An Unforgiving Place is a great adventure novel. I highly recommend this read. I will follow this author.

Wow! What a terrific read. Right from the get-go, the pace of this was full-on. It was easy to engage with the story, the writing was flawless and the characters terrific. The backdrop of Alaska, in its remotest, wildest state is drawn beautifully, and adds a real sense of desperation to the story. After all, how do you find someone in 8 million square miles? 🤷‍♀️

While this is only the second book in the series, I hope it continues as it’s fantastic. There’s enough information and backstory of both main characters to keep you interested but not lost, and the budding romance (hopefully) betweenMiranda and Hux is a real slow burn. Terrific! The plotting is excellent and the clues are all there to pick through.I did (sort of) figure out the murderer, but not that much before Miranda did, and I’m impatient for the next installment now. What a find!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC to read and review. All opinions are strictly my own.

Book 2 in the National Parks Mystery series was my first foray into this author’s writing.

I really enjoyed the setting, the rough environment, harsh weather and beautiful scenery.

The mystery itself, while interesting, didn’t always seem to piece together for me. For me, there were a couple of plot holes as well as assumptions that were jumped to and I couldn’t figure out why or how we got there.

But I did love the two main characters and so I’d be interested in continuing on in the series to see if the next mystery is a little more solid.

I loved everything about this book! I don't understand how this series isn't better known!

Felicity Harland's position with the Investigative Services Bureau puts her in unique places. This time it's Gates of the Artic National Park. Harland, her partner, and her dog, find themselves trying to infiltrate a cult-like fertility group. As their investigation and the terrain become more and more concerning, Harland & her partner must work to solve their case before they themselves become victims.

I absolutely love this series. It has all the Hallmarks of a great story; good characters, good writing, interesting cases.... but the backdrop of the National Parks sets it apart from all of the other murder mysteries. Can't wait for more!

3.5 stars rounded up

The story jumps right into action in the first chapters. Felicity Harland is faced with new challenges in the ruthless Alaska. Thankfully she has Hux by her side, an ex Navy SEAL.

I think one of the best aspects of this book is the "will they, won't they" game that is played throughout the novel. It gives the story a sweet and exciting aspect in the middle of all the life and death crisis situation they all have to go through.

The book has pretty much everything: suspense, action packed moments, thrilling chapters. A real page turner! I can hardly wait for the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read this great book!

I hope this series covers all of our national parks. In this second book we are introduced to the Gates of the Arctic National Park. All I can say is WOW. Felicity Harland works for National Parks Investigative Bureau along with her partner, ex-Navy Seal 'Hux' Huxley (such a hunk) and her dog, Ollie. When her cousin goes missing, Felicity sets out to find her but soon things go terribly wrong when a couple is found dead and it's up to Felicity, Hux and Ollie to find the killer, all the while battling the very real dangers of this remote National Park. There's a strange cult, bears (of course) very nasty people after them and some relationship tensions. Oh, my, this mystery has it all.
I was glad that I was safe and comfy in my bed while I read because there is no way I would last a second in the park even if there were no dangers like they faced. So, besides a griping mystery and great main characters, I learned about the Gates of the Arctic. I'm eager to find out which park is next for Felicity, Hux and Ollie.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

AN UNFORGIVING PLACE by Claire Kells is a thriller that takes place in an Alaskan National Park!

Felicity is an agent with the National Parks Investigation Services Bureau and when the bodies of two hikers are found in Gates of the Arctic one of the most remote National Parks in Alaska, Felicity and her partner Hux are called to investigate.

While this is book two in the National Parks Mystery series, I didn't read the first book. It can be read as a standalone, but I feel like I missed a few things about their partnership. Plus I like that Felicity has a dog that works with her too!

First, I love anything National Park related and throw in an investigation thriller and I'm your girl. We need a show based on the ISB. 🤣This was a quick paced thriller. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Investigative Services Bureau (ISB) agent Felicity Harland gets her vacation time interrupted for a mysterious death in “Gates of the Artic” – the remotest national parks in the US, could this also be the hiking couple that is missing?
What does the deaths have to do with a mysterious fertility guru?
It’s a fast-paced story – and I was getting tired just reading about all the walking.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

felicity harland works for the investigative service bureau isb for short and her partner is hux huxley and ex navy seal

they are called to the remotest national park in the states gates of the artic where it seems a possible cult with claims of helping with infertility. but its the dead bodies of a couple that bring felicity and hux investigating them

they are at the mercy of the weather and finding out the truth about what happened to the couple and going into the camp of strangers comes with its own dangers....

this is my first book by this author and i can say it wont be the last...i was hooked...its totally different from what i normally read but i was glued and fascinated with the way of life that existed and with the work of the isb...

If I was making a list of places I would not survive Gates of the Arctic would be high up on the list. It is remote, with a treacherous landscape and even more treacherous weather. That said, reading a book set there while curled up safe and warm was absolutely fascinating.

I had met Felicity and Hux in the first book in this series but honestly think you would be absolutely fine starting with this book. The setting is absolutely fantastic and well described as are the difficulties with communication and searching. Felicity and Hux are a good investigative team and work well together. Now that they have worked together and spent time together they are an even stronger team though I could do without the hints of romance - especially since we are only seeing what is going on in Felicity's head so that it comes off as very one sided.

The mystery was well paced and kept me reading and guessing! I'm looking forward to seeing what investigation and location the pair are involved in next.

The second in the National Parks mystery series, An Unforgiving Place by Claire Kells is an Alaskan wilderness crime tale. Agent Felicity Harland works for the National Parks Investigative Services Bureau and is recalled from holidays when two bodies are discovered in the Arctic National Park. Along with her dog and trainee investigator Hux, they investigate a likely murder and the possible involvement of a wilderness survival fertility cult. Although a slow burn of a tale and lacking somewhat in tension, the characters and environment made it an enjoyable read with a three star rating. With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

Terrific read. The discovery of two bodies by the side of a river in a remote and vast national park in Alaska not only derails Felicity Harlands's plans for vacation from her job as an investigator, it leads her, partner Hux and her dog Ollie into great danger- and not just from people. Turns out the couple was part of a group who followed a man who claims to make it possible for infertile couples to have a child. And there are other couples out there in the wilderness as well. Harland and Hux, with Ollie, to look for answers about the dead. Who can they trust? Trust no one in this nicely twisty novel that's second in a series but which will be fine as a standalone (recognizing btw that Kells doesn't give a lot of back story, especially about how Harland got that rod in her spine). If I have a quibble (and admittedly it's an odd one) it's Ollie- how are they feeding him? That said, this kept me turning the pages and not wanting to give any spoilers. Love the setting and the characters are great. And there's a couple of surprises. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Eagerly awaiting the next one.

Alaska, crime-fiction, cults, disrespect, ex-military, false-information, infertility, law-enforcement, read, search-and-rescue, suspense, thriller, undercover*****

Second in series, I have not read the first but am intrigued enough to put it on my TBR.
Felicity Harland is former FBI out of Chicago and now with Investigative Services Bureau of the U.S. National Park Service in Alaska out of Denali and has brought with her the marvelous dog Ollie. Her partner on this assignment is Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley, park ranger and former US Navy SEAL
The assignment is simple enough on paper: follow up on an alleged cult leader who preys on desperate couples from the lower forty-eight. Then they find out that the "missing hikers" that were found dead under suspicious circumstances were part of that target population. Let the suspense and danger begin. Excellent read.
I requested and received an ARC e-book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

An Unforgiving Place, book #2 in the National Parks Mystery by Claire Kells is a fantastic addition to the series after that spectacluar first book Vanishing Edge where I fell head over heels in love with the charming pair of Felicity Harland and the oozing sexiness hot guy, Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley, and the lovable dog Ollie.

This time around, Claire Kells is taking us to the rugged and unforgiving Alaskan terrain where the adventure begins with a couple who has been found dead in unusual circumstances. Harland and Hux team up once again for the investigation following in the footsteps of a cult leader specializing in luring couples with infertility crises particularly focused on cases where men have issues.

The mystery element of the story is not out of the world, many seasoned readers can guess the twists that are waiting to be revealed but the thrill is not in the discovery of the murderer but rather the journey of traversing the inhospitable and craggy terrains of the Gates of the Arctic and the subtle attraction between Hux and Harland which they hide behind their professional exterior and that has been effectively captured by the author.

I am wondering if Claire Kells have planned adventure thrillers across all national parks in the US, if yes, I will be the first in line to read them all as Hux and Ollie have carved a way into my heart and for the pure adrenaline rush in the atmosphere created by the author. An Unforgiving Place is good to be read as a stand-alone but for a few references to incidents in book 1, readers are not going to miss much though to really grasp the relationship dynamics between Harland and Hux< I would strongly advise you to read them in order.

Can’t wait for the next national parks adventure.
4.5 thrilling stars

Many thanks to Net Galley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

(3.5) Interestingly enough I have book 1 and I have never read it! I was not lost reading An Unforgiving Place, but I feel if I had read book 1 this would seem a little more fleshed out to me. I requested the arc because Alaska is on my bucket list, plus it had lost hikers, etc. I was a little lost on the prologue but then it started coming together. The fact that couples struggling with fertility issues would grab info off of social media and head to Alaska, while far fetched to me, I can certainly see desperate people reaching out and grasping anything that gives a minute of hope. Felicity seemed to be knowledgeable and relatable as an ISB agent.Hux seemed the intelligent ex military with a sense of humor. It seemed like the author was trying to hard to a possible interest down the road. I was ok with it, than it would appear at the weirdest time, to me. There was some mystery some suspense a twist I didn't see and all in all an ok to good read. Would I read another book in this series? Yes. Will I go read book 1? Yes. Thank you for the arc, I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #crookedlanebooks #clarekells #anunforgivingplace #netgalley

National Park mysteries are a niche I never knew I needed in my life until now.
I didn’t realize this was a book 2 and I haven’t read the first book, but this reads fine as a stand-alone novel.

There’s a mystery surrounding 2 dead hikers found in the remote wilderness of Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska that leads the ISB agents to believe these hikers, and possibly their deaths, are tied to a strange sort of infertility cult that camps out in the park. There’s a little hint of romance between the MCs and the FMC has a dog that everyone will love. The atmospheric setting in Alaska was also a treat. I thought it was a really enjoyable read. I will be going back to read the first book and I look forward to more National Park mysteries in the future!
4.75 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC.

For me personally this was an easy read but overall a bit 'meh'. I found the twists quite predictable and some of the choices of the main character to be questionable. Overall if you are looking for a simple mystery plot with a brilliant setting then I think you would enjoy the book.

3.5 stars. I recently finished Vanishing Edge, book one in this series, and I am happy to report that this installment is an upgrade. The first book, as many in a series, was spent a considerable word count establishing the main characters — Felicity Harland, an Investigative Services Branch agent and our narrator, and Hux, a Navy SEAL turned park ranger. I found some aspects of Harland's character unrealistic (i.e. she was very trusting of suspects and she had a major back injury which made her a huge liability in remote investigations) and she got kind of mushy about how attractive and kind Hux is. I'm ok with that storyline, but her crush felt juvenile.

Book two starts a year after the events of the previous novel and finds Harland and Hux working together as partners in the ISB and stationed in Alaska when they get called to work a case in a far flung national park where two bodies have been found. Accessible only by airplane and with mercurial weather, the pair have to contend with a mysterious fertility cult leader and his entourage, the elements, and aggressive bears. Plus, of course, Harland is catching feelings for Hux — a plotline that, it seems, is going to unfold VERY slowly throughout this series.

Here's what I thought this book did better than Vanishing edge.

1. The mystery - Although I thought the mystery was pretty decent in book one, I found this one more compelling and complex. (I do think the cult leader and his whole credo could have been more fleshed out, but this isn't a long book.)

2. A more complex Harland – Last time, I felt like she was 90% back pain from a serious injury. That injury isn't totally gone, but it didn't overwhelm the storyline. She still had some insecurities and some chronic pain, but I found it was more helpful to the plot instead of a distraction.

3. Less mushiness - I keep using that word, but in this one Harland has moments of thinking about Hux romantically, but it just felt less annoying and more like a little itch you want to scratch.

Overall, I really like the remote settings of this book as an amateur hiker and watcher of the reality show Alone. The author does a great job of setting the scene, and this mystery had harrowing twists and turns that made for a page turner.

An Unforgiving Place by Claire Kells is a sequel to Vanishing Edge and another engaging tale of Felicity Harland, Investigative Services Bureau agent. Set in the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska, a place not visited by many people, she finds murder, survivalists and people with a mission and an adventure like no other. This new series is a welcome addition to the National Parks mystery genre.

Claire Kells' second mystery novel is as compelling as her first, and it has the same intriguing characters, Harland and Hux, who are following up on the suspicious and quixotic deaths of a couple in an Arctic National Park in Alaska. We learn that the couple has traveled to Alaska to find the head of a fertility cult, and like others who are involved in this strange search for help with infertility, are willing to do anything to have a child. How far will they go to reach this goal?

The setting, the inventive characters, the plot, and the burgeoning relationship of Harland and Hux kept me reading this book in one sitting and hoping for another Claire Kells' mystery soon. This book has everything that readers of mysteries crave and more.