My first exposure to Peter Heller's writing was his brilliant 2012 post-apocalyptic thriller The Dog Stars. Since then Heller has penned several novels, all featuring characters primarily  living and working in the great outdoors, with the natural environment playing a primary role in the story.

In The Last Ranger,  Ren Hopper is a Park Ranger for the National Park Service stationed in Yellow Stone.  He is primarily tasked with enforcing the park's rules, and his daily duties usually consist of a variety of menial tasks such as ensuring traffic flow, litter control, checking fishing licenses, or breaking-up the occasional altercation between park visitors.  Other workdays, however may potentialy involve more serious duties, such as search and rescue, or investigating and arresting poachers operating illegally within the park. An avid fisherman and outdoorsman, Ren seems to enjoy his vocation. Living within the calm natural beauty of Yellowstone has given him a measure of peace and security, and helped him come to terms with the effects of a troubled childhood. Friendships forged with his fellow park employees have given him a  sense of camaraderie he has never known. 

All is not idyllic, however.  Many  local residents living within the vicinity of Yellowstone resent the park and its regulations, and view its presence as just more government intrusion and overeach into their daily lives.  Hilly, a prominent wolf biologist  living and working within the park, has become embroiled in an increasingly bitter feud with a local hunter whom she suspects is involved in illegal wolf hunting and trapping in the area.  When Ren eventually discovers Hilly near death in an illegal steel trap, he knows the situation is spiraling out of control.

The Last Ranger contains some beautiful writing. Heller's lush descriptions of nature and the park's environment do much to enhance the story.  The pacing, of the novel, however, is very slow. Very little occurs until the final quarter of the novel, and that too is very benign.  In fact, the bulk of The Last Ranger consists of Ren going about his mundane duties in the park, and pensively thinking back on the events of his childhood.  He does perform a minor bit of detective work toward the end of the novel, but it is non-productive and contributes little to the story itself. The Last Ranger had lots of potential, but it seemed as if the author was uncertain where to go with it, so the story remained weak and unfocused.  The conclusion felt halfhearted at best. 

Peter Heller has proven himself to be an able storyteller in the past, especially with novels such as the aforementioned The Dog Stars, and his gripping novel The River. The Last Ranger is certainly beneath his previous efforts.

Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

I was graciously given an ARC by NetGalley and Knopf in return for an honest review.

I liked the descriptions about the park and the surrounding area.
I liked the parts about the wolves and other wildlife in Yellowstone.
I couldn’t get a good read on Ren. There was a void about how he became a park ranger.
The truest part of the Novel are the tourists who endanger the wildlife and cause havoc.
I thought the writing was choppy and sometimes I had difficulty following the prose.
The ending was abrupt and unresolved.

Heller’s unique voice captures the sights, scents, and sounds of the natural world. Combined with a early midlife coming of age story and a mystery to be solved, and you have a terrific read.

Another great story by Heller, full of action and great character development. As always, Heller presents both sides of the story--those of the ranger wanting to preserve the natural resources in Yellowstone and of the trappers trying to make a living.

Ren Hopper is an enforcement ranger at Yellowstone and has to juggle between protecting the wildlife, dealing with tourists and managing the locals. Recently there have been threats against Ren after he was dealing with a poaching case, which he thinks might be part of a larger group who wants more access to Yellowstone's resources. He's also been looking out for Hilly, a biologist researching wolves, who has had a few altercations with Les, a suspected wolf poacher. As Ren investigates, he keeps finding himself in the crosshairs of whomever is leaving the threatening notes, but he's determined to figure out who is behind it. Overall, an interesting mystery in the highly detailed setting of Yellowstone that touches on the issues of how people interact with nature.

loved this book, especially the audiobook! I listened to the majority of it while driving to Glacier National Park last week & then finished reading it while overlooking Lake MacDonald. Peter Heller is one of my favorite authors, I love the way he weaves nature writing and a compelling mystery together in a book I can’t put down. This particular book was one of my most anticipated this year because of the setting and my experience in Yellowstone. He created a great sense of place and I felt like I was in Cooke City or hiking up Slough Creek. Combine this with a crazy mystery involving wolves, a biologist and poachers and I was fully invested.

I have enjoyed all of Peter Heller's novels, though his most previous book The Guide was my least favorite and felt a bit different than the rest. The Last Ranger was a nice return then. Beautiful prose. A great Yellowstone setting.

If you like literary suspense, the outdoors and nature, then Peter Heller's books are especially for you. See also: The Dog Stars, The River, Celine, The Painter.

Peter Heller is a go-to author for me, not just because he is an incredible nature writer from Colorado, but because he never fails to write a compelling, compulsively readable story. The Last Ranger is set in Yellowstone and focuses on park ranger Ren and his fight to keep America's largest national park and its protected wolves safe from poachers.

Ren is a classically flawed protagonist, fighting demons from his past as he works to help those that need him now. I love how Heller weaves details about Yellowstone and its wolf population among a thrilling conflict with poachers, and there's even a little romance to boot. Heller is a treasure, and I hope more people find this book. Something tells me there may even be a sequel.

Peter Heller is a master of the nature/eco thriller. I reviewed his last book, The Guide, and I think that The Last Ranger outshines it in every way. The book describes the life of park ranger Ren Hopper as he navigates the tricky middle ground between opposing interests. On one hand is Hilly, a wildlife researcher who has devoted her life to studying wolves. She is passionate about efforts to rewild the park and bring the wolves safely into the ecosystem. On the other hand is Les, a suspected poacher who resents the inability to trap on the land and who is a member of a mysterious group of citizens opposing the restrictions created when land becomes protected.

I loved the descriptions of nature, the small, realistic details woven throughout, the delicate relationship between Ren and Hilly, and the way the characters are nuanced. I highly recommend this novel to lovers of nature and outdoor activities, those interested in national parks, or just thriller lovers looking to step beyond the typical domestic sphere.

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for making this arc available in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller is a very highly recommended, exquisitely written novel following a realistic account of a national park ranger.

Officer Ren Hopper is an enforcement ranger with the Yellowstone National Park Service. His many duties vary greatly as he deals with often clueless tourists, a park full of wildlife, and local residents. Off duty, he enjoys spending time with Hilly, the wolf biologist, who is passionate about her work. There is trouble brewing between Hilly and a local hunter/trapper, Les Ingraham, who may be poaching too. And then there is someone who is specifically leaving notes that are targeting and threatening Ren.

Heller does a magnificent, poetic job capturing the beauty and danger found in the natural environment of Yellowstone, as well as the conflicts between people in The Last Ranger. It is an even paced novel that is part mystery novel with several incidents to investigate and part ode to the natural world. Heller has seamlessly written into the plot many facts and information about wolves, bears, and other animals in the wilderness.

At the same time Heller also populates The Last Ranger with a cast of realistic characters with differences and conflicting emotions. Ren is a wonderful, complex, fully realized character. He is thoughtful, contemplative, and purposeful while dealing with the conflicts and questions he encounters. His emotional wounds from his past are present, but help make him the man he is.

The Last Ranger would be a wonderful choice for a book club. There are so many details and questions that could be discussed.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Knopf via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Book Browse, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

As I look at alllll the high ratings for this book I realize I'm a total wrongreader. I do like the descriptions of all the wilderness....but not for the whole dang book.


Netgalley in exchange for review.

The Last Ranger is the latest beautifully written book by Peter Heller. I really admire how well Heller writes about nature. He uses the most descriptive language that makes you want to read the sentences repeatedly to truly soak in what he's saying. That being said, even with spending plenty of time admiring the writing I was so riveted by this book that I read it all in one day. The plot moves so quickly and leaves you not wanting to take a break from it at all. I highly recommend this book. Read and enjoy!

I’ve read all of Peter Heller’s fiction with The Dog Stars being my favorite. The Last Ranger is a pretty close second. The Yellowstone setting is well described and I loved reading of the interaction between Ranger Ren and the park visitors and his fellow park residents. The heart of the novel, though, is REN’s discovery of a dark and threatening group of ranchers. This is a slow-burn of a novel written in Heller’s signature poetic style and is well worth a read.

I'm not sure if there's an official category of literature called "nature thrillers" or "eco adventures," but if there is, then Peter Heller owns it. "The Last Ranger" is the third of his books I've read, and I've enjoyed all three for taking me into niche worlds (canoeing, fly fishing and, in this latest book, rangering at Yellowstone National Park) and making them come alive. Sure, there are plot points and conflicts--in "The Last Ranger," Officer Ren Hopper contends with wolf poachers, anti-government conspiracy groups and close calls between tourists and wildlife--and the book boasts a full supporting cast of eccentric characters, but what Heller really excels at is setting a scene, conjuring the American West in all its brilliant color, scent and sound. I was thoroughly entertained by "The Last Ranger"--a great read for anyone who likes their armchair nature travel with a dash of danger and adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

This was my second Peter Heller - I read The Guide in 2022. The Last Ranger follows Yellowstone enforcement ranger Ren Hopper as he contends with a mysterious group who are poaching (and even worse) on the Yellowstone grounds.

I really loved all the characters in this novel - particularly the wolf scientist. I think Heller is at his best when he's describing the gorgeous landscapes and grounding a character in their surroundings. The thriller part of this novel wasn't particularly thrilling, especially in comparison to The Guide, but the intrigue of the mysterious events at the park kept me hooked. I really enjoyed this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Last Ranger by Peter Heller. I loved The Dog Stars by Peter Heller and was really excited for the opportunity to read another book by him. I really enjoyed the setting in Yellowstone National Park. The character development of Ren was fantastic. It was a fast paced read. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story. There were a few loose ends and unanswered questions that I would have liked some closure on but overall I really enjoyed the story. 4.5 stars rounded up.

I love pretty much everything Peter Heller writes. I love the outdoor settings he chooses. It always feels like a short vacation in a book. I've been to Yellowstone twice and really felt like Heller nailed the descriptions.

Huge Peter Heller fan here, I absolutely loved The River and The Dog Stars, so I was thrilled to get my hands on The Last Ranger. Set in Yellowstone National Park, this reads like a character study of park enforcement ranger Ren in his daily activities dealing with the elements, tourists, and other more serious issues such as poaching. I loved the descriptive writing - you can almost see and smell the wildlife of Yellowstone and all of the nature surrounding it. I didn't enjoy the storyline as much as some of Heller's other work, but I still devoured it in one sitting. I would recommend to literary fiction lovers who enjoy national parks and the great outdoors with a little mystery/thriller on the side.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.

The Last Ranger is the new book by Peter Heller and it's hand down one of his best. The story revolves around Ren Hopper a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. He is there to protect the park and sometimes help visitors that don't do the right thing. i.e. selfies in dangerous places, getting to close to the animals and sadly hunting animals that are out of bounds. The story has a few plot lines that are easy to follow and so important for us to understand what we are doing to nature is wrong. The story about wolf protection is informative as well as useful if we want to have National Parks in our country. Think eco-systems gone awry. There is also something in the book about a dark group with rwally bad intentions. They feel the park should just open up and be a free for all. Ren has other ideas about that happening. This book is a literary thriller but perfect for summer reading. Also great for people who have been to our national parks an environmentalists. . I have visited Yellowstone and it felt like I was back there exporing the beauty of the majestic park. Easily a 5 star read!!! Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for the read!

If we’ve been reading friends for awhile, you know that I’m a Peter Heller fan, especially of his novel Celine 💚. After finally reading his debut this spring, I was excited to dive into his newest release, which publishes tomorrow!
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In THE LAST RANGER, Yellowstone ranger Ren spends his days keeping the peace in the park between the many types of people and animals within its confines. The isolated accommodations suit him just fine, and the job offers an opportunity for a fresh start after tragedy. When his friend and only neighbor, a wolf biologist named Hilly, is the victim of a mysterious violent crime, Ren sets off on an investigation into the darker world of the park— full of poachers and those that don’t think Yellowstone should exist at all.
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As always with Heller’s books, this had a super atmospheric nature setting, with beautiful writing and a reverence and tenderness for the plants and animals who call Yellowstone home. I am now hoping to visit the park in the near future— hopefully with no drama, though! The dark mystery at the heart of the story quickly drew me in, though it’s worth noting that this is a slow burn. I’d describe several of Heller’s books, including this one, as literary eco-thrillers that don’t really feel like thrillers… until suddenly they do.
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Beyond the setting and plot, I also really appreciated Ren’s character growth while grappling with grief and trauma. Apart from Ren, there was a large cast of characters, some of whom were just introduced for a scene or two. I found it hard at times to keep track of all of them, but they did add color to the park’s community. This is the rare book that I actually wish was longer— there were so many interesting characters and topics introduced that I would gladly read another couple of hundred pages.
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Overall, this was a super atmospheric, engrossing read. If you’re a fan of Heller’s other books, I think you will enjoy this one, and if you’re new to his work, I think this would be a great place to start!
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🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
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Thank you to @aaknopf and @netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Available 7/25!