Borderline

By: Nevada Barr

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Agatha and Anthony Award winner Nevada Barr, New York Times best-selling author of Winter Study, enthralls millions with the exploits of roving park ranger Anna Pigeon.

The killings on Isle Royale have left Anna drained and haunted, her memories of her time with the wolf study group forever marred by the carnage on the island. Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, she is on administrative leave, per her superintendent's urging. Anna wonders if the leave might not be permanent, either by her own choice or that of the National Park Service.

The one bright spot in Anna's life is Paul, her husband of less than a year. Hoping the warmth and the adventure of a raft trip in Big Bend National Park will lift her spirits, Paul takes Anna to southwest Texas, where the sun is hot and the Rio Grande is running high.

The sheer beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert and the power of the river work their magic-until the raft is lost in the rapids and a young college student falls overboard, resulting in an even more grisly discovery. Caught in a strainer between two boulders and more dead than alive, is a pregnant woman, hair and arms tangled in the downed branches. Instead of the soul-soothing experience they'd longed for, Anna and Paul find themselves sucked into a labyrinth of intrigue that leads from the Mexican desert to the steps of the governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas.

©2009 Nevada Barr (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

the old Anna in a good way

This book was exactly what we readers of Anna needed after the harrowing Winter Study. Despite the death count, the necessary softness of a mystery solved, the bad guy taken out by someone else, and the use of themes of family and child/parent-like relationship left us hopeful for Anna's recovery in Paul's arms. It also paints a decent picture of some of Big Bend National Park, though I'd love to have even more natural description and park particulars. I'd like to see the next in the series place Anna again in a new locale (with Paul), experiencing another park or area in depth... like in A Superior Death, Firestorm, Blood Lure, and Blind Descent. Anna's had enough heartbreak and exposure to the worst of humanity lately!

Read beautifully by Barbara Rosenblat. Love her narration of the Anna Pigeon series!

Keep ‘em coming!!

The narrator always does such a wonderful job bringing Anna Pigeon to life. This one had the typical twists and turns, and the story was enjoyable as always!

Ok, but not great

this book was ok, a bit predictable. Wouldn't call it great and I have definately read/listened to MUCH better!!

5-stars for Nevada Barr

This author KNOWS how to write a mystery with mega suspense. I couldn't stop listening & get out of my car to go to work! Thank you Nevada Barr!

Decent adventure, lousy mystery

I'm surprised that an experienced writer like Barr couldn't do a better job of establishing a mystery in this book. I enjoyed the adventure aspects, but there's only one character who is described in a way that makes them an obvious suspect behind the murder--and it turns out they did it. So that means main character Anna P. spends a lot of time fretting over other possible suspects that we as readers/listeners know are good guys at heart. Having rescued a baby, she also spends an inordinate amount of time thinking "if I didn't have the baby, here's what I do..." and then makes other choices in the end. We get the point of this early on, and it's really overdone. If you want a book where you have to work to figure out whodunnit, choose something else. If you want to go along with Anna on another adventure, you'll probably enjoy this.

Another hit

How Anna survives all the torture her creator puts her through is miraculous. That aside, another great story - I listen to them all as read by the best, Barbara Rosenblat.
One Flaw - reference to a John Deere Caterpillar is like calling a car a Honda Ford.

Fascinatingly convoluted

Anna needs to get her head back on straight after Winter Study. What better way to get out of your own head space than to rescue a tiny human?

Kept me up late....

This was back to the more traditional story lines of the Anna Pigeon series, and I enjoyed the book. The political intrigue was kept to a minimum, nature took center stage, and the best and worst of humanity were shown in equal light.

on the edge of my seat

during the whole listen of this book. I thought at first it was going to be a little corny but then hold on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book is a roller coaster ride of excitement and as usual, Nevada Barr never lets the readers down.

Good story, well narrated

Would you consider the audio edition of Borderline to be better than the print version?

For me it is because I can listen to it while I drive.

Any additional comments?

Exciting, believable, descriptive and insightful.