R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 3/2/2017 + 1452 more book reviews

The is the first Nevada Barr book that I have read in a long time. I liked the idea of a prequel and the plot was convoluted and dark. This is one mystery that I did not determine the killer in a long, long time.

Anna Pigeon, reeling from the loss of her husband, Zach, leaves New York where every turn and activity reminds her of him. Working as a temporary employee for the Park Service, she keeps to herself and pursues solitary activities. It is this quality that gets her in trouble. In the beginning of the novel, she finds herself trapped in a hole in the earth, naked and with no way out. The walls are impossible to climb. She discovers that she is not alone when she finds a dead woman buried with her. This situation seems unsolvable but with the help of a baby skunk and her mind she traps someone who descends into her hole and escapes, leaving the man behind trapped as she was.

The situation is not as simple as it seems. Anna fears this man who tells everyone that he came to help her. As the plot winds throughout the novel more people die. Whether the deaths are accidents or murder no one really knows. Evidence is skimpy if not absent. The reader does not discover who is doing the murdering until close to the end and it's a twist that leaves one wondering how could I miss that. Well, I did and even though this mystery is a bit long for my taste it focuses how a naive approach a young grieving woman from the big city (New York) who is grieving can get into trouble. It's a good read!

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