Burn: An Anna Pigeon Mystery, Book 16

By: Nevada Barr

Narrated by: Joyce Bean

Length: 12 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Anna Pigeon, a Ranger with the National Park Service, is newly married but on administrative leave from her job as she recovers from the traumas of the past couple of months. While the physical wounds have healed, the emotional ones are still healing. With her new husband back at work, Anna decides to go and stay with an old friend from the Park Service, Geneva, who works as a singer at the New Orleans Jazz NHP. She isn't in town long before she crosses paths with a tenant of Geneva's, a creepy guy named Jordan. She discovers what seems to be an attempt to place a curse on her - a gruesomely killed pigeon marked with runic symbols; and begins to slowly find traces of very dark doings in the heart of post-Katrina New Orleans. Tied up in all of this is Jordan, who is not at all what he appears to be; a fugitive mother accused of killing her husband and daughters in a fire; and faint whispers of unpleasant goings-on in the heart of the slowly recovering city.

Now it will take all of Anna's skills learned in the untamed outdoors to navigate the urban jungle in which she finds herself, to uncover the threads that connect these seemingly disparate people, and to rescue the most vulnerable of creatures from the most savage of animals.

Investigate more mysterious doings with Anna Pigeon.

©2010 Nevada Barr (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Not the usual Nevada Barr

I found this book a difficult read mostly because of the story line. Well, you know what they say about expectations, right? I was expecting another whodunit where Anna Pigeon negotiates the staff and incidental characters who populate one of the national parks. Her stories are always resplendent with details of the natural setting, giving an authentic and integrative feel to the narrative.

This is another type of story altogether. Looks like Barr has abandoned the good old-fashioned linear narrative and uses a more artsy, impressionistic delivery. This seems to be in vogue, as most of the books I've read lately use this technique. While I am sure this makes great sense from the author's point of view, and certainly from an aesthetic point of view, however, it does not make for enjoyable reading, nor does it offer character development. Hard to tell what was actually going on half of the time. Just present-tense impressions and inner dialog.This might work for a painting, since it is mostly texture, but it doesn't work for me in a story.

Warning: Book contains triggers

Don't get me wrong, the book is well written, but this was so out of the norm for this series. Had I known what the subject matter was, I wouldn't have read this one. Warning to everyone who thinks about reading this: it contains triggers for nonconsensual sex, kidnap, pedophilia, and more. It was horrific to read. I do not recommend

Warning: child porn disguised as mystery

I do not remember noticing in other reviews or descriptions of this book that it featured graphic violence and detailed descriptions of sexual depredations against children. That is why I am posting this review-if you do not want to read about or hear about this kind of horrific act, don't read or listen to this book. While it pertains to tell us a 'mystery story' about people doing these awful things, I do not want to read about these things under any circumstances.

Very disturbing

This wasn't one of my favorite Anna Pigeon books at all. It was very disturbing subject matter and I hated the ending. If you are going to have to deal with such disgusting and depraved subject matter the very least you could do is either kill all the scum at the end or send them to jail. What happened to the poor kids? You just left us hanging. Anna always gets the bad guys, she always wins in the end. Don't go changing horses in midstream on us now, that's just not right.

disappointing and haunting

I hated the new narrator - bring Barbara Rosenblatt back!

The subject matter of this book - child prostitution with graphic description - was far too much for me to handle.

Worst book in the series

The subject matter is difficult to read. I’ve read other books that deal with similar subject matter that did a far better job. The kind of dual time line thing I think has been done to death even when well executed and this was NOT well executed. It was very hard to keep the timelines straight. I find that with dual time line books it’s best to have multiple voice actors or a single voice actor who does multiple voices.

I read this series because I like detective lead mysteries and National Parks. There is virtually no National Park content in this book.

For me this book is 100% skipable and I’m a diehard completionist.

I understand wanting to shine a light on the subject matter I really do. I just think this book doesn’t do it in a good entertaining way.

I read books for entertainment this just was not entertaining. I hope the next book in the series goes back to the status quo.

Burn

This book really should come with a warning, or a barf bag. I'm surprised and disappointed with the author.

NOT Anna Pigeon

There was an imposter in this book. Barbara Rosenblat IS Anna, this narrator belongs in a romance novel! I have not been able to stomach listening to this book to even evaluate if I like the story or not because of the over-dramatized voice of the narrator. This does not sound like a park ranger by any means. Anna is a down-to-earth character, but sounds like a soap opera drama queen! I will continue to listen to Nevada Barr/Anna Pigeon series only if they bring back Ms. Rosenblat. Otherwise, it's been a great ride, but no thanks!! I'm wondering if Ms. Rosenblat refused to narrate this book because of the sexual content I understand that it contains...although I haven't been able to get that far into the book. If so, GOOD FOR HER!

Burn

I perfer Barbara Rosenblat!!! Probably won't listen to this book now that I bought without looking...I just love Barbara Rosenblat she is Anna Pigeon...base on the other reviews maybe it's good it isn't narrated by Barbara Rosenblat.

Serious disappointment for this Pigeon fan

This is a seriously flawed story. Dealing as it does with pedophelia pedophiles
I have long been a fan of Anna, but in this one she doesn't cross a line she erases it with barbed wire. Anna on VACATION in New Orleans without Paul. Anna with a chance to ride to the rescue of stolen and sold children. Just trying to write a review is sickmaking. I was deeply involved before I realized where the story had to go. I forced my self to finish only to be disappointed by a decidedly sloppy ending. I will; have a hard time visiting Anna again