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The Finding
Are finders keepers for a treasure this mysterious?
Beau Fontenot discovers an ancient box at the bottom of Bayou Courtableau. Everyone wants a share, but none so much as the state of Louisiana. To protect the treasure, Beau hires recent arrival Ada Pierce, a young lawyer far from home.
Meanwhile, Victor Latombe, a professor in search of the story behind his family’s heirloom amulet, is wrongfully charged in the murder of a local pauper. Serving in her dual role as an assistant prosecutor, Ada discovers a historical connection between Beau’s treasure and Victor’s family—a connection that could save Victor but doom Ada’s budding relationship with Beau.
During her one-year commitment to the two cases, Ada must learn to interpret the deeply spiritual Cajun culture to prevail. Is her logic enough to uncover the real motive behind the state’s prosecution of Victor and its obsessive pursuit of Beau’s box? Or will a little lagniappe be needed to save Victor and protect Beau as the treasure’s finder? Dive into this haunting, yet convivial, Southern mystery and decide whether the outcome is dictated by coincidence, fate, or something else.
Beau Fontenot discovers an ancient box at the bottom of Bayou Courtableau. Everyone wants a share, but none so much as the state of Louisiana. To protect the treasure, Beau hires recent arrival Ada Pierce, a young lawyer far from home.
Meanwhile, Victor Latombe, a professor in search of the story behind his family’s heirloom amulet, is wrongfully charged in the murder of a local pauper. Serving in her dual role as an assistant prosecutor, Ada discovers a historical connection between Beau’s treasure and Victor’s family—a connection that could save Victor but doom Ada’s budding relationship with Beau.
During her one-year commitment to the two cases, Ada must learn to interpret the deeply spiritual Cajun culture to prevail. Is her logic enough to uncover the real motive behind the state’s prosecution of Victor and its obsessive pursuit of Beau’s box? Or will a little lagniappe be needed to save Victor and protect Beau as the treasure’s finder? Dive into this haunting, yet convivial, Southern mystery and decide whether the outcome is dictated by coincidence, fate, or something else.
ebook
Published November 12, 2021
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About the author
Elizabeth Pilcher
1 book3 followersAs a Louisiana lawyer, Elizabeth Pilcher often encountered characters and plots the most creative minds couldn’t conceive. She discovered that her stressful career inspired compelling fiction and began writing as an escape. She now writes Southern historical mysteries inspired by Louisiana’s unique laws and the quirky people they govern. She lives in an old house in the country with her husband and a menagerie of domestic and wild animals, including two little boys.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 26, 2021
Two aspects of the description for "The Finding" appealed to me. I love stories about hidden treasures, and this book had a genealogical facet that called to this family historian.
Author Elizabeth Pilcher has created a tangled tale that crosses the decades between antebellum Louisiana and the present day. The first few chapters are introductions to the novel's cast by a ghostly character who teases as much as informs. After a while, the style settles down and the plot begins to come through. The main characters have plenty of individuality, but there are so darn many of them. I found it hard to keep some peripheral characters straight, which I think may have caused me to miss some clues important to the resolution of the mystery. In at least one case, an important character disappears for weeks - or months; the passage of time is not always clear - aside from a few brief mentions. The ghostly narrator also disappears at long stretches, which I think improves the reading experience.
I gave "The Finding" four stars because the characters and the heart of the story are all strong. I'm also allowing for unrelated personal and work factors that affected my focus and how long it took me to finish the book. I'm withholding the final star in part because of the aforementioned difficulties following the story and characters, and because the genealogical aspect of the mystery was ignored by even the characters who should have recognized its importance - a slight acknowledged within the context of the book. I feel like the author didn't incorporate that information because it was an easy way to drag out the story.
If you enjoy stories that have footprints in two centuries, like reading about Cajuns and other peculiar characters against a backdrop of exotic locations in Louisiana, you will probably find plenty in "The Finding" to enjoy.
I received a review copy from BookSirens; all opinions are my own.
Author Elizabeth Pilcher has created a tangled tale that crosses the decades between antebellum Louisiana and the present day. The first few chapters are introductions to the novel's cast by a ghostly character who teases as much as informs. After a while, the style settles down and the plot begins to come through. The main characters have plenty of individuality, but there are so darn many of them. I found it hard to keep some peripheral characters straight, which I think may have caused me to miss some clues important to the resolution of the mystery. In at least one case, an important character disappears for weeks - or months; the passage of time is not always clear - aside from a few brief mentions. The ghostly narrator also disappears at long stretches, which I think improves the reading experience.
I gave "The Finding" four stars because the characters and the heart of the story are all strong. I'm also allowing for unrelated personal and work factors that affected my focus and how long it took me to finish the book. I'm withholding the final star in part because of the aforementioned difficulties following the story and characters, and because the genealogical aspect of the mystery was ignored by even the characters who should have recognized its importance - a slight acknowledged within the context of the book. I feel like the author didn't incorporate that information because it was an easy way to drag out the story.
If you enjoy stories that have footprints in two centuries, like reading about Cajuns and other peculiar characters against a backdrop of exotic locations in Louisiana, you will probably find plenty in "The Finding" to enjoy.
I received a review copy from BookSirens; all opinions are my own.
November 24, 2021
Interesting story but way too verbose. The beginning, which began in the 1800s, was confusing. The story improved when it switched to present day, in part because most of the characters were likable. Then, however, the author switched back to the 1800s and it was hard to remember where the beginning section left off. The author kept going back and forth between the 1800s and the present, and kept repeating that the markings on an heirloom were the same as markings in one of the houses in the area where the present-day story happens. One of the sections from the 1800s had violence in it, which had nothing do so with the present-day story; not sure why this was included. Not an enjoyable read and I’m relieved to be done with it. I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews