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Anna Pigeon #3
Ill Wind
Lately, visitors to Mesa Verde have been bringing home more than photos--they're also carrying a strange, deadly disease. And once it strikes, park ranger Anna Pigeon must find the very human source of the evil wind.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Nevada Barr
58 books2,180 followersNevada Barr is a mystery fiction author, known for her "Anna Pigeon" series of mysteries, set in National Parks in the United States. Barr has won an Agatha Award for best first novel for Track of the Cat.
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started to pursue a career in theatre, but decided to be a park ranger. In 1984 she published her first novel, Bittersweet, a bleak lesbian historical novel set in the days of the Western frontier.
While working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Barr created the Anna Pigeon series. Pigeon is a law enforcement officer with the United States National Park Service. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park, where Pigeon solves a murder mystery, often related to natural resource issues. She is a satirical, witty woman whose icy exterior is broken down in each book by a hunky male to whom she is attracted (such as Rogelio).
Currently, Ms. Barr lives in New Orleans, LA.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nevada...
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started to pursue a career in theatre, but decided to be a park ranger. In 1984 she published her first novel, Bittersweet, a bleak lesbian historical novel set in the days of the Western frontier.
While working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Barr created the Anna Pigeon series. Pigeon is a law enforcement officer with the United States National Park Service. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park, where Pigeon solves a murder mystery, often related to natural resource issues. She is a satirical, witty woman whose icy exterior is broken down in each book by a hunky male to whom she is attracted (such as Rogelio).
Currently, Ms. Barr lives in New Orleans, LA.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nevada...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 588 reviews
June 26, 2024
Anna has been transferred to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado and is living in dorm housing. Her roommates like to party (too bad she’s 40 and over that lifestyle) and she misses cuddle time with her cat. This mystery unfolds with legends of the Anasazi, a murder of a colleague Anna was vaguely interested in, mysterious deaths, and some nasty stalking by an ex-husband. Wonderfully real characters and situations. Author Nevada Barr is a former park ranger in real life and you can tell with the authenticity she brings to this series. I love the level of detail about the ins and outs of park ranger life and taking a mini “road trip” to each park as I read! I always eagerly look forward to seeing which park we will visit on the next book.
November 20, 2010
My take so far on the Anna Pigeon mysteries: no single book is a standout that I feel like I need to read again. That said, there are so many elements of the books that I enjoy. Anna has such a strong personality, but her weaknesses are compelling and realistic, not a token fatal flaw. Her relationships with friends and family are deep and rich. (Molly is especially awesome, and I am always happy when the two sisters end up snarking at each other over the phone.) Barr's prose has a sly sense of humor, and while I am not always a fan of long descriptions of the natural world, I like them here--they help establish the atmosphere.
I do wish the structure of the plotting was a little less predictable. It's a bad sign when halfway through the book I find myself thinking, "It's about time for Anna to fend off a vicious physical attack now!"
Overall, a solid comfort read. I'm glad there are lots of these for me to work my way through.
I do wish the structure of the plotting was a little less predictable. It's a bad sign when halfway through the book I find myself thinking, "It's about time for Anna to fend off a vicious physical attack now!"
Overall, a solid comfort read. I'm glad there are lots of these for me to work my way through.
August 30, 2021
Ill Wind is a slowly paced novel with an engaging protagonist. It is a murder mystery set in a National Park Mesa Verde, where the protagonist Anna Pigeon works as a park ranger. I immediately warmed up to Anna. Even if our park ranger is slow to connect to dots, she is refreshingly real and three dimensional.
The murder mystery aspect of the plot seemed weak and predictable to me, but I was willing to put up with it because I enjoyed reading about the park ranger life. The ending was too obvious and sudden, but I didn't feel cheated. Perhaps because I enjoyed learning more about Anna and following her around. As I said, I warmed up to this character.
From what I read about Nevada Barr (the author), her Anna Pigeon novels are known to be slowly paced and abundant in descriptions of nature. I can live with that. Every Anna Pigeon novel is set in a different national park. I didn't read the other ones, but I can say that in this one Nevada Barr did a great job of bringing the park to life. In fact, the national park itself almost becomes a character in the novel. The setting is definitely important for this novel. I think the author really managed to capture the atmosphere of an untouched and mysterious place.
As I said, I didn't particularly mind that the plot was moving slowly, especially at the start. I enjoyed getting to know everyone. However, at some points the novel did seem a bit too slow. It seems that the story came to a standstill just when it was supposed to get interesting. The plot was really doing circles and becoming repetitive towards the end. The ending was, well, disappointing. If it wasn't for such an engaging heroine, the story would drag all the way. This way, I was able to look past that and I'm considering reading more from this author.
More on my blog:
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2...
The murder mystery aspect of the plot seemed weak and predictable to me, but I was willing to put up with it because I enjoyed reading about the park ranger life. The ending was too obvious and sudden, but I didn't feel cheated. Perhaps because I enjoyed learning more about Anna and following her around. As I said, I warmed up to this character.
From what I read about Nevada Barr (the author), her Anna Pigeon novels are known to be slowly paced and abundant in descriptions of nature. I can live with that. Every Anna Pigeon novel is set in a different national park. I didn't read the other ones, but I can say that in this one Nevada Barr did a great job of bringing the park to life. In fact, the national park itself almost becomes a character in the novel. The setting is definitely important for this novel. I think the author really managed to capture the atmosphere of an untouched and mysterious place.
As I said, I didn't particularly mind that the plot was moving slowly, especially at the start. I enjoyed getting to know everyone. However, at some points the novel did seem a bit too slow. It seems that the story came to a standstill just when it was supposed to get interesting. The plot was really doing circles and becoming repetitive towards the end. The ending was, well, disappointing. If it wasn't for such an engaging heroine, the story would drag all the way. This way, I was able to look past that and I'm considering reading more from this author.
More on my blog:
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2...
September 25, 2015
This book was in keeping with the series so far. All of them are slow developing with a ton of descriptions of scenery, which is to be expected, since the different state parks are the niche of Anna Pigeon's character. I think I envoy them mostly due to the dry, antisocial personality with a tad of inappropriate sense of humor she exhibits and the obvious greef and depression which underline her every waking moment...
January 31, 2020
Ill Wind was a really good mystery set in Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. My favorite aspect of this series so far is having each one set in a different national park. The settings have been amazing!
Anna is a likable main character, even with her flaws and the baggage she carries. She's more resilient and courageous than she believes. The storyline in this book was really interesting, and it kept me enthralled.
I'm looking forward to reading more of the series soon.
Anna is a likable main character, even with her flaws and the baggage she carries. She's more resilient and courageous than she believes. The storyline in this book was really interesting, and it kept me enthralled.
I'm looking forward to reading more of the series soon.
August 11, 2012
Wouldn't you just love to have a name like "Nevada" ? It's so unusual for a first name, I mean. If you live in Las Vegas or Henderson, it is not so unusual. As I am from Michigan, and before that Utah, and before that Oregon, and before that California I could never have pulled it off ! Michigan Day ... sounds rather like a weather report wouldn't you say ?
I digress ... so, this book "Ill Wind" is by Nevada Barr. I l.o.v.e. Nevada Barr ! And her heroine, Anna Pigeon, who is a Nat'l Park Ranger and each of her novels take place in Nat' Parks across this great country ! Anna Pigeon has a job that sounds kinda fun ... just playing a female Smoky the Bear, reminding us to "stamp out our fires" and all. But, oh no ! That is not the Pigeon way of life ! She dang near dies in every book ! She meets a different set of strange support staff in each of the parks as well. Except her sister who doubles as her therapist, and in this book, Frederick Stanton, an FBI agent that she worked with during the murders at Isle Royale Nat'l. Park in the UP of Michigan who are ongoing characters. Now Fred shows up again to help Anna save the day at Mesa Verdi Nat'l Park which protects the Anasazi ruins at the Four Corners area of the southwest. I like Fred. I gotta hunch he will be heard from again, too.
Disappointingly, Barr uses a paragraph or two of objectionable language to set the character of Tom Silva. I'm just sayin' !
I can overlook that of my friend, Nevada ... :o)
I digress ... so, this book "Ill Wind" is by Nevada Barr. I l.o.v.e. Nevada Barr ! And her heroine, Anna Pigeon, who is a Nat'l Park Ranger and each of her novels take place in Nat' Parks across this great country ! Anna Pigeon has a job that sounds kinda fun ... just playing a female Smoky the Bear, reminding us to "stamp out our fires" and all. But, oh no ! That is not the Pigeon way of life ! She dang near dies in every book ! She meets a different set of strange support staff in each of the parks as well. Except her sister who doubles as her therapist, and in this book, Frederick Stanton, an FBI agent that she worked with during the murders at Isle Royale Nat'l. Park in the UP of Michigan who are ongoing characters. Now Fred shows up again to help Anna save the day at Mesa Verdi Nat'l Park which protects the Anasazi ruins at the Four Corners area of the southwest. I like Fred. I gotta hunch he will be heard from again, too.
Disappointingly, Barr uses a paragraph or two of objectionable language to set the character of Tom Silva. I'm just sayin' !
I can overlook that of my friend, Nevada ... :o)
April 14, 2017
I've recently started reading the Anna Pigeon series and have found it to be a fun and interesting read. Anna is a park ranger and each book is situated in a different US National Park. In Ill Wind, she's been transferred to the Mesa Verde National Park, located in southern Colorado. The Anasazi carved their homes into the hills of Mesa Verde and then disappeared over 800 years ago. One of the woman staff members is being stalked by her ex-husband and it seems like more tourists are dying than normally expected. It is whispered that the Old Ones, the restless spirits of the Anasazi, still haunt Mesa Verde.
Anna is an interesting protagonist. In her forties, she's older than most of the female suspense characters. She has a drinking problem that she thinks is under control but really isn't. She calls her sister, a psychiatrist, every week and they have interesting conversations that hint at their past. I really enjoy the way the author describes the beautiful parks and it's easy to see she's done lots of research. This book was enjoyable but not my favorite of the three I've read. The story had fewer characters so there weren't a lot of suspects to choose from. I do believe the author creates believable situations and plausible endings and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Anna is an interesting protagonist. In her forties, she's older than most of the female suspense characters. She has a drinking problem that she thinks is under control but really isn't. She calls her sister, a psychiatrist, every week and they have interesting conversations that hint at their past. I really enjoy the way the author describes the beautiful parks and it's easy to see she's done lots of research. This book was enjoyable but not my favorite of the three I've read. The story had fewer characters so there weren't a lot of suspects to choose from. I do believe the author creates believable situations and plausible endings and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
January 11, 2018
This was the third mystery by Nevada Barr, all set in United States National Parks. Ranger Anna Pigeon is now posted in Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park located amid the preserved cliff dwellings of the ancient Anasazi native civilization. Those ancestors of the Pueblo Indian vanished in the 12th century BC and left enough mysteries to occupy historians to this day. Barr weaves this into her own mystery.
It is summer and week after week park visitors are succumbing to respiratory attacks and having to be rescued by the rangers. One of them dies in the hospital. When Anna's fellow ranger is found dead in one of the cliff dwellings, the FBI arrives in the person of Agent Stanton.
Anna had been forced to work with Stanton in the last book, A Superior Death, where to say that they did not hit it off would be putting it mildly. Now Anna is more haunted than ever by her personal demons and Stanton becomes a good friend to her as they work together to find the killer.
Another of the park personnel is a woman who holds strong beliefs in New Age theories about the Anasazi. A strange phenomenon of mist and winds has been appearing on a weekly basis all summer. This woman is convinced it is being caused by spirits who deplore mankind's depredations around the park, as construction is being done to upgrade some of the park's crumbling infrastructure.
Once again the author combines the internal problems of the National Park's administration as well as the quirks of the Mesa Verde crew and visitors with Anna's prickly personality to create a complex mystery. I have been to the New Mexico section of the cliff dwelling ruins and could picture the locations, the weather and the skies in and under which Anna finds herself.
The book gets off to a jagged start as we meet the characters, not one of which is admirable. We also learn why Anna is there and how her situation has become less stable than ever. The cast of characters seemed larger than in the two earlier books. All of that made for quite a few confusing chapters. I was worried Ill Wind would be one of the duds that mystery series writers sometimes have.
Once the murder has been committed though, the story takes off and comes to a stunning conclusion. All the clues were there and I had to admire how she did it. All I will say is that ill wind was man made and justice was done.
July 8, 2015
Starting with the pros: This was a great read for those who have been or are planning to go to Mesa Verde (as I am, in a few months). I enjoyed having this national park as a backdrop, and hearing about what goes on behind the scenes. Anna Pigeon is an intriguing protagonist, and I'll be interested to see how her character changes. Also, SO cool that the author is also a ranger.
Other stuff: I've started reading more mysteries in the past year, and started to note why I think some mysteries succeed more than others. This one had a good premise, and did a lot of things well, but also felt a little stagnant and disconnected sometimes. For example, there was an entire 5 pages where Anna aimlessly drove around the park thinking about how she doesn't have enough evidence yet. Literally nothing happened. That could have been used to connect some of the dots more deeply.
Also, the writing was a little poor - everything had to be compared to something else it seemed, to bring maximum visualization to the reader. For example, in the span of two paragraphs, a mouse in Anna's kitchen is compared BOTH to Gus Gus from "Cinderella" AND to whatever that rat's name is from "Charlotte's Web." There was no reason for this. The mouse played no role in the book, and we didn't need two comparisons to fat rodents from pop culture. In another scene, literally every single rock's size is compared to an object that readers know (a winnebago, a fist, a house, a room). I don't know why this happened.
Anyway, the next one I"ll read is a little further into the series and it'll be cool to see how her writing has changed.
Other stuff: I've started reading more mysteries in the past year, and started to note why I think some mysteries succeed more than others. This one had a good premise, and did a lot of things well, but also felt a little stagnant and disconnected sometimes. For example, there was an entire 5 pages where Anna aimlessly drove around the park thinking about how she doesn't have enough evidence yet. Literally nothing happened. That could have been used to connect some of the dots more deeply.
Also, the writing was a little poor - everything had to be compared to something else it seemed, to bring maximum visualization to the reader. For example, in the span of two paragraphs, a mouse in Anna's kitchen is compared BOTH to Gus Gus from "Cinderella" AND to whatever that rat's name is from "Charlotte's Web." There was no reason for this. The mouse played no role in the book, and we didn't need two comparisons to fat rodents from pop culture. In another scene, literally every single rock's size is compared to an object that readers know (a winnebago, a fist, a house, a room). I don't know why this happened.
Anyway, the next one I"ll read is a little further into the series and it'll be cool to see how her writing has changed.
February 4, 2016
#3 in the Anna Pigeon series.
I'm tempted by this series since it's set in various interesting national parks, with fairly intriguing mysteries. But Anna is just such a depressing character that it puts a pall over everything. Actually, I get her and understand that she has personal issues (as does everyone)--she doesn't like sharing a dorm with younger rangers, she is still grieving over her husband's death, she has trouble with alcoholism--but I don't necessarily want to read about all her struggles since it adds a negative aspect to the story that overshadows the beauty of the surroundings and her love of the job. Now that I think about it, perhaps that Barr's intention--to show a marked contrast within the story. The redeeming feature of this book is the return of Frederick Stanton, FBI agent, who seems bumbling but is really intelligent, insightful, and amusing. He's a great counterpoint to Anna's bad attitude and lightens her up a bit. I look forward to seeing their relationship develop.
I'm tempted by this series since it's set in various interesting national parks, with fairly intriguing mysteries. But Anna is just such a depressing character that it puts a pall over everything. Actually, I get her and understand that she has personal issues (as does everyone)--she doesn't like sharing a dorm with younger rangers, she is still grieving over her husband's death, she has trouble with alcoholism--but I don't necessarily want to read about all her struggles since it adds a negative aspect to the story that overshadows the beauty of the surroundings and her love of the job. Now that I think about it, perhaps that Barr's intention--to show a marked contrast within the story. The redeeming feature of this book is the return of Frederick Stanton, FBI agent, who seems bumbling but is really intelligent, insightful, and amusing. He's a great counterpoint to Anna's bad attitude and lightens her up a bit. I look forward to seeing their relationship develop.
May 16, 2018
This is my 5th or 6th book by Nevada Barr and it turned out to be my favorite. It should have been obvious to me but I could not figure out who the "insect" was and so was surprised and also to learn what was really going on as I never guessed. Anna Pigeon has the first good romance in this one so I am anxious to read the next one and hope it keeps going.
I really enjoyed the descriptive writing about the landscape and area as I have been there and love the Southwest. Its magical. There were quite a few typos which I enjoyed marking with my hot pink pen and correcting. They really didn't bother me that much. I read so fast that my eyes tend to skip over those type of things.
Anna drinks more in this book and she tends to drink too much but that doesn't bother me either. She behaves with a little more sense in this one than she did in the one about Lake Superior and also the one set in Yosemite where her behavior is just too crazy and wild for me.
I am sorry its over but there are more. I hope I haven't read number 4. But if I have I may read it again.
I really enjoyed the descriptive writing about the landscape and area as I have been there and love the Southwest. Its magical. There were quite a few typos which I enjoyed marking with my hot pink pen and correcting. They really didn't bother me that much. I read so fast that my eyes tend to skip over those type of things.
Anna drinks more in this book and she tends to drink too much but that doesn't bother me either. She behaves with a little more sense in this one than she did in the one about Lake Superior and also the one set in Yosemite where her behavior is just too crazy and wild for me.
I am sorry its over but there are more. I hope I haven't read number 4. But if I have I may read it again.
September 8, 2013
Perhaps not one of Barr's greatest. On the good side of the list, and as always, the details of the setting (Mesa Verde National Park) and historical background are accurate and well-researched. The plot is complex, as this author's murder mysteries usually are, and there are enough characters to make it confusing for a while. The twists and surprises are creative and unexpected for the most part.
On the other hand, some of the premises were difficult for me to believe and the combination of factors seemed astronomically improbable. The ending does resolve the mystery satisfactorily, but still leaves me displeased. Good people killed and injured, bad people (some of them at least) get away unscathed, and, as usual, protagonist Anna Pigeon has a near brush with death and needs a significant recovery time. Judging by the number of books in which Ms. Pigeon is featured, she has many more lives than any cat could claim.
On the other hand, some of the premises were difficult for me to believe and the combination of factors seemed astronomically improbable. The ending does resolve the mystery satisfactorily, but still leaves me displeased. Good people killed and injured, bad people (some of them at least) get away unscathed, and, as usual, protagonist Anna Pigeon has a near brush with death and needs a significant recovery time. Judging by the number of books in which Ms. Pigeon is featured, she has many more lives than any cat could claim.
February 22, 2018
One great benefit of reading Barr's series about Ranger Anna Pigeon is that I learn about the U.S. National Parks. I've been to a few of the parks, but so far not any of the ones that are featured in this series. Now I really want to go to Mesa Verde, where the action takes place in the book. When I read one these books, I go on the internet to learn more about the layout of the park and look at the pictures. Anna is a troubled woman, but has advice from her psychologist sister via phone calls. The mysteries Anna get involved with are interesting as well.
August 3, 2011
this was the first Nevada Barr novel I read. Picked it up at an airport shop, not sure if it was on the way home from my Smithsonian trip to the Southwest. That would be fitting as I visited Mesa
Verde on that trip. That would have been spring of 1996. Since then I've read all of her books. She, Dana Stabenow, Sara Paretsky, and James Lee Burke are probably my favorite American mystery writers. They all write with a strong sense of place and their characters are human. I should add to this list Marcia Muller Sue Grafton and Bill Pronzini. An honorable mention to the now deceased Tony Hillerman who added to my love of the southwest in the first place.
P.S. Now, non-American mysteries would be a whole other story.
Verde on that trip. That would have been spring of 1996. Since then I've read all of her books. She, Dana Stabenow, Sara Paretsky, and James Lee Burke are probably my favorite American mystery writers. They all write with a strong sense of place and their characters are human. I should add to this list Marcia Muller Sue Grafton and Bill Pronzini. An honorable mention to the now deceased Tony Hillerman who added to my love of the southwest in the first place.
P.S. Now, non-American mysteries would be a whole other story.
August 31, 2015
Another book in the Anna Pigeon mystery series. This is book 3 and she's now a ranger at Mesa Verde. I've been there but it's been years ago. I did like the descriptions she gives of the park.
Compared to the previous one, Superior Death, this book has less suspects and less suspense but that was fine with me. I enjoyed it and read it quickly.
On to the next one!
Compared to the previous one, Superior Death, this book has less suspects and less suspense but that was fine with me. I enjoyed it and read it quickly.
On to the next one!
January 26, 2018
Enjoyable book. I figured somewhat the reason and the bad guy was so predictable he should have had a black hat, twirling his mustache. The part I loved the best was Anna. Her trying to figure out her job, her life, her residence, her drinking. The ending was great.
October 6, 2024
Not her best, but I did enjoy the setting at one of my favorite National Parks: Mesa Verde.
June 10, 2024
Another of the Ranger Anna Pigeon series, this one set in Mesa Verde National Park.
July 25, 2017
"Overbalancing, the insect stumbled forward a step. [Anna] stepped into the opening and rammed the tip of the baton into the exposed gut with all her strength and weight."
Ill Wind (1995) is my third novel in the Nevada Barr's National Park series: after Glacier National Park ( Blood Lure ) and Carlsbad Caverns NP ( Blind Descent ) Anita Pigeon now works in Mesa Verde. I couldn't wait to read this installment as this is the national park that I know the best (my fourth visit there was just 11 months ago) and the general area of Four Corners, where Mesa Verde is located, is one of my favorite places on Earth.
While this is a proper mystery/crime novel with a dead body and Ranger Pigeon's investigation there is also a deeper layer in the story. The reader will learn about the mystery of Anasazi people (the Old Ones, or - in current day politically correct parlance - the Ancestral Puebloans) who, some time about 1200-1300, suddenly abandoned the cliff dwellings and the territory they had occupied for many centuries. Some of the most famous dwellings are located in Mesa Verde. The mystery has not yet been convincingly explained by archaeologists and ethnographers. A few months ago I reviewed here David Roberts' In Search of the Old Ones where the abandonment enigma is discussed in depth and with a research bent. I am happy that Ms. Barr treats the topic seriously and with respect in this crime novel. She even mentions that the theories explaining the abandonment "change with political weather." True, and sad.
Anyway, Ms. Pigeon is now a ranger in Mesa Verde (the readers will recall that rangers are responsible for law enforcement on national park grounds). The main waterline is being renovated and the conflicts between the park administrators, contractors, rangers, and archaeologists provide an interesting backdrop of the crime plot. The story meanders a little to introduce the protagonists (and later suspects), we have a domestic dispute where the ex-husband mails his ex-wife a certain part of his body (no, not quite what one might think, but close), yet the main thread begins well past one-third of the book when the body of one of the main characters is found in a fire ring of a kiva. The author rather skillfully connects the criminal plot with the Old Ones' mystique: there are sightings of a mysterious "veil" - a "kind of iridescent shimmer" - and some park employees even suggest that the spirits of the original inhabitants of the dwellings manifest their presence, via sipapu portals. Ms. Pigeon finds an interesting correlation between the sightings and evacuations of sick tourists from less accessible parts of the park. I find the overall mystery well constructed and satisfying, even if the denouement is a bit implausible.
This would be a very good novel if not for the awkward prose. Compared to two other books in the series that I have read the writing is strangely incompetent: the author has a tendency to enumerate all the small actions taken by characters: sit down, stand up, take condiments out of the cupboard, put them on the table, drink Pepsi, pick up a potato chip, break it into small pieces, and so on, and on, and on. I did not notice it in the later novels so maybe Ms. Barr did not yet hit her literary stride in this early installment of the series.
Other than less than masterful prose I find the book very readable and, of course, I love reading about all these amazing places that I am beginning to know: Chapin Mesa, Far View, Cedar Tree Tower, Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and many others.
Three stars.
Ill Wind (1995) is my third novel in the Nevada Barr's National Park series: after Glacier National Park ( Blood Lure ) and Carlsbad Caverns NP ( Blind Descent ) Anita Pigeon now works in Mesa Verde. I couldn't wait to read this installment as this is the national park that I know the best (my fourth visit there was just 11 months ago) and the general area of Four Corners, where Mesa Verde is located, is one of my favorite places on Earth.
While this is a proper mystery/crime novel with a dead body and Ranger Pigeon's investigation there is also a deeper layer in the story. The reader will learn about the mystery of Anasazi people (the Old Ones, or - in current day politically correct parlance - the Ancestral Puebloans) who, some time about 1200-1300, suddenly abandoned the cliff dwellings and the territory they had occupied for many centuries. Some of the most famous dwellings are located in Mesa Verde. The mystery has not yet been convincingly explained by archaeologists and ethnographers. A few months ago I reviewed here David Roberts' In Search of the Old Ones where the abandonment enigma is discussed in depth and with a research bent. I am happy that Ms. Barr treats the topic seriously and with respect in this crime novel. She even mentions that the theories explaining the abandonment "change with political weather." True, and sad.
Anyway, Ms. Pigeon is now a ranger in Mesa Verde (the readers will recall that rangers are responsible for law enforcement on national park grounds). The main waterline is being renovated and the conflicts between the park administrators, contractors, rangers, and archaeologists provide an interesting backdrop of the crime plot. The story meanders a little to introduce the protagonists (and later suspects), we have a domestic dispute where the ex-husband mails his ex-wife a certain part of his body (no, not quite what one might think, but close), yet the main thread begins well past one-third of the book when the body of one of the main characters is found in a fire ring of a kiva. The author rather skillfully connects the criminal plot with the Old Ones' mystique: there are sightings of a mysterious "veil" - a "kind of iridescent shimmer" - and some park employees even suggest that the spirits of the original inhabitants of the dwellings manifest their presence, via sipapu portals. Ms. Pigeon finds an interesting correlation between the sightings and evacuations of sick tourists from less accessible parts of the park. I find the overall mystery well constructed and satisfying, even if the denouement is a bit implausible.
This would be a very good novel if not for the awkward prose. Compared to two other books in the series that I have read the writing is strangely incompetent: the author has a tendency to enumerate all the small actions taken by characters: sit down, stand up, take condiments out of the cupboard, put them on the table, drink Pepsi, pick up a potato chip, break it into small pieces, and so on, and on, and on. I did not notice it in the later novels so maybe Ms. Barr did not yet hit her literary stride in this early installment of the series.
Other than less than masterful prose I find the book very readable and, of course, I love reading about all these amazing places that I am beginning to know: Chapin Mesa, Far View, Cedar Tree Tower, Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and many others.
Three stars.
February 17, 2012
I love Anna Pigeon- and although I could see the solution to this one coming, it was still a good story. I think Nevada Barr does really well at bringing the "ranger world" to the reader; even though I was a ranger for a different agency many of her descriptions and comments really ring true (in another Pigeon novel she made a reference to R&R Uniforms, our old uniform contractor, that had me nodding my head in total agreement, it was spot on). Reading these books also makes me want to get right in my car and drive to the national park she is writing about.
October 8, 2019
Having spent many years in Colorado, Mesa Verde was a special place I visited as often as I could. The arid beauty, history and mystery of this fabulous national park is worth the trip.
Anna Pigeon is a law enforcement National Park Ranger currently stationed in Mesa Verde (The Green Table). When one of her co-workers dies mysteriously in a Kiva at Cliff Palace after several other incidents of severe and deadly illness to visitors in the same place, it is wondered if the chindi of the Anasazi are taking revenge or is it just the evil nature of a living human.
Anna Pigeon is a law enforcement National Park Ranger currently stationed in Mesa Verde (The Green Table). When one of her co-workers dies mysteriously in a Kiva at Cliff Palace after several other incidents of severe and deadly illness to visitors in the same place, it is wondered if the chindi of the Anasazi are taking revenge or is it just the evil nature of a living human.
July 9, 2018
I love Anna Pigeon. I didn't read this series in order- as I find them in thrift stores I buy the ones I don't think I've read yet (this is how I have two copies of Hunting Season). The series may have been better if I had read it properly but it doesn't really bug me-- I'm smart enough to keep up.
My advice to anyone considering that used Nevada Barr book--just buy it and read it, it'll be good.
My advice to anyone considering that used Nevada Barr book--just buy it and read it, it'll be good.
June 28, 2019
First, a grumble. I find it annoying that when I finish a Kindle book, Amazon automatically marks it as ‘read’ in Goodreads! It means that I have to hunt it down to rate / review it rather than just going to my ‘currently reading’ shelf. End of grump.
I like her books and will definitely continue with the series! This one is set in Mesa Verde here in Colorado and I’m inspired to visit that park again. The observations by the author made for some interesting anticipation.
I like her books and will definitely continue with the series! This one is set in Mesa Verde here in Colorado and I’m inspired to visit that park again. The observations by the author made for some interesting anticipation.
December 13, 2019
Whodunits are really not my thing, but I do like National Parks and I have been to Mesa Verde a couple of times so I wanted to read this book. I didn't love the book and I really didn't like Anna Pigeon, but I'm wondering if she is a character that grows on you. Strangely I would like to read another book in this series.
June 19, 2018
Anna Pigeon is now working in Mesa Verde National Park. Mysterious health issues arise and Anna needs to explain the Ill Wind that is causing them.
Well written-humor, plot, suspense, twists, interesting characters.
Well written-humor, plot, suspense, twists, interesting characters.
February 27, 2022
If you have never read a book in the Anna Pigeon series, you are in for a treat. The books take place in various national parks and feature National Park Ranger, Ann Pigeon. Anna (40) is smart, hardworking, dedicated to the NPS and can be funny or caustic. “No wonder man was always out to conquer Nature, Anna thought. He can’t bear it that she doesn’t love him, or even hate him. She simply doesn’t give a damn." There is mystery, suspense, intrigue and fun in every book. In an ideal world you’d read them in order but I’ve jumped around based on 1) my interest in the park, 2) availability at the library.
In Ill Wind Anna has taken an assignment at Mesa Verde National Park, the location of thousands of archeological sites dating back to the 13th century and previous home to cliff dwellers, Pueblo Native Americans (Anasazi). The park is getting a much needed water upgrade but the heavy equipment and the digging is upsetting a sacred site and some say that the “Chindi” (Navajo spirit) is upset. Is that why more people are having health issues on site and two children have died in the first few months of the season?
Things turn darker still when Ranger Stacy Meyers is found dead in the oddest of circumstances. FBI Special Agent Frederick Stanton is called in to investigate and Anna is assigned to assist him. Together they make a formidable pair but it seems that everyone they speak with is lying leaving them back where they started.
Part mystery, part adventure Ill Wind, like all Anna Pigeon stories, is a page turner. As always, there is a level of detail of the park that is compelling. I especially enjoyed reading about the Anasazi who "disappeared” without a trace thousands of years ago. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The theme is similar throughout the series. The locations and other characters vary by book. I’ve listened to most of the books on audio, the reader is great and sounds exactly how I think Anna should sound. Every Anna Pigeon book that I have read has been at least a 4 star read.
#emptynestreader #Instagram #Goodreads #facebook #IllWind #NevadaBarr #barbararosenblat #annapigeonseries #audiobook #nationalparks #mystery #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebook #AnnArborDistrictLibrary #AADLGRAM
In Ill Wind Anna has taken an assignment at Mesa Verde National Park, the location of thousands of archeological sites dating back to the 13th century and previous home to cliff dwellers, Pueblo Native Americans (Anasazi). The park is getting a much needed water upgrade but the heavy equipment and the digging is upsetting a sacred site and some say that the “Chindi” (Navajo spirit) is upset. Is that why more people are having health issues on site and two children have died in the first few months of the season?
Things turn darker still when Ranger Stacy Meyers is found dead in the oddest of circumstances. FBI Special Agent Frederick Stanton is called in to investigate and Anna is assigned to assist him. Together they make a formidable pair but it seems that everyone they speak with is lying leaving them back where they started.
Part mystery, part adventure Ill Wind, like all Anna Pigeon stories, is a page turner. As always, there is a level of detail of the park that is compelling. I especially enjoyed reading about the Anasazi who "disappeared” without a trace thousands of years ago. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The theme is similar throughout the series. The locations and other characters vary by book. I’ve listened to most of the books on audio, the reader is great and sounds exactly how I think Anna should sound. Every Anna Pigeon book that I have read has been at least a 4 star read.
#emptynestreader #Instagram #Goodreads #facebook #IllWind #NevadaBarr #barbararosenblat #annapigeonseries #audiobook #nationalparks #mystery #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebook #AnnArborDistrictLibrary #AADLGRAM
June 29, 2022
Ranger Anna Pigeon is assigned to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. She is burdened by putting up with noisy dorm mates, her fresh widowhood, tending to a family squabble, and dealing with crowds of tourists when she feels the need for wilderness solitude. We see the story solely from her point of view.
An unusual number of accidents occur amid the cliff dwellings. And mysterious lights appear at night. One of Pigeon's dorm mates interprets it as Anasazi spirits wreaking revenge on the living for invading their sacred sites. But when one of the rangers is found dead near a kiva, Anna interprets it as murder.
There's not much to indicate foul play. Nevertheless, FBI agent Stanton is called in the investigate, with Anna Pigeon appointed to assist him. As subtle clues appear, seemingly unrelated incidents eventually show a surprising connection that pulls our heroes into a battle for their lives.
There are plenty of characters, fleshed out only as required by the novel. Some are hardly more than names which provide a minor challenge for the reader to keep them straight. I think some could have been omitted without being missed.
My favorites are the several charming characters that add interest, sometimes humorous, to the tale. Stanton appears as bumbling and gawky, until action reveals his finesse as a super-agent. Six-year-old Bella, afflicted with dwarfism, touches our hearts, as does her loving and protective aunt. And then there is Bella's stepdad, a heart throb the girls wish was not married and thus taken.
Barr gives us a clear picture of Mesa Verde, with its tourism, its ranger program, its wild scenery. And we experience the give and take among the park staff.
There's only one action scene that bothers me, as it seems labored and afflicted with passive verbs, such as "was." Other than that, her is another worthy, well researched read, to be enjoyed by all Nevada Barr fans.
An unusual number of accidents occur amid the cliff dwellings. And mysterious lights appear at night. One of Pigeon's dorm mates interprets it as Anasazi spirits wreaking revenge on the living for invading their sacred sites. But when one of the rangers is found dead near a kiva, Anna interprets it as murder.
There's not much to indicate foul play. Nevertheless, FBI agent Stanton is called in the investigate, with Anna Pigeon appointed to assist him. As subtle clues appear, seemingly unrelated incidents eventually show a surprising connection that pulls our heroes into a battle for their lives.
There are plenty of characters, fleshed out only as required by the novel. Some are hardly more than names which provide a minor challenge for the reader to keep them straight. I think some could have been omitted without being missed.
My favorites are the several charming characters that add interest, sometimes humorous, to the tale. Stanton appears as bumbling and gawky, until action reveals his finesse as a super-agent. Six-year-old Bella, afflicted with dwarfism, touches our hearts, as does her loving and protective aunt. And then there is Bella's stepdad, a heart throb the girls wish was not married and thus taken.
Barr gives us a clear picture of Mesa Verde, with its tourism, its ranger program, its wild scenery. And we experience the give and take among the park staff.
There's only one action scene that bothers me, as it seems labored and afflicted with passive verbs, such as "was." Other than that, her is another worthy, well researched read, to be enjoyed by all Nevada Barr fans.
September 4, 2017
Anna is stationed at Mesa Verde in the third book in the series and we're treated to some interesting Anasazi history as well as a believable troop of side characters a bit of an emotional murder for Anna which causes her and her sister to have some deeper discussions. Really, the whole situation around the victim and his family is a little tragic.
The story spins itself out with a cadre of suspects, some you want to be responsible more than others and Anna is reunited with an FBI agent from a previous novel to help her solve the mystery. The climax of the novel is a bit of surprise, even if the culprit wasn't such a shock.
Overall I enjoyed this and I'm really enjoying the trip through the National Park System.
The story spins itself out with a cadre of suspects, some you want to be responsible more than others and Anna is reunited with an FBI agent from a previous novel to help her solve the mystery. The climax of the novel is a bit of surprise, even if the culprit wasn't such a shock.
Overall I enjoyed this and I'm really enjoying the trip through the National Park System.
September 24, 2020
Nevada Barr is one of my favorite mystery writers, and this is one of her best books in my opinion. I enjoy reading about our national parks and about the people who operate them. As many of the settings, this one is in one of the lesser-known parks, Mesa Verde, and it has a bit of the spiritual element that comes with legendary Native American sites. Yet the mystery is based in present day, and it kept me guessing to the end. The characters, especially Anna Pigeon, are well written, nicely flawed, and easy to empathize with, not superheroes. Easy to read but with enough meat to the story to keep me interested to the end, and well-paced.
February 6, 2017
Another exciting book in the Anna Pigeon series. I haven't been reading these in order and that isn't necessary for anyone buying these books. I'm enjoying finding the older books and catching up with things that happened earlier in the park ranger's career.
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