The Rope

Prequels are not my favorite but this one was deftly told. I did have to stick with it for about the first several chapters of the book as it was all told from inside the main character's head. If you like Nevada Barr books this is good one - but not great as some of her others have been.

Yay! Anna Pigeon is back in the national parks where she belongs (loyal fans should skip Barr's last Pigeon novel, Burn, set in New Orleans). This book goes back in time to explore the incident that turned Anna on to NPS law enforcement in the first place. Barr always does a great job of balancing setting and character, and here she explores the very American tourists amid the wonders of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon. A great, engaging audiobook, even though Barbara Rosenblat, who voiced Anna in all the previous books, is here replaced by Joyce Bean.

I liked this story. It tells of a time when Ranger Pigeon wasn't a ranger. Anna began as seasonal help and had to clean the beaches and toilets. But Anna gets into DEEP trouble and begins to learn skills she will use the rest of her life.
Not as good as some others in this series, but a must read if you like Anna Pigeon!