by Nevada Barr
Part of Anna Pigeon, book 13
First published 2006
Anna Pigeon has just married Sheriff Paul Davidson and relocated to Colorado to begin her role as district ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park. Her new position quickly becomes complicated when two children from a group of three who vanished from a religious retreat suddenly return. The third child remains missing. Anna begins investigating the disappearances and discovers the retreat is run by a paranoid religious sect with dangerous secrets. As she digs deeper into the case, Anna encounters resistance from the group's members and uncovers disturbing truths about their practices. Her investigation leads her into direct conflict with a particularly malevolent individual whose actions threaten not only the missing child but Anna herself. The case forces Anna to navigate the treacherous dynamics of religious extremism while adapting to her new job and married life in an unfamiliar place.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, investigation
Setting: Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park
Period: Contemporary
322 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Berkley
Content warnings: violence