Helpful Score: 6
This is the first in the Anna Pigeon mystery series. Anna is a National Park Ranger who, in this book, is based in Guadalupe National Mountains park in Texas. (She moves around from park to park in future books.) As a first mystery, it was competently written though the plotting was a little weak and the characters a bit formulaic. This book deals with the death of another park ranger that the higher-ups are willing to write off as an attack by a mountain lion. But Anna, who discovers the body, disagrees due to several inconsistencies in the evidence and pursues the truth despite pressure from her boss to let it go. From other people, I've heard the books improve over time but that this is an excellent introduction to Anna's character and to what drives her. I love her sister Molly's character!
Helpful Score: 4
First in the Anna Pigeon Series. Years ago I was told that this was a great series, but I just didn't believe the person who told me. Guess I should have. Anna is a National Park Ranger and when two of her fellow rangers have mysterious deaths Anna investigates, almost gets herself killed. Anna will question many things in her life, but she makes for a great character.
Helpful Score: 2
An excellent read, Nevada spins a tale that keeps you reading far into the night and her descriptive writing makes you feel as if you have seen the area she is working in.
If you love a good mystery .. and nature and intrigue .. Nevada Barr delivers
If you love a good mystery .. and nature and intrigue .. Nevada Barr delivers
Helpful Score: 2
This is a great murder mystery story. The first from author Nevada Barr, she writes an intriguing mystery in a new setting. The national park setting gives the book an extra element that I really enjoyed.
Helpful Score: 2
Really enjoyed the mystery and how it transpired. Kept you guessing almost to the very end of the book.
Helpful Score: 1
Keeps you reading into the night. A mystery for those who love the outdoors.
Helpful Score: 1
Another member suggested I might like this series and so I tried the first one. I have now ordered 2-4. Good read.
Helpful Score: 1
This is the first in the Anna Pigeon series. I especially loved the vivid West Texas setting.
Helpful Score: 1
Love this series- the national park settings are a wonderful backdrop for unique mysteries and a main character, Anna Pigeon, who is a refreshing change of pace.
Helpful Score: 1
My first Nevada Barr and Anna Pigeon novel. I found this book and went out and bought two other Barr boooks when I finished this one. I love Anna Pigeon and her trials and tribulations. I strongly recommend it.
A very fun mystery. The first in the Anna Pigeon series.
Helpful Score: 1
This is first in the Anna Pigeon series. Anna is a Park Ranger, and this particular book is set in the desert--great nature details/writing. I enjoyed this and look forward to reading the others.
Helpful Score: 1
Awesome book. I look forward to reading more about Anna Pigeon.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent! Finally a heroine after my own heart....tough, scared, honest, drinks too much, thinks too much. It's refreshing to read from a perspective of someone who is less than perfect. While I did figure out who had "done it", I utterly missed the why.... pooh. I should have been able to figure it out as all the clues were there.
Helpful Score: 1
If you admire outdoorsy type characters (even if you are not one yourself) who are so self sufficient they can hike for days with not even one blister, then you'll like Anna Pigeon. If you like national parks and wish you could explore them in-depth, then Nevada Barr is the author for you. If you like mysteries that you can't figure out until the end, then Track of the Cat is your read. I usually read cozies, so I found it a little gritty for my taste, but I still ordered the next title in the series.
Helpful Score: 1
Ms. Barr has been writing this wonderful series for quite some time, and my wife was after me to read about Anna Pigeon. I'm glad that I did.
This is the first of the books in the series. While it's not really important to read them in sequence, those of us who are "type A" will appreciate doing so.
Anna is a 40'sh park ranger with an interesting personality which is revealled slowly over the course of the books (some characters to pop up in many). She's a strong and resilient female heroine, not without her own demons.
I found that the mystery involved in this volume was not particularly difficult to solve, so in a way, the character interplay, dialog and descriptions are more important that the resolution of the mystery itself.
I guess in that way, Ms. Barr is like Robert Parker, whose Spenser books are less about the mystery than aboput Spenser's interaction with his loves and friends. Ms. Barr, however, is much more detailed in her description of events (particularly scenery and details about the various parks where Anna works) than Parker ever is, and she uses dialogue much less frequently to advance the plot.
Anna Pigeon has become one of my favorites, and this is a great place to start.
This is the first of the books in the series. While it's not really important to read them in sequence, those of us who are "type A" will appreciate doing so.
Anna is a 40'sh park ranger with an interesting personality which is revealled slowly over the course of the books (some characters to pop up in many). She's a strong and resilient female heroine, not without her own demons.
I found that the mystery involved in this volume was not particularly difficult to solve, so in a way, the character interplay, dialog and descriptions are more important that the resolution of the mystery itself.
I guess in that way, Ms. Barr is like Robert Parker, whose Spenser books are less about the mystery than aboput Spenser's interaction with his loves and friends. Ms. Barr, however, is much more detailed in her description of events (particularly scenery and details about the various parks where Anna works) than Parker ever is, and she uses dialogue much less frequently to advance the plot.
Anna Pigeon has become one of my favorites, and this is a great place to start.
This was a fun, light read. The author tried to give some of the characters some depth and roundness, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, I was able to figure out the end fairly early on. Not a deal breaker if the writing is good, but it was a little disappointing. It's the first book though, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
Great concept!
Great concept!
Helpful Score: 1
Mysteries set in the National Parks. If you enjoy the parks you will probably like these books
Helpful Score: 1
Anna finds a fellow ranger dead.It appears at first glance that a cougar did the killing, but Anna is convinced it is murder.
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting characters and relationships. The world view from a ranger's perspective was fun. Enjoyable read.
Helpful Score: 1
This Nevada Barr murder mystery is a debut for Anna Pigeon and if you like your murder mysteries set in a national park in teh Southwestern wilderness, this will read smooth and end too soon!
Helpful Score: 1
Anna Pigeon at her best. She's taken a position in the Southwest to get away from the murder and mayhem of the city.
But then one of the Texas park rangers is killed, to appearances, by a mountain lion.
Anna suspects murder...
But then one of the Texas park rangers is killed, to appearances, by a mountain lion.
Anna suspects murder...
Helpful Score: 1
Book was okay being the 1st of this series,
but having read others I can tell you they
get much better.
but having read others I can tell you they
get much better.
Helpful Score: 1
Anna in the southwest.
This book was a quick easy read. Enjoyable plot line with several interesting twists. I will read more in the Anna Pigeon series. I enjoyed the descriptions of the park.
a good story
This is the first book in the long running mystery series featuring Anna Pigeon, a ranger with the US National Park Service. I believe that each book is set in a different national park. This first book is set in Guadalupe national park in west Texas.
I don't know about everyone else, but I always get a bit of a thrill when I start a new series. Will I like the characters? Will the books interesting? And (in mystery series only of course), will the mysteries be good? Well, I'm happy to say that this book hit on all three. I took me a while to warm up to Anna, but I think that a lot of that had to do with the fact that her character has walls built up around her emotions because she's still dealing with her husband's death. After a while, I really liked Anna's no-nonsense manner and attitude. I also appreciated her love of animals.
What made the story most interesting to me - and is one of the reasons I'll keep reading this series - was that Guadalupe national park wasn't just the setting of this story. It was almost another character. The author must have done her research well, because the park itself played a major role in the story. Learning about the animals, the plants and the layout of the park was fascinating.
And lastly, the author did a great job of creating multiple options for "who done it" and creating the mystery.
I don't know about everyone else, but I always get a bit of a thrill when I start a new series. Will I like the characters? Will the books interesting? And (in mystery series only of course), will the mysteries be good? Well, I'm happy to say that this book hit on all three. I took me a while to warm up to Anna, but I think that a lot of that had to do with the fact that her character has walls built up around her emotions because she's still dealing with her husband's death. After a while, I really liked Anna's no-nonsense manner and attitude. I also appreciated her love of animals.
What made the story most interesting to me - and is one of the reasons I'll keep reading this series - was that Guadalupe national park wasn't just the setting of this story. It was almost another character. The author must have done her research well, because the park itself played a major role in the story. Learning about the animals, the plants and the layout of the park was fascinating.
And lastly, the author did a great job of creating multiple options for "who done it" and creating the mystery.
Bonnie A. (ladycholla) -
#1 National Park series, loved it.
an Anna Pigeon Mystery
great book!
This is the first in a series of mysteries set in National Parks with the protaganist a park ranger named Anna Pigeon.
The author Nevada Barr writes from experience since she is a National Park Ranger.
This was a great read . A Park ranger is killed and the police and the Park Rangers accept it as a random mountain lion killing. But since Anna has found the body, there are things that just don't add up.
I loved this book. You get to see things through Anna's eyes and she is one sharp lady. And the feeling that you are there in the rugged wilderness with her and what you learn about the great outdoors and those that try to preserve it made it more than just a helluva mystery story which it was.
The author Nevada Barr writes from experience since she is a National Park Ranger.
This was a great read . A Park ranger is killed and the police and the Park Rangers accept it as a random mountain lion killing. But since Anna has found the body, there are things that just don't add up.
I loved this book. You get to see things through Anna's eyes and she is one sharp lady. And the feeling that you are there in the rugged wilderness with her and what you learn about the great outdoors and those that try to preserve it made it more than just a helluva mystery story which it was.
The first Anna Pigeon mystery
This is the first book in a very popular mystery series about a national park ranger, Anna Pigeon. This book is set in Texas.
An exciting read. It was good to get to know Anna Pigeon from the first book written about her. I like the fact that she's portrayed as being human and not a Wonder Woman type of heroine.
Enjoyable and easy to read mystery.
When I discovered Nevada Barr's books, I read most of them in a few weeks. This one takes place in the Texas back-country. Good mystery.
Since I haven't read any books by Nevada Barr, I decided to try her 1st one. I liked it; there were some twists and turns; the author kept the reader guessing who the culprit actually was, and I think it was written quite well. Ms. Barr didn't drag out the background on any of the characters, but made them seem real. A good read for a change. (On my part.)
One in a series of books based in National Parks with park ranger, Anna Pigeon, being a Kinsey Milhone of the Park Service.
This was an enjoyable introduction to Nevada Barr. Lots of familiarity with rangers and how they operate in the desert.
Strong female lead...interesting (and a bit far-fetched?) characters.
Strong female lead...interesting (and a bit far-fetched?) characters.
From Publishers Weekly: "The texture, scents and sounds of the West Texas wilderness permeate this forceful debut, in which the murder of a National Park Service ranger illuminates the conflicts between those who want to place our country's open spaces and wildlife under government protection and those who want to profit from them. Anna Pigeon has fled New York City after the accidental death of her husband, and she now works as a law enforcement ranger at Guadaloupe Mountains National Park. There she finds the remains of fellow ranger Sheila Drury, who apparently was clawed to death by a mountain lion. Although an autopsy confirms this judgment, Anna becomes convinced that the claw marks have been faked. Her superiors discourage her from probing further, but another supposedly accidental death goads her into investigating Sheila's activities before her death--her campaign to open up the park to the public and her relationships with a young divorcee and with a powerful rancher opposed to Park Service policies. Anna is sure that clues reside in the thousands of snapshots the dead woman took--photos that show signs of having been rifled through. A park ranger herself, Barr develops a complex, credible and capable heroine who believes in truth and justice while remaining conscious of the ambiguities of human existence." Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Clearly the first in the series, she's not yet at her best, but an interesting story about a strong woman in an unusual setting that requires a bit of thinking to unravel the mystery before it's revealed. Worth your time to read. I passed it on to a friend who also enjoys Nevada Barr's energies and he says that it's a realistic depiction of the National Park.
A quick read. Strong female protagonist for an interesting mystery set in the desert Southwest.
This is the first book in the Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr. I enjoyed it a lot especially Barr's descriptions of Guadalupe National Park and Anna's dealings with the people working in and around the park. The story involves the seeming death of another park ranger at the "paws" of a mountain lion. But did the lion really kill her? Anna, a law enforcement park ranger, thinks not and eventually is able to identify who really killed her and another park employee who was out looking for aliens. I have several other books in this series on my TBR shelf and am looking forward to reading them.
The memory of violence and loss drove Anna Pigeon from the city to seek peace in the Southwestern wilderness.
The book was a good read. I will probably follow up and read more of Nevada Barr's books.
