The Rope

If you're a big fan of the Anna Pigeon mystery series, this is a must-read. This was where it all started for Anna with this much waited prequel to the series in the national park series. In the 17th installment of the Anna Pigeon series, the Rope, Anna was widowed and looking for a new career,  when she had gotten more than what she bargained for. She was found attacked in the desert of the Glen Canyon National Park, on her first week of the job, and nowhere near the Dangling Rope park ranger duplex. Meanwhile, there was an eclectic group of characters, like her gay friend Jenny Gorman, and Regis Candor and his wife Bethy. After one too many attempts on her life, she began to piece together the puzzle of how she landed there and what happened to her, and who wanted her harmed. And the truth shocked her with a psychological twist or two, when there was a recovery of dead bodies in the water. This would leave you breathless, until you'll read Destroyer Angel, which came out in 2013.

I love Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mystery series. I loved how each storyline took place in a national park, since Anna was a park ranger. I loved the Arizona-Utah dual location areas for the settings. It was so visual and picturesque, which would put you there too. I cared about Anna, since we've got to know how she'd gotten started in the park ranger business, and how she mourned the loss of her husband. I hated when Bethy and others targeted her and others, when she was a new park ranger on the scene. But I liked how she bonded with the others who befriended her. This would  make you shake your head and cheer for Anna throughout the series. Great drama, excellent action, and plenty of great suspense in this mystery from start to finish.

Watch out for the Rope! Pick up a copy today!