Books and beyond

The Rope by Nevada Barr is a prequel to her Anna Pigeon mysteries set in various U.S. National Parks. As I read the sixteen previous novels in the series, I often wondered how a Broadway stage manager from New York City ended up as a park ranger. Now, I know. Anna is a greenhorn in this story, but she has pluck and a will to survive. As usual, Barr does not disappoint. She keeps the action going and the puzzle unraveling as the story unfolds. Set nearly in our backyard, The Rope is the Dangling Rope Marina located in Glen Canyon National Recreation area, as well foreshadowing of other ropes involved in the plot.