Michael Walker National Park Thrillers Book 2. Having read the first book in the series I was excited to read this book. This book can easily be read as stand-alone and if you enjoyed it you might want to go back to the first one. I do not think you will regret it. Our agent Michael Walker is a unique character. In Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska) He is trying to determine who is behind the stolen antiquities. At the same time FBI special investigator Gina Delgrado is trying to solve the murder of an environmental scientist in Florida’s Everglades National Park. Before long, the two find a connection between both cases. The involvement of a rogue billionaire and a Russian strongman makes this a deadly game. This is a book of friction but if you think of what happening in 2025 were we have talk of mining and drilling in these pristine American Native Lands, no recovery to what we have will ever be possible. When big money is involved, our government does not see the importance of keeping our environment safe for the next generations.

Cold Burn
by A. J. Landau; Jeff Ayers; Jon Land
Pub Date: Apr 29 2025

Cold Burn is the second book in the national park thriller series. Great character development of Michael and Gina, who are the two main characters in the story. The book covers a lot of police procedures, non stop action and many plot twists and turns. Although it is the second book in a series and can be read as a stand a lone. Definitely a book I recommend reading!

Synopsis: Agent Michael Walker returns when multiple deaths at Glacier Bay National Park are just the first steps in a potential global disaster. In Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park, a frozen woolly mammoth is uncovered by a geological survey team. When all of them are found dead at the site of the thawed-out carcass, National Park Service ISB special agent Michael Walker is called in to investigate. In Florida’s Everglades National Park, FBI special investigator Gina Delgado traces the murder of an environmental science intern back to another U.S. Geological Survey team’s ongoing experiments that are decimating the fragile ecosystem.

Many thanks to #ColdBurn #NetGalley & #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks for providing me with an E-ARC of this awesome book!

Cold Burn is the 2nd National Parks Thriller by A.J. Landau.

"National Park Service Investigator Michael Walker is running down smugglers when he is sent to Alaska to find a missing team of scientists.
Special Agent Gina Delgado is in the Florida Everglades investigating the murder of an environmental science intern.
A top secret US Navy submarine sinks with all crew dying in an impossible way.
What is the common thread between the incidents and why do the Russians care about a small village in Alaska?"

This book has the feel of James Rollins and Sigma Force. There's an unknown thing that's been dormant for thousands of years. Now it's back and civilization is in danger of extinction. The author takes his time getting you invested but once the pieces start connecting it's a wild, fast-paced story. The bad guys come from an unexpected direction.

The wild ending is history repeating itself but with a different result. And watch out for those gators

Cold Burn tense chilling that kept me turning the pages.Interesting that there was also an aspect of science fiction.# NetGalley #Col Burn

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 loved Leave No Trace is a chilling story of terrorists employing methods and gathering insurrectionists in much as the attack on the Capital in 2021. The leaders are demented narcissists, so really similar. We are introduced to Michael Walker who works for the national park system in their law enforcement. The other key player is Gina Delgado, who has lots of Army experience in explosives, now FBI, and currently as a Special Agent assigned to the President.

Cold Burn combines climate change issues with the greedy and corrupt, along with growing fascism. Michael is sent to find a US Geological team. He needs to work with a Native American tribe whose land they are on when an avalanche hit. Someone took them and looking into that finds that both a wealthy industrialist who is trying to go to Mars and the Russians are both after a natural resource here.

Gina is sent to find out about a dead body who is also from a geological team. The project he was an intern for was actually an experiment to lower the overheating Atlantic Ocean. They are having some success when he is murdered.

The pacing is quick with lots of investigative information and action. The technology aspects, although fiction, are enjoyable. The parties who want the natural resource devolve to more murder, theft and outright military attack in the end. Michael and Gina are both in danger trying to uncover and share the truth.

The National Park Thriller series seems to focus on these two main characters, who ordinarily would not work together being in different agencies but have a trust and friendship which makes them allies in global disasters. I'm happy to go on more of this thrill ride.

This is the second book in the National Parks Thriller series and I loved it! I love when there are several threads in a story that come together to make you go "WOW". This was that book!!

Although you do not need to read the first book to read this one, I was glad I had because I had some of the back story about a few of the characters. There are several characters, 2 main ones, and I initially had trouble keeping track of who was who, but knowing 2 of them really helped.

I really like that the authors added quotes about the national parks at the start of each chapter, very poignant right now.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This second book in the National Park Thriller series is filled with action and adventure.

In the first book "Leave No Trace", the main characters, Michael Walker and Gina Delgado, joined together to thwart terrorist attacks on national landmarks across the U.S. This time, they are investigating mysterious deaths that have taken place in Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska and in Everglades National Park in Florida.

There was a lot going on in this story. It seemed that no sooner each of the protagonists were deeply involved in important cases, they were removed and assigned to different cases. This was a little disconcerting at first. Nonetheless, Gina and Michael's excellent teamwork eventually link all of the mysterious events.

With the inclusion of an evil nemesis (or two), a prehistoric fuel source, and dangerous microbes threatening mankind, parts of the story were hard to believe and almost read like something out of a science fiction novel. However, the nonstop action and thrilling conclusion kept me glued to the pages. I will be looking forward to reading the next book in this series when it comes out.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cold Burn is book 2 in the National Parks Thriller series. This story takes place primarily in Glacier Bay in Alaska and the Everglades in Florida. The plot hinges on climate change, evolution, and First Nation folklore and religion. It is also very science heavy, which drags the story down in parts. The main characters, Michael from the National Parks Service and Gina from the FBI, are likable and dedicated, with no hint (so far) of romance. One nice touch is that each chapter starts with a bit of trivia about the location

I didn’t love this book, but I liked it enough that I will keep reading the series.

Not family friendly due to violence (the body count is high) and profanity.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cold Burn by A.J. Landau is the second book in the National Parks series. The story follows National Parks Service Agent Michael Walker and FBI agent Gina Delgado. They are assigned separate cases. Agent Walker gets assigned to a case in Alaska and Agent Delgado is assigned a case in Florida. While they are working separate cases, they learn that they are possibly linked due to a prehistoric microbe that they discover might be behind the mysterious deaths of the cases they are investigating. This microbe was unleashed by global warming and it’s now a very real threat to life.
Agent Walker teams up with Amka, who is an Alaskan Native from the Tlingit tribe. The Tlingits are hesitant to assist Agent Walker on the case he is working, however, Amka sees it as an opportunity to get his help with a separate issue the Tlingits are facing.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the storyline of Agent Walker working alongside Amka.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

At the beginning, this book takes you to seemingly unrelated destinations with unrelated issues. Then people begin dying. At first, there is no real thread between the issues that are happening and the investigators are stymied...how did this happen and why? Michael Walker, Special Agent of ISB, and Gina Delgado, Special Agent of the FBI have worked together before. Now with Walker in Glacier Bay National Park and Delgado in Everglades National Park, they're sharing information and making some connections. The story revolves around climate change, scientific study into how to mitigate the climate crises, corruption, and how power and money are not in the business of helping people. A possible international incident and bad actors in many places, including Washington D. C., and a microbe that might wipe out civilization.

The book is not one that you can skim through since there is so much going on. Lots of scientific data being thrown around, but very easy to understand. The back and forth between Walker and Delgado and their supervisors, and how bureaucracy stymies progress. So much to take in and think about.

As a fan of Nevada Barr and her Anna Pigeon mysteries, I dove into Cold Burn and absolutely LOVED it! Cold Burn is the second book in this series. I have already purchased the first book and can't wait to get started!

4.25 stars
I've read other books by Jon Land, but this even though Cold Burn is the second in the National Parks Thriller series, it's the first I've read. For the most part, I think the important information about the two main characters' backstories is included. There was one scene near the end that confused me a bit, and it may have been because I didn't read the first book. Michael Walker is a special agent for the National Park Service looking into artifacts from indigenous people in Alaska being stolen. In the past, Michael has worked with FBI Special Agent Gina Delgado. Gina is looking into the death of an environmental science intern in the Florida Everglades.

Supporting characters include a ruthless Russian leader, a billionaire who wants to go to Mars, native Tlingit people protecting their land, and researchers looking for ways to reverse the effects of climate change. Somehow all of these loose ends come together in a suspenseful thriller that is part environmental adventure and part political intrigue. Some of the scientific details included in the story went over my head and slowed the pace of the book, but overall, this is a story that moves quickly and is full of action and suspense. I wasn't surprised by the identity of another villain in the story when it was revealed, but I still enjoyed the tense situations and complex story.

I received an advance copy of this ebook for review consideration from NetGalley and Minotaur Books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Michael Walker and Gina Delgado are on opposite ends of the country investigating incidents at National Parks. Though not working together they inadvertently find themselves working on the same case. Though one is in the Everglades and the other is in Alaska they find themselves with similarities that bring their investigation together once again. Racing against time to save the environment, they must work together to succeed.

4.5 rounded up

This is the second book in the author's National Parks Thriller series, and I will most definitely go back and read the first book.

National Park Service ISB Special Agent Michael Walker is tracking a man who killed a couple stealing native artifacts when he is called to Glacier Bay National Park to locate a missing USGS team. When he finds the team dead alongside a frozen woolly mammoth, he must figure out what happened. FBI Special Investigator Gina Delgado is in the Everglades investigating the murder of an environmental science intern, linking it to a USGS team's experiments that are destroying the fragile ecosystem.  There is also a sunken submarine; the crew should have survived, but they all perished, frozen from the inside out. Can Agents Walker and Delgado connect the dots and prevent a global catastrophic event?

Told in multiple POVs, this book was a riveting, action-packed thriller! It was totally my kind of book! From the compelling story to the diverse settings, I was completely captivated! I absolutely love national parks and love reading books set in them. I loved how all the settings connected, from Glacier Bay in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, and there was even a mention of Crazy Horse in South Dakota! I absolutely loved that each chapter started with a tidbit of information about the location. I was also fascinated by the Tlingit tribe and the scientific aspects. This book was definitely an adventure, and I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it!

Second in a series, Cold Burn was an interesting and entertaining read with a twisty storyline that keeps the reader thinking. It was researched to the point it had more science and technology than I prefer. But it would be right up your alley if that’s what you’re looking for. On the other hand, since I was drawn to the series because I am a fan of this country’s national parks, I was satisfied with the descriptions of the parks represented but would have liked even more descriptive details.

The multiple settings, characters and subplots—perhaps a few too many—seemed disjointed at first and were a bit challenging to juggle. And on top of all that, the investigators also changed venues. However, the author did a fine job bringing it all together.

For this reader, this was not your typical rollercoaster of a ride crime/thriller. The pace was more in the slow burn lane. However, if you stick with it there is plenty of action and surprises in the last quarter to make it a worthwhile read with enough intrigue to sustain an ongoing series.



FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Something has been discovered that could be a next-level fuel source...

...or a bioweapon that could eradicate all life forms on Earth.

Michael Walker is an Investigative Services Branch (ISB) special agent for the National Park Service, investigating crimes that take place on NPS property. His latest assignment has him working undercover on a cruise ship stopping at ports along the Gulf of Alaska, where artifacts belonging to the native Tlingit people have been disappearing from museums and other historical locations for which the NPS is responsible. While the artifacts don't necessarily have much monetary value, to the Tlingits they are an important tie to their culture's history. Relations between the NPS and indigenous people are rocky enough without letting steady pilfering of cultural items happen undetected. Even as that case is reaching an unexpected conclusion Walker is asked to go to Glacier Bay to look into a missing group of researchers from the US Geological Service. At the same time FBI Special Agent Gina Delgado (who had paired up with Walker on a previous case) has been sent by the White House to look into a dead body found in the Florida Everglades, with little explanation as to why the corpse might be of national importance. She too is suddenly redirected from that assignment to Alaska where an experimental submarine has collided with a WWII era mine, with all crew members dying in what should have been a survivable mishap. As each investigator delves into their respective cases their paths begin to intersect....and if they don't find out what is at the root of the deaths and devastation that have already taken place, more are sure to follow.
With a plot that combines a greedy multi-billionaire who is obsessed with sending the first spacecraft to Mars (yes his first and last names each have only four letters apiece, no neither name is Elon or Musk), a Russian general who regards the killing fields of Ukraine as only the first rung of victories on his way to usurp Putin, a prehistoric organism which may have wiped out the wooly mammoth and other species during the Ice Age and has been unleashed from its hibernation by climate change, Cold Burn has a little something for everyone. Authors Jeff Ayers and Jon Land (writing together as A. J. Landau) have written an action-packed thriller set against two of the US's most stunning national parks which combines investigations by law enforcement and science-based menace. Having enjoyed the first book in the series I was eager to see if this second installment lived up to it. I was a little disappointed....with four separate cases unfolding in alternating chapters with no immediately apparent connection, it took a while for the actions to merge into a single narrative (although it was pretty much a given that they would). and some plot devices I felt were a bit of a reach. For those who haven't read the first book in the series, Leave No Trace, the two main characters' backstories may not be as fully explained as one might like. Those observations aside, it is still a very good read, with the Alaskan setting and characters (and the history of the Tlingits and how their way of life has suffered from governmental and environmental oversight) in particular a standout...I rate it a solid 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4. Readers of Clive Cussler, C. J. Box and Nevada Barr should add this series to their TBR pile. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to a copy of this latest National Parks Thriller in exchange for my honest review.

I would recommend but highly suggest you make sure you have the time to invest for your pleasure and understanding. Thriller, intense, informative, intriguing told from different points of view. I was a little flummoxed when I started and then I saw plots being woven together little by little with a twisted, ending and somewhat HEA as can be with this huge plot. Thank you for the advanced copy. I freely share my honest thoughts and opinions. #ColdBurn #NationalParksThriller #A.J.Landau #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

A fast paced and entertaining if implausible thriller with a, ahem, recognizable villain. This is the second outing for National Park Service ISB special agent Michael Walker and FBI special investigator Gina Delgado, both of whom operate separate from line management and at the direction of, in Gina's case, the President. Gina is sent to the Everglades to investigate a gruesome murder while Michael is in Alaska trying to identify who is smuggling Native artifacts when two other things happen-a landslide disappears a group of scientists on Tlingit land and a US submarine sinks. How are these four things connected? And there are a lot of dead fish. This blends science with conspiracy, among other things. Know that Michael and Gina are not in the same place but that both of them find capable and engaging partners as they work their way through the clues and the threats. It leans in on climate science and topical villrainy. Gina is more opaque than Michael but you'll root for both of them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC A page turner.

This is the second book in a series featuring a National Parks Investigator and an FBI agent whose paths cross once again. I didn’t read the first book, but it wasn’t necessary — this one stands alone easily.

The premise had potential: a prehistoric substance thawing out and attracting all kinds of dangerous interest — pure Michael Crichton vibes. Unfortunately, while the setup was promising, the execution didn’t quite live up to it. On the surface, this reads like a procedural, but in reality, it’s an action-heavy thriller that bounces from one violent episode to the next. It’s fast-paced and exciting... if you don’t think about it too hard.

For me, it veered too far into the over-the-top category to really get invested. I also had major issues with the portrayal of the Tlingit tribe. Instead of grounding their representation in reality, the book heaps on supernatural abilities, turning Indigenous characters into “magical trackers” who brush aside a little snow to somehow locate people buried under avalanches. Respect for Indigenous religions and cultures is great — reducing them to fantasy superpowers is not. It felt lazy, patronizing, and borderline ridiculous.

(Frankly, I wouldn’t blame the Tlingit for laughing this one off.)

Add in the near-magical speed of a certain "cure" being created, and the book asked for a suspension of disbelief that was just too much for me.

Bottom line: if you’re fine checking logic at the door and just want non-stop thrills, you’ll probably have a blast. If you like your thrillers a little smarter and more respectful, you might want to look elsewhere.

Cold Burn was an exciting and fast-paced thriller that kept me turning the pages. I loved how the authors made the settings so real—you could feel the cold of the Alaskan glaciers and the heat of the Florida swamps. The mix of history, science fiction, and action was really well done. There were a lot of characters and storylines at first, which made it a little confusing, but once everything started coming together, it was worth it. I liked learning about the Tlingit people and the history of Alaska too. The mystery was solid, and I enjoyed seeing how everything tied together in the end, even when it seemed impossible at first. It’s definitely a book that makes you think about climate change and its possible consequences. Even though it’s part of a series, I thought it worked great as a standalone. A fun, intense read!
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

The author descriptions made reading Cold Burn a terrifying glimpse of science fiction set in real places. Feel the cold of Alaska glaciers. Feel the sludge and smell the swamps of Florida Everglades.

Meet the Tlingit people of Alaska. Learn their history and traditions. Meet Amka and her brother Yehl.

When David Lees, team leader of the US Geological Survey and his students Bellows, Shayna are caught in an avalanche their sanctuary cave has a bear in it. FBI Agents Gina Delgado and Michael Walker are sent to find them. A top secret submarine is sunk in Alaska and all on board are dead. What is happening in the waters of Glacier Bay National Park and the Florida Everglades?