On occasion, I am in the mood for a good mystery. Artifacts was just that; a good mystery with interesting characters. Faye is a mostly self taught archeologist who is working for a local dig when a couple of her co-workers are murdered. She holds a few secrets, so she tries her best not to get involved. It quickly becomes apparent, however, that their deaths may be related to the body that she herself found while digging for artifacts to sell on the black market. That is the basic outline of how the story begins. The story itself is much more involved and convoluted. You never know who to trust. The mystery was engaging and well thought out. 
 I had to admire Faye and her determination to do whatever it took to save her ancestral home. Even going so far as to trash it so that the tax collector would think it was abandoned. At one point, Faye finds a diary and other documents that slowly reveal how the house came to be past down to her. It was an interesting family history. I also loved the relationship between Joe and Faye. Joe is a simple man with simple ways. Their friendship is genuine and you can tell that they have come to care for each other.