(2010)Another very good yet disturbing Anna Pidgeon novel about child trafficking. A few graphic scenes were hard to read but really necessary for this story. A mother in Seattle is accused of killing her two girls and husband, but tries to find them, convinced they were taken by a sex ring. Anna is stationed in New Orleans, however very little of the Natl Park aspect of the story is used.Bookmarks Magazine: With its focus on pedophilia and human trafficking, Burn is Barr's darkest and creepiest mystery yet. Although some critics were disturbed by its subject matter, most were thrilled by Barr's crackling prose, pulsating action, and authentic characters. While praising the riveting and increasingly complex park ranger, they also hailed Claire as Barr's finest creation, as multifaceted and genuine as she is sympathetic. Barr even manages to work in some insightful reflections on marriage, identity, and aging. Although critics diverged in their opinions of Barr's rendering of the Big Easy--"an insider's tour" (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) versus a "pedestrian tourist route" (New York Times Book Review)--all were fascinated watching Anna maneuver through a wilderness of a different sort.

This book is much darker than Nevada Barr's previous Anna Pigeon novels. It is still a very good book, but since it concerns child prostitution, it has a very disturbing side to it. ( )

I always love Nevada Barr novels and this one is no exception. As the Anna Pigeon series goes on, the novels are getting darker and dealing with more intense social subject matter, so a novel such as this one is not for someone trying to escape from the current news headlines. But if you like strong women characters, a plot that moves, and novels with a social conscience, this one's for you. Set in post-Katrina New Orleans it deals with the sexual slavery of children. Very well written and heartbreaking at times. ( )

Synopsis: 'Recovering from recent emotional trauma, National Park Service ranger Anna Pigeon goes to New Orleans to visit her friend, Geneva, only to become the target of a dark curse, prompting her to investigate what it has to do with a fugitive mother accused of killing her family.'
Review: Although this is the least coherent of Barr's books, it is one of the most memorable because it deals with child pornography and the selling of children. ( )

There really wasn’t any part of this book that I liked. None of the characters stood out, and I was annoyed by both The Pigeon and the many faces of Claire from the start. The story is dark and depressing with a tricky and clever narrative, but I did not think that at any point it was particularly well presented. I did not enjoy this book at all. ( )