Nevada Barr

Former actress and park ranger Nevada Barr freely acknowledges the similarities between herself and Anna Pigeon, the heroine of Nevada's award-winning, best selling novels like Blind Descent, Firestorm, Deep South, and Blood Lure. But the author is also careful to distinguish herself from the character. "She started out being based on myself," Nevada says. "But of course she was taller, stronger, smarter-you know, better looking. And over the years she has kind of just evolved into her own person." The depth and evolution of Anna as a character is one of the main delights of the series for both fans and reviewers, leading to Nevada's steady climb up the nation's best-seller lists. After the sudden death of her actor husband, Anna Pigeon left the bustle of life in New York City to work as a law enforcement agent for the National Park Service in Track of the Cat, which won both the Agatha Award and Anthony Award as best first mystery novel. --Recorded Books