Narrated by Dean Gallagher
Presented by Tantor Audio

What a mixed bag this was!

Part true mystery, part guide book, this examines mysteries related to American national parks and discusses how travellers can experience the related areas of said parks themselves.

For me - an Australian - I wasn't at all interested in the guide book stuff, but I was quite fascinated by some of the mysteries. SOME. I found myself paying rapt attention when the book covered the disappearance of the couple who went rafting through the Grand Canyon and disappeared without a trace, but tuned out a lot of the 'mystery of the tall trees' segment. Some of the mysteries were quite curious (disappearance of the cave dwellers), others rather dull and pointless (a random old gun find). They were all mixed up in the book, so it was usually a safe bet that a dull story would be followed by one more fascinating. I'm grateful for that, because it did mean that the book didn't really drag despite its less interesting cases.

It is quite thorough for the tourists in the way it explains tracks and trails to follow, and local information such as parking and tours that will help accomplish any trekking goals. So people using it as an inspiring guide book should find it to be a useful, insightful resource.

On the mystery side of things, a lot give only the bare bones of the case and remain inconclusive, with no fresh evidence or unique angles given. I found some to be quite frustrating in that a quick google turned up the same amount of info; yet the fact I felt the need to google in the first place suggests how much my curiosity was piqued. A lot of the cases covered were new to me, so I did enjoy learning about them.

The 'interesting people' stories weren't really for me; some were figures I recognised the name of, but their presence in this book baffled me a little.

The audio was done well. I found the narrator easy to listen to, and his expressive voice conveyed each case quite well. Enunciation was clear, and aside from a creative pronunciation of 'in situ' I followed easily.

I found the mix of mystery and tour guide didn't really work for me, but that's likely because I don't live in the USA so the guide book side of things slowed everything down pointlessly for me. American hikers and outdoorsy folks might appreciate the recommendations for particular trails to follow, and enjoy the immersion into the related stories. Mystery fans will find quite a lot to sink their teeth into.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

Mysteries of the National Parks is an interesting overview of different National Parks throughout the United States and some of the occurrences that have happened in them. Mike Bezemek takes us to the different areas of the country – separating the regions by North, South, East, and West – and shares with us tales of mystery and history.

I was not immediately interested in how the story-telling was presented in this book. Some of the stories interested me more than others, and due to the vast subject matter there were more often than not stories that I kind of zonked out about. My favorite story was from the Indiana Dunes National Park where a 6 year old boy was swallowed by a sinkhole. I remember reading about this years ago, so I enjoyed having the added context to the story, with a scientist regretfully being wrong about what she thought she knew about dunes (*hint – they are not solid!).
I found the book enjoyable overall, but I was hoping for a bit more mystery or strangeness. For example, I enjoyed reading about the Mammoth Caves and how they found how different paths connected during a particularly dry season, but this didn’t feel that exciting outside of an explorer lens.

The narration provided by Dean Gallagher was adequate, but left it hard for me to discern one story from the next. I had to take breaks in listening so that I could mentally differentiate parks and stories from one another.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, the author Mike Bezemek, and the narrator Dean Gallagher for an ALC of Mysteries of the National Parks!

As someone who loves "Stuff You Should Know" and fact/urban legends/historical story podcasts, this is absolutely perfect! I listened to the audiobook as an ARC courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review, and I loved it.

It's formatted as 35 easy-to-read/listen to stories about American National Parks! I was not aware that many National Parks are established *because* of strange phenomena, not just that strange things tend to happen there. If you've ever wondered about secrets of the Everglades, mummy-snatching in the Southwest, or urban legends of UFO's near Mt. Rainier, you will love this book.

I found myself wanting to be one of the people that visits every National Park and checks it off of their bucket lists... but also after listening to some of the stories, I'll admit I'm a little creeped out! Five stars - and the narrator was wonderful.

I added it to my TBR Tuesday for release day today, and it will be featured in upcoming reading vlogs! https://youtu.be/VRrunAzZzyQ

This audiobook started off very informative and engaging. I felt like I was listening to an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, which happens to be one of my favorite shows. I loved how the book not only explores mysterious phenomena but also gives insight into the geography and background of each park.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(3.75 stars rounded up to 4)

This was an entertaining and novel look at the National Parks of the USA. There was a good mix of paranormal, criminal and historical stories here and simple tips for travelers who plan to visit the park in question. Overall, I had a lot of fun with it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The book contains 35 stories that are related to different Nation Park Service sites across the country.
Most of the stories I have never heard of before and because each chapter focused on a different mystery, it was easy to set it down and pick it back up. Some stories were more intriguing than others and I did have points where I was zoning off.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and found it interesting. If anything, this book will give some cool trivia to show off.

Rating: ★★★★☆

“Mysteries of the National Parks” by Mike Bezemek is an entertaining and informative journey through some of America’s most iconic and mysterious landmarks. With a fun blend of history, legend, and travelogue, this book dives into the quirks and curiosities of our national parks in a way that’s both engaging and easy to read.

I especially enjoyed the chapters on the sequoias, the St. Louis Arch, and Glacier National Park. Bezemek’s storytelling brings these places to life—not just in terms of geography, but with the layered mysteries and folklore that surround them. The sequoias’ ancient presence, the unexpected history of the Arch, and the wild allure of Glacier Park were particular standouts for me.

While some parts of the book felt a bit lighter or more speculative than others, overall, it’s a great read for anyone who loves travel, nature, and a good mystery.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am a huge fan of the National Parks so I was super excited to get my hands on this one. Some of the chapters/stories were more interesting than others, but overall this was a fun read. I particularly liked the information about Calamity Jane, murder trials in Yellowstone, and filming the Heaven's Gate movie at Glacier NP (my personal favorite place). I listened to the audio, so I don't know if there is a table of contents or easy way to see what is in the book. That way you could jump to particular chapter/story when you're headed to that park.

If you like history, geography, and travel, definitely give this one a try.

I liked this one. It was interesting enough. The narrator did a good job. It was not an exciting book but I do love some national park lore!

Mysteries of the National Parks is an interesting collection of stories. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator had the perfect voice for such a collection. It felt like a 90s unsolved mysteries meets national geographic. His voice was nostalgic and soothing, easy to listen to.
The stories ranged greatly in topic and style, making it easy to stay engaged throughout.

I would recommend for fans of documentaries and unexplained phenomenon themed podcasts.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ALC and chance to give my honest opinion!

This is an interesting collection of stories. Some are a lot more interesting and engaging than others. Many stories I had previously heard of, but others were completely new to me! I could tell that the author really did his research. The book is separated in to different regions of the United States. Stories included such things as the sailing stones in Death Valley National Park to whether Pocahontas saved John Smith’s life in Virginia.

Overall, this is an interesting collection of stories. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook and would recommend it if you decide to pick this book up.

While “Mysteries of the National Parks” boasts 35 mysteries, it’s much more about the history and highlights of each park. As a kid, I’d have been obsessed with a book like this. As an adult who has been to many of the National Parks mentioned, I found it an interesting read, although at times the mysteries felt a bit underwhelming when compared to the synopsis.

All in, this book would make a great gift for someone who loves the parks and wants to know more, but will be less than satisfying for an adult who loves the paranormal, mysterious, and true crime related.

This is a rare case of my belief that a book is a 3, but rating it higher because I can see the market it’s meant for absolutely loving it.

While the audiobook is well done, I’d suggest the print book for this one, so it can be easily navigated by park.

This gave me chills —it was so good!! There are so many interesting stories I'd love to know the answers to!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

The introduction was extremely long.
I feel like this book should have been split by true stories/mysteries and conspiracy theories. I thought the first story was extremely silly.
I had to skim the book because the stories were so laughable.

It’s evident that a lot of research went into crafting this book; there’s plenty of stories to keep you interested for hours. While I have read a variety of books about the national parks, most of these stories were new to me. I would have liked more of the ghost stories but I’ve had plenty of those from other books. This one has a nice mix of exactly what it says: disappearances, unexplained phenomena, and all-around interesting stories about a myriad of characters and creatures. Recommended if you’re a fan of the parks or you’re planning on visiting one or two of them.

As a roadtrip lover and #nationalparkgeek, I immediately requested the ALC for this book when I saw it on NetGalley last month. I've visited many of the parks discussed in this book and knew some of the info that this book contained due to my love of the parks and visits, but there was quite a bit more that I learned. Some of my favorite stories/factoids I learned were related to stagecoach robberies in the California parks, the mysteries of how the rocks move at Death Valley, the Zone of Death at Yellowstone, the controversies at Mesa Verde NP, stories about Pocahontas, and the Al Capone connections in the Everglades and Big Cypress (which I visited last month).

Thanks again to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this ALC read!

I enjoyed the content of this book but the narrator sounded a little hokey and it took away from what could be a very eerie vibe on some of the stories. I will probably end up picking up the print copy when it comes out next week to go through some of the interesting ones and jot some notes about some of the cool information about the national parks. I'm a huge fan of our national parks and I often visit them, so I really appreciated the side bar recommendations for other, less crowded national park gems!

I spotted this audiobook and thoughtit sounded right up my street. 'm rather obsessed with survival stories like Cheryl Strayeds Wild, Into the Wild and Touching the Void. I was rather hoping for those kind of stories whereas I found it lacked a bit there. However it was incredibly well researched and put together. It just didn't quick have what I was looking for

I love the. National parks, and I’ve spent a lot of time in them. I really enjoyed this book of multiple stories about mysteries and different things that have happened in the park. The narrator was great for this type of story.