(rounded up from 4.5)

Leave No Trace was a wild ride. The book starts off with a bang (literally) as the Statue of Liberty is toppled by a massive explosion. I could picture the scene easily, unfortunately. These days, terrorism is a given and because of this, regular citizens are subjected to searches and restrictions of all sorts when we go to so many places. (The size of your handbag is restricted to a tiny one, for example, at a minor league hockey game. It’s just how things are these days.) So how did terrorists pull this off? The answer is revealed along the way.

The action moves from one National Park to another in rapid succession: Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Zion National Park in Utah, and so on. The two main investigators are great characters with interesting back stories. Michael Walker is part of the National Park Service’s ISB (Investigative Services Branch, their version of the FBI). He lost a foot in an incident in Mt. Rainier National Park and wears a prosthetic device, which mostly allows him fairly normal mobility. Gina Delgado is FBI and is part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. She’s got an extensive background in explosives.

Michael and Gina zone in on a wide-ranging conspiracy by a group of ex-military extremists. Again unfortunately, this felt like it could be real, given what happened at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and the fact that many ex-military were among the rioters. “Whack job anonymous isn’t so anonymous anymore.” Who can they trust?

Leave No Trace was written by two authors writing under a pen name and I could not tell that two authors had written this book, that’s how well-written and edited it is. They had me constantly flipping (e-)pages and/or listening to just one more chapter to learn what would happen next.

Each chapter starts with a short fact, either about a national park or about a location in the story. Who knew that Hubbard, Ohio was once considered the whiskey capital of the nation? Not me!

Note: Never underestimate the power of a cell phone video!

This is supposed to be the start of a series set in National Parks and I’m interested to see how they follow this one up! It’s a hard act to follow, as the saying goes.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient and allowed me to speed through the book. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Gregory Abbey.

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

This could honestly end up as a movie - the action was non-stop and the plot was (unfortunately) very believable. The short paragraphs helped speed up the already quick pace of the book - something that I enjoyed. A terrific story with very likeable characters.

An act of terrorism has damaged the Statue of Liberty and its up to Special Agent Michael Walker to figure out who is behind the deed. When he lands he soon learns that FBI agent Gina Delgado has been left in charge and another attack is on the horizon. Left out of the meetings Michael decides to investigate on his own and he learns some critical evidence from a young boy who survived the first attack. He is determined to do his job and figure out the shadowy figure is behind the attack. Follow along and see if he can bring down a terrorist group or will he fail in the end?

In responding to reports of an explosion on Liberty Island, Michael Walker, a member of the National Parks Service Investigative Services Bureau, There he connects with FBI ASAC Gina Delgado. Together they look to make sense of the bombing and try to ferret out the reasons behind it. Left out of a briefing due to lack of a security clearance, Michael finds a 15 year old kid who may hold the key to finding the people responsible.

The search for the perpetrators of the explosion will lead Michael and Gina across the country in search of a radical group of ex military and militia members set on taking over the government. Michael and Gina need to stop them before they make good on their threat to kill millions and reinvent the government to fit their image..

The story starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the final word is written. The pace is rapid, the suspense acute and the action plentiful and never ending. Both Michael and Gina are intelligent, practical characters, quick to understand a problem and wiling to do what needs to be done to solve it. It makes them a good team, even when they are working the same problem from different ends of the country. As the final confrontation approaches, the intensity surges. The last few chapters left me breathless.

This is the kind of thriller that just never stops. Just when you think you can take a breath, the threat takes a new turn. I couldn't put it down. Even better, the end of the story leaves Michael and Gina in position that suggests we'll see them working together again.
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This action packed novel starts out with a terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty. This brings together the 2 main characters, National Park Services Special Agent Michael Walker and ASAC FBI NY Chief, Gina Delgado to form the Joint Terrorism Task Force to look into the attack. Initially, there is a little friction between the two as they determine their boundaries and jurisdictions, but when a 15 yr old boy tells Michael about the video he recorded on his iphone, they begin to team up to stop further attacks.
The video identifies a military officer who supposedly died in a helicopter crash along with 11 other soldiers, who were also in a retired military boat at the time of the attack. With a day or so after this attack, the team gets wind of another potential target - Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell - and Gina and Michael rush to the scene to avert it.. Several other National parks are attack sites and the authors deftly weave the details of the MC backgrounds and motivations into the story, making them come alive. The thought of domestic terrorism on this scale is frightening. The resolution was exciting, action packed, and believable, as it tied up all the loose ends,
I liked the opening lines of each chapter which gave a history and background of the different National Parks or sites used in that chapter.
It seems that this may be the first in a series of books and I think it would lead to a good TV series as well - I know that I'd watch it.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and the opinions expressed are my own

I found this to be a great surprise of a book from a first time duo of writers. Who would've thought that a book about a National Park Service investigator would have such great action? I enjoyed Michael and his FBI counterpart, Gina as they try to track down the group setting off explosions at our national monuments and I adored how every chapter started with a different fact about a national park. I very much look forward to Landau's next entry into the National Parks Thriller series and will recommend this title highly. I both listened to and read this title so I sincerely thank St. Martin's Press, Macmillan, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖 ℕ𝕠 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖
𝗔.𝗝. 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘂
𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿: 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 1
Terrorism Thriller
352 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
A terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty sparks a fear of further attacks. National Park Service’s Special Agent Michael Walker and FBI Agent Gina Delgado from the Joint Terrorism Task Force work to stop that from happening with the help of a video from a child who was at the explosion location.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
This is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants thriller. The good guys face the bad guys to save the country’s national monuments and the lives of all those visiting them.

Expect lots of action, some realistic and some over the top, which, in my opinion, adds to the story's excitement.

Though government and terrorist attacks abound, it doesn’t knock you senseless with politics but does mention a couple of real-world incidents.
This is a cut and dry police procedural story without the extra bells and whistles of extra details. It also includes a great deal of diversity throughout the entire book.

There are informational aspects of the National Parks wound in, so there is a bit of learning between the thrills.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ARC.

Leave No Trace by A J Landau is an intriguing story of domestic terrorists who feed of the “insurrection” of January 6 to launch attacks, on first, The State of Liberty, and then on the Liberty Bell, and moving on to other national landmarks. The locale of the attacks puts the investigation under the purview of the National Parks Service and their investigator, Michael Walker. Gina Delgado, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New York field office attends the site believing herself to be the lead investigator. They got over who was in charge almost immediately but that question was to rise again after Michael pulled a kid out of the rubble who had an iPhone and had filmed the possible attackers as they approached. Again, it was worked out as it was an invaluable lead, blowing the investigation wide open. It was a frightening beginning that lead to more frightening discoveries.

Michael was the former son-in-law of the Secretary of the Interior, not his direct supervisor, but amongst those at the top of the chain. Former, because his wife had been killed by a murderer in a national park at the same time he had been shot in the foot, leading to the prosthetic he now wore and he didn’t like his former father-in-law. It hadn’t slowed him down much; he wouldn’t allow it. Gina was tough as nails; she had to be. She had had an illustrious career with a remarkable beginning. The plot was sound, although it seems to be the fashion now to write a book about the next major terrorist attack on the United States. It also further shakes my faith in my government, which is shaken enough already. It was an interesting read, full of the sorts of problems one would expect when battling real insurrectionist in this modern world. It was a readable work of fiction. Thanks, A J Landau.

I was invited to read Leave No Trace by St Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPressMinotaurBooks #AJLandau #LeaveNoTrace

America’s cultural symbols are under attack. When an explosion topples the Statue of Liberty, Special Investigator Michael Walker of the National Park Service is sent to assist the task force headed by FBI agent Gina Delgado. Among the survivors Walker finds a boy who had been filming a suspicious boat with men dressed as park rangers. One of the suspects is identified as a military officer who supposedly died in a helicopter crash along with a number of members of his team. The attacks are not over. A threat at Independence Hall has Walker and Delgado racing to Philadelphia to stop another attack. These are the acts of domestic terrorists who are unhappy with the direction that America is headed. The attacks are a precursor to a major attack that could leave millions dead and the country vulnerable to takeover.

Walker and his wife were park rangers who were attacked on Rainier. His wife did not survive and Walker lost his foot. It was a long road back, but he has proven himself as an investigator. The attacker was never caught. His father-in-law, who blames Walker for his daughter’s death, has an influential position in government. He has him pulled off the case and sent to Zion National Park. His new assignment is remote, but he was identified by the terrorists and nowhere is safe. The opening pages of A.J. landau’s story immediately throw you into the action and tension does not ease up as Walker and Delgado race from one location to the next. Walker is helped by Fallen Timbers, an environmental group formed by Native Americans who believed the terrorists were a threat to the environment and tracked their movements. They join Walker in a final assault that brings him face to face with the man who murdered his wife. This was an edge of your seat thriller that hints at more action to come, something that I am looking forward to. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur for providing this book for my review.

This chilling read is all about domestic terrorism, with the first target being the bombing at the Statue of Liberty. Chilling indeed. The Statue of Liberty has been an American icon since the late 1800s and was only the first of many planned targets that could destroy the very fiber of life in America if these planned attacks all came to fruition.

Our principal protagonists are Gina Delgado, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI and National Park Service Special Agent Michael Walker. Michael has no idea what he is walking into. His job is very important to him, after he lost his wife and more during an attack years previously. Michael's job is hindered for more than one reason, and part of that reason is lack of security clearance when it comes to the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Gina also has her challenges as they seek to locate the terrorists before more innocent lives could be lost.

Michael doesn't miss a thing, and manages to protect a witness as he works independently, as well as with Gina when it comes to looking for the terrorists. Michael is an amazing character, a man who lost a foot at the same time he lost his wife, but managed to overcome the impossible to continue his work with the National Park Services, albeit in a different capacity.

Danger, political intrigue and vendettas are part and parcel of this engaging read. The story started off strong with danger and action, with quite a bit of drama mixed in. Personally, I found the first half of this book more exciting than the second half, but found myself really drawn into the story beyond the travesty of domestic terrorism, as a lot of it took place across different national parks, highlighting dangers that were almost unimaginable. I can't wait to see what next lies in store for Michael and hopefully Gina.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I can start with the positives. The action, especially in the last half, was very fast paced as the characters all rushed to stop the bad guys in various locations around the country. The negative is that the reader is asked to believe that domestic terrorists would plan to take over the country by attacking national landmarks and parks before moving on to the seats of government. The idea of a National Parks security professional teaming up with the FBI is engaging, but in a setting like this, they would quickly have been pushed off to the side. I enjoyed the writing and the tempo, but the overall the plot left a lot to be desired.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advnace copy in exchange for an honest review.

Leave No Trace opens with a terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty, and the action keeps going from there. Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service and Agent Gina Delgado of the FBI work together to unravel the plot, with some assistance along the way. I enjoyed the unique settings and the deeper look at various national parks. The story moves along at a good pace, and we also learn about the backstories of Walker and Delgado. I look forward to reading more in the series!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for a free copy of #LeaveNoTrace by A.J. Landau; Jon Land; Jeff Ayers. All opinions are my own.

I am going to enjoy this new series. The characters are likeable, the National Parks I love and the story is good. I also enjoyed the bits of information/mini history lesson at the beginning of each chapter. I look forward to more books in this series and see where the stories take the characters. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This debut in a new series starts with a bang when a terrorist explosion topples the Statue of Liberty, killing hundreds of visitors. National Park Service sends Special Agent Michael Walker to act as liaison with the Joint Terrorism Task Force being led by FBI agent Gina Delgado. Walker finds Danny, a 15-yr old survivor who has critical evidence on his smartphone of a video recording of the 4 attackers. After protecting Danny from harm, other National Park sites are targeted for attacks. It becomes a race against time for Gina & Michael to stop a radical domestic terrorist group led by a former military general & a vengeful man known as Jeremiah from unleashing a mass casualty event & overthrowing the government. This was a wild thrilling read with a premise that eerily foreshadows some dark days ahead.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

Michael Walker, Special Agent for the National Park Service, is sent to NYC after an attack on the Statue of Liberty. This attack is just the beginning of a domestic terrorist group’s onslaught on America.

Michael is a character I want to know more about! He is my new favorite hero!

There are a lot of things that I love about this book. I love the characters, I love the fast pace and I absolutely love going to the state parks. The author throws in little tidbits about each state park and it just adds so much to this novel. Oh, and this book is full of intensity and intrigue. BUT, and you know there is a but, it felt a bit unrealistic, especially at the end. Oh, I am not saying this can’t happen, it can! It just might be a bit more believable if presented in a different way.

All of that being said, I enjoyed this novel. I am already looking to see if there will be another in this series. I really want to know more. As a matter of fact, I want to see this as a tv series! This would be so captivating!

Need a good, domestic thriller tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

A J Landau gives the reader a tour of some revered National Parks and Monuments that is filled with thrills and terror. The race is to thwart the bad guys is led by a unique National Park Service Agent, Michael Walker and his corresponding FBI agent Gina Delgado, a munitions/ bomb expert. They will need skill, luck, and timing to find out who is behind a series domestic terrorism targeting the iconic structures and parks held dear by Americans. Beginning with the Statue of Liberty, the evil-doers race across the country to enact their ultimate destruction of people and places. It may be a far-out plot (at least I hope so) but this action-packed book will have the reader going full bore! Recommended. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this title.

Leave No Trace is a fast-paced fantastic read!
A mystery/thriller about an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government.
The story begins with an explosion at the Statue of Liberty, having her topple over killing hundreds of people and hurting more. And the perpetrators are just getting started. They take aim at various National Parks across the U.S.
Special Agent Michael Walker of the Investigative Services Branch of the National Parks Service and ASAC Gina Delgado of the FBI work together to save lives no matter the cost.
Well-written and well-researched with quite a bit of interesting historical information included.
I was thoroughly engaged from start to finish being on the edge of my seat much of the time.
This is the first book in a new series (National Parks Thriller) by A. J. Landau, the pseudonym for two authors, Jon Land and Jeff Ayers. I look forward to the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the characters in this novel because they were all very richly depicted and had depth and value. The writing style was a bit frenetic towards the end of the novel, moving from one scene to another after only a paragraph or two. The tidbits regarding the National Parks at the beginning of each chapter were interesting, although they inadvertently took one out of the story momentarily.

While I usually read historical fiction or non-fiction, it is nice to pick up a detective book. Leave No Trace looks like will be a new detective series with a twist. The backdrop are different national parks with one of the detectives who works for the park system. What was fun was the beginning of each chapter there was a factoid about the particular park or the history of the park system. Some I knew and some I did not. Landau, et. al.'s book was a quick, semi mindless read which was perfect break from my heavier reads. This would be good for summer by the pool or on a relaxing at home read.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Reading the opening chapter, the terrorist attack at the Statue of Liberty, it was so cinematic that I instantly thought ‘this book just begs to be made into a movie/miniseries.’ Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service and Agent Gina Delgado of the FBI need to work together to figure out what happened…and how to stop another attack from happening. This is a fast paced, intense thriller, and given the current state of the world it feels oddly and eerily possibly/disturbing. It’s a well researched ’popcorn flick’ in book form. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Leave No Trace.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RO7P5AOHFTG1J/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv