Wildlife biologist Alex Carter is thrilled when she's tasked with locating jaguars on a desert preserve in New Mexico. Jaguars once roamed throughout the Southwest, but now there are only a handful left. Alex hopes some of the elusive cats have found their way to this protected piece of land.
Nearby the preserve, a team of archaeologists is excavating the gravesite of a sixteenth-century Spanish conquistador. Alex meets the team and also comes in contact with a violent group of anti-immigrant vigilantes who demand that the archaeologists leave.
When the vigilantes learn of Alex's job, they want to stop her as well. Since jaguars are federally endangered, concessions might be made so that wildlife can cross the border wall-- and these people want nothing to cross that wall.
Alex is working right in the middle of a powder keg, and jaguars aren't the only ones whose lives are in danger.
~
I have become a big fan of Alice Henderson's Alex Carter thrillers. I love their settings, all the information I learn about wildlife, and the strong, intelligent character of Alex herself. Unfortunately, I found The Vanishing Kind to be a bit disappointing. The book was trying to be too many things to too many people. Wildlife lovers. Remote settings lovers. Archaeology lovers. Spanish treasure lovers. Wilderness survival lovers. Then there are the white supremacists, and the resident billionaire who thinks his word is law.
I'm also a bit tired of one character repeatedly showing up just in the nick of time to save Alex's bacon. If Alex is going to get in that type of mess, I'd love to see her get herself out of it instead of relying on a deus ex machina.
I still love Alex's character, and I liked learning more about the jaguars, especially since I keep my eyes peeled for news of El Jefe, a jaguar roaming southeastern Arizona. Henderson includes how readers can learn more about these marvelous big cats at the end of the book. There is even timely information about the work (or lack thereof) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I'm just hoping that Alex's next adventure is a bit more... streamlined.
The Vanishing Kind by Alice Henderson
eISBN: 9780063223073
William Morrow © 2025
eBook, 320 pages
Thriller, #4 Alex Carter
Rating: B-
Source: Net Galley
I know what you mean, Cathy, about a book that tries to be too many things at once. I'm especially interested in the jaguars, myself (and, of course, the crime fiction part). There are a lot of other aspects here, though, and I can see how they'd be distracting, if that's the word.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy Henderson's depictions of the sights, smells, and sounds of the wilderness. I'll keep coming back for more.
DeleteOof...sorry this one wasn't as good as the first three mysteries in this series...which I still need to read! Story of my life. ;D
ReplyDeleteAnd mine!
DeleteGood to hear what you thought about this 4th book in the series, Cathy. I actually have the first three on my Kindle - unread as yet. I love the covers that they all have.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are nice covers.
DeleteToo bad this one didn't meet your expectations. I mean, it sounds pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI think it was more a case of I loved the others so much, and that really raised my expectations. It's a good book, just not a "blockbuster."
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