenly burnt to the ground – with Pauline in it – when Emma thought her to be safely out of town. Emma is blamed for Pauline's death by Pauline's sister, claiming that Emma murdered Pauline to take advantage of a bequest Pauline left to Caldwell College in her will. Although he doubts Emma's guilt, Sheriff Stannard nonetheless keeps Emma on his suspect list, and warns her against doing any sleuthing on her own. Emma disregards his warning in her attempts to find her friend's actual murderer. Then Emma finds all the dig excavations on her site roughly desecrated, with her students' careful work destroyed. An antique map is discovered among present ones, and a cache of gold realized to be the real motive for both the murders and the destruction. Because the sheriff's warnings have gone unheeded, Emma finds herself in a confrontation with the
actual murderer, with a last minute rescue by her newest and most gifted student.

Site Unseen closes with the murderer still at large, although perhaps far away, running from certain apprehension. Two senior positions in Emma's archaeological department at Caldwell College are unexpectedly opened, and Brian has returned – finding them both a place where they can be together not only on weekends but every night as well. The lovely old house and grounds he's discovered are located halfway between his work in Massachusetts and Caldwell College in Maine. Perfect! And a nice ending for a great beginning writer.

Alan Paul Curtis

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