Search - Track of the Cat (Anna Pigeon, Bk 1)

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!

Really enjoyed the mystery and how it transpired. Kept you guessing almost to the very end of the book.

A very fun mystery. The first in the Anna Pigeon series.

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.

Book was okay being the 1st of this series,
but having read others I can tell you they
get much better.

Keeps you reading into the night. A mystery for those who love the outdoors.