The Vanishing Kind by Alice Henderson

 

First Line: After the recent rash of campus burglaries, the last thing Dane Fisher wanted was to be alone in this building late at night.

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

Deadly Currents by Beth Groundwater

First Line: "Gonzo's not going to make it."

Salida, Colorado's economy is driven by tourism and the white water rafters who flock there to try the Arkansas River. River ranger Mandy Tanner risks her own life to save a man after a rafting accident, but the man dies anyway. As it happens, nothing Mandy could do would have made any difference. Tom King was murdered, and there was a long line of people who don't mind seeing him dead. 

When another death hits much closer to home, Mandy begins to think that the two deaths are connected... and she won't rest until she finds the truth.

Beth Groundwater has written one strong mystery and her knowledge of whitewater rafting and river lore brings her Colorado setting to life. 

No matter how strong the mystery or how vivid the setting, I am a character-driven reader, and I have to admit that I had a couple of problems with Mandy Tanner. For one thing, she's too emotionally immature for me. She blew up at the slightest provocation even before the second death in the book. She's also one of the clumsiest investigators I've ever seen. Out of that long suspect list, I don't think there's a one of 'em that she didn't antagonize. Last but not least, there's a killer on the loose and she's going around town making everyone furious, but Mandy is very lackadaisical about getting that large broken window fixed in her house. 

As good as the mystery and setting are, it will probably be a while before I read further into this series. Mandy simply didn't make a good first impression.
     

Deadly Currents by Beth Groundwater

eISBN: 9780738729299

Midnight Ink © 2011

eBook, 300 pages

Environmental Mystery, #1 RM Outdoor Adventures mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased from Amazon. 


 

Undercurrents by Pamela Beason

First Line: Sam Westin stared out her back window at the endless cold rain drizzling through the shaggy limbs of the Douglas firs.

When wildlife biologist and freelance reporter Sam Westin is hired to cover a marine survey expedition in the Galápagos Islands, she jumps at the chance-- only having momentary qualms about fudging her diving experience. The company she's working for wants her to post articles as two different people, which Sam does think is strange, but she wants to see those giant tortoises and marine iguanas, so if the bosses want posts with two bylines, that's what they're going to get. 

Dr. Daniel Kazaki, the marine biologist and Sam's diving partner is a nice guy who knows his stuff, but when the locals learn that he's working for the Natural Planet Foundation these two suddenly can't find a boat or guide to take them out on their dives, and they're kicked out of their hotel. The Galápagos are supposed to be a pristine paradise for wildlife, but Sam rapidly learns that governmental controls are very loosely enforced and poachers are killing sea cucumbers and sharks for the lucrative Asian market. With someone already trying to sabotage their expedition, Sam is slowly realizing that human predators are much more deadly than any shark.

In the space of three books, the Sam Westin environmental mysteries have become some of my favorites. If you enjoy Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon novels, you're definitely going to want to read Beason's series. Sam Weston is smart, tough, committed to spreading awareness of issues involving wildlife, and is much more likely to pick up her camera than she is to even think about touching a gun. 

In Undercurrents, it's Sam's show, but Beason's secondary characters provide solid backup. Some of the characters are capitalists wanting to profit from appearing to be pro-environment while others are local and show both sides of the poaching issue the Galápagos face. One of the strengths of Beason's characterizations is that-- although you may grow fond of some of these characters-- they can surprise you by being achingly human.

Beason's characters then proceed to populate a wondrous underwater world, and the scenes are so vivid that you'll probably find yourself wanting to join Sam on her dives. This underwater Garden of Eden isn't really paradise, however, and the author doesn't candycoat what humans are doing to it.

Okay, I've talked about the characters, the setting, and the environmental issues the author raises... what about the mystery? It's a good one. I was convinced I knew the identity of the killer-- but I never saw it coming. Hopefully what I will see in the near future is another Sam Westin mystery. I'm becoming addicted.

Undercurrents by Pamela Beason

ISBN: 9780425252055

Berkley Prime Crime © 2013

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Environmental Mystery, #3 Summer Westin mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen. 

Canyon Sacrifice by Scott Graham

First Line: A group of middle-aged Japanese tourists gathered in a tight knot twenty feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon, focused on something Chuck Bender could not see.

Recently married to a woman with two young daughters, archaeologist Chuck Bender decides to take his new family camping at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Disaster strikes when the youngest girl is kidnapped. The kidnapper's demands seem to focus on Chuck himself, and even though he's nowhere near suited to the task, as a new husband and father, he's determined to step up to the plate and do whatever it takes for the safe return of his daughter.

Canyon Sacrifice is going to make you see the Grand Canyon in a whole new way. Chuck Bender is the perfect guide, as he weaves strands of geology, park history, Native American culture, and archaeology into a good old action-packed page turner.

I loved how Graham put together all the canyon lore in a non-academic, non-preachy manner that tells readers just as much about the characters as it does the Grand Canyon itself. Chuck Bender is a fascinating main character. He's a loner who's been running his own archaeology business for years, so getting used to being part of a family is going to be a huge adjustment for him to begin with-- but to start things off with a kidnapping? As Bender races to save his daughter, he learns quite a bit about himself and what he thinks is most important in life.

Probably my favorite section in the book is Chuck's hike down into the canyon. It's a race against time that could very well kill him. The entire episode tells us a great deal about Bender the man, as well as the respect with which the Grand Canyon should be treated.

Graham also shows skill in plotting a mystery, and now that he has his main character well established, I'm really looking forward to the next books in this series. His secondary characters need to have a chance to shine, too.

If you're a reader who loves Nevada Barr or C.J. Box, chances are excellent that you'll enjoy this first National Park mystery. Give it a try.

Canyon Sacrifice by Scott Graham

ISBN: 9781937226305

Torrey House Press © 2014

Paperback, 228 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #1 National Park mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen 

Destroyer Angel by Nevada Barr

First Line: Paul Davidson was stopped on the overpass outside of Denver International Airport, amused as always by the statue of the great blue Gumby horse rearing against the white peaks of the terminal roof in the background.

Paul Davidson has sent his wife, Anna Pigeon, off on an autumn canoe trip in upstate Minnesota. With Anna are her friend Heath, a paraplegic; Heath's 15-year-old daughter, Elizabeth; Leah, a wealthy designer of outdoor equipment; and Leah's 13-year-old daughter, Katie. For Anna, it's a time to relax and recharge. For Heath and Leah, it's time to test cutting-edge camping equipment designed for the disabled.

On the second night out, Anna goes off on a solo float down the Fox River. When she returns, she finds that four heavily armed men have taken the other four females hostage. Anna has extremely few resources and absolutely no access to the outside world-- and she's got two days to rescue her friends before they are either killed or flown out of the country. 

No one can put five females and an old dog out in the middle of nowhere, make them face untold danger, and have readers clapping and cheering like Nevada Barr can. Sure this is a thriller. Of course, it's an adventure story-- women against killers and nature. Naturally Anna Pigeon gets to impart valuable information on responsible camping, and you'd better believe that much-needed comic relief is interspersed throughout all the deadly seriousness. But Destroyer Angel is more than the sum of its parts-- and its descriptions.

This book succeeds as both thriller and adventure story, but what makes it special are the women. Unarmed, with no food, and a gargantuan task ahead of her, Anna goes feral in an attempt to get the job done. Introduced in an earlier book, I was happy to see the changes Heath and her adopted daughter Elizabeth have undergone. Peppering up the gumbo are Leah, a woman more used to living in her mind than dealing with humans, and her spoiled daughter Katie. The interactions of the four kidnapped females are fascinating as they go through the various stages of fear, hunger, and exhaustion. Can they rise above being mere victims? I'll leave that for you to discover.

If you've never read Nevada Barr, you can read Destroyer Angel as a standalone because it is pretty complete on its own; however, longtime fans of the series are really going to savor Anna's tactics since we know her from earlier books. This was a book I had to tear myself away from forcibly. The second time I sat down with it, I stayed glued to the pages until the end. Welcome back, Anna! I missed you!

Destroyer Angel by Nevada Barr

ISBN: 9780312614584

Minotaur Books © 2014

Hardcover, 352 pages

Environmental Mystery, #18 Anna Pigeon mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Amazon Vine

Zero-Degree Murder by M.L. Rowland

First Line: The body hung upside down in the truck, suspended by the seat belt, sun-bleached hair skimming the roof of the cab.

Anyone who works emergency services knows that call-outs on holidays can happen, so when the Timber Creek Search and Rescue team gets called out on Thanksgiving, volunteer Gracie Kinkaid packs up her gear and heads out.

Part of a film crew has gone for a hike in these mountains an hour east of Los Angeles, and four of them haven't returned. Due to the holiday, only three Timber Creek S&R team members have shown up so far, but there's a storm moving in. With the safety of the hikers in jeopardy, they can't wait. Ralph Hunter stays to be in charge of the command center while Gracie and partner Steve Cashman head out to find the hikers. The two do find one hiker, world famous actor Rob Christian, but he's injured. With the weather getting worse, Cashman sets out with the only radio to get help.

Alone in the mountains during a blizzard with an injured man, Gracie is going to have to use all her expertise to keep them both alive because the weather isn't her only problem. There's a ruthless killer out there determined that no witnesses to his crimes will be left behind.

I am a long-time Nevada Barr and Anna Pigeon fan. I love the outdoors, strong female characters, and survival tales. Zero-Degree Murder satisfied all these cravings of mine. Gracie is a complex character. She's smart, she's brave, and I definitely want her on my team the next time I head out for the middle of nowhere. That woman knows how to pack and how to track. She's also a bit of a puzzle. Why would someone so smart and capable insist on working a series of dead-end jobs that are well beneath her abilities? The author slowly answers this question throughout the book.

Outdoors fans are going to love the setting-- high mountains, treacherous terrain, and deadly weather. Watching Gracie handle all this the old-fashioned way is a treat. Rowland does an excellent job of creating tension, and her sense of pace is spot on. Moreover, she not only surrounds her main character in mystery, the killer's identity and motivations are hidden from view for much of the book. What glimpses of the killer Rowland lets us see heighten our sense of danger and urgency.

All in all, I was thrilled with this book. The only small quibble I had with it is that-- although I know it's done for the benefit of Gracie's character-- the relationship that springs up between her and the actor seemed unnecessary. Like I said, it's a very small quibble, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. There's more to learn about Gracie, there's more to learn about Ralph... and there's definitely more adventure to be experienced. If you're a Nevada Barr fan like me, I think you're going to love this book.

Zero-Degree Murder by M.L. Rowland

ISBN: 9780425263662

Berkley Prime Crime © 2014

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Environmental Mystery, #1 Search and Rescue mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen. 

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron

First Line: When I was nine years old, my father took me deep into the Maine woods to see an old prisoner of war camp.

Mike Bowditch's relationship with his hard-drinking, anti-establishment, animal poaching, womanizing father has always been a troubled one, especially once his mother decided to leave and take Mike with her. Now Mike's back as a game warden in the Maine woods that he loves. This decision has already cost him his marriage, and now it's about to cost him a whole lot more.

Jack Bowditch has been accused of murdering two men-- one of them a police officer-- and he's on the run in an area he knows better than anyone else. Mike knows that his father simply could not do what he's been accused of, so he puts his job and his life on the line to find his father and to prove his innocence.

Oh my. The further this story unfolds, the more flawed and quirky Mike Bowditch's character becomes. In many ways Mike puts me in mind of another game warden: Joe Pickett out Wyoming way in C.J. Box's series. There's one major difference between Mike and Joe, however. Mike's conflicted relationship with his parents has made him a bit passive aggressive. He's as stubborn as they come, but shows very little initiative in actually getting out there and finding clues. His investigation has no strategy and a wherever-the-wind-blows-me mentality. By book's end, I think a lot of that has been knocked out of him.

And not just by the action. As much as I liked Mike Bowditch, it was the character of former warden Charley Stevens that really caught my eye. Charley's a bit of a legend in those parts. There's little he hasn't seen or done, and he knows when to be a bull in a china shop and when to use the charm of a snake oil salesman. He sees something in Mike and goes out of his way to help the young man. I'm looking forward to seeing how the relationship between these two men develops in future books.

The third character in this book that caught my imagination was the Maine wilderness. It's a part of the world to which I've never been, but Doiron's descriptions of it remind me of many of my favorite wild places here in Arizona. Doiron has a lot to say about the wilderness and what's being done to it, and it defines Mike Bowditch's character in a way nothing else in the book can. I can only nod in heartfelt agreement when Mike says, "Nature will forgive humankind just about anything, and what it won't forgive I hope never to witness."

I've come to love certain crime fiction writers for their love of wild spaces... Nevada Barr, Pamela Beason, Craig Johnson, C.J. Box. Now Paul Doiron joins this group. I'm looking forward to watching Mike Bowditch mature in those deep, beautiful Maine woods.

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron

ISBN: 9780312558468

Minotaur Books © 2010

Hardcover, 336 pages

Environmental Mystery, #1 Mike Bowditch mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Bookcloseouts. 

Bear Bait by Pamela Beason

First Line: The leaves rustled on the bushes ahead.

Summer ("Sam") Westin is working on a twelve-week project for the National Park Service in Olympic National Park. One night when filling in as a firewatcher, she hears an explosion and sees fire light the sky over at Marmot Lake. When the fire is put out, the body of a young woman who was working on the park's trail crew is discovered, and she's barely alive.

Sam senses that something's going on, and she begins to ask questions. With each question she asks, three new ones pop up. Does the explosion have anything to do with an old gold mine? Are illegal bear hunters poaching on what is now National Park land? And what is the significance of all the weird numbers  she's finding carved on trees?

No matter how fast Nevada Barr writes her Anna Pigeon books, she can't do it fast enough, so I am thrilled that I've found Pamela Beason's Summer Westin series. Since "Sam" is a wildlife biologist, blogger, and photographer and not a law enforcement ranger, readers are able to see beautiful remote locations and learn about the wildlife that inhabits it from an entirely new perspective. Sam is smart, strong and dedicated, and although I was happy to see that she didn't carry a gun in the first book in this series (Endangered), I may have to change my mind. More than once in Bear Bait Sam is reckless with her life-- camping alone in areas where she's seen illegal-- and very unfriendly-- hunters. The handsome FBI agent she's falling in love with isn't around often enough to keep hauling her bacon out of the fire. I would really like to see this element of her character toned down a bit. If she's so intelligent, she should be smart enough not to endanger her own life stupidly.

Secondary characters assume more importance in this book, I'm happy to say. Sam's clergyman father has always been disappointed in his daughter, believing that she's not living up to her true potential. He redeems himself-- and rises from the ranks of a stock character-- in a very touching way. Same, too, with Joe, a ranger in the park, his wife Laura and their thirteen-year-old daughter Lili. Beason shows us that raising a child in a remote area can be every bit as treacherous as raising one in the city. This subplot with Lili isn't tied off neatly at book's end, which I liked. There's enough ambiguity left for the reader to wonder what path Lili will choose to take.

The setting is superb, and I'm not just saying that because I've been there. Getting around this incredibly beautiful area called the Olympic Peninsula isn't easy. Roads are few, and you often find yourself relying on a ferry schedule to get to any kind of city. The reader gets a real sense of this, and also has a few chuckles along the way, since Forks is the nearest town of any size. Most of us have heard of other characters with which someone named Stephenie Meyer populated the town in a very different series of books.

Many important environmental issues are also touched upon: the issues surrounding public land that is turned over to the National Park Service, illegal bear hunting, and outdated mining laws involving abandoned mines to name three. All this, and  a climactic scene that contains heart-pounding suspense and a speech that can bring a tear to the eye.

Anna Pigeon, if you were twenty years younger, I'd feel a bit disloyal saying this, but... Move over: there's a new woman in town, and her name is Summer Westin.

Bear Bait by Pamela Beason

ISBN: 9780425251652

Berkley Prime Crime © 2012

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Environmental Mystery, #2 Summer Westin mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.

Endangered by Pamela Beason

First Line: It was almost time.

Wildlife biologist and freelance writer Summer Westin is on assignment in southern Utah for the Save the Wilderness Fund. As she's about to hike out to her camp, she hears a mother calling for her child and has a little boy run into her, but before she can do anything, the little boy runs toward a man on the other side of the trees. Assuming the man is the child's father, she waves, the man waves back, and Summer heads out for her camp.

She arrives in time to take once-in-a-lifetime photos of a female cougar and her cub walking out across Rainbow Bridge. Having all the latest portable technology, she uploads her photos and her article to SWF and calls it a night. Returning to town the next day, she's stunned when she learns that the little boy has gone missing and is presumed to be the victim of a cougar attack. The news media has swarmed over the story and is inciting every nut with a gun to show up and blast holes in the killer cougars.

Knowing the cougars had nothing to do with it, Summer is in a race with the clock before the government sends in trained shooters to track down the big cats. Getting in her way at every turn is FBI agent Chase Perez, and Perez hopes the cougars are at fault-- because the alternative could be a whole lot worse.

As soon as Summer took those photos of the cougars at Rainbow Bridge, I had a huge smile on my face. For years, I've loved Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series, not only for Anna herself, but for the National Park settings and the wildlife. Now here is Summer Westin, a woman who carries a camera instead of a gun, and she likes to get out in the middle of nowhere to observe wildlife.  I'm in heaven!

Beason also provides romantic interest in FBI agent Chase Perez. Normally I prefer my crime fiction sans romance, but Beason hits just the right note with hers, and the sparks between Summer and Chase add to the story rather than detract from it.

This is pretty much a two-person show, but two secondary characters-- both rangers in the park-- perform admirably and show just how dangerous it can be to be a solitary ranger facing a motley assortment of park visitors. And if you like excitement along with wilderness and wildlife, you're going to love the tour of caves in a rainstorm that the author supplies. I couldn't read fast enough!

Are you looking for another writer who can fill your craving for adventure, wilderness, wildlife, and strong characters? Add Pamela Beason to your list. The second book in this series, Bear Bait, is already in my sights.

Endangered by Pamela Beason

ISBN: 978042524498 
Berkley Prime Crime © 2011
Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Environmental Mystery, #1 Summer Westin
Rating: A+
Source: Paperback Swap

Shadows of Death by David Sundstrand

First Line: This time the dead animals were in human form.

Seth Parker is a self-appointed vigilante. If he catches a person showing cruelty to an animal, that person will pay dearly.  How dearly? Here are three examples:

A man who cut the beaks off pelicans for stealing his fish was found dead and lipless. The owner of a dog fighting ring is found torn to pieces by his own dogs. Two teenage boys who posted a YouTube video showing themselves blowing up cats are missing, and no one expects to find either of them in one piece. This is the sort of work that Seth Parker has become known for, and that's the reason why he's wanted by the FBI.

Frank Flynn is a law enforcement agent for the Bureau of Land Management. As a person who loves the Mojave Desert and the wildlife that can be found there, he has to admit that he sympathizes more with Parker than he should. Flynn reads about what Parker's been doing until Parker moves into the Mojave and kills two poachers for using wild burros as target practice. Now he's on Flynn's turf, and although Flynn seems able to guess Parker's next moves, he can't seem to get ahead of the killer.

Flynn would rather take a beating than provide any sort of protection at the opening of Sand Canyon, an exclusive hunting resort where the well-heeled can use the latest firepower to kill sedated big cats and other wild game, but that's exactly what he's assigned to do. He knows Parker's going to be there with plans to take down as many people as he can. Now all Flynn has to do is stay alive long enough to bring Parker to justice.

If you're a reader who respects the environment and loves wildlife, you can't go wrong by picking up either of David Sundstrand's Desert Sky mysteries, Shadow of the Raven and Shadows of Death. These two books are filled with beautiful descriptions of the desert and its plants and wild creatures.  Frank Flynn has the perfect assignment: protecting the land and the animals that he loves so much, but it's not easy...

"This is where I grew up, and I'm watching it start to die. You know what that's like? People come up here, tear up the land, dump trash, go home, and water their lawns-- with our water." He turned to Linda. "They bring their guns and act like the valley's a shooting gallery. Shoot at anything that moves."

Although he likes and admires his boss and has a good relationship with his girlfriend Linda, he can be very abrasive with people who treat the environment as their own private garbage dump and playground. After dealing with those types, the best thing he can do is spend time in his converted railroad caboose out in a remote corner of the desert.

Sundstrand does an excellent job of portraying the landscape in all its unforgiving beauty and frailty. He also shines a spotlight on a fact that few people give much thought to-- that many areas in the desert Southwest have had their water taken from them so that people in large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Phoenix can have their green lawns and swimming pools.

But as good as the writing is about the landscape, it's just as good when it comes to the plot and to how the story unfolds. Frank is dealing with a brilliant, deranged killer on the one hand, and with uncooperative colleagues on the other. When he and Seth Parker meet at Sand Canyon, the action is fast, furious, and bad for the blood pressure-- but oh so good to the last page.

Both books in the Desert Sky series stand alone well, but I recommend reading them both... for the character of Frank Flynn and for the evocative picture Sundstrand paints of the Mojave Desert.

Shadows of Death by David Sundstrand

ISBN: 9781250005427

Minotaur Books © 2009

Paperback, 336 pages

Genre: Environmental Mystery, #2 Desert Sky mystery

Rating: A

Source: Paperback Swap

Shadow of the Raven by David Sundstrand

Title: Shadow of the Raven
Author: David Sundstrand
ISBN: 9780312361358
Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2007
Hardcover, 320 pages
Genre: Environmental mystery, #1 Desert Sky mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Purchased from Bookcloseouts.

First Line: Finding another dead body ruined Frank Flynn's day off.

Frank Flynn is an officer of the Bureau of Land Management on the California side of the Mojave Desert. The son of an immigrant Irish railroad man and a half-Mexican, half-Paiute mother, he lives in the caboose that his father brought out to a remote area when the railroad stopped running there.

Although Frank loves teaching people about the desert, its beauty, and the wildlife that lives there, he could do without the thoughtless souls who tear up the fragile ecosystem with their campers and all-terrain vehicles. Moreover, if you really want to make him angry, bring up the topic of rich hunters who hire poverty-stricken Indians to lead them to protected Bighorn rams. The rams are then shot, and their heads taken to adorn the walls of some fancy den or study.

Frank is no stranger to finding human remains in the desert-- people who have gotten lost, run out of water, and died-- but this time the corpse he finds is different. This man has been murdered, left out in the merciless sun to die. Instead of convincing his colleagues of the man's murder, one of the tracks in the sand that Frank finds provides fodder for a running joke. A day or so later when Frank learns that three bikers are looking for a missing buddy, he's positive the dead man is connected to them.

Since the bikers are gaining a reputation for picking fights and maiming-- even killing-- when it suits them, the BLM agent knows that the chances of other people losing their lives is growing by the hour. Since the other law enforcement agencies aren't paying a bit of attention to him, Frank knows it's up to him to stop these men, and if he finds time to save his bighorn sheep, that will be icing on the cake.

I am no stranger to the Mojave Desert, although my treks have kept me to the Arizona side of this desert. It is a land of harsh and uncompromising beauty as long as you take the time to get out of your vehicle and walk a bit. Perhaps its saving grace is that, to most people, it looks so desolate that most of them never venture off the interstate. Since I have a particular fondness for crime fiction set in desert locales, I was happy when I ran across this book.

 I'd barely begun to read when it became obvious that the author has a love of and an eye for the desert, too:

Emptiness? Vast, uncluttered, rigorously frugal, but never empty. It was full of shapes and colors and the stillness of open places, a land of illusions, a place where cloud shadows moved across a dreamscape of empty lakes whose dry beds miraculously filled with water when the desert gods emptied the sky in dark torrents, washing the rocks and filling the canyons with ephemeral rivers of brown water.

Frank Flynn is a marvelously realized character in both his relationships to people and to the desert. Sundstrand also does an excellent job in depicting how the various law enforcement agencies-- police, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Bureau of Land Management-- don't always agree on how things should be done... or even on who should do them.

For me, the villains and the plot proved to be a bit weak. The bad guys were just the sort of people I love to despise, but they really didn't rise above the two-dimensional. As for the plot, a few things were mentioned in passing that were all too easily guessed as having something to do with the denouement. Although the author switched around the timing of the two plot threads concerning the rich trophy hunter and the bikers, there really weren't any surprises in what happened.

In books where the characterization and setting aren't so rich and detailed, these weaknesses would make a huge difference. In the case of Shadow of the Raven, I can overlook them a bit as I look for the next book in the series. I most definitely want to read more of Frank Flynn and the Mojave Desert.

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