Saguaro (Jack Prester #8)

Two students doing field work are discovered dead in Saguaro National Park, which lies on either side of Tucson, AZ, an east district and a west district. Jack, Ev, his dad, and the NPS director are among all the happy rangers gathering in Tucson for their annual, extracurricular Rangerfest. Since Jack is in town there anyway, his boss sends him over to Saguaro National Park headquarters to talk to the supe. One thing leads to another which leads to…. You know how that always goes. The director suffers a torn ACL and hobbles around henceforth with his knee in a Star Wars sort of brace. Jack breaks a hip and has to baby a new titanium femoral head. And that’s not to mention the firebomb at the FBI warehouse, two new dogs added to the Prester family, or the black mamba. Or the war with automatic assault rifles. Ev uncovers the reason for it all and justice prevails. Sort of.

Joshua Tree (Jack Prester #7)

So if Jack Prester is handed a case in which he is little more than window dressing, maybe he should get a haircut. His assignment is to nose around conspicuously, arrive at the same conclusion everyone else has, and go home. Of course, for this is a mystery novel, the case ends up to be far more complex and sinister than first appears. He learns more about rodeo and bulls than he really needs to know, and that bull hotly pursuing him? Just another day at work. He uncovers drug running and murder and just barely escapes becoming a murder victim himself. He calls out for help, and his lovely Ev and her friends rush to rescue him  in their red Firebird convertible. As so often happens, his overly affectionate black lab Maxx saves the day.

Yosemite (Jack Prester #6)

Jack Prester’s dad wasn’t worried; until now. Jack agrees to hide three strictly urban accountants in the backcountry to protect them from an army of assassins out to get them. Hmph, says Dad. Jack is now the father of Jack Prester III and should not be taking chances; it’s a suicide mission. There are challenges: the three have never ridden a horse or caught a fish. They don’t know which end of the horse to feed. The egoistic FBI asst. Director is both miffed and vindictive. He is supposed to be in charge (and incidentally is terrified of wilderness, not to mention bears). Of course bears are involved. It wouldn’t be Yosemite without bears.

Grand Canyon (Jack Prester #5)

Someone offed Jack’s childhood buddy, Ranger Ernie Morales, at the door of the Grand Canyon visitor center. Jack is on it like white on fresh snow, and now here is Ev inserting herself into the investigation. And Jack’s mom and dad, old friend Chief Ranger Janet Blake, Ernie’s dad Dick…the crowd is getting unwieldy. Post cards, two-page spreads in Arizona Highways—nothing prepares you for the Canyon in its vast, moody magnificence. The action occurs up on the rim, down the Canyon trails, and at the very bottom.

Great Smokies (Jack Prester #4)

(Formerly QUICK AND THE DEAD)

In the parks that the visitors never see, politics, greed, and factionism run amok—like they do in any organization of more than one person. As a third-generation employee, Jack has learned some ways to game the system, but it doesn’t help much this time. He rolls his beloved old Dodge Ram, loses his even more beloved Maxx, and his compatriot Ev gets shoved off the top of Clingman’s Dome. Did you know Carl Sandburg’s wife raised world-class goats?

Mount Rainier (Jack Prester #3)

(Formerly MURDER ON THE MOUNT)

Christmas in Mount Rainier National Park sounds like a sort of fairy tale thing: stupendous scenery, lots of snow, sparkling nights, elk if not reindeer. Jack plans to spend Christmas in Hawaii with his family; his dad is superintendent of Haleakala National Park. Plans schmans. He gets Christmas on Mount Rainier, replete with a genuine Bigfoot, druids, and a rousing saloon brawl.

Acadia (JACK PRESTER #2)

(Formerly A MODEL MURDER)

In Acadia National Park in Maine, a major fashion spread is being photographed. It’s all very glamourous, except that the models tend to end up dead, which pretty much dulls a lot of the glitz. Jack asks for Ev’s help and then regrets that he even suggested it. And then there’s Marlette, with her velvet Australian accent. And a raccoon. And delectable lobster. And…. He goes through three parkas in this one, should anyone be keeping score.