Hunting Season: An Anna Pigeon Novel

By: Nevada Barr

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

When Park Ranger Anna Pigeon answers a call to historic Mt. Locust, once a producing plantation and inn on Mississippi's Natchez Trace Parkway, the last thing she expects to encounter is a naked and very dead man. His body bears what looks like the brutal scars of an S&M ritual gone terribly wrong. When the deceased turned out to be the brother of a candidate for the office of local sheriff, a host of cover-ups, hidden agendas, old allegiances, and buried secrets begins to emerge. Follow Anna as she fights for her life in this intensely suspenseful and exquisitely written tour-de-force of modern mystery.Listen to more Anna Pigeon mysteries.Public Domain (P)2002 Recorded Books LLC

Critic reviews

"As usual, the writing is first-rate, with vivid characters and atmospheric background." (Publishers Weekly)
"The edgy, fast-paced tale generates plenty of tension, making the most of several nighttime crimes, and Barr does a good job of developing the character of Anna, adding romance to the mix and giving the ranger plenty of opportunity to display her slightly dark, off-center wit." (Booklist)

I appreciate the cleanliness

For some reason, mystery/ thriller books have become overly pornographic. I don't mind raunchy scenes, AS THEY RELATE TO THE STORY; but it feels like every book wants to be 50 shades of desperate housewife. They make the raunchy scenes the focus of the story instead of the other way around. I want a good story...not porn.

This author manages to tell a good story without relying on perversion, and I appreciate that.

Enjoyable

I loved Anna’s character, and enjoyed the story very much!! The only qualm I had (and it’s a personal petty peeve) - I could hear the reader moving her tongue in her mouth before starting after pauses and between characters, almost like her mouth was dry. For some reason I picked it up so much it irked me at times 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ranger with an attitude

I like the Anna Pigeon/Nevada Barr novels, and I've read and/or listened to many of them. I like the mystery combined with Anna's middle aged woman's angst about life and her complex feelings toward others. It is a good study of humanity.

A minor nit is the anti-hunting bias which is evident in many books in the series, but this one is a little over the top. Barr characterizes all hunters as cretins, never allowing a single ethical example to enter the story.

I wouldn't complain about the anti-hunter bias except that such an attitude is atypical of all the Park Rangers I've met, who generally understand the need for hunters and the revenue they provide for wildlife welfare.

Still, it's a good book with some great characters. It's not the best Anna Pigeon book in the series, but it is worth your time.

Interesting Series

A strong female main character working in a traditionally male role isn't new but is done really well throughout this series. The other main character is the the various national parks and ranger stations throughout the United States. I'm onto the next book in the series. I've enjoyed seeing Anna's personal life and her backstory be revealed but not overpower the mystery at the heart of each story.

Very significant anti racist conversations

There is a lot of brutal racist language in this story. But this leads to some significant conversations between characters and some enlightenment and growth on Anna's part. If it doesn't make you rethink your own biases, I'd be surprised.