Firestorm by Nevada Barr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I went back to read some books from the beginning of the series that I am unsure if I read about 25 years ago. The topic seemed timely when I heard about wildfires in California and Oregon.
Yes, this is why I prefer early books in the Anna Pigeon series to most of the more recently printed.

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A Superior Death by Nevada Barr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy the early mysteries of Anna Pigeon because Barr has excellent descriptions of the National Parks where Anna is working at the time.

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Ill Wind by Nevada Barr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like the books early in the Anna Pigeon series when she spends lots of time describing the National Park settings. I'm going to read the few that I missed.

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What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this despite a friend who told me she was confused by the content and she did not like it. I understand part of her objections: it is written with more stream of consciousness than other books by Barr, plus the stream of consciousness narration may be unreliable. Is the unreliability because Rose has Alzeheimer's or because Rose has been drugged by someone unknown to her for unknown reasons? I also think my friend was also confused by many of the allusions used by Rose while she is thinking and many of the shorthand communication between Rose and Mel that is never fully explained in the text. Because I am the same age as Rose, I think I was more likely to understand some of the tv and movie references than my friend was. For example, I was an avid watcher of Kung Fu so I understood the terms of affection when Rose calls Mel, Grasshopper, and when Mel calls her Gigi Rinpoche as being between student and elder teacher.
I recommend this book because I enjoyed it.


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Boar Island by Nevada Barr
My rating: 2 of 5 stars




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The Rope by Nevada Barr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I eagerly anticipated the newest Anna Pigeon mystery from Nevada Barr, and I was not disappointed in this prequel. Glen Canyon National Park emerges as a well-defined setting that stands up to the abuses similar to those inflicted on Anna. We see the Anna's goals shift as she does the work necessary to restore the health of the lake with Jenny and learns to explore the slot canyons with the sport of canyoneering. She wants to become strong enough to be a law enforcement ranger.

As this book is a prequel, I can recommend it as a starting point for new readers, and I recommend it for fans of the series.



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Hard Truth by Nevada Barr

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


There seems to be two groups of readers of the Anna Pigeon mysteries. I belong in the group that enjoys the settings and histories of the National Parks with a mystery. I'm not in the group which likes the darkness of "true crime" genre. I would put this one in the dark variety, and I don't recommend it to my friends who prefer the earlier books.



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Burn by Nevada Barr

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I"m read this book for I like the writing by Nevada Barr and the stories about Anna Pigeon. Anna has been on leave from National Park Service since the traumatic events in Winter Study and she is visiting an old friend who works as a singer at the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park.

I found myself being so scared for Anna and the people who need her help that I had to skip to the end of the book for some reassurance. Barr's writing and storytelling continue to improve as she tackles the tough subjects of those who profit from illegal immigration, white slavery/prostitution of children, and corruption of some law enforcement officers. It leaves us with some questions about whether Anna will be prosecuted, or be fired from the National Park Service, or have her marriage end for going outside the law to do what is morally right.

I rate this 3 stars for I can not recommend this book to the readers enjoy the entertainment of the early books of the series.



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