Blood Lure

Nevada Barr

National Parks Service Ranger Anna Pigeon has been assigned to a learning mission in the Glacier National Park in Montana. She is to join Joan Rand, a specialist bear researcher, on a grizzly bear DNA tracking mission. The are joined by a young Earthwatch volunteer, Rory Van Slyke. Rory's father and stepmother are also vacationing at the park to be near Rory.

When they are asleep on their second night in the park, their camp is attacked by a grizzly bear. Joan and Anna cower inside their tent as it is slashed by the large claws. When they crawl out after the attack seems to be over, Rory is missing and his tent is in shambles. The next morning they are certain Rory is gone, not just hiding close by. A park wide search is started for him.

While searching, a body is found. But it is not Rory. Instead, it is his stepmother. Her face has been mutilated. Rory is still in the park somewhere. Anna finds herself as the assistant to the Park Director in the pursuit of justice. Bears were acting strangely, an abusive woman is found murdered, a con man is roaming around the park, and a good samaritan is hiding out but leaving water bottles for stranded people.

This is another engaging book by Nevada Barr. Blood Lure not only is a good mystery, but teaches the reader about the habits of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. It is appealing for the reader to follow Anna's thought processes as all the disparate happenings are brought together.

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