by Nevada Barr
Part of Anna Pigeon, book 7
First published 2000
Anna Pigeon never wanted to return to New York City. Her husband's death drove her away years ago. Now her sister Molly lies unconscious in a hospital ICU, forcing Anna back to the city she left behind. She stays with a fellow park ranger on Liberty Island, spending her days exploring the Statue of Liberty and wandering through the abandoned ruins of Ellis Island. The crumbling structures offer her a refuge from the hospital vigils and painful memories. That refuge shatters when a teenager's body crashes to the ground at the base of Lady Liberty. Anna joins the horrified crowd staring at the broken girl. Did she fall or was she pushed? The answer pulls Anna into the dark corners of these historic sites, where more secrets hide among the stone and steel. The investigation grows dangerous as Anna uncovers threats that could strike on a day of national celebration. She must navigate the labyrinth of Liberty and Ellis Islands to find the truth before more people die.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Liberty Island, Ellis Island
Period: 20th-century
369 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon Books