Thought I would enjoy it more. I'm sure many patrons will check it out. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Ein Toter in einem neu eröffneten Luxus-Hotel-Ressort weit ab von Schuss. Und die letzte Person, die den Toten wohl gesehen hat ist verschwunden in der Wildnis.

Forgotten trail by Claire Kells is book three in the National Parks Mystery series. This is the first book in that series that I have read and I found that it can be read as a stand-alone. My son and I love hiking and national parks, so I was intrigued to request the arc of this book. I was not disappointed!

Investigative Services Branch agent Felicity Harland is investigating a murder at a new hike-in lodge at Pinnacles National Park. At first things seem like a domestic issue and the wife is the main suspect, but Harland isn't convinced this is the case. As she is working the murder, she hears that the Park Service are also searching for a missing person out on the trails. So Harland sets out with her partner, Ferdinand "Hux" Huxley, to see if the murder and the missing person cases are connected. As we go through the story, we are also introduced to the point of view of the missing hiker, which I thought was a great touch as well. There was a little surprise at the end and overall this was a nice and easy read.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reaching for the other books in this series. If you love the outdoors, hiking, etc, you will like this one.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Special Agent Felicity Harland of the Investigative Services Branch is working cold cases when she’s called to investigate a dead body at the new Pinnacles Grand Hotel, located in a national park in her jurisdiction. Of course, the hotel wants to keep a low profile so guests aren’t frightened away before the hotel is barely open. There’s a delay in calling the death in, the room is not secure, and the circumstances are anything but usual. There’s also an almost five-mile hike through the forest to get to the hotel where guests are expected to be off the grid.

Chris, the victim, is with someone who is not his wife. His wife is there too, in her own room, to confront him. Her private investigator told her where to find Chris. Even though his wife was found standing over his body, she claims to be innocent.

As far as his traveling companion goes, she’s missing. Her clothes and everything else are gone. They do find a clue near the room’s balcony and find a single high-heeled shoe. Does it belong to her?

There were murders in the area years ago. Is the current murder tied to the unsolved case? It seems the clues are tangled in a nearly impossible knot. Can Felicity and her partner solve the crime before the killer strikes again?

This is book three in the series and the first one I’ve read. The mystery was a good one with clues and red herrings to puzzle the reader, descriptions of the national park, and a potential relationship between Felicity and her partner. The national park setting is a refreshing change, especially since Felicity isn’t assigned to just one park. I look forward to reading about her future exploits.

I love the concept of this series, solving crimes in various National Parks. In this particular book we are taken to Pinnacles National Park where Harland has been called in to solve a murder at a remote, hike in hotel.

What I liked:
*The setting. It had a strong sense of place & challenging terrain to navigate. I wanted more scenes out on the trail and less at the hotel.
*The characters Harland & Hux. I love both of them separately but together as a slow burn romance they don’t haven much chemistry.
*Interesting case

Overall this was an intriguing, fun read. The pacing was slower and more drawn out than the first 2 books & Harlan’s relationship with Hux is the definition of slow burn but I’m

This third installment reads a little bit different than the first two, bringing in more technology and professional connections. There are less scenes outdoors, since the crime is committed in a new tourist complex. Harland and Hux are very comfortable working together as specific details of their interviewing styles and investigation process are revealed. The implied attraction between Harland and Hux may leave invested readers waiting for another book. The outcome of the mystery was a surprise and by the end, Harland has new questions about the tragic trip with her late husband.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the e-galley. I listened to the audiobook on Everand for this review. My ratings and reviews are my own.

This is a mystery set in Pinnacles National Park in California. Investigators Felicity and Hux are assigned to investigate a murder in a newly-opened, hike-in hotel inside the park. The man was murdered in his hotel room. The wife is a prime suspect. There is a missing woman somewhere in the park. They are also working on some cold cases, and one of those happened in the same park.

This book is part of a series and I liked it enough that I want to go read the others now. I loved how the author weaved in the descriptions of the park, the setting, and the development of the characters. Felicity has an interesting back story. Hux lives in another park and also has an interesting background. I hope these characters are in the other books as well.

The story was interesting, made even more so by being set inside a national park. The elements of the mystery keep building on each other. I was enjoying reading it so much that I didn't want to stop. I do love the twists and turns in the plot. It all came together neatly at the end too. I think this book attracted my attention because it is similar in setting to the Anna Pigeon novels, which I also love. It was a nice, complicated mystery and a really good read. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third National Parks Mystery finds Felicity and Hux investigating the murder of a man at newly opened resort hotel in Pinnacles National Park. It seems like an open and shut case at first until they realize his girlfriend is missing.

I thought this was a good entry in this series! There was more investigating in this one which I enjoyed. It was less hiking (although still part of it) and more clue-solving. Can’t wait to see what the next one brings!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm glad I discovered this series as it's entertaining, fast paced and actiong packed. Well plotted, solid mystery, likeable characters
Can't wait to read another one
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC for an honest review.

This is book three of a series featuring this dynamic duo, Felicity and Hux. I recommend starting with book 1 to get the full character development and backstories. I am just loving this series! This time the two find themselves at the Pinnacles Grand Hotel after a body has been found. The mystery is not only who the killer is, but also a secondary story related to a cold case that has a connection to the current case. I adore Felicity and Hux, their partnership, the witty banter, the underlying tension of something more than friendship...I wish we could just skip ahead to the book that finally confirms a ROMANCE and FOREVER LOVE...:) There is once again mention of Felicity's past and her missing/presumed dead husband...things that make you go hmmm!

4 stars

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I love mysteries and a National Park setting so this seemed like a great series to read. I picked up this third book in the National Park Mysteries and planned to read the first two from the library. For the start of the 4th of July weekend I did. I used an unusual method for reading. I was able to get the audio and ebook from the library. I started Vanishing Edge on ebook and the next day when I was running errands finished it on audio. Then I listened to An Unforgiving Place on audio and finished it on ebook at bedtime. I haven't done that switching that way before.

I enjoyed the first two books which set up the characters and abilities. Felicity Harland was an FBI agent for 7 years. Then she had a bad injury where she broke her back. Now she works in Investigative Services for the National Parks. She is smart and capable. She does pretty well with gathering evidence and making good deductions. She is smart and knowledgeable about the wilderness areas where she works. However, she is stupid not to carry her gun with her when she is hunting murderers and talking to possible suspects.

In Vanishing Edge, she works a case in Sequoia National Park in California. She is based in California. Hux is a park ranger, retired Navy SEAL, who works with her on the case. For An Unforgiving Place, Hux is training to join the ISB and they go to Alaska to solve a case.

Forgotten Trail is back in California in Pinnacles National Park. There's a hotel just opening in the park. A man is murdered while there with someone not his wife, and she's missing. The wife is there however.

Between investigations, Harland has been working cold cases, which also gives Hux time to do his training. One of the cold cases is a double homicide at this same park leaving a 4 year old boy without his parents. They come in and start processing the crime scene and investigating. The FBI comes in for awhile but doesn't spend much time. Harland and Hux continue their investigations, searching for the missing girlfriend and for information about the old case. Technology is something else where this partnership could use some improved skills.

The case was interesting and we knew some things before our team. Their deductions were clever and they were persistent where the FBI and local park rangers were not. I enjoyed the cases and the setting of the park.

The other background to the series is the possible relationship between Harland and Hux. She is technically his supervisor, so she is focused on being professional. But that's not how they feel. They get along very well. Harland was injured when she fell in the Australian wilderness when traveling with her husband. Her husband went to get help and was never found, presumed dead. It's been 3+ years now. Harland has been working through her emotions from that but hopefully she is ready to give Hux a chance now. It will be fascinating to see where things go next.

This is the third book in the National Parks Mystery series. The mysteries are stand alone, but I do recommend that you start at the beginning for more personal insights into the recurring characters of Felicity Harland, her partner, Hux, and canine companion, Ollie. I think the series gets better with each book.

This mystery involves the murder of a guest at a hike-in luxury hotel in the Pinnacles National Park. I admit to being a bit baffled by the idea of a hike-in “luxury” hotel since it seems to me that the type of people that would stay in such places (like me) would come with the type of luggage that’s not conducive to “hiking in”.😂 I would expect most hike-in hotels would cater to more rustic accommodations without guests that have room in their packs for unnecessary weight like dress shoes or even a dress, so this is an interesting idea, but I’m not sure it’s a sound business plan.

I really enjoyed the setting and the mystery in this one. A murder in one of the guest suites, a possible missing person on the hiking trails that might be connected and a new hotel that’s had a soft opening and a staff that’s worried about bad press before they even get started. The end took me by surprise, which is always a plus that I didn’t figure it out. There were a few chapters with the point of view of the injured missing hiker and I enjoyed how they were juxtaposed with flashes of memory from Harland’s fateful excursion to Australia. I enjoyed learning more about it and wow, wouldn’t that be something if Hux’s inquisitive nature eventually figures out what happened to Kevin, the ultimate cold case for Harland.

I recommend this series to anyone that enjoys mysteries in a natural setting or National Parks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

I used to enjoy reading the earlier books in Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series so I was excited to find this series. The main character in this new series is Special Agent Felicity Harland who is an investigator with jurisdiction in U.S. National Parks. In this book, she teams up with Ferdinand "Hux" Huxley, a park ranger who is in training to be an investigator. They're called to the scene of a murder at a brand new hotel at a park in California that requires guests to make a 4 1/2 mile hike to get there.

I like how well Felicity and Hux work together and don't let politics pressure them to rush to a quick solution to the case. Their investigation becomes more complex than it first appears and has an unexpected resolution.There is some chemistry between them personally as well, but Felicity comes across as immature in that area. However by the end of the book, things seem to be looking up. Felicity makes an intriguing comment at the end of the book so I'm interested to see what happens next for her in future books. I would rate this book 4.5 stars.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

"When a guest turns up dead at the newly opened Pinnacles Grand Hotel, ISB agent Felicity Harland finds herself summoned to a peculiar scene. A gentle breeze blows in from the balcony window, belying the violence of a man stabbed to death in his hotel room. It’s clear to Harland that this murder was personal, especially when the victim’s wife admits that she wanted him dead. But Harland isn’t so sure that this was a domestic dispute gone bad. When she hears about the Park Service searching for a missing person out on the trails, she sets out with her partner, Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley, to see if the two cases are connected. As Harland and Hux take on the rocky, exposed terrain of California’s ancient volcanic wonderland, they soon realize that the mystery at the Pinnacles Grand is not at all what it seems—and that a predator may be closing in."
Was this murder personal or not personal, will have to read the book to find out.
This is the 3rd book in the series, lots of suspense , fast paced. I give this book 4 stars.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books, netgalley, and the author for a chance to put an honest review.
Published Nov 7th, 2023

The latest and the weakest in a series featuring Felicity Harland, who works for the Investigative Services Branch of the Park Service, her partner Hex, and her dog Ollie. This time there's been a murder at the brand spanking new hotel at Pinnacles National Park. And there's a missing woman. Felicity and Hex find themselves in an unusual situation, leading a murder case and searching for the woman who was with the victim before his death. And there's a cold case that Felicity has been poking around on. This has a good twist that redeemed some of the problems but those unfortunately, stand out for me. Most importantly (because he's well a dog) is Ollie. He pops in and out of the story with no regard to feeding him, or pretty much anything else. Equally importantly, I had a difficult time visualizing the setting (hiking in to a luxury hotel, the hotel itself, the trails, the cave). I've given this four stars but reluctantly. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Here's hoping the next one gets back on track.

I was hooked onto the story from start to finish. From character development to plot twist to murder mystery to storytelling, Forgotten Trail by Claire Kells is absolutely fantastic and riveting mystery.

The mystery behind the murder turned out to be more than just your-usual-domestic-dispute. The lover has a dark past and so does the wife. Seems like three shady characters (three including the victim) are involved in this mess.

I absolutely loved the storytelling. As I was reading through, it felt like a movie playing in my head. From the trails to sequoias to the whole trekking experience - the readers are in for a (virtual) visual treat.

If you are looking for a unique and completely engrossing mystery set in National Parks, I highly recommend Forgotten Trail by Claire Kells.

4.5/5

The Pinnacles Grand Hotel opened just a week ago in the Pinnacles National Park and a man has been murdered in his $700 room. To get to the Hotel lodgers must park four miles away and take a rugged hike to the hotel. Wow, that's my kind of camping, if only I could afford it.

ISB agent Felicity Harland and her partner Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley make it to the scene and will be the lead investigators unless a different federal agency is called in to take over the case. At first I thought we might spend all our time indoors but we finally get some good outdoor time, too. Felicity and Hux are friends although the "maybe something more" attraction is there, if they ever decide to acknowledge it. In fact, with Hux (I can't help calling him Hunk, in my head), everyone notices his former Navy Seal he-man good looks. He's a great worker, very talented, and Felicity can't be faulted for using him in some witness/suspect questioning situations since he does seem to grab the attention of those he's questioning.

So there is the body in the $700 room. The case seems simple enough at first glance since a possibly angry wife is on the scene but then things start expanding. You have hotel staff that are less than forthcoming and wacky security features that don't work or haven't been turned on. And also word of a shoe and a missing person/body in the wilderness? Add to that the competing groups of searchers and investigators and things get even more complicated.

I like Cady Zuckerman as the narrator of this book (and the one before it). Felicity has been through some major trauma, physical and emotional, in the last few years and outwardly she's one calm, cool, cucumber at all times although she has a lot of inner doubts about herself and the past that she's trying to work through. Felicity and Hux make a great team and I'm ready to follow them into the next book and wilderness.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I stumbled across this series by Claire Kells earlier this year and loved the first two books (Vanishing Edge and An Unforgiving Place). They were very exciting and interesting mysteries/thrillers, set in amazing places, so I was delighted to see a third book in the series: Forgotten Trail.

Each book takes place in a different National Park - book one is set in Sequoia National Park in California and book two is set in Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska. We are back in California for book three, this time in Pinnacles National Park.

The main female character is Felicity Harland, a former FBI agent who now works for the ISB, the Investigative Services Branch of the National Park Service. The ISB is described as basically the FBI of the National Parks. She has some physical limitations due to a serious hiking accident in her past, which can make her job rather difficult at times. In the first book, she meets “Hux” Huxley, a park ranger who is a former Navy Seal and they team up. They make a great team.

A new luxury hotel has opened in Pinnacles National Park, but the things is, you have to hike about 4 miles from the nearest parking area to get there! During the hotel’s soft opening, there’s a “suspicious death” and Felicity is called in to investigate. There were a lot of twists and turns, as she and Hux work to figure out what happened. The descriptions of the terrain and scenery were wonderful, along with an complex and interesting story.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was narrated beautifully by Cady Zuckerman.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I love this series set in national parks. It is so good and keeps you engaged and interested. After reading this I went back and read all the others
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Clever mystery. Interesting characters. My first experience with the series. I would to read the prior ones and any following ones. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.