Women of the Dunes

June 1, 2018
Archaeologist Libby Snow grew up fascinated by her grandmother's stories of the Scottish island of Ullaness and its legendary characters, so when a dig is planned for a mound on the island, she makes sure to be part of it, hoping to uncover some truths. At the outset, the egotistical dig leader struggles to reach a satisfactory agreement with the estate manager, Rodri. Then Libby's grandmother sends her what appears to be an ancient cross, likely property stolen from the estate. And before they can even begin digging, bones of a more recent age are exposed at the site, leading to police involvement and disruption of the mound. As Libby does what she can to preserve the site's integrity, she and Rodri seek answers to mysteries ancient, vintage, and modern, learning along the way that time can confuse history with legend and gossip until the truth is hard to find. By alternating viewpoints and eras and carefully dispensing details, Maine (Beyond the Wild River, 2017) has created an intriguing tale of discovery that celebrates her beautiful setting's past and present.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)