Very good. Natl Park Ranger Anna Pigeon in NY to look after ill sister, finds herself investigating apparent suicides she thinks were murders.

In this seventh book of the Anna Pigeon mysteries, park ranger Anna Pigeon has come to NYC because her sister Molly is gravely ill. She’s visiting Molly in the hospital, staying on Ellis Island, and trying to avoid FBI agent Frederick Stanton, who used to date her, but who is now dating Molly (because, ouch.) While she’s at Ellis Island, several people are discovered dead at the base of the Statue of Liberty, presumably having jumped… but Anna isn’t so sure, and the further she investigates the matter, the more she begins to wonder if the investigators assigned to the case may have missed something. This series is one of my favorites because of the wonderful descriptions of each national park—a different one in every book. I enjoyed this book and its descriptions of New York especially. The author always leaves me guessing as I’m trying to solve her mysteries…

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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Synopsis: 'Tenacious park ranger Anna Pigeon leaves the country wilderness for the wilds of New York City, where her sister Molly is hospitalized. Although Anna is on leave, she gets involved in the investigation of two murders. An unidentified child falls to her death from the Statue of Liberty. The main suspect dies. Anna is attacked. An actress is near fatally bludgeoned on Ellis Island. Anna's conviction that these events are connected leads to a cross-country search for a right-wing fanatic. The characters include Charlie DeLeo, the caretaker of the Statue of Liberty's torch, and Anna's former lover, FBI Agent Frederick Stanton, now smitten with Molly.'
Review: One of her best stories. I was taken with the creepiness of the abandoned buildings on the Island and with descriptions of the Lady, herself. I was delighted that Frederick and Molly finally got together. ( )

For me, this was the best Anna Pigeon novel so far. She gets to see Molly - in not so good circumstances, she gets to see some guys (new and old), and best of all - she wanders all over the abandoned buildings at Ellis Island. That was the best thing about the book. Sure, there's the usual murder plot, but I liked the setting immensely. ( )

Anna finds herself in New York! Calling attention to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island National Monument. Our parks system is not all wilderness. However, in this mystery, Anna finds herself exploring the deteriorating "Islands II and III" on Ellis Island - buildings that were part of the immigration center but that have not yet been restored (although efforts have begun). These parts of the national monument are not open to the public, as they are not safe. Anna finds this particularly true when she is pursued by some unknown person through precarious structures.

Anna is sharing space on Liberty Island with other park rangers, primarily so that she can spend time with her sister Molly, who is critically ill. Her status allows her free run of the islands in return for being available as needed.

When a young woman appears to throw herself off the statue of liberty, to her death, there are many questions. Anna is interested in part because she had spent some time talking to the ranger who was chasing the young woman and who, some said, might have pushed her. In addition to this friendly guy, Anna meets Charlie De Leo, a real person, who gave her a tour of the flame and explained how Liberty was his life.

We follow Anna through her investigation into the death and into the hospital, where she meets her former lover, Frederick, who has come to be with Molly. Personal and professional complications abound.

As always with the Anna Pigeon novels, we are treated to aspects of national parks and monuments that we may never otherwise know about. Barr has a gift for showing us, through her words, the beauty and special qualities of these places. I have been to Ellis and Liberty but of course did not know about islands II and III, and now I am most curious. ( )