Rating: 
Summary: Best Anna Pigeon novel
Review: This is the latest installment in the Anna Pigeon, Park Ranger series. This book is like going back to an old friend and getting once again reacquainted. This is one of Nevada Barr's best novels and I recommend it to anyone discovering Ms. Pigeon for the first time.In Ms. Barr's latest novel, Anna returns to her job as the District Ranger for the Natchez Trace, a gorgeous scenic route that goes from Memphis, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. She encounters the same managerial problems she had with her staff in DEEP SOUTH and encounters another dead person. The body belongs to Doyce Barnette, brother of Raymond Barnette. Raymond is the town mortician as well as the leading candidate for new sheriff. Raymond is more concerned of his political aspirations instead of his brother. He is very secretive and does his best to impede the investigation. Anna has her hands full dealing with poachers, her married boyfriend, as well as someone trying to kill her. I strongly recommend you read DEEP SOUTH before reading her latest work. There are some spoilers in HUNTING SEASON that might spoil the other Natchez Trace Anna Pigeon mystery. They are both good.
Rating:
Summary: Good book in a great series!
Review: This was not by favorite Nevada Barr, but only because I didn't find the Nachez Trace to be as interesting as some of the other parks visited in this series. But it was still very good. I think I enjoy these books so much because I identify with the character of Anna Pidgeon. I share many of her values and beliefs so she comes alive for me. Perhaps that is also the reason why some of the other reviewers don't like the books. Instead of criticizing the author's "NPR soapbox" writing, they need to understand that, as in real life, some characters express points of view that you, the reader, may not share. Hey, I am the way. If a character expresses views I don't agree with, I find myself liking that character less. Suffice it to say, I adore Anna and I hope she has many more adventures in National Parks all over the USA.
Rating: 
Summary: ANOTHER GOOD ANNA PIGEON MYSTERY
Review: What I enjoy most about Anna Pigeon mysteries is Nevada Barr's ability to make the setting one of the book's main characters. Barr breaths life into the various locations of the National Park System that Anna, a District Ranger, has worked at throughout this series. The reader is given a back door glimpse into these often-exotic locations across the United States. In HUNTING SEASON we are granted a behind the scenes tour of Mississippi's Trace Natchez National Park. Anna investigates the death of a local man discovered in an historic settlement building. To add to the mystery the death appears to be the result of an alleged sex crime. Throughout her investigation Anna confronts family secrets kept hidden for many generations and a large dose of sexism and racism to keep her from discovering the real killer. But Anna's infamous perseverance eventually solves this mystery and the Trace Natchez is restored to safety. In her Anna Pigeon character Nevada Barr creates a mystery series that is a delight to read and HUNTING SEASON is no exception.
Rating: 
Summary: Highlights the good and the bad about this series
Review: What makes a good mystery novel? Well, a mystery helps. But all mystery fans know that the real fun of a mystery novel is the setting and the characters. Barr's books are all set in National Parks, which is a great idea. Parks have unique problems, amazing history, and fascinating ambiance. But the kind of people who are drawn to the park service (including both Barr and her characters) tend to be self-selecting in certain ways, and Anna's politics and prejudices are annoying at times. This book was the first in this series to use a setting in the same park as a previous book. That allows Barr to explore the park and its culture in a much deeper way than before, but it also gets a bit ... well ... boring. Unlike the other books, there is a sense of having "been there and done that" with the Naches Trace. This objection probably does not apply if you have not previously read "Deep South", but you really need to read that book to make any sense of this one, and I assume most people will have done so. I also think Barr is weakest when she gets onto what I think of as her NPS soapbox, especially when discussing the subject of hunting. She tries to not portray the subject with total caricature, but she really doesn't seem to be capable of providing any balance or insight into the issues involved. I think she should stay away from the subject. Anna's struggles with drinking and romance also make it hard for her to be a sympathetic character. That's not always necessary, of course, but the series works much better if you like Anna. And usually I do, but I was getting more than a bit frustrated with her this time around.
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