by Nevada Barr
Part of Anna Pigeon, book 16
First published 2010
Anna Pigeon takes administrative leave from her National Park Service job to recover from recent traumas. Her physical injuries have healed, but emotional wounds remain raw. While her new husband returns to work, Anna travels to New Orleans to stay with Geneva, an old Park Service friend who now performs as a singer at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Anna quickly encounters Jordan, Geneva's unsettling tenant who sets her on edge. She discovers a dead pigeon marked with runic symbols, apparently placed as a curse against her. As Anna investigates, she uncovers traces of sinister activities threading through the still-recovering city. The mystery connects Jordan, who hides his true identity, with a fugitive mother accused of burning her family alive and killing her husband and daughters. Dark rumors circulate about disturbing events in the healing metropolis. Anna must adapt her wilderness survival skills to navigate this urban landscape, untangle the connections between these seemingly unrelated individuals, and protect innocent victims from dangerous predators.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: New Orleans, New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
Period: Contemporary
378 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: violence