I took a chance and read this, the third Glacier Mystery without having read the first two. I shouldn’t have worried as The Weight of Night worked quite well as a standalone. That’s not to say I won’t be going back to read the first two in this series as I am curious as to its beginnings.

The Weight of Night has everything I like, a raging fire, a cold case, a missing teen, a spirit of adventure, all taking place within the backdrop of Glacier National Park and the grand outdoors. Great characters too, ones sporting lots of baggage but with an abundance of passion for their work. In the case of Gretchen Larsen, the lead county crime scene investigator there’s also a fascinating affliction, sleepwalking, which manifests itself into the plot in unexpected ways. Gretchen and Park Police Monty Harris make a fine team in their work, but their personal relationship is complicated by secrets they hold and guilt from their past.

I can recommend this book without hesitation for its depiction of the splendor of Glacier alone. Add its first hand look at fire containment, the quest to identify human remains, the hunt to find a boy before dire harm comes to him all combine for a solid psychological procedural, not fast paced but no slouch in its delivery of a good story.

This is the third of the Glacier Mysteries, although the first that I have read. As I understand it, we met Park Police Officer Monty Harris and Forensic Expert Gretchen Larson in Book 1 of the series but that they did not appear in Book 2. It doesn't matter, really, this book is pretty much self-contained.

A pair of large and dangerous forest fires are burning in the park. As the fire fighters work excavating the firebreak they cut open a shallow grave, exposing the skeleton of a young man buried 14 years before. Gretchen Larson is the initial forensic investigator and, because it is on Park Service land, Officer Harris is the officer initially in charge. The investigation can wait, though, because there are greater worries. First the fires that threaten farms and towns, and second because a boy has gone missing while camping with his parents. The FBI arrives, and the State Police, and Officer Harris is pretty much sidelined.

There are several stories running through this well-plotted mystery. In the present we have the questions of the body in the grave and how did he get there. Then the disappearance of the boy from the campground. With these, we also learn about Gretchen's past and the guilt that nearly crushes her. We learn about Monty, who is an uncommonly good man.

This is a good story and well plotted. I had a little trouble with Ms Carbo's voice as a writer. Her sentences are a bit overly precise, for my taste, and this interfered with the pacing and flow of the text. If that kind of thing doesn't bother you then this is a pretty good book.

I received a review copy of "The Weight of Night: Glacier Mystery Series Book 3" by Christine Carbo
(Atria) through NetGalley.com.

A buried skeleton is found just as a boy disappears. Glacier National Park is experiencing devastating forest fires, making the excavation of the burial site rushed and incomplete and the search for the missing boy both intensely pressured and difficult. The story of both boys, one dead and one whose fate is unknown until the end of the book, is told from two points of view. Monty, a Park officer, and Gretchen, a forensic scientist, team up in the race to find the missing boy and understand what happened to the boy whose skeleton they found. Chapters alternate between the two investigators, and each chapter is full not only of action but also of introspection. This helps the reader understand the characters and their motivation, but it can distract from the plot at times. Carbo's writing about the natural world is beautiful, but perhaps the best descriptive writing occurs when she explains the feeling of entering a huge abandoned industrial plant. This is a compelling plot, bolstered by deep characterization and beautiful writing about the location.

Gretchen Larson, crime scene investigator, and Monty Harris, a Park Police Officer, work against time
to find a missing boy in Glacier Park. Around them forest fires rage out of control, and a shallow grave is
unearthed while digging a break in the fires path. Gretchens Sleep Walking disorder, the tragedy early on in her life and the attraction between her and Monty, make this is a very rich plot. The story, told with each of them narrating alternating chapters, was filled with action and easy to follow.
It was well written, full of suspense, compelling characters and a great ending.
I enjoyed the read and highly recommend it to others.

"After the vanishing of a child, the web that family members build to sustain themselves is so fragile."

This is the third book in the Glacier National Park mystery series. I've read the other two - THE WILD INSIDE and MORTAL FALL - and, while both of the prior books were good, this one is my favorite by far.

There's a lot going on in this story and it is action-packed. First of all, a number of out-of-control wildfires threaten the park and its inhabitants, both human and animal. Then buried human bones are discovered - of course in the path of one of the fires. And THEN a young boy disappears. Whew...

Glacier Park Police Officer Monty Harris is working on getting fire and evacuation news out to people when he's called in to investigate a shallow grave and the bones that were accidentally discovered by one of the firefighters. He calls in Gretchen Larson, the county’s lead crime scene investigator, to help with the recovery of the skeleton.

And things haven't settled down from that when a young camper goes missing.

The story is told in alternating chapters by Monty and by Gretchen so we really get to know these two interesting characters in more depth. Both have back stories that really add to the story.

I like this series a bunch. It reminds me, as I've written before, of the Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr that takes place at different national parks across the U.S. and also the Joe Pickett series by C.J. Box about a Wyoming game warden. All three of these series are strongly written, with in-depth character development and authors that have the ability to describe beautiful country so it's easy to visualize.

I received this book from Atria Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Weight of Night falls outside my usual usual stomping grounds, but I was tempted by the subject matter which hit exceedingly close to home. A Montana native, I was excited to see a book set in my own backyard and couldn't resist the temptation of the novel's premise.

The mystery at the heart of the novel was ultimately too predictable for my tastes, but loved the cultural and atmospheric details of the story. There was a noticeable authenticism to the novel that didn't limit itself to the romanticism that typically characterizes Montana fiction. Though I didn't fall for the elements that were meant to keep me guessing, I'd definitely recommend the book on quality of the author's style and tone.

The characters were unique and interesting, but I guessed where the two mystery plotlines were headed early on and was disappointed by the lack of twists or suspense. I would be interested in reading more by this author though.

Many who have demons to wrestle find solace in slumber. That is not the case for Gretchen Larson, the county’s lead crime scene investigator. She has come to the US to get away from the demons and has found a home in Montana. Many know the demons Glacier National Park Police Officer Monty Harris carries with him. The discovery of a skeleton, unearthed by firefighters digging fire breaks and the disappearance of young boy, will bring the demons of these two people to the surface faster than the fires that burn around them.

Without being overly graphic, Carbo wraps this book around you with intense, descriptive prose. Your eyes sting, your nose hurts as she writes about the choking smoke and you feel the intensity in the heat of the flames. You worry and fret with the parents of the missing boy. You want to comfort Gretchen as she sleeps and when she relives events from her past. All her of her characters are realistic and fully described. Carbo has delivered an entertaining and highly suspenseful novel with the beautiful Glacier National Park as its backdrop.

I am thankful for the generosity of the publisher for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy for my honest review.

ISBN: 9781501156236 PUB: Atria Books PUB DATE: June 6, 2017

Christine Carbo has quickly become a must read author for me. I loved her first two books, and this one was even better! She writes wonderful characters, engrossing storylines, and stunning settings.
Her books really come alive for me, and I can't get through them fast enough.

In this one, the Glacier National Park area is experiencing devastating fires, and Monty Harris is called upon when human bones are discovered. With help from crime scene investigator Gretchen Larson, the bones are excavated. Soon they have another emergency to deal with - the disappearance of a teenager. As new information surfaces, Monty and Gretchen work to piece together what is happening in the area.

Monty is still dealing with the disappearance of his best friend at age twelve in this one, and we also learn of Gretchen's heartbreaking past. These two characters who carry so much baggage are very sympathetic, and I wanted the best outcomes for them.

Living in Montana, it is wonderful to me that Carbo gives such an accurate feel to the area. Her settings almost seem like another character.

I am already eagerly awaiting the next installment featuring Monty Harris.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

Amazing addition to this series. Can't wait for the next one!

I've read all three of Carbo's novels set in Glacier National Park and each one has been better than the last.

The Weight of Night combines a gripping plot, compelling characters, and beautiful, descriptive prose.

Both Monty Harris, a Park Police officer, and Gretchen Larson, crime scene investigator, were featured in Mortal Fall, Carbo's second novel. The narrative In The Weight of Night switches back and forth--from Gretchen's point of view to Monty's.

The book begins with Gretchen's memories of Norway--evocative descriptions of her hometown and the fjord make visualization easy. She also, as early as the second paragraph, mentions her problems with sleepwalking, a REM behavior disorder that "takes sleepwalking to absurd levels." She awakes that morning to find that all the books on her bookshelves have been removed and stacked in rows. Although this is the first evidence of an episode in five years, Gretchen begins reviewing her strategies for dealing with her problem.

Chapter 2 is from Monty's pov and his overview of the fire situation. He meets with the head of one of the fire crews and is present when the firefighters digging a fire break uncover buried skeletal remains. Gretchen Larson is called in for the excavation and preservation of the remains, but is forced to do a hurried job when the wind changes direction and an evacuation of the area is required.

Before leaving, Gretchen's examination of the remains leads her to suspect the victim is a young male. Her remark stirs up memories of the disappearance of Monty's best friend when they were fourteen.

In the midst of the evacuations necessitated by the separate fires that threaten large areas of the 1,583 square mile park, a boy is reported missing from his parents' camp site. Gretchen continues the investigation of the bones, and Monty works with the search for the missing boy.

Tightly plotted, the narrative moves from Gretchen to Monty as they work on the two investigations, but there are also underlying stories being revealed. Although Gretchen was a secondary character in Mortal Fall, this novel largely belongs to her. Her REM behavior disorder is a fascinating element in the novel, her descriptions of her beloved Norway are evocative. That there is a tragedy in her life is revealed in the first chapter, and her gradual revelations are riveting.

Highly Recommended.

Read in Jan.; blog post scheduled for May 17, 2017.

NetGalley/Atria Books

Crime/Suspense. June 6, 2017. Print length: 304 pages.

While trying to contain a huge wildfire threatening Glacier National Park and surrounding environs, firefighters and volunteers dig a ditch around the perimeter of the park as a firestop and uncover human remains. National Park police officer Monty Harris calls in crime scene expert Gretchen Larson. hoping she can uncover any evidence that might identify both the victim and the killer. The case becomes more urgent when a teenager disappears from a campground inside the national park. Are the two case linked? If so, then Mony and Gretchen have little time to solve the first crime if they hope to save the teen. I love mysteries set in our national parks and Carbo did not disappoint me. For readers of Jessica Speart and Nevada Barr