Evocative, searching around area (8)
I believe the answer is:
haunting
'evocative' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'searching around area' is the wordplay.
'searching' becomes 'hunting' (I've seen this before).
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'area' becomes 'a' (maths abbreviation).
'hunting' going around 'a' is 'HAUNTING'.
(Other definitions for haunting that I've seen before include "Willing to take chances" , "Poignant, evocative" , "Lingering in the mind, like ghost" , "Frequenting a place, as a ghost might" , "pursuit of ghosts" .)