This is the first book in Nevada Barr's National Park series of mysteries. The main character is Anna Pigeon - a 39-year-old Park Ranger. Each book is set in a different National Park. This debut novel is set in the Guadalupe Mountains of Southwest Texas.
Anna is not a character that I fell in love with immediately. She has some edginess to her and events in the past have left scars on her. I think, though, that makes her more interesting and I want to continue the series to get to know her better.
The mystery itself centers on the death of another park ranger. It was a very plausible puzzle and highlighted environmental issues that seemed realistic for the locality. Barr sprinkles the clues throughout the story for you to put together.
Barr's background was as a stage actress and in commercials, training films and radio voiceovers. An interest in the environmental movement led to her working summers for the National Park Service. Track of the Cat was written after her time at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Published in 1993, it won both Agatha and Anthony Awards for Best First Mystery.
I would recommend checking http://www.nps.gov for park information and a map of the park to orient yourself as to where the action occurs.
In summary, I enjoyed the book and look forward to continuing the series.
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