The Rope: Anna Pigeon's First Case (Anna Pigeon Mysteries Book 17) Kindle Edition

Barr is back to writing the kind of quality that we got used to, but lost for a while. If you're already a fan, don't hesitate to read this one.Speaking as a true fan, the kind who springs for hardcover or Kindle IN ADVANCE, I am glad to see Nevada Barr getting back in form. But for those of us who remember, for example, the electrifying writing of Firestorm, we only get tastes of the greatness.It's mildly interesting to know how Anna got started, but I was a little let down by that part. I didn't learn anything surprising or central to Anna's core character. It seemed more like a device to start a story, which is fine. It did no harm. But where's Molly? I wanted Molly.It's probably terribly boring for an author to write to a formula, even one as great as hers. And let's be honest, the formula is great. The point of view of a park ranger, the exotic locals, a gutsy but introspective character. In this case, we don't hit the peak on these. Boring for the author, but we lust and long for those elements, illuminated by love and knowledge. And nobody is even imitating Barr. She's our only hope!Anna is not yet a park ranger, and more to the point, despite the fact that Anna is theoretically young and just starting out, Ms.Barr's cynicism about the Park Service shows through. Anna must have fallen in love with the Park Service, but we don't see that here. The rat pack of Park Service groupies are here, but not enough of the pure young men and women, the valiant and strong older men and women.The locale is okay. It's not like Barr chose the poster children of the park service to write about. But sometimes, Barr hits the perfumed note. I have to admit that she did it in her book about New Orleans, even though I didn't like the book. In her perfect books, she makes you love the place she's in, even if it's a cave or a swamp. In this case, she misses the endlessness of the place, the unnaturalness of waters in valleys they didn't make. But I am quibbling.Nevada Barr, please keep writing! Write about Anna young or old, out of sequence, I don't care! I wish I could pay you millions to write about the Olympic National Park, or the immmigrants creeping across Organ Pipe. But keep writing! I promise I will preorder every single book in advance.

I have read all and enjoy nearly all Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon books. I admit to finding the ones the author has placed in urban settings less interesting as they are missing the entire wilderness element that I find so fascinating. After just reading the prior book in the series, set in New Orleans, which I liked the least of all of her books, I was delighted to read “The Rope” which is set in and around Lake Powell in Glen Canyon. I was ever more delighted to find that the story was the Ranger Anna Pigeon “origin story”, how Anna, a New Yorker working in the theater industry, ended up as a law enforcement ranger with the National Park Service. The many twists and turns of the plot where first one and then another suspect seem to be the mostly killer kept this reader guessing and perhaps a discomforting hint of ambiguity at the end. The vivid descriptions of the otherworldly beauty of the Glen Canyon and Lake Powell landscape greatly enhanced the story and allowed you to feel like you were there. An exciting and highly recommended read!

Good story, but drug down in some areas by probably author's personal tangents / demons / ax grindings, where story characters jump out of character to raise an abstract point that doesn't add value to story yet then that point is left open/hanging. That detracted. Leave character consistent and real from book to book or guide reader in the character's transition experience and evolution, don't smatter. These transgressions have me currently thinking I'll stop following Anna Pigeon, but we'll see. Entertaining book, however I am usually easily entertained by anyone who writes a reasonable story, thank you to author. This is an abridged version. A couple of times I sensed that something is missing and wished I had it un-abridged, but in general it creates a full story, and I'm satisfied. I'm told I have a great memory and attention to detail, and keep in mind all hanging parts of a story until concluded, so don't use my abridgement disconnects as a guide unless you are similarly plagued. I thank author for reaching back and presenting a background story about a character who has taken us on so many journeys. Reasonable job presenting some background, but should have gone farther in growing that character reasonably and fully; that is the point of a reach-back book, so this was a bit disappointed there, but kudos overall. Waffled between 3 and 4 stars but gave benefit of doubt.

The Rope by Nevada Barr. Fans of Nevada Barr will enjoy this story set in 1995 before Anna Pigeon became the heroic Law Enforcement Park Ranger whom we have come to know and love. In this novel, a closed in Anna has given up her career as one of New York's leading stage managers. Distraught over the death of her first husband, she has taken a job as a temporary seasonal park ranger at Lake Powell. She has no interest in the job or any of her co-workers until one day when out for a solitary hike, she stumbles into a rape and murder in progress. She re\rushes to the rescue and comes to naked at the bottom of a jar shaped solution hole. Unable to escape and dependent upon drugged water supplied when she is asleep, she discovers that she shares her prison with a corpse and a baby skunk. It is the beginning of the transformation of the closed up, victim-type Anna into the intrepid Anna. She manages to rescue herself, get herself into more dire predicaments, and eventually after the usual strenuous adventures we have come to expect, she solves the murders and decides that her future lies with the park service. For those who have never read the previous books, I would recommend starting with The Rope and going on from there. Warning: Nevada Barr's books are addictive. Those readers who have been or board from the first adventures of Anna will not be disappointed in The Rope which is not only a thunderingly good thriller, but also fills us in on things we didn't know about the early Anna..

The book arrived ahead of time and was in perfect shape.

Anna Pigeon has to be one of everyone's favourite heroines, mainly because over a long series of books she remains a constant mix of dry humour, and inner strength which while admirable and amazing, never quite gets to super human and unattainable. I sometimes kid myself that if I were in the somewhat awkward situations in which Anna sometimes finds herself, maybe I could show some of that strength. I dertainly wish i could share a beer with Anna! Anna is appealing to any middle aged woman who has ever had to work within a system made by men, and I readily identify with her quiet feminism which relies on ignoring the ignorant and a disrespectful teasing of those who do not deserve respect. In " The Rope" Anna's love of the natural world of the NPS is kindled, her inner toughness is developed and her widowhood established in a way that immediately makes sense to fans of the series. All the inimitable staples of a Nevada Barr are here and as usual I did not want to do anything until I had finished, resenting having to put the story down to carry on with the mundane things of life!

This prequel for Anna starts after her husband was killed in NY and continues downhill for a bit after she joins the National parks service at Lake Powell. She goes for a mad walk in the dessert to the south of the lake and is assaulted and left naked in a deep sink hole. Worst still she is kept in a drugged state by her captors. It goes on for a bit before she ----. I spent a few days in Page the biggest town on Lake Powell and found the details of geography very interesting and accurate. It a good book for a long read.

really enjoyed this new anna pigeon adventure. it starts with anna before she became a ranger and explains what drove her to become one. I found it hard to put the book down and get some sleep. i hope nevada barr continues to make life interesting for anna. only don't take anna away from the wild places she loves please nevada.

I've probably read most of the Anna Pigeon mysteries. The Rope is better than Barr's later books but not as good as the earlier ones.

This was a book I had to stay up to read, always a good sign. Interesting, unusual, and exciting. Would read more.