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. 

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