by Nevada Barr
Part of Anna Pigeon, book 6
First published 1998
Park Ranger Anna Pigeon receives an urgent call for help. A woman lies seriously injured deep inside a cave system near Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. The victim is Anna's friend, and she has specifically requested Anna's assistance in the rescue operation. There's just one problem. Anna suffers from severe claustrophobia, and the thought of descending into the narrow underground passages fills her with paralyzing dread. Despite her terror, Anna forces herself into the cave system, enduring a series of bone crushing tight spaces that push her psychological limits to the breaking point. When she finally emerges above ground, her relief is short lived. Two murders rock the small community of cave explorers and National Park Service personnel. Anna finds herself investigating the deaths while dodging sniper fire from an unknown assailant. Her probe into the killings reveals suspicious connections among the tight knit group of spelunkers and park bureaucrats. Just when Anna thinks her underground ordeals are over, the investigation demands she return to the caves once more.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, reluctant-hero
Setting: Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Period: Contemporary
341 pages · Hardcover · Putnam Adult
Content warnings: anxiety