Endangered Species

Rating:
Summary: Not the Book of the Century
Review: This book was, in our opinion, certainly not the book of the century, but it had a few good points. The story of an older, somewhat moody park ranger that enjoys skinny-dipping off the coast of Georgia isn't exactly the type of thing that normal high-school students would usually indulge in, but the book was interesting mostly because of the plot. It was easy to become enthralled with the mystery happening before Anna Pigeon's (the park ranger) eyes, but the story was frequently interrupted by a completely unrelated topic. One can only be bothered that these "interruptions" make the story hard to follow, and even harder to believe. There were so many twists and turns in Endangered Species that it makes it easy to compare this book to a bad, made-for-TV movie on CBS. The story probably relates much more to the older people of the world, so if you aren't in that category, don't waste your time.

Rating:
Summary: Marking time between "Firestorm" and "Deep South"
Review: This story's a bit of a mess. There are too many characters to keep straight, none of the great set pieces such as the motorboat chase in "A Superior Death," and a distinctly "who cares" attitude about the eventual unmasking of the villain. Just as Cumberland Island is a backwater in the National Park System, this book is a backwater in the Anna Pigeon series. Anna spends the story trying to figure out what to do about a difficult personal relationship, and Barr spends it as a combination of revisiting old ground (fire fighting) and gearing up for a serious foray into the southern parks. Read "Firestorm" for a better story of fire fighting, and skip to "Deep South" for a better-developed take on the southern parks. Still, even a ho-hum Anna Pigeon mystery is good enough to keep the pages turning.

Rating:
Summary: Great addition to her series of adventures for Anna Pidgeon
Review: Well - Nevada Barr has done it again. Written a smashing good book that makes you want to stay up bleary-eyed to the final page. I have not been disappointed yet in her books. She can spin a yarn in the most interesting and enchanting places. Her summers with the rangers have served her and consequently, us very well. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel that keeps you in suspense up to the final line on the final page