I don't know how many of you are mystery fiction fans, but Nevada Barr is one
of the best and probably the only one in her specific genre--mysteries taking
place in National Parks. In 1993, she published Track of the Cat, the first of
fourteen novels with Anna Pigeon, a park ranger, as her protagonist. This novel
took place in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, her second posting with the
Park Service.
In 1998, she published Blind Descent, her sixth in the series, which took place
in a highly disguised Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns NP:
Blind Descent, the sixth in the Anna Pigeon series, is set in Carlsbad Caverns
National Park. Lechuguilla, the cave the action takes place in has been largely
fictionalized both for plot and because, to preserve it, the NPS has closed the
cave to visitors. Blind Descent was nominated for an Anthony Award.
Dale Pate was her escort through the Park. The book, a tense murder mystery,
was excellent and provided me with more than a couple of empathetic moments
(flashes of claustrophobia). All of her books are good. As another federal
employee and former Carlsbad Caverns employee, I can tell by what she says and
how she says it that she is NPS. If you like mysteries, you'll like this
series--even though they don't take place in caves.
