Supper Sleuths
Supper SleuthsFor most of these novels, the setting influences the tone of the stories. The wilderness of a national park, game or forest preserve, or the panoramic immensity of Alaska make the environment itself a major character in these mysteries. The series set in Alaska (Sue Henry and Dana Stabenow) are listed in their entirety because the natural resources of Alaska is a character in almost all of their books. Other parts of the country are also represented from the New Orleans of Fish & Game Officer, Rachel Porter, in Jessica Speart’s series to Ben Rehder’s Texan Blanco county.
The author who probably sets the standard in this genre is Nevada Barr. In her series, Anna Pigeon, her courageous and very human Park Ranger, visits a variety of state parks across the United States solving crimes. These novels are known for Anna’s self-deprecatory sense of humor. Barr weaves historical context with setting as she describes the natural wonders of the scenery, advocating passionately for ecological and conservation causes.
Thank you, once again, to Beebe Reference Librarian Beth Radcliffe for her thorough research on this list. Some of this description and some titles come from NoveList's Dorothy Broderick and Lynne Welch.
The following is a list of titles by author. Whenever possible, if a series, the titles are in order of publication date. Series characters follow after the author's name. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and please let us know if you feel that a title should be here. Please read one or more titles, and come prepared to discuss your impressions of them with the group.