National Park Thriller #1

In a shocking and brutal act of terrorism, the Statue of Liberty has been blown off of it’s pedestal. And with thousands of visitors on the island, there are dead and injured.

Michael Walker is a SA for the National Park Service and is rudely awakened by his boss to get there ASAP! What he finds is horror and chaos. The FBI has been tasked with leading the investigation and since Michael doesn’t have that security clearance, he can’t sit in. But he can look around.

Shocked when a young boy, obviously injured and confused tells him he has video of the attackers. With more threats coming in, time is precious.

Michael and Gina will have to work together to find out who these men are before more people die.

A new thriller based on the National Park Service? Oh, yes! This could very well be my new series!

Netgalley/ St. Martin's Press, February 27, 2024

“Leave No Trace” is a fast-paced, high-stakes mystery/thriller about an attempt to overthrow the US government. Set in various national parks and other federal enclaves throughout the United States, it is the first volume of what promises to be an entertaining series.

A meticulously planned and executed explosion has just toppled the Statue of Liberty. Now, she lies on her side amidst thousands of dead or wounded visitors to Liberty Island.

Special Agent Michael Walker of the Investigative Services Branch (ISB) of the National Parks Service races to the scene, as does FBI Agent Gina Delgado. He’s a former park ranger who lost his foot and his wife (also a park ranger) in a shooting incident at Mount Rainier National Park. She’s an explosives and demolition expert trained by her father and then the United States Army.

Working separately at different sites across the country but always in contact, they soon discover that this is not an isolated incident and that a plot to destroy some of America’s most important monuments and symbols seems to be in motion. Little do they know that the stakes are much higher, or that soon they will be depending on young Lantry--a member of the Lakota Sioux Nation and restorer of motorcycles who seeks to emulate the bravery of his heroic uncle—in order to prevent the deaths of millions.

It’s a thrill ride that takes readers from Liberty Island to Independence Hall to the Gateway Arch to Washington’s Pennsylvania Avenue to wilderness venues such as Zion and Wind Cave National Parks. The authors include a judicious amount of information about each site: enough to be interesting and informative but not so much as to bog the story down. And it’s a tale that places readers amid all sorts of dangers and disasters: explosions, avalanches, cave-ins, floods, shootings, near drownings, military assaults, and the like.

It should be noted that the antagonists in this story (whom readers will love to loathe) seek to overthrow the federal government. While the January 6th incident at the Capitol is referenced, and while at least one antagonist wants to “put America back on the right track,” the authors do not get into today’s politics.

To the contrary, “Leave No Trace” is pure escapist entertainment, with the added bonus of some interesting information about various sites important to our national heritage. It’s a tale of action and adventure that fans of authors like Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler, Lee Child, or Nelson DeMille may find just as enjoyable.

My thanks to NetGalley, authors Jon Land and Jeff Ayers (writing as A.J. Landau) and publisher Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing me with a complementary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

I'll confess the National Park Service is not normally where I'd expect to find an action hero. More fool me. Leave No Trace introduces us to Special Agent Michael Walker and what an explosive introduction it proves to be. Making the book even better is the great Gina Delgado from the FBI who is paired with Walker to investigate a treacherous plot against the United States. In the world of 2023 the events of Leave No Trace could be ripped from the headlines. The action is fast and furious as the reader is transported to one national park after another. This is a terrific tale and one that rewards you with an exceptional end. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, & NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I quite enjoyed this fast-paced tale. I honestly didn't know the the National Park Service had such a wide-ranging investigative division. While it was hard for me to judge the plausibility of many of the plot lines, it was pretty easy to envision the scenarios presented.

I liked the two main characters, and envision future tales involving them. As I read this, my mind kept saying "This should be a movie."

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

I found this story interesting and giving us information on the national parks by these authors, The story line was well blended from a terrorist attack to the national parks. With a park service investigator working with the FBI agent. Well done and glad I had the chance to read.
Given arc by Net Galley and St Martins Press for my voluntary review

With a triumvirate of authors, one might expect a mashup of a story, but the authors have pulled off an excellent tale the not only entertains, but educates. I learned a lot about the National Parks as the plot unfolded. What a surprise that there are forces in our government who may not always have our best interests as their top priority.

First off thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for allowing me the opportunity to read Leave No Trace in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was my first book written by the authors and I have to say it didn’t disappoint. I loved the fact that we got to learn about the national parks while also following the twist and turns of the thriller.

Please do yourself a favor and buy this book. It was a great read.

The concept of this book intrigued me starting with the terrorist attach on the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. As the Parks Service Investigator and the FBI worked together to uncover the group we were treated to a look at various national parks. As has become pretty standard there is a government higher up who is part of the conspiracy and well as radical forces in the country. Since the terrorist group was internal and not a foreign group it strikes close to home. Dissatisfaction with government today is becoming a common topic.

Wow, what a ride. From the first page of Leave No Trace: A National Parks Thriller by A. J. Landau, Jon Land, and Jeff Ayers until the end, I was on the edge of my seat. This is too close to present-day events and a bit scary to think that this could eventually happen.

I loved the characters of Gina Delgado and Michael Walker. I wonder if there will be more with these characters. I hope so.

I learned so much about the national parks and history in general, with each chapter opening with a fact about a monument or location.

Leave No Trace is a wild ride that won't disappoint. There is so much action, intrigue, and suspense that will keep you reading well into the night.

A very good book and plot.

#NetGalley @StMartinsPress

Fast paced thriller with a believable plot in today's political climate. Was happy to see a setup for a possible sequel and would gladly recommend widely.