≡ [PDF] A Superior Death An Anna Pigeon Novel Nevada Barr Books

A Superior Death An Anna Pigeon Novel Nevada Barr Books

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A Superior Death An Anna Pigeon Novel Nevada Barr Books

"Superior Death" is set in Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. As with any Nevada Barr novel, it is essential to remember that it is the journey, not the destination, which is important. Don't expect a typical formula mystery.

CHARACTERS
The novel is mostly the characters, which however, can be hard to remember at first. The following should help: 50-ish NPS Ranger Anna Pigeon is the protagonist. Other significant characters are District Ranger Ralph Pitcher, Chief Ranger Lucas Vegas, NPS Ranger Scotty Butcus (and his wife Donna). NPS naturalists include flaky hippie-types Tinker and Damian Cogdens-Clark, and Jo (who marries diver Denny Castle). With twins Holly and Hawk Bradshaw, Denny runs a dive boat. Jim Tatinger is the NPS "underwater resources specialist", which in this case primarily means the wrecks. The NPS hotel is run by (former winery manager) Patience Bitner with the help of her ca 13-year old daughter Cary. Anna Pigeon's lesbian friend Christina Waters and daughter Alison live on the mainland.

THE SETUP
It is hard to specify a setup. Most of the first half of the novel is devoted to describing the setting, introducing the characters, and setting up a number of major and minor mysteries. Most of the minor mysteries are technically red herrings, but are valid and interesting mysteries on their own. The most significant event/mystery is the death of Denny Castle, who is found in a captain's uniform on a very deep dangerous wreck. Donna Butcus (to whom Denny was apparently devoted) disappears. Scotty's (Donna's husband) explanation of Donna's disappearance turns out to be a lie. Jo's boat is found abandoned against a shore. Cary is running around with someone behind her mother's back. Anna intercepts a boat running without lights at night, which initially attempts to run, captained by Tatinger. Tinker and Damian are being blackmailed by somebody.

COMMENTS
Although not rigorously structured as a traditional action novel nor a mystery novel, "Superior Death" contains plenty of action and mysteries. However, the primary appeal is the characters and the setting, particularly the character of Anna Pigeon who has a marvelous droll irreverent sense of humor.

Barr is marvelously skilled creating vivid descriptions of the people and the natural environment, albeit exquisitely subtly. No solution to any mystery comes as a great surprise. Barr drops hints which go almost unnoticed. The reader has the satisfaction, regarding almost any and all of the mysteries, of being able to say "I suspected that", and yet still be surprised.

THE VERDICT
Superior


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A Superior Death An Anna Pigeon Novel Nevada Barr Books Reviews

It had been a while since I’d read any of Barr’s Anna Pigeon books and realized I’d missed this 2nd book in the series. Now I remember my chief complaint Pigeon takes unbelievable risks and isn’t that smart about it, she survives unbelievable situations, and in some cases, the endings are too neatly put together. The redeeming factor in this novel was the interesting descriptions of the waterways and islands of Isle Royale National Park. It’s an interesting read, but I didn’t love it.
Track of the Cat, which I reviewed earlier, was heavy on preaching. This novel is not. Such opinions are at a minimum. So at least that was an improvement. I did find a pattern in the path of the two stories. The first half is really slow, no real action, just a lot of details. An exciting event happens mid-novel. Then slow again until the very end. If you aren't patient, she will lose you. Most people reading this literary genre expect more action.

I enjoyed some of her unique metaphors, sprinkled here and there. For example, "she...let the silver of the evening sink into her soul", of boys illegally throwing frisbees in the park, she said that she would not cite them because she did not want to interfere in other people's practice of their religion. Or this "The sky had cried itself out the night before and smiled down clear and warm." Along with short but vivid descriptions, naming species, of the vegetation and animals, to someone familiar with the region, which I am not, this would evoke a strong sense of reality, of connecting with the story, the events.

However, about 40 pages from the end, when the second action event began, she completely lost me as far as reality is concerned. Turning the heroine into Wonder Woman, doing what is probably physically impossible, especially given her lack of experience, is doggone jarring and disruptive of the story.

And it would be nice if the reader had a smidgen's chance of figuring out who the villain was before she sprung this on the reader out of the blue. The evidence needed to figure this out simply was not presented in context.
"Superior Death" is set in Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. As with any Nevada Barr novel, it is essential to remember that it is the journey, not the destination, which is important. Don't expect a typical formula mystery.

CHARACTERS
The novel is mostly the characters, which however, can be hard to remember at first. The following should help 50-ish NPS Ranger Anna Pigeon is the protagonist. Other significant characters are District Ranger Ralph Pitcher, Chief Ranger Lucas Vegas, NPS Ranger Scotty Butcus (and his wife Donna). NPS naturalists include flaky hippie-types Tinker and Damian Cogdens-Clark, and Jo (who marries diver Denny Castle). With twins Holly and Hawk Bradshaw, Denny runs a dive boat. Jim Tatinger is the NPS "underwater resources specialist", which in this case primarily means the wrecks. The NPS hotel is run by (former winery manager) Patience Bitner with the help of her ca 13-year old daughter Cary. Anna Pigeon's lesbian friend Christina Waters and daughter Alison live on the mainland.

THE SETUP
It is hard to specify a setup. Most of the first half of the novel is devoted to describing the setting, introducing the characters, and setting up a number of major and minor mysteries. Most of the minor mysteries are technically red herrings, but are valid and interesting mysteries on their own. The most significant event/mystery is the death of Denny Castle, who is found in a captain's uniform on a very deep dangerous wreck. Donna Butcus (to whom Denny was apparently devoted) disappears. Scotty's (Donna's husband) explanation of Donna's disappearance turns out to be a lie. Jo's boat is found abandoned against a shore. Cary is running around with someone behind her mother's back. Anna intercepts a boat running without lights at night, which initially attempts to run, captained by Tatinger. Tinker and Damian are being blackmailed by somebody.

COMMENTS
Although not rigorously structured as a traditional action novel nor a mystery novel, "Superior Death" contains plenty of action and mysteries. However, the primary appeal is the characters and the setting, particularly the character of Anna Pigeon who has a marvelous droll irreverent sense of humor.

Barr is marvelously skilled creating vivid descriptions of the people and the natural environment, albeit exquisitely subtly. No solution to any mystery comes as a great surprise. Barr drops hints which go almost unnoticed. The reader has the satisfaction, regarding almost any and all of the mysteries, of being able to say "I suspected that", and yet still be surprised.

THE VERDICT
Superior