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Lindsay Chamberlain #3
Dressed To Die
Some skeletons just won't stay hidden. No one knows that better than University of Georgia archaeologist Lindsay Chamberlain. Still, she is shocked when a skeleton dressed in its Sunday best falls out of a packing crate that had been stored in a kudzu-covered shed on her grandfather's farm for more than sixty years. When other crates are discovered, each containing a stash of valuable artifacts, Lindsay begins to wonder. Could her beloved grandfather, a prominent archaeologist, have been a thief, a looter - even a murderer? As Lindsay struggles with these troubling questions, she helps a local private investigator locate the wooded grave of Shirley Foster, a missing faculty member. Lindsay is sucked into the investigation, which leads to more questions than answers. Why did Shirley Foster lie to the world about her life? Who wanted her dead?
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
24 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Beverly Connor
22 books247 followersI'm Beverly Connor and I love archaeology. I worked in Georgia and South Carolina as an archaeologist doing both fieldwork and analyzing artifacts. I also love mysteries. I combined these two loves and now write mysteries in which I weave my professional experience as an archaeologist into stories of murder and intrigue in both my Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation series and Lindsay Chamberlain Archaeology Mystery Series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 26, 2015
I enjoyed this book more than her last one in this series. Great story line, lots of suspense and fingers pointed everywhere. We get to meet Lindsay's brother "Sinjin", a smoke jumper - great mix, hope he appears in the next 2 books at some point.
Lindsay's contract with the university is due to be signed again or will it. What she would really like is tenure, but the way things are going, that may be out of reach and/or impossible.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars - (a bit of a cliff hanger and a TSTL moment kept this book at 4 stars).
Lindsay's contract with the university is due to be signed again or will it. What she would really like is tenure, but the way things are going, that may be out of reach and/or impossible.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars - (a bit of a cliff hanger and a TSTL moment kept this book at 4 stars).
Read
March 23, 2016A good read. I'm loving Lindsay!!
November 30, 2012
This is one of those archaeology mysteries. I enjoy this series but I think there may only be one more in this series to read. I think she moved on to another series. But I like the Lindsay Chamberlain character. She can't stay out of trouble.
Here, her half-brother Sinjin comes to call. Archaeological finds that her grandfather made get sent to her. A skeleton shows up. The finds get stolen and the finger is pointed at her. Plus, she loses her job. So Lindsay is in trouble throughout the whole thing.
I find them pretty entertaining.
Here, her half-brother Sinjin comes to call. Archaeological finds that her grandfather made get sent to her. A skeleton shows up. The finds get stolen and the finger is pointed at her. Plus, she loses her job. So Lindsay is in trouble throughout the whole thing.
I find them pretty entertaining.
September 14, 2015
The cover art is a reflection of the boring drawing room mystery that is Dressed to Die. Lindsay needs a new well, tenure and the strength to not rehash the few details the reader receives to death. Connor needs to learn how not to telegraph the bad guy.
December 28, 2024
Dressed to Die by Beverly Connor is the third book of the Lindsay Chamberlain mystery series set in contemporary Georgia. As the Bookwatch blurb on the back cover says, "Grabs the reader's attention from the very first page and never lets up." An excellent choice to stay entertained on a long flight.
Lindsay Chamberlain is a professor of archaeology at University of Georgia and a forensic archaeologist. She is an expert at excavating ancient burial mounds, equally expert at discovering clues to cause of death in an ancient or modern skeleton. In Dressed to Die, she's faced with multiple mysteries to solve. After she locates the burial spot of a woman missing for four years, she's repeatedly hounded to investigate the woman's murder. At the university, she receives crates stored for decades in a hidden shed on her PawPaw's farm. They turn out to contain valuable archaeological artifacts - and a skeleton. It's too much of a coincidence for Lindsay to believe that a student trying to reach her died accidentally. Then there's someone at the university who steals artifacts, locks her in a basement, plants evidence, mugs her assistant, makes threats, spreads rumors. Who and why?
Lindsay's personal life has challenges, starting when her well runs dry (not mysterious, but expensive). She's worried about job security, key to her ability to stay in her cabin and keep her beloved horse.
On the bright side: Lindsay's brother Sinjin comes to visit. They rekindle a loving relationship as they solve the mysteries together. His companionship fills the void of her ex-boyfriend, as well as thrilling her grad assistant. "I've been teaching Sally how to enjoy wallowing in a broken heart." "Sitting in the dark, drinking beer, and listening to soul music?" said Lindsay. "That's it," said Sinjin. "You should have gotten me up. I need to learn that, too," she told him.
Lindsay researches old records and analyzes soil samples to learn the skeleton's identity and determine how the artifacts came to be in her PawPaw's shed. A cornfield, thought Lindsay. One of the last places the fellow who ended up in an artifact crate stood was a cornfield. A nice, hard fact. Lindsay liked hard facts. She wasn't sure what she could do with it, but it made her feel good to have it.
After the artifacts are stolen from her lab, she feels compelled to find where the thief stored them. She delves into mythology and textile research to solve a hard-to-believe premeditated (and yet accidental) death. Lindsay's obstinate streak was telling her to do the opposite of what everybody else was telling her.
She wonders if a hostile campus policeman is in on the thefts. From the uncluttered look of his office and desk, she guessed he hadn't been at his job on campus long.
She mentally categorized recent events, matching clues with their respective mysteries. When she got to Sally's attack, she realized she didn't really know where to put it. She had assumed it had to do with the missing artifacts, but it might just as easily have had to do with the murder of Shirley Foster. It was very inconsiderate, she thought, of the attacker not to mention which investigation she was to abandon.
Will Patterson had an office downtown in one of those buildings with a very narrow entrance and flight of stairs that led to the upper floors. If she were doing a film noir, Lindsay couldn't have picked a better place for a detective to have an office. He even had a glass window in his door with his name printed in black paint. Lindsay wondered if she ought to go home and change into a dress with shoulder pads and a hat with a small net veil and a single slender feather.
Lindsay Chamberlain is a professor of archaeology at University of Georgia and a forensic archaeologist. She is an expert at excavating ancient burial mounds, equally expert at discovering clues to cause of death in an ancient or modern skeleton. In Dressed to Die, she's faced with multiple mysteries to solve. After she locates the burial spot of a woman missing for four years, she's repeatedly hounded to investigate the woman's murder. At the university, she receives crates stored for decades in a hidden shed on her PawPaw's farm. They turn out to contain valuable archaeological artifacts - and a skeleton. It's too much of a coincidence for Lindsay to believe that a student trying to reach her died accidentally. Then there's someone at the university who steals artifacts, locks her in a basement, plants evidence, mugs her assistant, makes threats, spreads rumors. Who and why?
Lindsay's personal life has challenges, starting when her well runs dry (not mysterious, but expensive). She's worried about job security, key to her ability to stay in her cabin and keep her beloved horse.
On the bright side: Lindsay's brother Sinjin comes to visit. They rekindle a loving relationship as they solve the mysteries together. His companionship fills the void of her ex-boyfriend, as well as thrilling her grad assistant. "I've been teaching Sally how to enjoy wallowing in a broken heart." "Sitting in the dark, drinking beer, and listening to soul music?" said Lindsay. "That's it," said Sinjin. "You should have gotten me up. I need to learn that, too," she told him.
Lindsay researches old records and analyzes soil samples to learn the skeleton's identity and determine how the artifacts came to be in her PawPaw's shed. A cornfield, thought Lindsay. One of the last places the fellow who ended up in an artifact crate stood was a cornfield. A nice, hard fact. Lindsay liked hard facts. She wasn't sure what she could do with it, but it made her feel good to have it.
After the artifacts are stolen from her lab, she feels compelled to find where the thief stored them. She delves into mythology and textile research to solve a hard-to-believe premeditated (and yet accidental) death. Lindsay's obstinate streak was telling her to do the opposite of what everybody else was telling her.
She wonders if a hostile campus policeman is in on the thefts. From the uncluttered look of his office and desk, she guessed he hadn't been at his job on campus long.
She mentally categorized recent events, matching clues with their respective mysteries. When she got to Sally's attack, she realized she didn't really know where to put it. She had assumed it had to do with the missing artifacts, but it might just as easily have had to do with the murder of Shirley Foster. It was very inconsiderate, she thought, of the attacker not to mention which investigation she was to abandon.
Will Patterson had an office downtown in one of those buildings with a very narrow entrance and flight of stairs that led to the upper floors. If she were doing a film noir, Lindsay couldn't have picked a better place for a detective to have an office. He even had a glass window in his door with his name printed in black paint. Lindsay wondered if she ought to go home and change into a dress with shoulder pads and a hat with a small net veil and a single slender feather.
February 20, 2025
Lindsay Chamberlain is helping Will Patterson locate the grave of Shirley Foster. Her assistant, Sally, is helping her. They find the grave. Lindsay writes up her report, and thinks that’s it. Then her older brother, Sinjin, comes to visiting bringing with him several crates that had been stored in a kudzu covered shed on their father’s property; they are filled with antiquities and one skeleton. Events begin to happen and snowball from there. The antiquities are stolen, Shirley’s parents question her findings, Lindsay, and then her brother, is suspected of stealing the antiquities - Lindsay starts investigating. Where will it lead?
August 10, 2022
Dr, Lindsay Chamberlain is being framed for the theft of archaeological artifacts while her smokejumper brother is visiting her at last. Meanwhile, she has two sets of old bones to deal with, one the 3-year-old disappearance of a fellow UGA professor, the other the 60-year-old skeleton that fell out of a packing case of her grandfather's. Both sets of remains could be said to be "dressed to die," as newer was wearing a specially made smoking jacket prepared with an ancient dye recipe, while the much older one was of a workman whose skeleton was in a dress shirt and tie.
June 19, 2017
Up to authors best standard
Exciting, fast moving, with interesting characterization. People were as interesting as the plot! A bit preposterous, as usual, but I look forward to reading the rest of the series
Exciting, fast moving, with interesting characterization. People were as interesting as the plot! A bit preposterous, as usual, but I look forward to reading the rest of the series
June 13, 2019
Another Triumph!
Love these books! I start reading the and can’t stop until they’re finished! Beverly Connor is great. I love reading about the archeological digs and the items found and the murders Lindsey get involved with.
Love these books! I start reading the and can’t stop until they’re finished! Beverly Connor is great. I love reading about the archeological digs and the items found and the murders Lindsey get involved with.
October 2, 2019
3.5. We meet Lindsay’s half brother Sinjin (St John). I actually liked this one quite a bit. The brother brought an emotional element that I really enjoyed. The school politics were a bit disjointed at the end, though.
October 10, 2025
If the first two Lindsay Chamberlain novels were solid, this one was pretty great. The plotting was intricate but neat, the characters were interesting, and the insight into not just archaeology but university politics was fascinating.
October 24, 2018
Very intriguing
Beverly Connor keeps the suspicion going throughout the entire book. She is a great author and her characters are always interesting. Loved reading this book.
Beverly Connor keeps the suspicion going throughout the entire book. She is a great author and her characters are always interesting. Loved reading this book.
August 19, 2019
Just too long with too many diversions over ironically too long a time, but not archeologically interesting. The family squabbles were all too real!
Read
June 5, 2020Another good twisty-turny mystery, which all comes together in the end. A lot of insight into unusual family relationships, although I appreciate each family is unique.
October 27, 2020
Not quite as good as the other ones
July 8, 2021
This is simply an gratifying book.
November 4, 2023
Fabulous read! I hope we get to see more of Lindsay's brother.
October 26, 2024
This was a fun mystery. I really liked Lindsey Chamberlain. She’s a great character. I will look for more recent books by this author.
November 11, 2013
Lindsay Chamberlain never invites danger into her life; it just happens upon her frequently like an unwanted guest. In her third adventure, Dressed to Die, Lindsay is in danger...of losing her job at the University of Georgia's Archaeology Department due to a merger with another department. If that were not enough to worry her, a cache of priceless artifacts delivered to her by her father is stolen, and all eyes are on Lindsay. Oh, did I mention that in the midst of all this, Lindsay also becomes involved in the murder case of a long-missing UGA professor whose skeleton is recently found? Friends and strangers linked to Lindsay are either injured or killed trying to help, and Lindsay must put together all of the strewn puzzle pieces before she is next on the hit list.
This series gets better with each book. No contrived plotlines or dialogue here, no bones about it.
This series gets better with each book. No contrived plotlines or dialogue here, no bones about it.
April 13, 2009
In this third book with anthropology professor, Lindsay Chamberlain, we find a complex mix of academic politics, a long-ago murder, a lot of bones, and a number of complicated clues and information that are gradually revealed to be inter-related. Lindsay persists in asking questions (and she's very good at it) and getting more immersed in the murder of woman and fellow professor.
Her brother comes to visit as well and their relationship takes on a stronger and endearing texture. These books have a lot of great information about archaeology and anthropology as well as other things like chemistry, weaving, dancing, and Georgia/Kentucky history. It's a very satisfying story with good strong, complicated far-from-perfect characters. Edgy suspense and great plot.
Her brother comes to visit as well and their relationship takes on a stronger and endearing texture. These books have a lot of great information about archaeology and anthropology as well as other things like chemistry, weaving, dancing, and Georgia/Kentucky history. It's a very satisfying story with good strong, complicated far-from-perfect characters. Edgy suspense and great plot.
June 23, 2016
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
November 14, 2016
So this wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. It's still a generally enjoyable whodunnit tho.
My main feeling from start to finish was "The lady doth protest too much". Lindsay spent far too much time on how much she didn't want to be involved / solve the mystery / be a detective etc. etc. It was really wearing thin by the end. And, while there were no caves in this book, there were other confined spaces (am beginning to think writing may be Beverly Connor's attempt to somehow overcome extreme claustrophobia).
There were, really, only 2 main contenders as The Bad Guy from the start and one of them was it. So although it strings you along a while and I wasn't really sure till I was told exactly which of the 2 it was, it wasn't a huge surprise.
My main feeling from start to finish was "The lady doth protest too much". Lindsay spent far too much time on how much she didn't want to be involved / solve the mystery / be a detective etc. etc. It was really wearing thin by the end. And, while there were no caves in this book, there were other confined spaces (am beginning to think writing may be Beverly Connor's attempt to somehow overcome extreme claustrophobia).
There were, really, only 2 main contenders as The Bad Guy from the start and one of them was it. So although it strings you along a while and I wasn't really sure till I was told exactly which of the 2 it was, it wasn't a huge surprise.
October 16, 2008
Forensic anthropologist, Lindsay Chamberlain, is asked to help identify skeletal remains thought to be those of a missing University faculty member.
Meanwhile, skeletal remains wearing a shirt and tie along with other valuable artifacts have been found on her grandfather’s property drawing Lindsay into solving this personal mystery.
The reading group rated this book 3.
Some of the group couldn’t get into this book but those who finished reading it just loved it! They didn’t have much to say about this book after they answered my questions. No more CSI type books!!!!
Meanwhile, skeletal remains wearing a shirt and tie along with other valuable artifacts have been found on her grandfather’s property drawing Lindsay into solving this personal mystery.
The reading group rated this book 3.
Some of the group couldn’t get into this book but those who finished reading it just loved it! They didn’t have much to say about this book after they answered my questions. No more CSI type books!!!!
April 16, 2009
3rd in the series. Lindsey tries to discover who killed a colleague as well as who is stealing artifacts and framing her. And if her Paw Paw committed murder and is the thief of artifacts. Lindsey’s brother Singin helps her out and they discover Shirley‘s brother is responsible for her death - he had planned to kill his father. He and Associate Dean EE are responsible for the theft of artifacts and Lindsey and Singin’s Uncle Billy is the murderer and responsible for the artifacts …
September 27, 2013
Ik kwam dit boek tegen op mijn ereader en wist niet meer zeker of ik hem nu al had gelezen of niet. Dus heb ik hem maar even gelezen. En ik vond het wel een lekker tussendoortje. Pas aan het eind kwam het mij een beetje bekend voor dus ik ben blij dat ik hem wel heb uitgelezen, nu staat hij in ieder geval in mijn leeslijst en weet ik voor in de toekomst dat ik dit boek dus wel heb gelezen.
March 17, 2016
Lindsey Chamberlaine is called to investigate the identity of a body found on a piece of land. After this her brother brings some artifacts from her grandfathers garage. A body is found in the crates along with artifacts that don't match the description in their crates. When the crates disappear Lindsey is blamed. Can she clear her name?
June 19, 2011
3rd in the archaeology series w/Lindsay Chamberlain as the heroine. A skeletal corpse is found buried on property fully dressed w/suit and tie on. Dead for 60 years. Lindsay finds the killer thru a lot of twists and turns.
June 2, 2012
In this story, the main character, Lindsay, wonders if her grandfather had been a thief, looter, or maybe a murderer. Since my relatives had been all of the above, I enjoyed reading how Lindsay tangles with her fears. I enjoyed the book.
April 27, 2014
Sufficiently complex to carry a rather lengthy mystery. I enjoyed having multiple unknowns to ponder. Working the archaeology into the story numerous times makes it a winner, in my opinion. Good series so far.
September 3, 2016
This series just keeps getting better. This offered an education in University politics too, which was fun. The mystery was delightful with archaeology, history, myth all adding the seasoning needed to make this a great read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews